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Original poster

To want to give away baby gifts?

18 replies

babypanther · 13/04/2023 17:41

My DD is only 2 months old and we have been given so many toys for her that it’s actually a bit embarrassing. DP and I had bought her a Jellycat, and both my parents and my in laws bought her a lovely teddy each, and DP and I both said that we weren’t going to go crazy on soft toys simply because we’d rather she had a few ones that she really likes than have loads.

She must have over two dozen soft toys now. I do appreciate that they have been given as gifts but we’ve run out of room for them! I feel really bad as it was very generous of the people who bought them to get them for her, but she is 2 months old and isn’t interested in them yet. I really think I would prefer to give them to charity or maybe a baby bank, for families who will appreciate them, as opposed to DD having a silly amount of toys that she might not play with.

Is it rude of us to give them away? Even though I want them to go to someone who will appreciate them?

OP posts:
Greensleevevssnotnose · 13/04/2023 17:45

Not rude at all very generous

TempName247 · 13/04/2023 17:48

yes definitely pass them on, I got loads of stuff I didn’t need, lots of duplicate comforters and lots of those neck scarf things which were lovely but we just didn’t use them.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 13/04/2023 17:49

I think it is a bit rude so soon after her birth tbh. People have chosen a special gift for your baby but before she’s old enough to play with them you’ve decided you don’t want them. As you say she might not play with them but also she might, I’d allow more time to give her a chance as she’s not even old enough to play yet,

Whatthediddlyfeck · 13/04/2023 17:50

Soft toys are a pain in the arse! We moved house a couple of years ago and I chucked a load which had never been played with…my kids are in their 20s!

MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 13/04/2023 17:51

I'd probably put them away in a cupboard for a few months, just in case Great Aunt Betty came to visit and wanted to see the teddy she'd got her. And if your daughter still had no interest in them pass them on.

aSofaNearYou · 13/04/2023 17:54

Tbh, with the benefit of a few more years, I don't think that sounds like that many. My 4 year old definitely interacts with 20 odd soft toys and uses them for various games, unless they're massive I'd just shove them in a toy box.

But I don't think it would be the end of the world to get rid of them, I've never had anyone ask to see my DC playing with what they've been bought.

drpet49 · 13/04/2023 17:55

CeeceeBloomingdale · 13/04/2023 17:49

I think it is a bit rude so soon after her birth tbh. People have chosen a special gift for your baby but before she’s old enough to play with them you’ve decided you don’t want them. As you say she might not play with them but also she might, I’d allow more time to give her a chance as she’s not even old enough to play yet,

This. My kids weren’t interested in stuffed toys until around 2/3 years

GetYourActTogether1 · 13/04/2023 17:58

Tbh, with the benefit of a few more years, I don't think that sounds like that many. My 4 year old definitely interacts with 20 odd soft toys and uses them for various games, unless they're massive I'd just shove them in a toy box
My DS also loved his, he named them all and had many years of fun hanging out with them all.

JaninaDuszejko · 13/04/2023 18:02

You tend to get a lot of soft toys. I have 3DC, the youngest is now 10 and we've got probably about 100 of the buggers. Most have never been played with, they each sleep with 3 or 3 favourites but no longer play with the others. DS has been told we're having a clear out when his rom is decorated then I'll put them all in the washing machine and off to the charity shop.

That said I think 2 months old is too young to start decluttering toys.

TempName247 · 13/04/2023 18:04

There’s plenty of birthdays and Christmas’s by the time they get to 3 and 4 they will have been given even more soft toys, honestly it’s only worth keeping hold of a few special ones. My 3 year old had about 3 as a baby and now has probably 20 in his bed!

RidingMyBike · 13/04/2023 18:04

Ours do get played with and all have names and personalities BUT were mostly acquired later on. So a handful were baby gifts, the rest came later and were often chosen by DD herself.

Could you do some 'pruning'? Pass on ones you don't like, or are from people who aren't likely to visit and see them in action? It's easier for charity shops if they're in brand new condition.

Lcb123 · 13/04/2023 18:05

If you have space to store them away I’d do that first as she might be interested later on

LysHastighed · 13/04/2023 18:18

Pack them away. When she goes through the soft toy phase you may be glad you kept them.

Yellowrosesmakemehappy · 13/04/2023 18:24

Over 24 soft toys at 2 months old sounds excessive, over 24 gifts of a soft toy?

I wouldn’t like that either and this is why I never buy soft toys as a gift, but does seems a little early to give them away.

Id pick your favourites and store some then donate the rest at 6 months.

DC had about 5 gifted at birth and then collected his own on days out etc

Ididivfama · 18/10/2023 09:17

Are they all very similar? I can understand not wanting 20 teddy bears. Personally I’d wait a bit longer, unless there are some obvious duplicates and you’re not likely to see the people who gave it to you.

EatYourVegetables · 18/10/2023 09:19

Keep them.

They’re useless now, but in 3-4 years DC will need 20-30 teddies for playing pretend school, tea parties, birthday parties… Apparently it’s crucial to have a large army of soft toys to boss around at that age.

Sapphire387 · 18/10/2023 09:20

I'm with you, OP. I really don't know why people buy soft toys for newborns. In our family, kids get 'special' soft toys from grandparents etc on their first birthday when they can show a bit more interest.

I can only presume people don't have kids, to be buying a soft toy for a newborn instead of some clothes or whatnot.

YANBU to prune the collection.

MintJulia · 18/10/2023 09:24

YANBU.

My ds was born in August, by September we must have had 50 soft toys.

We kept a polar bear that he chose ( was inseparable from) and a teddy bear, and took the rest to Cancer Research.

It carries on, until they are about 10. DS was bought a life-size plush puma, that lasted about a week before it was passed to the charity shop. They are horrible dust gatherers.

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