Oct
20
2009
Checklist – things NOT to buy before baby is born
When I was pregnant, we had a great idea. Buy everything baby needs before it is born. But how much of it did baby actually use? Looking back it would have saved us a fortune if we had bought the bare minimum and checked what we actually used and needed, before taking a trip to the shops.
These are some of the things we bought before baby was born – but really didn’t need to!
- Bottles
We bought the Avent steriliser and extra avent bottles. However, our baby just couldn’t get used to the bottles. We bought Dr Brown’sbottles on recomendation from our midwife. They worked a treat. They fitted in the steriliser – so at least we didn’t waste our money on that!
- Food/bottle warmer
Milk needed to be cooled down, not heated up! So no need for this. It was still in the cupboard in it’s box, unused when he got to his 2nd birthday. - Crib/cot bumper
We bought one, put it in the crib. It looked fantastic. Then read that they shouldn’t be used for babies. They can be dangerous, in that they can increase the risk of suffocation or the baby can get caught in the ties. We took it out, and again put it in the cupboard where it stayed. - Fleecy blanket
We bought cute fleecy baby blankets. Anything fleecy is not good for the baby. They need breathable blankets. That don’t have bits that can come off. - Soft toys
Baby had his favourite soft toy. He never even looked at the others. And friends and family bought him that many toys when he was born, why did we buy so many before he was even around? - Baby bath, shampoo, and talc
We thought we needed all these things. Most are still in the cupboard. Plain water is needed for bathing a new baby, and a single bottle of top-to-toe wash cleans them – as the bottle says from top-to-toe! - Bath thermometer
This sounded really useful. We kept buying new ones though. The ones we bought just weren’t up to the job and just didn’t work for long. In the end sticking your elbow in the water to test the temperature was a much better way.
Any other things you bought and just never used? Please comment…
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Newborn baby checklist – what do I need to buy before the baby is born?
Yes, we wasted precious money on several baby items for our twins, which never seen the light of day! A portable changing platform that fits over the cotbeds and twin toddler reins are two useless purchases that spring to mind!
Very good piece – so true about the fleecy blankets. I bought a Bumbo which due to my daughter’s chubster thighs never fit her. Baby bouncer was invaluable and definitely a must have.
So true, so many baby items that manufacturers con us into buying!
Its amazing how ling 1 bottle of top to toe baby wash lasts!
Annette – I’ve never even heard of twin toddler reins!
Cara – our son kept falling out of his Bumbo, I’m sure that’s not supposed to happen.
Snafflesmummy – I’d not heard of top to toe wash until in the maternity hospital after the baby was born. You are right – it lasts for ages.
[...] 8 months pregnant with our 1st child. We bought a bottle steriliser and some powdered baby formula (along with everything else that we did and didn’t need!) It looked complicated, and we didn’t want to get it wrong when the baby came [...]