Leane There are so many baby products on the market, and so many lists of ‘essentials’ that it’s difficult to know what to buy. While I was pregnant I did a lot of research on what was and wasn’t needed, and was very surprised to find that not only were there products out there that people found completely useless, there were also products on the market that were not recommended by leading experts, and some that were downright dangerous. I also asked my Instagram community to let me know which products they thought were a waste of money, and the results were interesting in that the same things were mentioned multiple times.
Please note: this article is in no way meant to shame anyone. I simply want to highlight that it’s always best to do your own research, and just because your favourite influencer is using a product, it doesn’t always mean that it is the best thing for your baby.
Moses basket
These are stylish, compact, easy to move around, and Instagrammable so you can see why so many people buy them. But babies tend to only fit in them until they’re 8-12 weeks old, and so many people say they then need to buy something else for those daytime naps. Travel cots, baby slings, and a blanket on a changing mat in a safe area on the floor last so much longer. You also can’t beat a snuggly contact nap!
Nursing pillow
These can be ridiculously expensive and kind of oddly shaped, making them difficult to get into the right position. And don’t even get me started on changing the covers on these awkward shaped things! I found a standard pillow so much easier to use, and discovering the side-lying feeding position meant that my pillow got used less and less as I could also catch up on a bit of sleep during Babybel’s naps (following the safe sleep 7 of course).
Prep Machine
I can understand the appeal of this; no waiting for a boiling kettle to cool down while your starving baby screams the house down. But there have been so many concerns raised around the cleanliness of these, and the temperature of the water in the ‘hot shot’ that the NHS advise against them. There have been independent tests done which show the water is not always hot enough to kill the bacteria in the formula. Safe bottle prep NHS.
Nest / Sleepyhead / Dock a Tot
These are all over Instagram and YouTube. Again I totally get the idea of them, they seem like a safe, snuggly space to place your baby. But the Lullaby Trust advise against them due to suffocation and overheating risks. There are also nests available on the market that have pull cords to adjust the size, which is a huge strangulation risk. The fact that they’re allowed to be sold is astounding.
Cot bumpers
Another item that’s all over Instagram and another one that should not be allowed. They’re a suffocation risk, a strangulation risk, and can be used to climb on and potentially fall out of the cot by more mobile babies and toddlers.
Nappy bin
This one was a popular waste of money in the poll. It’s quite expensive as you need to keep changing the cartridges, and many people found that it doesn’t actually stop smells getting out! We used a normal bin next to the changing unit, that we just emptied at the end of the day. Any downstairs nappy changes went straight into the outside bin. And to be honest, exclusively breastfed babies’ nappies don’t smell too bad. Weaning onto solid food is a whole new ball game though!
Bumbo
There are a few different types of these, but the ones that are raised slightly (as per the picture) aren’t recommended by experts as they put babies’ legs and hips in an unnatural position. There are plenty of sit me up seats out there that are flat, but babies don’t need to be in them unless they can already sit up. Once Babybel could sit up unassisted for a few moments, she wanted to be sat up all the time, so we got her an inflatable ring seat so that she could spend a few minutes a day sitting up.
Shoes
Baby shoes seem to be ridiculously expensive, and completely pointless if they can’t walk! This came up quite often in the Instagram poll, but fortunately we didn’t buy Babybel any shoes until she could walk. Even now she spends most of her time barefoot or in really flexible, soft soled shoes.
Outfits
Hundreds of outfits are not necessary. They might look cute, and it’s lovely to get photos of babies in little outfits, but for day to day wear, they’re kind of pointless. Sleepsuits and onesies are easier to get on and off, easier to undo for nappy changes, tend to be a lot cheaper (let’s face it, they’re going to get covered in all sorts!) and generally just look more comfortable. I know that if I’m having a day of lazing around doing nothing, I want to be doing so in my pyjamas, not a dress or jeans.
What baby products have you found that were completely useless or just not necessary?
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