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Original poster

What was the most impractical baby gift you were given?

297 replies

LolaNova · 09/03/2021 13:57

Was just in the kids bedroom looking at a blanket DS was given shortly after he was born by a friend of my mum’s. It’s absolutely stunning. White, hand crocheted, really intricate, very fine yarn, took hundreds of hours to make. It’s also massive, heavy, and wholly impractical for use as a blanket by anyone, let alone an infant! You could probably use it as a gorgeous beach cover up or a christening shawl for photos. It’s hung on the bannisters in DS’ room for the last 2 years.

What gifts were you given that never got used?

OP posts:
StoneColdBitch · 09/03/2021 14:50

We were given a COOK voucher. I cringe when I see it recommended on here as an ideal present for new parents. The voucher wasn't enough to make an order which qualified for free postage, and we couldn't easily afford to pay the extra for this. So we collected the order from our nearest shop, which was a 45-minute drive away. The actual food was fairly nice but in no way worth the price. Terrible present IMO.

wheeltrims · 09/03/2021 14:55

Faffy dresses with buttons down the back. Why companies make them for newborns I have no idea. Must be so uncomfortable. Needless to say mine pretty much lived in baby grows etc for those first few weeks and the dresses went untouched sadly.

RosieLemonade · 09/03/2021 14:56

A pair of pink lacy baby shoes. They were really something else. DD never wore them but I can't chuck them for some reason. Dd is 4 so she never wear them now Grin

WineInTheWillows · 09/03/2021 14:57

Baby vests with great big ballerina style tutus. Just... why?

steppemum · 09/03/2021 14:59

mini trainers for 0-3 months.

Mine didn't actually wear shoes until they were walking age

StoneColdBitch · 09/03/2021 15:00

Actually, I've thought of another one - pram shoes. When my children were tiny I covered them in blankets, and when they were older they wouldn't keep pram shoes on. Now my youngest is a bit older (over 1, but not walking yet) I did use those moccasin sock things this winter, because they stay on better than socks or pram shoes, and she doesn't like a blanket over her now she's bigger.

BrilliantBetty · 09/03/2021 15:00

Second the Cook vouchers. Expensive and not worth it. I also had to drive miles to collect.

We were kindly given lots of outfits as gifts for PFB but people go 'up a size' and forget that seasons change. For example, really cute White Company snowsuit. When baby grew in to it it was nearly June and she fit in it until the end of Sept.

Original poster
LolaNova · 09/03/2021 15:01

Our village ‘supermarket’ (supermarket is a real stretch) stocks COOK. I can’t believe the prices! When we very occasionally have a meal it works out at at least £5 per portion and we don’t even get leftovers out of it!

OP posts:
Gerla · 09/03/2021 15:02

Designer jeans for our newborn twins. Mine wore sleepsuits for the first few months and by the time we were dressing them, the jeans were too small. Luckily I returned them - and discovered they cost 100 euros a pair!! Generous gift but ....really?

Original poster
LolaNova · 09/03/2021 15:02

@RosieLemonade A pair of pink patent baby shoes found their way into a Salvation Army donation bin recently 😬

OP posts:
MeadowHay · 09/03/2021 15:03

Loads of fancy frilly dresses with loads of buttons in tiny sizes. Most never got worn and the few that did only for very short time periods.

Mobile, never bothered to put it up. Blush

Baby Converse. A pointless faff and my DD had v wide feet so never really fitted properly.

Loads and loads of teddies/soft toys/comforters. She barely played/glanced at half of them if that.

Hair bands, pointless as she almost always had a hat on outside and DD wouldn't tolerate them anyway.

Original poster
LolaNova · 09/03/2021 15:03

@WineInTheWillows Ooh that’s one we’ve managed to avoid with DD! So far 😂

OP posts:
Original poster
LolaNova · 09/03/2021 15:04

@Gerla 100 Euros!! I’d struggle to justify that on my own jeans!! DS still doesn’t wear jeans and he’s 2.5!

OP posts:
Tibtab · 09/03/2021 15:05

Baby record books, it’s a nice idea but I never found the time to fill it in whilst occupying my DD
all day. Now I feel guilty that I didn’t record the date she first rolled over.

sasparilla1 · 09/03/2021 15:05

Hoards of soft toys..... just why?!

Yes, in agreement with fancy dress that never got worn and pram shoes. Pointless.

COOK to me is associated with my elderly parents who buy it locally for times they're not up to cooking.

GreenLeafTurnip · 09/03/2021 15:07

Baby grows with buttons down the back. Awful inventions. Anything that wasn't a baby grow for his first few months. My friend sent a gorgeous trouser and jumper set which I put him in for a photo and then changed back to a baby grow. Babies don't need outfits!!

SarahAndQuack · 09/03/2021 15:08

Acres of very badly-made soft toys (the kind where you worry the eyes will fall off and a small baby will choke on them) and masses of pink stuff from DP's mum. It's weird - she wasn't into girly-girl clothes for any of her three daughters, she's not in the least girly herself (she never wears skirts or dresses and in the 80s she insisted her girls should get to wear trousers to school because the uniform policy was sexist). I don't know what came over her!

Also, I'm sorry to say, slings. I know some people love them but DP had a C section and I had a massive ovarian cyst at the time, so we both just found them a right pain! I felt so bad as one family member was hugely into slings and had spent an awful lot of money.

Whatalottachocca · 09/03/2021 15:09

A white, 100% wool, intricately crocheted shawl. Baby was sick in it, I hand washed it, it felted, my mother, who gave it to me, was horrified and gave me a right dressing down. Was I bothered! Not really. 😉

majesticallyawkward · 09/03/2021 15:09

All the frills... faffy, fussy, button covered dresses for a squirming baby. And endless stuff with her name on it! No less than 4 piggy banks, personalised.

Dc2 got almost nothing, combination of 2nd child, a boy and corona era baby. I'm kind of grateful really.

Same4Walls · 09/03/2021 15:11

@Tibtab

Baby record books, it’s a nice idea but I never found the time to fill it in whilst occupying my DD all day. Now I feel guilty that I didn’t record the date she first rolled over.
To be fair as a parent who had a baby just before lockdown I actually managed to fill in the baby milestone book simply because there was fuck all else to do. So I think these should only be recommended as a suitable gift in event of a global pandemic.

We got some baby shoes with bells on like little elf shoes. They were rediculously impractical and the bells were held on by the tiniest of thread so not exactly safe either.

IDontDrinkTea · 09/03/2021 15:12

MIL sent me several expensive hand wash only outfits, or outfits that required a lot of ironing. My baby had cmpa that wasn’t diagnosed for ages and therefore had multiple explosive nappies a day. She never wore any of the outfits

Original poster
LolaNova · 09/03/2021 15:13

@SarahAndQuack I love slings but I’d never buy one for someone else. It’s like buying a bra or running shoes. Just because something works for you, doesn’t mean it will fit right or work well for aomebody else.

OP posts:
PumpkinsMum18 · 09/03/2021 15:13

A raincoat for a newborn Confused

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 09/03/2021 15:13

A childless friend bought me a beautiful silk cushion because she had heard cushions were useful for breastfeeding.

Soubriquet · 09/03/2021 15:16

I loved the baby grows with tutus on them BlushBlush

Though my MIL bought this and it had no stretch to it so it literally was worn for 1 day before she was too big for it

What was the most impractical baby gift you were given?