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It is funny how as soon as I announced my pregnancy, I started getting a lot of unsolicited advice. A lot of what I hear is about how to raise my child, rules, schedules, blah blah blah… Some people turn into a salesman telling me what all I need to buy. Every baby site, blog, and group has a list of baby essentials. However, I have found that some of them were great buys and others were a waste of money.
NOTE: This page contains affiliate links that allow me to earn a small commission if a purchase is made. This post is not sponsored and each item is selected based on personal preferences and experiences.
Worst Purchases
1. A Cheap Baby Carrier
I didn’t think I would want to wear my baby like a lot of moms do soI bought the cheapest baby carrier I could find at Target. I didn’t want to make a big investment in a product I wasn’t sure I would be using. The carrier I bought was super hard to use. I couldn’t safely get my baby in or out without help, making it not very useful. I never tried using it on my back, it would have been too big of a risk of hurting my baby.
2. The Bumbo Floor Seat
I am not even sure why I got one of these. I think we used it twice. My oldest did enjoy putting it on his head and wearing it like a crown.
3. Too many clothes
It can be super tempting to buy your baby an entire year’s worth of cute clothes. Learn from my mistake and just don’t. My first-born was 9 pounds and long. He was always at least 3 and sometimes 6 months ahead on clothes.
4. Graco Slim Space High Chair
I purchased this because it said slim space meaning it wouldn’t take up much space. Technically, it does fold down. However, it takes up a large amount of space when it is being used. Also, it is very hard to clean. I would recommend a simple chair like this one by Skip Hop
Best Items For Baby
1. Portable Bassinet
Everyone told me not to buy a bassinet. They said I would regret spending so much money on something I would only use for a small amount of time. I chose to buy a portable bassinet for my oldest to nap in. My youngest ended up sleeping in it too. Some options to consider include the Chicco Lullago Portable Bassinet or the BABYBJORN Cradle.
2. Large Muslin Swaddle Blankets
These are large enough that you can get a good swaddle but not so hot that you have to worry about overheating. Plus they come in so many cute patterns!
If you need to bottle feed your baby these are the bottles I would recommend. Yes, they have a large number of parts, but they are the best. This is especially true if your child has reflux. Our dishwasher doesn’t get very hot so we were able to wash most of the pieces in our dishwasher. If you need to wash by hand, it really isn’t that bad.
4. Top Rated Car Seat
People drive crazy. Keep your baby safe by purchasing the best-rated car seat you can afford. We also wanted one that was easy to install properly because it needed to be moved between cars frequently. We ended up purchasing a Britax car seat.
5. A Pack-N-Play.
When my oldest was born we purchased the Graco Pack n’ Play Playard. Unfortunately, he never used it. The first time I published this post, the pack-n-play was on the worst purchase list. My youngest son, however, used the pack-n-play every day for an entire year. We used it a lot like a crib since he stayed in our room and we didn’t have space for a full crib. If you would like a more aesthetically pleasing option there is also the 4moms® Breeze Plus Playard.
6. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Jumperoo
This thing was a lifesaver. My child was high energy before and after birth. He loved this jumperoo. Every day he would play in this, sometimes twice a day. This allowed me to get a few chores done, while I watched him bounce away. Update: My second child hated the jumperoo.
7. VTech Sit- to- Stand Learning Walker
When I saw this product in the store and knew I wanted to buy it. My oldest loved pushing it around the house and playing with the toys on the front.
8. A really good stroller
A good stroller can make the world of a difference when out and about with baby. I urge you to look for a stroller with good tires and not the yucky cheap plastic ones. Those will get worn down and then they will quit gliding so smoothly. Then you will be upset because pushing your stroller will seem impossible. Also, storage is important. Where will the diaper bag go? How about shopping bags at the mall. The Baby Trend Expedition is my favorite budget stroller because it has a snack track, a console for drinks and keys has great storage, and it is easy to fold.
Each family is unique. Some of my worst products may be best for your family. And maybe you have some best products that I left off of my list. Please feel free to share your best and worst baby item purchases.
