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Original poster

"I wish I hadn't bought"....the things you regret you have bought

99 replies

MamanFlo · 04/04/2005 17:39

Hello supermums !

Is there things you have bought (or received as a gift) that you profoundly regret ? because it proved either totally useless or not working properly.

A friend was telling me yesterday that her travel system was a total mistake...and that she had to buy a new stroller as soon as her DD was able to sit in one...That's money out of the window...

This thread could prove very useful for anyone looking at the right equipment...

Cheers !

flo

OP posts:
tassis · 04/04/2005 19:49

Loved my bumbo and had to go out and buy newborn clothes - ds wore them for ages. Love my bit mamas and papas 3in1 and 2years on I still love it.

Thought I wouldn't use a travel cot much and wasn't going to buy one. Got a hand-on and have used it HEAPS.

Think a crib/rocking cradle is a waste of money. Again mine was a hand-on, but I'd have resented paying for it as it wasn't used for long at all. Very cute though!

Baby bath was a waste of money - still have heaps of it and it irritates ds' skin.

Homsa · 04/04/2005 19:53

A heavy, bulky Mamas & Papas pushchair with inflatable wheels - after the umpteenth puncture, I swapped it for a MacLaren buggy, which is fab!

That ridiculous buzzing baby bouncer thingy that appeared on one episode of Sex and the City - how in the earth could I fall for that...!

Baby sling - DS looked so uncomfortable in it that we only used it once or twice.

Mechanical breast pump - never got the hand of it, but found the electrical one I bought later worked a treat.

All parenting books by Miriam Stoppard.

hsanders · 04/04/2005 19:59

Newborn size clothes

Expensive nursing bras

Avent dispoable milk containers

Mamas and Papas changing table with bath in it - never use the bath as it was such a hassle getting the water out afterwards, especially when you need to use the changing table on top. Having said that is still cheaper and nicer for son's room than wooden changing tables.

morningpaper · 04/04/2005 20:00

lol at all parenting books by Miriam Stoppard!

sansouci · 04/04/2005 20:08

Good one! Travel system: cumbersome, expensive & useless after initial 6 weeks. Bottle warmer: by the time bottle heats up, the whole neighborhood is awake from screaming baby. Use the microwave. Newborn clothes: stick to one "going-home" outfit for photos, otherwise buy from 3 months up. Stuffed toys: sit on the shelf & gather dust. None of mine ever played with or cuddled these things. MUSTS: Sleep suits with minimum number of snaps, gentle music of some sort, anti-colic remedies, soothers, breast pump (Avent is brill), tons of people willing to "help" while you rest, camera, other mums who've "been there, done that". Recommended reading: "Best Friends' Guide to Pregnancy/First Year." Do NOT use "The New Contented Little Baby Book" as a bible! Causes more angst than anything else.

vicdubya · 04/04/2005 20:21

My Bumbo

Ds could get out of it as soon as I put him in it despite their claims, so it was useless.

Probably didn't help that he learned to crawl before he could sit tho.

cod · 04/04/2005 20:22

Message withdrawn

TinyGang · 04/04/2005 20:24

Yep, the Sangenic nappy wrapper. God what a load of faff.

I sold it when I was pregnant the next time and the girl I sold it to looked a bit bemused. Probably wondering why I was getting shot of it with another one about to arrive.

I don't find high-chairs so great either. Those booster seats you can attach to a chair and have a safety harness are much better and more portable.

I never had a proper changing table either - we couldn't afford the fancy mammas and papas one I liked. Glad we didn't get it - you can change a baby anywhere!

Moomin · 04/04/2005 20:26

Massive tractor of a 3-in-1 travel system - as given top billing in the pushchair reviews on mumsnet at the time (and still there now i think)!!! I'm sure I put myself back months by trying to lift it in and out of the car nearly splitting my c-section stitches at the time!

Top and tail bowl - lol at this as it has just served a useful purpose for the first time. I've been using it to puke up into by the bed whilst suffering from sickness with baby no.2!

moondog · 04/04/2005 20:27

Shoes for tiny babies-even little soft leather ones. They don't need them.
Ditto most cute hats,especially those that match outfits. They slip over their faces and sets of things are never clean at the same time.
Mohair shawls-tickly and made us all sneeze
Special baby plates and crockery.

