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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:
Mangofandangoo · 09/03/2021 19:07

A superman baby grow - it had a cape 🤢🤢🤢

Popcornbetty · 09/03/2021 19:10

@Mangofandangoo that sounds cute!

caoraich · 09/03/2021 19:10

Seconding things bought in wrong season. My October baby got given a beautiful snow suit... in 6-12 months. Thankfully she was teeny so still just fitted it the following autumn but it hung in a cupboard mocking me all year!

My SIL bought a perfect prep, loads of bottles and whatnot. She spent a fortune. I breastfed and kiddo has had about 10 bottles in her entire life. I still have it in the garage, should really try and sell the thing...

Sleepyquest · 09/03/2021 19:12

14 stuffed bunnies (although she loves them now!)
An expensive dressing gown which I did ask for but realise now a baby doesn't need one Grin

ArtfulScreamer · 09/03/2021 19:16

@SarahAndQuack in fairness I'd bought myself some prior to her birth and if I'd been given another couple of packets I'd have got the use out of them as they do come in handy for cleaning up spills, temp change mat, wiping sand off at the beach etc but I think we got about 20 packs each with 4 or 5 in. I had about a 100 of the things and a DD that's 2 and has still only really been sick twice. I'm sure I'd have a very different opinion if I'd had a sicky bab. At least I've several unopened packets for this baby and the ones we did use have made for good polishing and window cleaning cloths Grin

Parkandride · 09/03/2021 19:16

Oh God this scares me, I hate faffy things and waste, have a tiny house and a dog who'll hunt down any soft toys - which might be a handy way of disposing them actually...

SarahAndQuack · 09/03/2021 19:27

Grin Good to know they do have other uses!

I'm remembering how our house was constantly festooned with them drying - she was so sicky that when my brother got married that summer, I literally chose a dress with the main selection criterion being 'if she vomits down this multiple times, will it show' (for the record, I recommend lace for as pukeable formal wear). Small babies are so revolting.

SmednotaSmoo · 09/03/2021 19:29

For my third baby, I worked til 39 weeks pregnant and had two young children at home. My (child free) boss bought a very expensive (£50) “pregnancy pamper set” as a leaving present. It never got used and leads to my answer being “get John Lewis vouchers” to any suggestion of “but it would be nice to get something”. (Best present from a completely unmaternal friend was a bag of nappies.)

The first present I ever bought for a friend’s baby was when we were both 22 and I didn’t know better. It was a newborn size gorgeous vest with buttons up the back. 10 years later, she lent it back to me for my child to wear... I did not like my previous self very much!

icebearforpresident · 09/03/2021 19:33

A snowsuit. Which would have been great if they had bought it in a new born size since my DD was born in the first week of January but they got it for 6-9 months for her to ‘grow into’.

MonkeyPuddle · 09/03/2021 19:47

Vest with a cape on it.
Cot bumpers.
Ball pit.
4 snow suits, I already had one which I did use as we walked everywhere with the pram.

Best gift for me is baby grows in 3-6, 6-9 months as they always get used.

AintOverUntilTheCatLadySings · 09/03/2021 19:51

Baby sleeping bags for a second born child when they were a month old - like we'd not been using anything for them to sleep in for four weeks. Or didn't have any from our firstborn. Thing is, the same person gave us so many that we ended up with 16. And neither child would even use them.

A gorgeous expensive Christmas onesie in a newborn size for a baby due in January. Was given to me in October too so not like they got it in the sales or anything.

Dungarees for any child under 6 months.

Secondhand things bought from charity shops - I actually LOVE secondhand, but giving a new mother dirty, broken things with the instructions to 'give them a wash' is akin to a hate crime.

A secondhand book with dried snot on it.

A merino wool blanket that I accidentally felted into a tiny square Blush

The same book three times - from the same person.

Suede shoes for a newborn.

Jersey slings - I was gifted two and my child wouldn't use it.

A pink flouncy dress so hideous that it's like it was designed by someone trying to draw Bo Peep during a round of Pictionary. Crackly, pink, stiff nylon, lace and ruffles with matching knickers. Bought during a heatwave in July and was expected to put her in it there and then.

Flamenco outfit for a newborn. A genuine one with tassels and stiff lace.

Unwrapped gifts + wrapping paper and the instructions to wrap them first before giving them to the baby Confused

Ladsladslads · 09/03/2021 19:53

My MiL bought me a very smart gift set of maternity lotions on potions, which was an extremely lovely thought...only problem is that I'm allergic to most skin/bath products and everything in it brought me out in itchy hives

starsinyourpies · 09/03/2021 20:05

Silk, hand wash only 'under vests' to go next to baby's skin as apparently cotton is too harsh on baby's skin!

Needless to say 3DC later they have never been worn and I'm happy to report their skin has survived.

