Comments on: 10 Baby Items You Think You Need, But Really Don’t

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 03:29:14 +0000

Listen everyone, my kid is a chunk. He’s 16 pounds and barely three months and I NEVER use my stroller. It was a waste of money. I have an AMAZING baby carrier that allows my 120 pounds to carry him for several hours along with my light diaper bag and not feel it. Check out good carriers not the baby-bjorn crapp……. I like my babyhawk oh-snap. I can get him in the carrier while walking in less then 10 seconds.

By: Dita

Dita — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:07:45 +0000

A stroller is not a necessary baby item. Seriously, what planet do you live on? A quality stroller is an absolute necessity,however one does not needs to spend $800-plus on one. I agree with the person who stated that not every child is ready to walk when they are too heavy to carry. I also believe that a sling or carrier, will not work for everyone either because the child has quickly outgrown it, the child does not like to be carried in one, or the parent/caregiver has back problems/health issues that make using a sling/carrier unfeasible.

By: Ellie

Ellie — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:55:58 +0000

Wow…I disagree with much of this article. I appreciate that some homes are set up where you can hear a baby from anywhere, but not my house! Additionally, we live in a one story house where my daughters window faces the street. If someone were to break into her bedroom we need to know and our monitor provides the best connection to her bedroom than our alarm. Sure the alarm will sound, but by the time we figure out which room the alarm is coming from, she could be gone! In addition, our bedroom is on the opposite side of the house and there is no chance of us hearing her in the night! As for a nightlight, I can’t see in my daughter’s room without one, so how do I expect her to see? I think complete darkness is very frightening for a young child who wakes up and has lost his/her bearings.

Lastly, no stroller?!?! Where do you live that you don’t find a stroller helpful? What about going on walks with your young child? The outdoors is a wonderful stimulus, plus mom/dad can get some exercise. Great for all! In addition, I live in the city and cannot possibly carry my child everywhere I go. And now that she is walking, it is not safe for her to walk across major streets or in many busy locations.

I think the writer has a very arcane thought process!

By: Tiffane

Tiffane — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:02:29 +0000

I would like to disagree with the pacifiers one. pacifiers help reduce sids.. I dont know about the other moms but that is the number one thing on my list…

By: alice little

alice little — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:38:40 +0000

A stroller is not a necessity? Have you raised a baby without one? Do you live in the city or the burbs? I can only imagine being without a stroller if I were driving everywhere. In the city I think it’s a necessity. As much as I loved my baby (and will love the one on the way), I don’t want the child strapped to my body 24/7.

By: Terre

Terre — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:24:55 +0000

Your comment about not needing a stroller is totally CRAZY. Constantly carring a child does more damage to a mothers back and hips and neck…just ask a doctor.

By: debra miles

debra miles — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 09:31:15 +0000

you have a very old fashioned look at things. babies need some of the items u said not to have as they need stimulation. i feel sorry for your kids

By: Nicole G

Nicole G — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:06:29 +0000

I agree with some of this. Personally, my husband and I would like to try to keep the baby purchases simple. In our culture, Native American (Lakota and Navajo), the baby spends most of their infant months in a cradleboard so we’re not gonna worry about a swing, a playpen, a crib, or a bouncy chair. I think I’d still like a stroller and a sling since we walk a lot. It’s always good to look at things before you buy them and think “Do I really need this?”
Peace

By: Candace

Candace — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:41:54 +0000

I am a 1st time mom-to-be and i will take as many tips ont things that i will and wont actually use as i can get. My husband is in the military and we arent exactly rolling in the money. So we want whats needed and a few fun extras. I dont think that i could go with out a stroller, as I’d like to walk the baby so that I can get out and get some exercise after i finish gaining all this weight. Also I thought that the pack-in-plays were a great idea because we do travel alot and it would be a whole lot easier to fold and go then move a crib around with us all the time.

The toys i can agree with i plan to by a few wrist rattles but thats about it. I was wondering about the need for swings and bouncys and all that extra stuff. I dont exactly want my whole living room cluttered with baby stuff if its not needed. Its hard enough making all babies stuff fit in the room as it is. And all that I have now is a crib and storge station for all the diapers,wipes,creams,lotions,ect. Is a rocker really needed?
I have also heard from friends that the changing table they bought for $300+ was only used for the 1st two months.After that they just diapered where ever they were.

I would love to hear anymore info that could save me money in the end. As I already know that the cost of a child doesnt stop at the infant stage.

By: Krista

Krista — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:15:37 +0000

I agree that in today’s society we’re told that we need a lot of unnecessary items to raise a child. I agree with the author that you have to take into account your lifestyle or life situation when purchasing items.

We were given a changing table and use it daily. We’ll continue to use to when I have twins this summer. We like having everything in one place.

We bought a travel system and I wish we would have spend the money on a Maclaren instead. They’re light and lot easier to travel with, especially in airports. We’d buy one for the twins, if they offered a front to back option.

Our son had reflux, so for the first three months he slept in his bouncy seat and I’d occasionally prop him up in his boppy after meals. When he got older we fed him in his bouncy seat instead of using a highchair.

We use our pack-n-play regularly. Our son is two and we still use it for him to sleep in when his grandparents come to visit. They own a house by us but don’t have a nursery for him. We loan it to friends to who come to visit with children. This was one of the best investments we’ve made.

We also use the monitor ($10) because while our sons room is right down the hall, we can’t hear him at night. We exercise after he’s gone to bed in the basement, so a monitor is very useful.

This comment is to one of the last posters. I’d like to point out that unfortunately not everybody can breastfeed, can afford an organic lifestyle and most of all not everybody cares. In an ideal world we would all simplify our lives, reduce waste and healthy food would be made available to all. Compassion will make change, not judgment.