PRODUCTS YOU WISH YOU HAD NEVER BOUGHT

[Willow2]

Does anyone else out there have a baby product they hate with a vengeance? I made the mistake of buying the Chicco Mamma high chair because it looked the business and I'd inherited a load of other Chicco bits and bobs that were great. Being a first time mum I didn't think about how easy it would be to clean. If I tell you that the tray alone has over 30 nooks and crannies for food to get into it will give you an idea of just how badly designed this item is. It is an absolute nightmare to keep clean - yesterday, after a lunch of tuna/rice salad, I ended up sticking it in the garden and turning the high pressure hose on it. Aside from the cleaning aspect it is also far too big for anyone under the age of 21. My son is fifteen months and above average height yet still has to have a booster seat in it. Plus the tray doesn't come in far enough so half his lunch ends up down his bib or on the floor. I hate it with every inch of my body and can only presume that it was designed by a mysognistic sadist for a laugh. I don't know if I can face another year of dealing with it and am seriously thinking of taking an axe to it, whacking it on the bonfire and buying a £10 one from Ikea instead. Any other suggestions for my pire of useless products?

I'll support the Sangenic! I thought it was great and didn't have any problems. I loathe nappy bags. That sickly smell literally makes me want to vomit!

I'm afraid I'm with Wornout and Naddy on the Sangenic. Mother in Law bought it for us so partner insisted we kept it for ages. It was ok for a few weeks until it developed an awful smell which just wouldn't go away. I hated it. Father in Law gave us a lift with a load of stuff we were clearing out a while ago, and I managed to smuggle it out in a big box - hooray! Glad to see the back of the thing.

Used to think Sangenic was fab - but now on my second one (ditched first one after a year as could not make smell go away) and after only a few weeks it is beginning to hum to high heaven. Just a thought, but are all those in favour of the sangenic breastfeeding? 'Cos while your little one is existing almost solely on breast milk their poo isn't too bad to deal with - which might be why I liked my Sangenic for the first six months of my son's life. Now the little horror is eating anything he can lay his hands the Sangenic has held it's hands up high and surrendered to the stench!

My sangenic didn't smell of poo, it had a strange chemical, rotting vegetable sort of stench, which no amount of soaking in bleach would obliterate. I couldn't account for where the stench came from, was it the scented liner, that went off after a while. In the end I just stopped using it and now it sits, redundant and yellow a constant reminder of a wasted £30 (plus all the refill cartridges) in our son's bedroom.

Another thumbs down for the Sangenic from me, I'm afraid. We ended up putting the nappies in a nappy sack and then into the Sangenic, which kind of defeated the object! And I lost most of the white bits, although you can order free replacements from the website.

Have now switched to using cloth nappies and even a bin full of dirty nappies doesn't smell as bad as the Sangenic did! I've been trying to sell ours, but no luck yet.

Hi girls,
Well the Sangenic got a lot of responses.... now for some good things. The Graco swing was wonderful (I have a wind up version at one speed, from 4 months, but needs no batteries). 'In touch monitor' is great - goes on hols with us as it still bleeps for movement even if sound is out of range. Babies R Us buggy with hood and rain cover, umbrella fold mechanism - excellent for hols as hood becomes inbuilt sunshade - suitable from 3 months. 2 in 1 pram very bulky - gave up on it early on. Chicco bouncy chair good for somewhere to leave the baby safely in lie back position. Stairgare on kitchen - marvellous - no need for drawer and fridge locks that don't work!!!

Anyone in the Berkshire area (England).... The National Childbirth Trust (NCT), Bracknell branch are holding a 'Nearly New Sale' at Carnation Hall, Winkfield (between Bracknell & Ascot), on Saturday 8th September, from 1330 - 1500hrs. This is for the sale of baby goods, children's clothing, toys, games, books, maternity-ware and equipment. Prices are very reasonable and a percentage goes to the NCT (charity). All welcome, not limited to NCT members. Get there early for the best bargains.

Just a vote for the Sangenic. I haven't actually used it yet, but it is JUST the right height for a footstool. It sits in the living room, still in it's box, with a cushion on top. Perfect for those swollen ankles in late pregnancy. Incidentally, can anyone recommend a pushchair. I live up a hill, and then two flights of stairs, with very limited space. It will have to be small and LIGHT, and suitable from birth.

This is slightly off the original point of this thread, which was baby products you wish you'd never bought. Has anyone else tried the new Cif window cleaning wipes? I was seduced by the advertising blurb which promised me smear-free mirrors and glass. Well, they are completely useless. The cloths are a good size, but so overloaded with the cleaning product, that you end up with huge smeary patches as it dries on the glass. I was so disappointed. I thought the day had finally come when I would look through my windows, instead of noticing how dirty they were!