HoldontoOneMoreDay · 09/03/2021 20:08

@GameSetMatch

I agree with flowers I didn’t have enough vases and places to put them, it felt overwhelming, also a tiny baby pair of denim dungarees like a premature baby needs stiff, hard, denim dungarees 🙄
We had so many flowers, then about a week in a huge bouquet arrived from DH's work. I mean, huge. I had already used all my vases so I gave it to a neighbour saying 'can you do something with these?'. I thought she'd hand in a vase worth, but no, she kept them all herself... which is fair enough, I had loads but I thought she'd hand in one wee posy in a vase!
crumble82 · 09/03/2021 20:15

A heavy silver rattle. Why would you give a weapon to a baby?!

niki26 · 09/03/2021 20:16

When I was expecting my first I bought a beautiful silk (!!!!!!) dress in 0-3 months by Jasper Conran. It wasn't worn.

Five years later, we find out I'm expecting another girl. Going through the baby stuff I pull out this beautiful dress - still with tags on - and say to my husband 'she'll definitely wear it this time!'.

Nope. She didn't. I gave it to charity in the end.

LemonDrizzles · 09/03/2021 20:29

All star baby boots for newborns. Totally impractical for my dress sense as I never really did "dress newborns in outfits." My dcs stayed on onesie until about 3 months....

ohnothisagain · 09/03/2021 20:30

Flowers, polyester baby blankets (why?), soft toys and an absolute ton of softoys. Also one of these weird star blankets - they don’t close so don’t stay on, completely pointless.

SparkyBlue · 09/03/2021 20:52

Again like previous posters I had lots of unseasonal clothes. All of mine were premature so anything for them to grow into was unsuitable when the correct season arrived. I would actually have loved someone to have given me some tiny baby stuff. Also converse baby shoes that were never put on. Also lots of those sets with a babygro and vest and hat and sometimes scratch mittens . The hats were always unnecessary and unused and likewise the mittens and I hate long sleeved vests so I never use them. I also got tons of baby books and photo frames all of which went to the charity shop. I really hope I don't sound ungrateful but I just hate seeing things go to waste and not being used.

RichTeaCheddars · 09/03/2021 20:56

Nappies in sizes 4 and 5 when baby was in size 1. At 9 months she's in size 3. This family member knew the weight and age of our baby.

Frilly dresses and tights for a baby with eczema, and stiff party dresses. Like I wore in the 90s as a kid.

Hand me downs in a random assortment of sizes up to 4 years. They said they didn't check the labels, just eyes them up and thought they'd fit. 9 month old is in age 3-6 months still.

All my worst gifts are things that are bought too big to grow in to. I don't have unlimited storage. I can put them in the loft, but then I'm sure they won't get used at all and I known they meant well...

Poppins2016 · 09/03/2021 20:56

Cashmere 'hand wash only' baby clothes.

Why, why, oh why would someone make an item of clothing so impractical for a baby to wear and a mother to wash.

Bunnybigears · 09/03/2021 20:59

A white dry clean only cardigan for a 6 month old, just about the right time for them to start eating neon orange baby food!

CeeceeBloomingdale · 09/03/2021 21:00

Too small clothes for my little chunk. There were all girls clothes and we announced the gender and weight together as we didn't find out at the scans so must have been bought when they knew the weight. Clothes were for a baby weighing 3lb less. Due to circumstances we couldnt get out to exchange them so ended up in a charity bag.

Also a huge basket of baby toiletries I had no need for like baby oil, talc etc. Even worse they were a brand I was allergic to. Not sure if DD was too, but as I was washing her it had to be suitable for my skin.

TheSockMonster · 09/03/2021 21:03

Things that you have to do like a handprint set, baby’s progress books (3 in total for DC1) and 2 photo frames with many tiny awkwardly shaped spaces for “baby at 1 month, baby at 2 months, etc” and “baby’s first step, baby’s first smile” type of thing. They all sat unused, with the exception of the handprint set that I eventually did out of guilt at about 3 years old and is now gathering dust in the loft.

Best gift - huge fluffy dressing gown from MIL who noticed me eying up hers whilst I shivered through night feeds at her house in my stylish but cold cotton dressing gown. It lasted nearly 10 years!

flappityflippers1 · 09/03/2021 21:03

Another one for teddies - I hate them with a passion and explicitly stated no damn soft toys. Got tons.

Also baby shoes (wtf why?) and wrong season clothes.

My SIL and MIL bought DS jeans and shirts. For a newborn!!! He’s 3 now and he still doesn’t ever wear jeans and shirts (I did politely tell them in the end and they get him more practical clothes now that he wears lots)

Our best gifts were in season 6-9 clothes - DS was a winter baby. When the weather turned warmer I didn’t have anything suitable as he still lived in onesies - my gift from work saved the day as it was a super soft, comfortable 6-9 month summer outfit.

Also we got given a large fleece blanket with cats on, thought it was so odd at the time, but has come in so handy multiple times, and DS loves it now.

I tend to give new parents a card and a £30 dominoes/just eat voucher.

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