The WORST thing you bought for baby? (What can I cross off my list...?)

[PallasCat]

Really finding the 'best things' thread useful, but I'm equally keen to cross anything off the baby shopping list that I'm not actually going to use!

So what did you buy for your baby that you've since decided was not worth the cost/space/hassle?

I'm not so much looking for bashing of particular products, more guidance on which generic items you found unnecessary in the end.

[reni2]

I was given a set of old-fashioned vests, they looked lovely but were fastened with a complicated arrangement of strings and ribbons on the inside and out. It was easier to handcuff yourself with them than to get them on the baby. By the time I got them off, nappy content was everywhere. So no clothes with tie-fastenings.

[iMogster]

What we did was buy only essentials before birth and then saw what we needed and then sent DH out for extras. You may or may not need breast pump depending on if you're breastfeeding. One of my kids needed scratch mits all the time other never needed them. One sat in bumbo other violently rocked backwards out of his so I couldn't use it. Each child is different, so see what yours is like first! It will save you lots of money.

[MTWTFSS]

Nappy bin- bought it, never used it!

[Boredofthinkingofnewnames]

Bottle warmer - useless - 7 mins to warm up was way too long. If you FF try to get your baby to drink room temp fromm the beggining.

Bumbo - mine hated it, bought them new and they got used for all of five minutes.

Sit me up cosy thing from Mothercare - essentially £40 for an inflatable ring. Cushions on the floor work just as well.

Cot top changer - never used it - the floor was easier.

Cot mobiles - expensive, and pointless.

Baby bouncer - crap head support and just shite. Invested in two fiisher price infant to toddler rocking chairs - they were lifesavers.

Moses basket - mine never used them, slept in the cots from the pram duringthe day.

Cotton wool and water - no, straght to wipes, used huggies newborn and never had a problem. They used them in SCBU too.

Top and tail bowl - still havent figured out the point of that one.

Moby wrap - wouldn't tolerate.

Nappy bins were fab, we had one upstairs and one down but we had twins so I guess they were getting emptied more quickly than with a singleton. Certainly never smelt.

Tripp trapps were also worth it for us, with trays. They are still using the chairs now at 4.5.

[Heatherplant]

I never used: 1) a baby bath 2) a changing unit (but admit we already had a chest of drawers that are perfect height/size) 3) baby bath thermometer 4) baby bouncer chair 5) door bouncer 6) specifically designed baby changing bag. They are the more obvious things that most people do use but I just didn't need. There are loads baby products on the market that are 100% dust catchers though, but I refuse to believe anybody buys them (eg baby swinging bouncer chair with built in i pod dock)

[Whoknewitcouldbeso]

My son loved his musical rocker and bouncer chairs. He also absolutely loved his jumperoo.

[spiderlight]

I'm surprised people are saying Bumbo - mine absolutely loved his! We had a tray for it and he used to sit there playing with toys quite happily or sit and watch the washing machine going round while I got on with other things in the kitchen. He got a good few months' use out of it before he worked out how to escape from it.

[MazzleDazzle]

My first was 8 weeks early do all we had bought was a forward/rear facing pushchair, a car seat and a cot. That really is all you need! Also, bottles and steriliser if you're not bfing.

I was gifted a bouncer to plonk her in, which was handy. Also, I borrowed a Moses basket as she was less than 4lb when we got her home and she slept in it for 10 months! We put it in the cot to get her used to the cot. A banana shaped bath seat was a must for me too!

I had no need for...

• a suite of nursery furniture (buy proper furniture or big kid stuff instead)
  
• a bottle warmer (rod for your own back there! Mine took milk at room temp. At night I tucked the bottles into bed with me to keep them from getting too cold)
  
• romper things (like a sleep suit but with short arms and legs! WTF? Unless you live in a hot country, totally pointless. We were given loads)
  
• wooden blankets (I had a pukey baby. Totally impractical)
  
• shoes/slippers/bootees
  
• swing
  
• vibrating chair (again, rod for your own back)
  
• cot mobile
  
• cuddly toys
  
• bath seat
  
• changing mats (I'm a dab hand at changing a nappy on my lap!)
  
• changing station (Are you planning on changing nappies in the exact same location every time? Doubt it.)
  
• tummy tub or whatever it's called (my DD was too small and slippy)
  
• changing bag
  
• toys of any kind (your baby will want to grab everything but!)
  

Fab thread by the way!

[PolShelby]

Probably controversial but wish we hadn't hired a bednest - DD has slept in it a handful of times for approx 30 mins max. She ended up in our bed and still is at 6 months. Waste of £100!

We also bought a sleepyhead from eBay in my desperation for better sleep and again, she won't sleep in it. Daytime naps are on my lap or in the sling only!

Think this is down to individual baby personality though as I'm always reading such good reviews of those things. DD is a velcro baby.

We haven't got a nappy bin, they sound a bit grim. Have got a hooded towel though and I'm in total agreement about them being absolute rubbish! Looks more like a cape on DD. We have a bath support thing and that's been quite useful.

Also didn't bother with a travel system and have used a lay flat stroller from birth, she's perfectly happy in it and it's much easier to navigate narrow pavements and crowded places! Also much cheaper but I am definitely an odd one out round here as everyone else seems to have a bugaboo.

Hats - has about 12 and has never worn any of them. Scratch mitts - hates having hands covered. Swaddle blankets - nope!

Most useful purchases have been a foldable travel change mat and a stretchy wrap sling. Also muslins, loads and loads of muslins - DD has reflux and at one point I was going through about 8 a day!