Ah but Mooma, because of that they're brill at getting dried-on snot off the TV...

Good point. Twink, but what about squashed cucumber? (Most recent discovery...)

Thought I'd add my bit, even if I'm a yr behind! Yes, I'm fairly new to Mumsnet & don't post v often - but here's my experience of uselessness & usefullness so far anyway:

Mothercare 1st stage carseat - plastic trim broke away from fabric so frayed within wks. Wish I'd got a Britax 'cos I didn't realise how much use it'd get (ie, not just for car journeys).

'Illexia' pushchair/pram (which I or anyone I know had heard of) - Nightmare thing which was a gift. V basic pushchair with no 'xtras', not even a hood!. The 'shopping tray' was little more than a mini hammock which dragged on the ground if u put anything heavier than 1/2 dozen eggs in! I agree with previous comment about the hassle of having a framed raincover which doesn't fold with the chair.

My sister bought door bouncer ('Lindam' one I think) for her ds. He liked it a lot xcept they had to put up padding each side of the doorframe 'cos he nearly banged his head. I think she also had trouble getting him in/out of the thing.

Bouncy chair - hardly used 'cos ds was either in pram, carseat, cot or on a playmat with gym & when he did go in it, he kept still, wasn't keen on kicking & making the chair 'bounce'.

Boots cold water sterilizer & bottles - Took this lot back after a few weeks 'cos measurements wore off side of bottles. Ended up with Avent kit instead (well worth the money IMO).

I give a thumbs up to Prima Pappa highchair tho' despite being hard to clean. The pros far outweigh the cons for us.

Also got booster highchair, kept at MIL's which is xcellent. This has been everywhere - birthday parties/BBQs etc.

Hope that helps someone.

Hi bears and welcome.

Mothercare wooden cube high chair (changes into a seperate chair and table), ds hated it, he banged his head constantly on the top of the chair back. The cushion seat which had to be purchased separately provided inadequate padding. The food tray was screwed onto front of chair so puting ds in and out of chair a nightmare. Every time ds kicked hard the whole chair jumped out of the table support. So many crevices that food got stuck everywhere. I finally put it and us out of it's misery by falling on to the table and breaking it in half (ds not in it at time). Now using a bar stool (no alcohol served) with a harness instead.

Packs of cotton mittens, ds always manged to remove them, (used socks instead).

Suction dishes and suction toys for high chairs(ds made sure they never stay put).

2 furbies (I know their not strictly speaking baby toys) but they drive me mad. They're supposed to be interactive, but definately not to the person speaking to them.

I wish I'd never bought broadband internet access. I get b**r all done now.

Soupdragon, we noticed (apart from trying out all your great disguises!)

Ooooh - charming!

I'll have you know that right this minute, I'm involved in a fruitless battle with tidying up the playroom. DS1 and 2 are helping. Unfortunately they seem to be on the side of the mess...

Just teasing! And I can't talk, I should be preparing ds's dinner as we speak ...

@*&$! There go the stickle bricks again... Something else I wish I'd never bought. My, how they hurt when you tread on them with bare feet!

persona

I've only skimmed this thread, but have been laughing lots at various descriptions of useless items. Having read your despair at the uselessness of Mothercare, I thought I would share dh's tactful treatment of an assistant there - we were trying to buy a baby monitor, and she, very nicely, came up "Can I help you?". To which, dh replied, not "No thanks", or "Yes, could you tell us about this...." but with "Well that all depends on whether you know what you're talking about, or whether you're just going to read the instructions off the box, in which case I'm perfectly capable of doing that myself, thank you." At which she slunk off red-faced - that was precisely what she was going to do....

willow2 - can I ask why (having just bought one and spending too much time weeing on sticks)

Good point, Scuba, about suction bowls & toys. I forgot that one.

Anyone noticed when u really are 'just looking' round a shop, an assistant or 2 will come up & ask if u need help, but when you really need some advice - is there anyone who's free to help?

I wish I'd never bought a baby sling - couldn't get on with it at all, or the Avent manual breast pump - 20 minutes to extract an ounce!. Had serious doubts about the Galt playnest when ds2 was a few months old and hated it, but now he's one, it's a great toy for diving in and out or wearing on the head. By the way, the cat loves it - great cat-basket, or if he's feeling more adventurous (the cat that is), he roosts in the highchair -I think it's the indoor equivalent of a tree.