Useful V. Waste of Money

Bethany - posted on 03/10/2009

Overall I say, you can't worry about the wasted stuff too much, lend it to someone who can use it, or maybe your next baby will, there's no way to know.

I think this is great advice...it's impossible to predict what you will or won't use so why sweat it?

(PS- I also thought the Diaper Decor looked better...but it was going to cost me like almost $100 to buy and ship online...too bad for me, but glad that you are enjoying yours!)

Dawnetta - posted on 03/10/2009

The only wasteful guilt I have felt has been ALL of the outfits people got us.  So many of them are not very comfortable and even if they are cute I don't put them on her.  It has been such a waste.  I have found that at some point almost everything else has been handy, even if not for long. 

The best advise I recieved was the diaper decor it is much more practical than the diaper Genie my sister-in-law bought (ignoring the same advise-she never uses it).  I did a lot of research on activity centers & love our "around we go."  when she could first sit up we kept it in the bathroom, I would put her in the seat & I could shower knowing she was safe & entertained, now that she can stand on her own it's in the living room she loves to play the piano & dance (there are other toys on it that she has yet to grow into). 

I would not have gotten anything done around my house ever if it weren't for the Baby bjorn, which was also a lifesaver on holidays and times when there was too much activity & my baby just wanted to be close to mom (people tend to keep their hands off when the baby is strapped to you.

Overall I say, you can't worry about the wasted stuff too much, lend it to someone who can use it, or maybe your next baby will, there's no way to know.

Dawnetta - posted on 03/10/2009

The only wasteful guilt I have felt has been ALL of the outfits people got us.  So many of them are not very comfortable and even if they are cute I don't put them on her.  It has been such a waste.  I have found that at some point almost everything else has been handy, even if not for long. 

The best advise I recieved was the diaper decor it is much more practical than the diaper Genie my sister-in-law bought (ignoring the same advise-she never uses it).  I did a lot of research on activity centers & love our "around we go."  when she could first sit up we kept it in the bathroom, I would put her in the seat & I could shower knowing she was safe & entertained, now that she can stand on her own it's in the living room she loves to play the piano & dance (there are other toys on it that she has yet to grow into). 

I would not have gotten anything done around my house ever if it weren't for the Baby bjorn, which was also a lifesaver on holidays and times when there was too much activity & my baby just wanted to be close to mom (people tend to keep their hands off when the baby is strapped to you.

Overall I say, you can't worry about the wasted stuff too much, lend it to someone who can use it, or maybe your next baby will, there's no way to know.

Charmaine - posted on 03/10/2009

I agree and disagree with the items you have listed. I love the change table mat, bibs, activity floor gym, exersaucer and Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier (even use it more than the pram). If I could go back I would have bought less clothes as they grow out of things so quickly that you don't need very many outfits until they are a bit bigger. Most of the clothes she has only worn once which is upsetting when I think of the money we spent.

Christina - posted on 03/08/2009

Let's See...

What we use often - Swing - Playpens and Cradle (3 level townhome - these were great!) - Big Bibs (reflux, why do they make small ones?) -Bumbo (loved this, sat like a big boy!) - Changing Table/Dresser Combo - Activity center (bouncy one the best) - Pacifers - Maclaren Umbrella Stroller - Boppy - Socks (except all he does is try to chew on them now!) - Sleepers and onsies(best thing ever!) - mobile (loves it) - humidifier - forehead thermometer (got this after surgery and its great, accurate temp while sleeping!) - baby einstein DVD (some may think this is bad but he loves them and we interact together with him and the DVD)

Hardly Used - bouncer (hated it) - activity gym for floor (hated it, always wanted to stand) - burp clothes - the glider in his room - stroller combo (great but HEAVY) - baby tub (he hated it, splashing and kicking!) - Desitin (great for some but he has NEVER had any butt rash!) - baby carrier (hated it with a passion) - projector night light

I'm undecided on the expensive sterilizer that his dad insisted on getting.  We only use it a couple times a week because it takes forever for the bottles to dry once they are done!

His favorite thing right now is probably the dog and advertisements (like the target ad!)  Something about the colors and sound when he crinkles it all up.

