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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To consider giving this as a Christmas present?

83 replies

Neverwouldhave · 27/10/2019 20:24

My sister is pregnant with her first baby, due in February. I don't have any kids, so don't know a great deal about caring for babies.

I've been thinking about what to get her and her partner for Christmas. I wanted to avoid getting her anything to do with the baby, because it's her Christmas present. Anyway, I've thought of a couple of nice things for her that she'll like.

However, I came across an automatic bottle maker which makes the baby's bottle in 8 seconds, and which can be connected to their phones via WiFi and made to make a bottle from anywhere. I was considering getting both her and her boyfriend one each to be opened together at Christmas, so they could keep one downstairs and one in the bedroom. I thought that might be nice so they don't need to be trailing up and down stairs in winter in the middle of the night to do the nighttime feeds.

Is this a really bad idea? As I say, I don't have kids so I don't know if it's practical, and I don't know if an expectant mother/father would be upset to receive something baby related for Christmas? As I say, it won't be her only gift.

AIBU to consider it?

OP posts:
Eleanorbellanor · 27/10/2019 20:27

YANBU

mynameisMrG · 27/10/2019 20:27

Is it for formula bottles? They might end up breastfeeding so it would go to waste

Hellofromtheotherside2020 · 27/10/2019 20:28

Aw that's such a sweet idea. Maybe get one for them to share though? She may decide to breastfeed after all, so you wouldn't want to spend loads X 2 on something they could potentially not use. Also swing it that it's the bump's present if you're going to also get them a little something else, just for them.

Otherwise I think you're really cute and it's a lovely gesture

Tiredmum100 · 27/10/2019 20:28

Depends on how she's planning on feeding the baby. Has she discussed it? If she's planning on breast feeding it wont get used.

Witchinaditch · 27/10/2019 20:28

YANBU that’s lovely but speak to her about it first as she may want to breastfeed

DaWeasleyWae · 27/10/2019 20:28

I'd maybe ask her.. Sounds like a fab gift to me! But she may already have planned to get the standard bottle prep on the market so I'd check with her soonish--just in case :)

OctoberLovers · 27/10/2019 20:30

Just get one.

It would still need the bottle and formula in place anyway, so prob wont do the wifi connection from another room....

Plus pointless having one upstairs, its a little more complicated with sterilised bottles and stuff, to just keep one upstairs

CodenameVillanelle · 27/10/2019 20:30

Um no. Firstly they are very boring gifts. Secondly you don't know if they will formula feed I assume? Thirdly they don't need two, getting two boring presents the same would be very disappointing, and four, those perfect prep machines or similar are not as great as they are cracked up to be and they may not like the idea of using one.
Buy one as a baby gift if you want to get one.

PrincessPeach08 · 27/10/2019 20:30

Yabu, I think it's a bit weird tbh. Your essentially buying a baby gift 2 months before the baby is born and passing it off as her Christmas present. A lot of people also don't like the prep machines and choose not to use them for a variety of reasons, so she may not even want 1 let alone 2. I'd ask if it's somethin she's interested in and if it is maybe get her a small gift such as a pair of nice pyjamas or something for Christmas and then the prep machine in Feb as a gift when the baby is born. But I think it's odd to buy her and her partner a prep machine for their Christmas presents

doxxed · 27/10/2019 20:31

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for privacy reasons.

Original poster
Neverwouldhave · 27/10/2019 20:31

Sorry, I should have included that she's 100% definitely not considering breastfeeding. She's told me that.

OP posts:
OctoberLovers · 27/10/2019 20:31

I mean dont get two.... Only one... But yer, check first

firawla · 27/10/2019 20:31

Definitely not something to buy without checking with her first, as people said it depends if she will want to breastfeed or maybe already have ideas about feeding products

MyDcAreMarvel · 27/10/2019 20:31

No it’s not a gift for them is it. It also sounds really bizarre , do you have a link?

Sunshine93 · 27/10/2019 20:32

I would wait for a gift like that. I spent a lot of money on an electric breast pump when pregnant with my third as my manual one hasn't survived and I thought I would treat myself. She wouldn't take a bottle so I never used it. It was such a waste of money.

Until the baby is born you don't know quite which gadget will be useful and it could be a waste. How about a voucher for somewhere they could buy baby related things from.

FlatheadScrewdriver · 27/10/2019 20:32

I'd maybe hang fire, as that's quite an investment if for example they choose not to bottle feed. It's not my area of expertise but in the hailstorm of conflicting information thrown at new parents, some people are against the machines such as perfect prep (to do with how sterilised the formula is by the temp of the water, I think...) and believe this can contribute to reflux or gassy episodes - whereas some think it's an absolute godsend and saved their life getting through the long nights. The new parents will have their own thoughts on the way they want to go.

Your first idea of a gift that's about your sister, rather than the baby, sounds perfect.

Original poster
Neverwouldhave · 27/10/2019 20:34

Your first idea of a gift that's about your sister, rather than the baby, sounds perfect.

I'll definitely do that anyway, this would have been as well as, not instead of.

OP posts:
Elenorrigbywoes · 27/10/2019 20:36

YABU! Thoughtful and generous but as someone who was pregnant at Christmas I would not have appreciated that present. I got a lovely pair of over the bump pyjamas from H&M, a nice moisturiser and a voucher for a massage from my sister that year and loved it!
Also got a voucher for my hairdresser and nice perfume which I liked too.

Original poster
Neverwouldhave · 27/10/2019 20:40

Okay, thanks everyone. I'll knock that idea on the head.

OP posts:
Sewrainbow · 27/10/2019 20:43

I wouldn't, it's a bit boring and not about her unless she has said she really wants one and can't afford it herself. I always think things like this are a gimmick my brother had a huge fancy thing for bottles on his counter top when dn was born I asked what it was. Essentially a hugely expensive glorified kettle, theirs only heated the bottles didn't even mix in the formula, which at least would have saved the hassle of measuring it out!

Get some thing nice for each if them separately.

NoraThePessimist · 27/10/2019 20:44

I would not have wanted this, even if you know she's not planning to breastfeed, you don't know how it'll work out once the baby is here. You don't know how much of a faff she'll find making up formula even if she does formula feed.

Frankly, despite us mix feeding due to medical issues preventing full breastfeeding.. I'd hate this present. It's just another thing to prep for the next feed, having to load it with the sterilised bottles etc, and honestly during the 1am, 3am etc feeds you just want to get on with the feed,not fanny about with phones at the bedside while the baby's crying and you're trying to not disturb partner who's tag teaming the next feed...

I honestly don't even know what the selling point for the machine you describe, it's solving a problem I didn't have.

Unless you know it solves a problem your sister will have, I'd choose something else...

Neverender · 27/10/2019 20:45

I'd have loved it but I don't really do Christmas...

Neverender · 27/10/2019 20:46

Buy her a years supply of Aptamil, the ready made bottles. She won't be disappointed!

Nixen · 27/10/2019 20:47

Which machine is this OP?

buzzkills · 27/10/2019 20:48

Some parents (myself included) would not be happy to use one of those machines. They get a lot of bad press. If someone decides to use them and are comfortable with the risks then great, but it is a personal choice. I formula fed mine but no way would I have used one of those machines, so if given one as a gift I would have sold it.