[reni2]

I think wooden blankets are impractical even for a non-puky baby, MazzleDazzle . Sorry

[notsoold]

I see the point regarding baby baths but because our bath is too low and the kichen sink is a no for us we had a baby bath and it helped a awful lot. Now that he is 2 we use it to play washing clothes...
Hats are useless and too many people will give you blankets.

[MazzleDazzle]

Well all those splinters reni2!

[Notso]

For my four I found we didn't need,
Slings were useless until they got older my newborns hated being curled up,
Swaddle pods and wraps,
Expensive French babygros with buttons at the back,
Snow suits until they were walking,
Baby monitors,
Baby on board signs was gifted loads,
Parasols,
Hats, mittens, bootees, shoes, socks,
Uv sun tent,
Cute looking but impractical outfits,
Nappy bin and nappy sacks though did find nappy sacks useful during potty training for wet/dirty pants,
Raincover for car seat,
Adapters to fit car seat on the pram,
Sun shades for the car,
Loads of weaning paraphernalia lidded bowls/pots/trays/odd shaped spoons/pointless blunt knives,
Dummy steriliser,
Big sterilisers.

Wouldn't have been without
Baby bath,
Bath thermometer,
Decent pram with air wheels,
Massive Muslims,
Sleeping bags,
Baby wrap, kind of a snowsuit and footmuff combined,
Dummy,
Some sort of bouncy chair,
Moses basket,
Car seat base,
Mummy hook for the pram.

[KatharinaRosalie]

Luckily didn't buy but I was given several foldable travel changing mats. Took up loads of space in the bag and was not that convenient to use. I used disposable absorbant sheets instead, you get a pack of 100 for a few quid.

[spilttheteaagain]

Shite Babasling, hideous idea to put all the weight on one side of you, can't seem to flog the thing no matter what now. Manduca however was fantastic.

Cot. She never slept in it no matter how hard I tried. Still mainly co sleeping now at 4 yrs, but she has her own bed to start in. Cot mattress now adopted as a cat bed in the garage.

Wooden building blocks. No interest at all, the don't flash or make noises!

[var123]

My invaluable list was:-
changing table
changing bag
lie flat pram (DS2 would sleep only there for first 8 months as he liked to be in the same room as me all day and all night)
cot
cot bed
cot mobile
bouncy chair
baby walker
steam steriliser
electric breast pump
high chair
stick blender & mini chopper
plastic cups
plastic bowls
bath toys
bath sponge
bucket for soaking clothes
baby calpol
bonjela
large musliN squares
more bibs than you think you can ever need
a huge supply of baby grows

I could have done without giving house room to 90%+ of those cuddly toys everyone gives a new born. 3 would have been plenty, but DS1 got over 30!

Most useless thing I was given though was 10 huge flower displays when I was in hospital, all of which needed transported home afterwards. All were lovely, but if I had only had received the one DH brought me, it would have been plenty and I could've found space to move around the bed and put things down.

[IAmACuboid]

Most regretted purchase was the Baby Bjorn - I've used many great slings and soft structured carriers, but the BBj was just awful, hurting my neck and shoulders and proven to be bad for babies hip development. They really shouldn't be sold.
I know you didn't want particular product bashing OP but really, they're awful! I want my £76 back! and no fucker on eBay wants it either

[Whatevva]

I always regretted buying a mothercare back carrier (ok - it was second hand and cheap) instead of a karrimor one. I could have used it as well as DH, but the m/care one was not well designed and hurt.

at the price of the baby bjorn!

[Runningupthathill82]

I really am the only person who loves the Baby Bjorn, aren't I? I wore mine daily with DS and plan on doing the same with DC2, if she allows it.

The Moby, the Mai Tai, the babasling though - all those were sold on.

I guess it just proves the point that buying a new sling without trying it first is always a bad idea. Either buy second hand and sell on, as I did, or try a sling library before committing! If I'd spent full price on that sodding Moby, or indeed the babasling, I'd have been in a mess. Whereas I only paid around £10 for each, and sold them on for the same price.

[Whatevva]

I think you ought to be able to try pushchairs/prams/buggies for a week before you buy them (I had 5)

[Sara107]

Surprised how many people found baby bath a waste of time. So much quicker to fill ( and more economical) than the big bath. DD used it until she was about 3 and could literally not fold her legs up enough to fit into it, definitely one of our best buys and they are quite cheap.

[bluewisteria]

Reusable nappies... I didn't use them with DD1 and regretted it, so bought a bumper starter pack with DD2... Total nightmare and she nor I could get on with them.

If you're thinking about using them then get just a few to trial or check out nappy laundering services as they come as part of it I think. Loads of people like them, just don't do what I did and bulk order. I was so appalled by how much landfill I was creating I assumed I would make it work. I was wrong. Washing machine in basement, warm place to hang clothes out was 5 flights up, no dryer, family of 4 wash loads. Disaster. Nearly killed me with a newborn.

[Titsywoo]

I think if I could go back I would have bought a car seat, pram and moses basket then bought other stuff as and when needed! Bottle warmer etc I never used as breast fed, cot and travel cot never used as we co slept, bath bath never used as I just took DD in with me.

[Vickisuli]

Totally agree about nursing chair, totally unnecessary.

I on the other hand used my Bumbo loads. Also still using my hooded towels (my kids are now 5, 7 and 9!!!!) Now they are used for drying their hair (they have bigger towels for their bodies.

The main thing I think is a waste of time is cookbooks for weaning food. I had a signed Annabel Karmel, never really needed it. You can basically purer anything, or just give your child bits of food. It's not rocket science.