10 Things You DON'T Need For A New Baby
And then he came.
The crib sat in the corner, the swing hung empty, and the tub wouldn't fit in my shower.
Sometimes I think groups of childless men sit around shining wood tables and literally make stuff up that new babies "need" for survival just so that they can make money. Seems like a good idea, but for the first time mom, I think it just tends to stress us out when we should be enjoying a pretty awesome time in life.
So ladies, here are a few things that you don't need for your new baby.
1) The wipe warmer- Possibly the silliest baby necessity ever invented. I am pretty sure that cave man babies survived without the warmer. Oh wait....cave men are EXTINCT! Maybe we do need this!
They can be nice for some people (some cloth diaper mamas keep their cloth wipes moist inside) but certainly not a need.
2) The layette- I have had kids for seven years and I still don't know what this is. So...I am pretty sure it isn't a necessity.
3) The crib- (This isn't an anti-crib rant, so don't get riled up.) It kind of makes me sad when a young new family with limited resources stresses unnecessarily over the need for a crib. I actually do think it is NICE to have a space for the baby to sleep, especially during nap-times, and at ANY time if you don't co-sleep. But this doesn't have to be an expensive crib. Some people use a Pack n Play (many are safe for sleeping in) which is smaller, cheaper, and easier to move if money and space are an issue. Some people just have the baby in their bed (free of all sheets and pillows, of course) with an attachable guard rail, a bassinet, a cradle or whatever is safe and fits.
4) That diaper Genie- Seriously? The diapers still smell, even in that thing. I am being for real. If I am doing disposables then I just throw them in the regular trash , but little baby poop doesn't really stink. If I am doing cloth, then you DO need a diaper bin, but I just use a big plastic pail. You can get them for a few bucks or use an old one from Costco laundry soap.
5) Swings, bouncers, chairs, and what not- I can't hold my baby all day long so it is really helpful to have SOMETHING to put your baby in when you need to put them down. The thing is, you probably don't need all of them. Plus, in my experience, all babies don't like all of them. I had a baby that loved the swing and another that screamed bloody murder every time he came near it. These are not universally loved by all babies. Often, somebody whose baby is a little older is willing (dare I say desperate?) to give away theirs so that they can free up some space in their home. If you get something free, you just don't feel as bad when you never use it.
6) Expensive breast pumps- A necessity for sure if you are going back to work and are planning on pumping when the baby is young. These are not however needed for every mom out there, even though they are promoted like every mom needs one. Often a hand pump will be plenty for a stay at home mom who doesn't need to pump four times a day to keep up her supply. But even if you are going back to work but not for a year or so, then you don't necessarily need one.
7) The baby bath tub- We were in a tiny apartment when I had my first and the big tub wouldn't even fit in my shower. Instead we showered with the baby. (Showering with a baby does work better if you have two people.) My newest baby gets bathed in the kitchen sink. YES, I clean it well before and after. It is just the right size for a little one. Baby tub= not necessary.
8) Baby shoes- Babies actually don't walk. This does come later, but until then, they don't need a large array of shoes. I have a secret about this one too.
Baby shoes don't even stay on baby feet.
They can't walk but they can remove shoes by about three weeks. Don't tell anybody that I was the one who let that one out of the bag.
9) A themed nursery- I feel like I am having an out of body experience when I walk into a big box baby store and see the walls lined with perfectly matched cribs, gliders (not rockers, those are capitol "L" lame), wallpaper, sheets, lamps, rugs, and what not. Babies CAN see at birth, but only for about 12 inches. They will not care if the wallpaper matches the pillow sham. I have never even had a bedroom that nice. So, maybe I am just jealous...
10) Rounding off the 10 with a few I have never had or used- baby monitors (never had that big of a house), socks (they disappear with the shoes), pacifiers (shouldn't even be introduced until 6 weeks), and Baby Einstein videos (don't even get me started on baby TV!)
(Lest you get offended, I know that some women might need some of these items or even just WANT some of them, in which case, GO NUTS and enjoy your baby shopping! I wasn't trying to hurt your feelings. And I actually do know what a layette is. I was kidding.)
Comments
When people asked what we need, we truthfully told them money and whole foods gift cards. And that's mostly what we got! It's great. Unfortunately one well-meaning friend bought us 2 large unfinished bookcases....one shaped like a dollhouse and another like a barn, and I'm stressing out over what to do with them. It's nice to not feel like we need all of the baby gear!
I also love the baby chair that converts into a toddler rocking chair. I shower with my son who is 10 weeks old. First I do my part of the shower while he chills in his chair. Then I grab him,m do his part, and lay him back on the chair, wrapped in his towel while I dry off and get dressed.
Emma's Lunch
(PS - there are great handknit patterns for socks and warm booties that actually stay on. And I still swear by Robeez for keeping socks on. Second-hand of course.)
That being said, I still question its value. It's not nearly as efficient as manual expressing, and the one-handed value of it is somewhat negated by the fact that my daughter isn't that big on the sound.
ALSO, I am totally in agreement with your list and the add-on of changing tables =)
I like your post so much jack kalis