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Original poster

Most useless piece of baby kit ever?

79 replies

Schulte · 01/07/2009 08:23

I personally thought those toddler helmets they sold on the Apprentice were the most ridiculous and pointless product I have ever seen. But I also can't believe anyone would seriously consider buying one of those mesh things for weaning that you put a piece of fruit in so baby can chew on it without risk of choking. I mean wtf? So what do you think is the most unnecessary piece of baby kit ever?

OP posts:
Jojay · 01/07/2009 09:55

'Proper ' clothes for tiny babies

Shoes for babies that can't walk

Those things you see in catalogues that rock your buggy to get your baby to sleep - how lazy is that??

Most cheap baby socks - they fall off in seconds.

Highchairs that recline - why would you want your baby to sleep at the table??? And in my view they are a choking hazard.

I could go on.........

Original poster
Schulte · 01/07/2009 09:56

Jojay... do go on

OP posts:
yappybluedog · 01/07/2009 09:59

KingRolo that is v funny

love the personal bog roll stuck on the side

25 squid too, a bargain

mishymoo · 01/07/2009 10:01

Another vote for Nappy Wrapper! Waste of money for us - used once!

Dophus · 01/07/2009 10:04

Mesh thing - I can't believe it! Had never heard of them

I did use my top and tail - but just as a bowl. One side for water one side for holding dirty cotton wool.

Baby bath
Nappy wrapper

were the two I never used.

clemette · 01/07/2009 10:06

Baby "gyms". Useless for my babies who were both velcro children and wanted to be permanently attached to me, not swiping at stuff above their heads.

BexieID · 01/07/2009 10:06

Baby bath is good as you can actually sit on the floor with baby in bath. I hate bathing them in a big bath as you have to hunch over the bath and it hurts my back/I get a dead arm.

My baby towels still do for Tom at 3, lol.

We did use top/tail bowl as well. Oh and steriliser, even though I breastfed.

I do prefer babies in sleepsuits for the first 3 months, they just look odd in proper clothes before then. Or maybe it was Tom and his weird hairdo at the time.

Someone tried selling me a nappy bin but I declined as was using reusables.

Glad I didn't pay fill price for Bumbo as Tom escaped, but I did keep it and hope i'll use it for DC2.

Jojay · 01/07/2009 10:08

Ok. After a quick browse through my Mothercare catalogue...........

Endless funny shaped cushions and pillows for when you are pregnant / breastfeeding.

The extortionate 'breastfeeding kits' sold by Tommy Tippee etc containing amongst other things, bottles.

Monitors with a TV screen - what is this, Big Brother?? And if the bedroom is dark you won't be able to see anything anyway

Cot bumpers that say to remove when the baby can sit up - most babies don't move around much before this anyway and so are unlikely to bump themselves.

Bed guards. They've got to learn not to fall out at some point. or leave them in the cot.

Teeny weeny foodprocessors for making baby food.

RustyBear · 01/07/2009 10:08

This has to be up there amongst the contenders!

MegSophandEmma · 01/07/2009 10:11

Bumbo, Bumbo, Bumbo etc.....

DD3 was too big, even at three months to use it.

The expensive baby changing unit; also another waste.

5inthebed · 01/07/2009 10:16

What the hell is that Rusty? Like a timeout thing? Somewhere to store the baby?

dawntigga · 01/07/2009 10:18

I love our baby bath it's a cheap one from Ikea and he'll be in it for a while yet.
I love our nappy bin we use normal bin liners in it and it keeps the stinkyness to a minimum!
I love our changing bag, it keeps everything organised and to hand
We decided on bf'ing so bottle warmers were a complete waste of time.
We got a load of clothes for tiny babies - ds was only just under 6lb when born - for winter, he was born in April!
Wipe warmers are imnsho a waste of time!
We have been bought several pairs of socks for him that fit - he's 10 weeks old - with non-slip feet! And shoes, what's going on with that for a baby that can't even sit up yet???

dxx

melmog · 01/07/2009 10:23

Love that hanging the baby on the toilet door idea!!! Ridiculous but I can think of more than one occasion when I had to wee with a baby on my lap.

Could put them on the outside wall while you're gardening too....

HumphreyCobbler · 01/07/2009 10:25

I want one of those things that rock the buggy, didn't know they existed!

I am not lazy btw, just fed up wth spending hours pushing the buggy only for her to wake when I stop.

5inthebed · 01/07/2009 10:26

I think it should be against the law to sell tiny baby shoes. Their poor little squashed feet! I hate seeing socks on babies in this hot weather as well.

But yes, non slip socks for new borns. What good is that?

BexieID · 01/07/2009 10:29

The bottles in breastfeeding kits are for those who are expressing though? The bottles attach to the pump. The joys of expressing!

5inthebed · 01/07/2009 10:30

here Humphrey.

Jojay · 01/07/2009 10:40

Bexie, I know, but why not call it an expressing kit then? Not everyone who breastfeeds expresses.

The whole point of breastfeeding is that a, it's free, and b, you don't need to faff with all that stuff if you don't want to.

JamesAndTheGiantBanana · 01/07/2009 10:41

The walk-o-long, which was just useless full stop tummy tub which he was too small for, then could stand up in at a very early age, then was too big for - we used it 3 times in total nappy stacker, half size feeding bottles, teething toys, those "taggy" things, the playpen I always felt too guilty to use. The big expensive padded reclining highchair at mil's which has about 200 nooks and crannies for hidden food to moulder away in (thankfully I bought an ikea antilop as a result!)

Jojay · 01/07/2009 10:44

at the Walk-o-long - I can't believe people pay money for stuff like that!!

Flower3545 · 01/07/2009 10:45

I have one of those Humphrey, was about to try ebaying it, but I'd sell to a mner very cheaply

To my eternal shame and amongst the many idiotic items I've bought over the years, my worst has to be a dinky little baby shower thingy.

You fill the tank with water and then squeeze a pump thing for ages to get a minute trickle of water thats been so long getting up the pipe it's now freezing cold

I use a jug now

SOLOisMeredithGrey · 01/07/2009 10:55

Nappy wrapper. I used it for Ds and it seemed great, but with Dd, I think I used it for about 4 nappies. Complete waste of time although it may have been psychological as I couldn't get the cassettes for it as it was the older design...maybe I didn't want to run out of the cassette that was in there!

Brand new baby bath was only used a couple of times as I had no boiler and therefore no hot water so Dd was showered with me. No idea why I bought it(can't remember if I got it before boiler died).

mumblemumhome4lunch · 01/07/2009 11:05

The most hilarious thing I ever saw advertised was a top which had holes for two breast pumps to be fitted through. They were linked up to a backpack holding a collection bottle and automatic pump.

MOOOO

purplemonkeydishwasher · 01/07/2009 11:16

how about little 'caps' to put over little baby willies so they wouldn't pee on you!

mumblemumhome4lunch · 01/07/2009 11:19

Although I suppose it cpould be useful in certain circumstances - like trying to breastfeed more than one or expressing for baby in hospital