When we were preparing for our first baby’s arrival I felt so overwhelmed with lists of things I was told we’d need. Social media influencers, online lists and even my pregnancy app would constantly bombard me with ads or items that I would absolutely need to thrive at parenting. Here is a little secret- babies actually need VERY little. As we get ready for baby number 2, here is a list of things I wish we had passed on the first time around. Save yourself money and space and skip these unnecessary items.
- Baby shoes- until your baby is truly walking they don’t need shoes. Grab a few pairs of cozy socks or a soft bootie like Zutano.
- Fancy crib bedding- Babies can’t use blankets for quite some time, so grab two or three nice crib sheets and skip the expensive quilt.
- Changing pad- some people will disagree with this one, but for us we tended to just change Baby G right on the floor in whatever room we happened to be in. If you must have one, opt for a super budget-friendly version.
4. Wipe warmer- we never had one and Baby G did just fine.
5. Baby mittens- Mittens tend to just fall off, and a lot of sleepers now come with fold down mittens built in.
6. Sophie the Giraffe- I never understood the hype with this toy. Your baby may love it, or they may hate it.
7. Bottle sterilizer- it’s just as easy to boil parts on the stove and will save you precious kitchen storage space.
8. Baby bath robes- We were gifted probably four and never used a single one. They just aren’t practical.
9. Diaper cream applicator- Nobody has time for this in real life, just use your finger.
10. Baby blankets- You will get gifted no less than 10 baby blankets. Don’t add these to your registry or buy them for yourself
11. Dreft- There is no need to buy specific baby detergent, any type of free and clear detergent will work. Then you can use it for the whole family’s laundry.
What other “essentials” did you find yourself never using? Drop it in the comments!