Now that you know which baby products I love and have used again and again during the first 3 months of my child's life, I want to share which products I've deemed completely unnecessary. I'm a new mom and I don't claim to be the expert on all things baby, and of course you'll make the right decisions for your family, but if you're considering purchasing or registering for one of these five items, I strongly suggest that you don't. Instead, save the money for more useful or better quality items for your little one.
Pee-pee Teepee
These little cone-shaped swathes of fabric are just ridiculous. And yes, I’ve been peed on multiple times and it hasn’t changed my mind one bit. First off, babies are squirmy and they’ll likely knock the thing off right before they decide to do their business. In any case, I don’t see how that little tiny contraption is going to stand up to the powerful streams of baby pee I’ve experienced. If you really want to avoid the mess, throw a cloth diaper or absorbent wash cloth over the baby. Honestly, if you get a little sprayed on, it's no the end of the world!
Bottle Warmer
I breastfeed and I can say with 100 percent confidence that what comes out of the spout is nowhere near as warm as what you get when you use a bottle warmer. In fact, breastmilk is more like room temperature. Plus, babies get used to whatever you introduce from the beginning. There’s absolutely no need to spend $40 or more on a fancy warmer when a cup and hot water achieve the same if not better results.
Diaper Pail
I have never understood the point of a diaper pail. Other than supposedly containing the odor, they don’t do much more than a regular garbage can–and at more than $30 a pop plus the cost of refill bags, using one will more than double the cost of just using your existing kitchen can and bags. Plus, these days, most manufacturers make kitchen garbage bags with odor fighters built in anyway.
Baby Detergent
This “baby laundry detergent” claims to be gently formulated especially for baby, but in reality it’s full of harsh chemicals and fragrance. The concept may have worked a couple of decades ago when dye and perfurme detergents weren’t readily available, but in 2012, you can purchase a gentler version of your favorite detergent at almost no extra costs. These will run you about $25 for just 64 loads!
Wipes Warmer
I’ve gotta be honest, I don’t feel bad at all wiping my son’s tush with cool wipes. And you know what? He has never once complained. Plus, these things take up extra space and most of them have to be plugged in–seems like much more of a hassle than a help.
