5 Of the most ridiculous & useless baby products coming in 2013

Okay, I understand that babies are messy–sometimes in the time it takes me to grab my keys, diaper bag and son and get out the door he manages to cover me in some form of goop and I have to turn around, change and start the whole process over. But the Bibby Mat is so ridiculously silly. First off, I'm pretty sure its functionality is being oversold. My seven-month-old would rip the "mat" piece off the table in a flash, nevermind the fact that food can still be dropped (or thrown) to the floor on either side, so you'll still end up doing a post-meal clean up. Plus, it just looks entirely too goofy.

Yes, I'm aware that flat-head syndrome–or positional plagiocephaly–is a real thing and that it can be very concerning for parents, but the condition is more of an aesthetic than a medical issue. It happens to some babies who spend a lot of time on their backs thus putting pressure on the back of the head and causing a slight flattening. It's an issue that usually works itself out around the six-month mark when the baby becomes more mobile and no longer spends so much time lying still. The Tortle–a hat with a long roll down the back of it is supposed to keep your baby's head slightly turned to one side to alleviate some of the pressure from back-lying, but if you're willing to live with flat-head for a few months, the Tortle is certainly unnecessary. And seriously, I'd be more worried about my baby getting a kink in his neck than him having a temporarily misshapen head.

Tell me again why you need to spend almost $300 on a glorified umbrella stroller? I'm a big supporter of good quality, functional strollers and feel that many of them are worth the high price tag, but the new Yezz by Quinny just baffles me. It's being sold as a compact stroller, but with nothing more than a slim storage pouch attached to the back of the seat and no seating options for a newborn, it is really just an umbrella stroller with fancy wheels, and at 22 pounds it's not even that "lightweight." Does anyone else think it kind of resembles a dinosaur carcass?

I know that Ergo Baby has earned tons of devotees of its comfortably designed and versatile baby carriers–I've actually considered purchasing one myself…but the company has taken its newfound trendiness too far with its upcoming shearling model. There are so many things wrong with this carrier from its pristine winter white coloring (again, babies are messy–even posh babies) to its $195 price tag, it's neither practical nor convenient, which we all know are important qualities in baby gear. The only redeeming quality is that the shearling bit is actually removable. Oh and I can't help but wonder who styled that promotional mannequin and what were they thinking. Can anyone say SIDs risk?

Again with the diaper pails! I've mentioned before what a waste of money I think these things are. But I will reiterate: there is virtually no point in a specified receptacle for infant waste, especially one that lives just feet from your child's crib, even if it uses heat to seal in odors like this model by Svan. They are expensive, cumbersome products that have been created by manufacturers who use clever marketing to dupe new parents into thinking they are a necessity. They are not. Just use your regular garbage and take it out every day or even every other day–I promise your house will not reek of baby poop.