Tiffany - posted on 03/08/2009

It is hard to know what will be useful and what will be a waste of money because every baby is different and has different preferences! My daughter wanted to be held in an upright position by my shoulder constantly as a newborn-3 months.  I had a mei tei carrier and a heart to heart sling that were given to me at my baby shower, and unfortunately she didn't like the sling because she hated to be in the lying sideways position, and she didn't like the mei tei carrier because she couldn't see out of it!  I ended up spending $90 on a cuddly wrap and she loved that, so it was a good investment for the first few months.  Because it is made of a stretchy material however, once she reached 4 months my little monkey was sagging in it and would end up in strange sideways positions by the end of our walk, so I bought a used Snugli for $5 and it has been great! I am sad because she has almost grown out of it.... I think we get funny looks when I walk with her in it now! lol.  So, that's my spiel on carriers.  I am glad we have a stroller, our Graco is great for the mall and walking around the neighbourhood but wish I had gone with my gut and bought a jogging stroller because my husband and I love to hike, and our current stroller is impossible on any sort of snow, gravel, grass, or anywhere that we really like to go! I don't know what to do, because I was taking her in the carrier! I think I'll give the Mei Tei a try now that she is a bit bigger... we had been looking at the Quinny and the Bob.... I wish we had gone with one of those models!!! (Maybe we'll find a good used one?).  The vibrating/ bouncy chair was a godsend for the first 4 months, until she could sit on her own and began to seem like she would topple over by doing mini sit ups in it! We had the rainforest one and for the first three months she loved the toy bar.... when she tired of it we would just alternate toys for her, and plop her in it on the kitchen table while we ate dinner, etc.  The swing was normally good for about 5 minutes until she lost interest, but,.... when she was crying and nothing else would calm her down, it always did the trick! The exersaucer came in really handy when my daughter outgrew her bouncy chair, we kept it in the kitchen and would put her in there while making dinner or eating.  My daughter love love loved her jumperoo for the first two months that we had it and now tires of it and tries to 'walk away' while in it, so we will have to retire it soon, we just retired the exersaucer.... the play gym was nice for the first three months.... we never got a bumbo (didn't see the point),. but I still use the boppy pillow to nurse my daughter with.... sometimes I only need to set her on it and she falls asleep.  My daughter wears socks every day, but that is because it is cold where I live and I don't want her little feet to get chilly! For mealtimes we use all of the cloth bibs, may as well get some use out of them! We never really used pacifiers, and I didn't like carrying my daughter in the infant seat, but it was useful for transferring her when she had fallen asleep into the car or stroller.... she hated it for the most part and was really uncomfortable, she actually likes riding in the car now that she has a convertible seat! Burp pads have found other uses in our house as my daugher never spit up much at all!

Sorry so long... haha...  I'm sure I'm missing some things too!

Bethany - posted on 03/08/2009

Quoting Megyn:

  Also, he just learned to climb out of his playpen!

Oh No!  My guy is not very mobile at all yet and I am so thankful!  haha!

I'm soooo not ready for climbing (or even crawling for that matter!)  :~)

Megyn - posted on 03/08/2009

Our guy has always hated being in one place for more than a couple minutes, so that made the bouncer, swing, exercauser, and playpen bad from the get-go. Also, he just learned to climb out of his playpen!

Bethany - posted on 03/08/2009

And I guess this is what makes is so hard to know what to do when you are pregnant because I agree and disagree with items on both your lists (as far as what I liked/used)!!!. I love my stroller (and it's a big bulky one- I love that it carries all our stuff even though I don't use the carseat with it anymore!), change table pad, socks, and playpen. I still use each of those things on a daily basis. We got a swing that converts to a toddler chair which we are still using and would still buy a carrier again even though we don't use it a lot (just spend $20 not $150!). I would recommend borrowing a bouncer, bumbo and exercauser (although we use a bumper jumper instead) and don't know why they make cloth bibs (Just so they can make it a two piece set and swindle gift buyers?!?)! I also use pacifiers, shoes and infant seat (LOVED my baby bucket!!!! just switched to convertible today at over 8 months!)



I never sterilized anything and only used a few of my burp cloths in the tub as a cover to keep his belly warm! I find it really hard to judge my stuff though since a lot of it was only useful for a few months but was REALLY useful for the little time that we used it. And really couldn't have predicted my preferences at all. I guess for me the bottom line is to buy the cheapest (yet still safe and good quality) when you can't borrow. And keep the tags/package on until you are sure you will use it- maybe you can take it back to Walmart!!! :~D



(The one other thing that I LOVE and would totally recommend even though they are expensive is my video monitor! I use it just during the day for nap times and bedtime and can't imagine not having it. But again- we have the cheapest model because they can get quite pricey!)