Newly pregnant? Wanting to go buy all the latest and greatest baby items.
STOP! Before you do anything, take some advice from experienced mamas and don’t waste your money on a few things that we did!
I asked a lot mamas for their opinions to form a consensus about this because I know I’m a little bit different than a lot of moms I know. I got some great feedback. My favorite was from our resident crunchy mama, April:
I have so many. changing tables, baby bath tubs, baby towels/wash cloths, video baby monitors, pre-made baby food, wipe warmer, anything made to clean or sanitize a bottle that is not a dishwasher/stove, the bumbo chair, baby mittens, mobiles, bumpers, baby shoes…
April…what does baby Harlow have?!?! {grin}
Anyway…drumroll please… What your friendly Austin mamas consider to be a waste of your money!!
- Anything expensive for the nursery – Think you need a $1,500 glider {ahem, Allison}, you don’t! And the $1,200 Restoration Hardware crib (or fancy bassinet) will not make your baby sleep. Be practical. Buy stuff that is functional. A pack ‘n play, Jenny Lind crib and basic glider will be perfect.
- Bottles or wipes warmers – Ever heard of warm water? That’s all you need to warm your bottles. Or better yet…don’t spoil your baby with warm bottles. Get them used to their milk in any form. And the last thing you want to be searching for at 2:00 AM is warm wipes because baby has only ever had warm wipes touch their precious bottom. Cold wipes make ’em tough!
- Fancy (read expensive) baby clothes, especially for 0-6 months – There is nothing more frustrating than that PERFECT $45 outfit being on for 2 minutes when baby poops EVERYWHERE. OR baby outgrows the outfit before it can be worn. Save your money for cute outfits when they’re older.
- Bumpers – A complete waste of money because they are a SIDS hazard and help your toddler climb out of the bed. Who wants that?
And ladies…all the money you save can complete your maternity wardrobe. Or better yet, wait until after baby arrives and get a start on your all new wardrobe (since we all know your body will never be the same)!
What did you consider to be a waste of money for your newborn?
This is not accurate at all. I am a fan of Austin moms blog and usually find it very informative. However as a mom I have to disagree with this. A bottle warmer has saved our lives. At 2 am do you really want to wait for water to heat up. And do you realize how long it takes a bottle of refrigerated pumped breast milk to heat up sitting in a cup of hot water? A bottle warmer takes 2 minutes to get a 4 oz bottle to the perfect temperature for baby. You just pop it in the warmer and by the time you’re done changing the diaper, the bottle is ready, cutting your middle of the night feedings in half so you and baby can get back to sleep. And the wipe warmer! It’s not like you have to go looking for it at 2am. It plugs into the wall and sets on the changing table, it right there where your wipes should be. My child loves the warm wipes and it certainly keeps him from screaming in the middle of the night, causing my 10 year old to wake up. The comment “cold wipes makes em tough”. REALLY?!?! They are newborns, they don’t need to be tough, they need to be comfortable, they have the rest of their lives to be “tough”. I do agree with the expensive gliders and nursery decor. I made the mistake of spending too much on my baby’s bedding and although his nursery looks beautiful, it’s just for show bc anytime he sleeps in his bed, he usually spits up on the sheets. This post does have SOME informative points but to say don’t spoil your baby with a warm bottle and cold wipes make em tough is just ridiculous.
Tammy, Thanks for your comment! I love hearing the perspective of other mothers. I have friends who have loved their wipes/bottle warmers, I am just think they aren’t ‘necessary’. I have never had to give either of my children a bottle in the night (I’ve always nursed in the night) but have always just given them cold bottles when they did get bottles and they have never had a problem with cold milk. I was also just teasing about making them ‘tough’. I am still nursing my almost 11 month old in the middle of the night when she cries, so I am definitely a softie for my babies. {grin}