There are entire stores dedicated to baby's needs. Diapering, feeding, playing, travel, and safety all have their own gadgets and gizmos designed to (hopefully) make a parent's life a little easier. And each item always declares itself the must have item.
But are they really?There are a few truly useless items out there, ones that are a complete waste of money. They either never work quite right, or are just a pain to use. Most of these items are cute, but just are not worth it.
1. Wipe Warmers
Here is an item that makes sense at first. No one wants to be wiped with ice-cold wet cloth. So why not buy a little warmer to help make diaper changing a little easier? Unfortunately, most warmers will just dry out the wipes. Talk about a waste of money!Here's a quick tip: Just hold the wipe in your hand for a moment. Your body heat will help take that cold edge off.
2. Swaddle Blankets
I know they're adorable. And your little newborn is adorable in them. And they look so easy to use, with little Velcro tabs to help keep the swaddle in place. So what's the problem? As cute as they are, your little one will grow out of them fast. In many cases they only last a few days. Before you know it the Velcro pieces can no longer fit together.Go with receiving blankets instead. They're just as cute and last much longer. They are also much less expensive and oddly absorbent. Once you learn how to swaddle your little one with these you will be much happier.
3. Bathrobes
Again, they're so cute I could cry, but for tiny babies they're a pain to put on. And a little useless. Now as baby gets older and moves into the toddler years, indulge and get those cute bathrobes then. But for a baby it's a cute waste of money.4. Bottle Warmers for the Car
These just don't work. The concept is great, but the result is always dismal. Yes, they do get hot. But they warm the bottle so unevenly it's almost funny. Part of the milk will become scalding hot while the rest is still ice cold. And even that is usually a long process.So what to do if you're in the car and baby needs to eat? Go to the local drive thru and ask for a cup of near boiling water. Most fast food joints have a standard industrial coffee make that has a tap that pours out hot water only, and most places won't charge you for this either. Set the bottle in the water. It will heat up faster than an expensive bottle warmer. If you know you will be on the road during your child's feeding time, you can always boil some water and pour it into a coffee thermos. It will keep the water hot enough to warm a bottle with.
5. Super Fancy Baby Tubs
I know you've seen them. They have shower heads and little motors to swirl the water or create relaxing bubbles. Save your money. The shower heads on these products are so hard to use they become useless. And baby really doesn't care if his water is swirling.Bath time is a great time for bonding, don't clutter it up with a wannabe spa that nine times out of ten doesn't work. A basic infant bath tub is less expensive and easier to deal with. Get more bang for your buck by buying one that converts from newborns, to infants, to older babies.
6. Crib Toys
These can do more harm than good. Having lights and noises flashing around your baby may hamper sleep. In some cases, babies cannot learn to go to sleep on their own because of all the distractions in their bed.There is one exception to this- simple mobiles. Simple mobiles that have gentle music are one of the few crib toys that can balance on the slippery line between soothing and distracting.
