What Not To Buy For Your Baby
The first time I walked into Baby Bunting after I found out I was pregnant, I was so overwhelmed, I walked back out again with nothing. In terms of what I needed for my new baby, I had no idea where to start. My Mum wasn't much help, given her last pregnancy was 43 years ago. Baby products have come a long way since 1972.
So like many new Mum's I downloaded a pregnancy checklist and as I bought each item suggested, I ticked it off the list. Once I became a Mum though, some of those items were barely touched, so I'm sharing with you which of these items I would cross off the list, to save you time and money:
Muslin Wraps
I was given a tonne of these as baby shower gifts, but I barely used them at all. Firstly, learning the technique of swaddling your bundle needs a full Midwife degree and years of practice.. No matter how many times I tried, I could not get the same tight wrap that the nurses showed me and my baby would worm his way out of the wrap. I ended up buying a swaddle wrap with velcro to hold him tight before graduating to a swaddle bag.
The other common use for Muslin Wraps is the public breastfeed cover, but after one time when I felt everyone was glaring at me I didn't attempt to feed in public again. These are a common baby shower gift, so you will no doubt be receiving at least a couple, but take them off your to buy list.
Baby Rocker/Swing/Bouncer
Of course pre-baby this was on my essentials list. I had visions of placing my bub into the swing, turning on the soothing music and getting all those chores done, while he napped peacefully in the corner. Bubs had a completely different idea. His vision was to be held 24/7 and would only sleep when he was lying in my arms. Every attempt at placing him in the rocker to snooze the afternoon away were met with loud protests.
Given the price of these products, I would firstly test out your babies ability to sleep independently before making the investment. Maybe you could borrow one from a friend to test your bubs interest, or purchase one secondhand from your community buy, swap, sell site for a fraction of the retail price. No doubt there are many Mums like me who got caught out and have a EUC (Excellent Used Condition) Rocker for sale.
Baby Shoes
One of my favourite pass times pre-baby was shoe shopping and that obsession switched from ladies shoes to baby shoes while I was pregnant. I did my research to ensure I was getting the most fashionable of baby boy shoes and had them lined up in pairs under his cot well before the due date. My first attempt at putting the cute little shoes on was like Prince Charming's attempt at shoving the glass slipper onto the Step Sisters foot. Eventually I was successful at getting the shoe onto my baby's foot, only to have him kick it off three minutes later.
I now know what most experienced Mum's know, trying to get shoes onto a baby's foot and have it stay on is a waste of precious time. Even my attempts to sell the shoes secondhand have failed. Unless you have a special occasion that requires more than socks or booties, save your money and spend it on quality shoes after they have started walking.
Sleeveless Onesies
I was having a summer baby, so I would need plenty of summer weight onesies that would keep my baby cool in the heat right? Wrong. In my pre-natal class, the Midwife explained how your bubba has limited ability to regulate their own body temperature. She told the class in a stern voice, not to show up with a hospital bag full of suits with no arms or legs. I had to rush out that afternoon and buy up on full length onesies, because I had a wardrobe full of the wrong items.
While I did end up using some of them as singlets, most of them sat in the chest of drawers unused and within weeks he had outgrown them. You go through so many clothes during the first few months of their lives, my advice is to invest in the pieces that will make nappy changing time as easy as possible. So that includes ditching the underclothes that have press studs in the crotch region. Another tip, walk away from the body suits that have any press studs and go for the zips. When your baby cries because they don't like being naked, you will want to complete the change as quickly as possible.
Expensive Change Table
This was another item on my must have list. I spent hours googling and doing research on a change table that looked great in my nursery and would have a dual function to save space. I went with a lovely chest of drawers with a change table on top that matched by beautiful Boori Cot. Then when I brought my boy home from the hospital, I discovered quickly that changing happens multiple times a day and I did not have the energy to go up and down the stairs every time a new nappy was required.
So I ended up setting up a change mat in my living room on top of my ottoman. While it doesn't sound ergonomically sound or safe, I was able to sit in a chair while my c-section scar healed and when he started moving, I moved the mat to the floor. The only use for my lovely change table in the nursery is as a storage space for clothes I haven't yet put away.,
There are so many things to buy when you are a first time Mum, but I hope I have helped you save a little money and time by sharing with you what to cross off the buy list. What would you add to the list of don't buy?