Have a very tight (sorry..careful!) dh so fortunately, useless purchases kept to a minimum.

sansouci · 04/04/2005 20:28

Oh yes! The Sangenic... that smells worse than anything imaginable. Baby feces & urine mixed with some unbearable deodorant stuff. Arghh! I'll remember that stink until I'm 90.

moondog · 04/04/2005 20:31

The white plastic £14 Ikea highchair is fantastic-light, easy to clean,comfy (although no footrest) and not as repellant to look at as most of them.It is,dare I say it, better than my posh Tripp Trapp (although that comes into its own later, to be fair)
Lol at thought of that nappy thing. Sounds great doesn't it-stinking shitty nappies squeezed tightly into sausages and left to fester. Someone's house will blow up from the accumulated gases one of these days.
Come on though, own up. I bet someone has bought a babywipes warmer...(ROFL)

serenity · 04/04/2005 20:37

Who needs a baby wipe warmer when you can just leave the packet on top of the radiator? They do clean poo off better when they are warm, honest!

moondog · 04/04/2005 20:37

Moondog strokes chin thoughtfully....

expatinscotland · 04/04/2005 20:39

One of those bouncy chair thingies. She hardly used it. Ditto a plastic ring w/a cloth cover to sit her in. And a plastic crescent shaped pillow. A sling. She HATED it. She's been claustraphobic since birth. S/one gifted us w/a Moses basket. She hated it. I'd wait on these things to see if you have a claustraphobic baby.

collision · 04/04/2005 20:40

nappy wrapper.....could never use it
Gina Ford books.....can tell she has never had her own kids
the HUGE maternity clothes I bought first time round thinking I was gonna be a heffer and wasnt. Had to buy all new second time round!!
the sheer volume of clothes I seem to buy for my children when they really dont need them or even appreciate them. I should spend the money on myself.

I do love the babybath and ds whos 3 still uses it. (We dont have a bath, just a shower and both the boys love it)
Electric breast pump is fab and still used daily with ds2.

sansouci · 04/04/2005 20:40

Never seen any baby wipes warmers for sale but heard about them. Only good if you live in the Arctic or your heating's been turned off.

Moondog, thought you said your dh/dp is careful with money... what are you doing with a TrippTrapp? Ikea makes great stuff for babies, don't they?

stripey · 04/04/2005 20:42

Baby Born carrier - really hurt my back so only used twice.
J&J pink baby lotion think I ended up with about 5 of these and didn't use any. Has anyone ever used any of this stuff and if so what for?
Fluffy toys, they get so dusty and there is no where to put them.

I did like the Nappy Wrapper for the first few months though.

moondog · 04/04/2005 20:42

sanssouci...
I have expensive tastes, and as he loves me so much,he indulges me.......

TinyGang · 04/04/2005 20:43

Just thought of Snow Suits!

The really big puffy all in one things that engulf babies and are impossible to get on, and then when you do, you can't stuff the baby into the carseat or pram.

I guess some get on with them, but I never could manage them. Dd a beautiful ivory quilted one too

moondog · 04/04/2005 20:43

I think it's sick, the way they flog us that pink baby lotion. WTF is it for in the name of God???!!

sansouci · 04/04/2005 20:44

heh!heh! moondog. Moi aussi but dh doesn't indulge me. I beg, steal or borrow. Sort of. Or just go out & buy the flipping thing & "pay" for it after!

stripey · 04/04/2005 20:46

I think that J&J must really be laughing at new mothers by producing that baby lotion - it is the most useless product on earth and still they sell tons of it!

sansouci · 04/04/2005 20:47

Right ON, Tinygang! Those stupid snowsuit-things are the biggest waste of money, effort, time. I used a great thing with dd. It was a sort of fleece wrapper that had holes in it to accomodate pushchair straps & carseat straps. Brilliant! Can't remember what they're called... anyone?

Original poster
MamanFlo · 04/04/2005 20:47

Veeeeerrrry interesting thread indeed ! And you know what ? my very first buy was a nappy wrapper (I thought I was lucky to get for £15 instead of £30...). A friend had told me it was very useful indeed...We'll see how we get on with it

The bumbo thing is interesting as I had heard so many good things about it before...but anyway I am not too keen on multiplying objects in my home.

We could open a new thread with "What's you best buy so far ?", don't you think ?

OP posts:
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