Anyone else here *not* have a particular baby product obsession?

[deborah_r]

I was noticing in some posts that a lot of people have many, many diaper bags, or many strollers, or many slings. Others are clothing-obsessed.

I don't have a particular product I go crazy for. i was a little sling crazy for a while (3 plus the Baby Bjorn, but I mostly just use my Mom-and-Me pouch). I have one stroller (Pliko). I went a little crazy on Gymboree clothes last Christmas, but have been buying mostly on sale since then. I like to splurge on Burt's Bees diaper cream because it makes DS smell so nice, but DH even grumbles about that expense. I have 2 diaper bags, and one of those was a shower gift, and not anything I had registered for. Ds has a fair amount of toys, but not an insane amount, I don't think.

I would love to have a baby product buying habit, but I really can't afford it, so I make do. But if I venture into the diaper bag forum, or strollers, or slings, I start craving, so I have to get out quick before I whip out the credit card!

Anyone else here have a rather meager selection of baby products?

[jbowman]

Deborah,

We only have one stroller (P3) and two diaper bags (I just bought a Peg Perego diaper bag on clearance at Marshall's last week!). We received a lot of toys and clothes as gifts, so I haven't bought a lot myself. I think we do, however, own everything made by Fisher-Price!

[Sarah1]

I really don't. I had a short-lived obsession with Robeez when Audrey was around a year old, but that's pretty much been it!

[C99]

>I would love to have a baby product buying habit, but I
>really can't afford it, so I make do. But if I venture into
>the diaper bag forum, or strollers, or slings, I start
>craving, so I have to get out quick before I whip out the
>credit card!

Same here. It's part of the reason that I really only read this board and the Bitching Post anymore. I cannot afford to read all of the other boards. I feel like it's become the "Rampant Consumerism over Baby Products" board, more than about finding great bargains. ;-)

I have flirted with affections for strollers, diaper bags and Hanna Andersson, but I really cannot afford to try out the latest and greatest. Especially because they is always something that replaces it in a matter of weeks (or even days).

[Torey]

No obsessions what so ever. But I honestly am not an addictive type person (and I don't really like to collect things). Plus we can't really afford any other stuff. I would really like to get DD a Kettler Trike, but I'll have to save up for that. We have one nice stroller, one cheap umbrella stroller, one diaper bag (which is actually a gap purse posing as a diaper bag), a pretty good selection of toys which were all purchased secondhand, and all DD's clothes are either gifts or secondhand. We do not buy Gymbo, or Hanna or any other clothes that cost more than I'm willing to pay for my own clothes. Guess I'm just cheap (and broke). But even if I had the money I still wouldn't spend it on clothes or multiple strollers, diaper bags etc.

[flagger]

I have no slings, hand-me down strollers except for the jogging stroller I bought at BD, we never use diaper cream ever. We have two diapers bags that I bought from Land's End. We buy mostly at Target, but every once in awhile if I have a coupon, a CoF, or at the outlet stores, we do do OshKosh, Gymboree or CP. We shop the clearance racks at those places. We also buy last year's fashions for next year's wearing by season and age.

Of all the toys Cocoa has, I am still her favourite. She still lives most days in onesies and will continue to do so since I am the one who has to fuss with all those buttons and snaps for diaper changes.

[CBB]

We only have one stroller '04 zippy, one landsend diaper bag (although I just made a purchase for skip hop), one sling. I have been addicted to gymbo clothes lately though. Not a hanna fan but have purchased to try it out. Sometimes I think this board should not be called baby bargain, because I certainly could've save a lot of money if I don't keep reading those posts.

[s7714]

Can't say I have any obsessions either. Admittedly however, if I really like something like Hanna or Robeez, etc., I just "mention" it to my MIL--she's a major "spoiling Grandma" type of shopper, if you KWIM. ;-)

I do have three diapers bags, but two were shower presents that I never had time to return, so they sit in DD's closet. Up until last month I only had one stroller, but now I have two as I needed a smaller one to take on vacation.

And I agree that venturing into some forums is a risk to people's pocket books!

Jennifer
Mommy to Annalia 03/03/03

[jubilee]

I also don't have an obsession over any particular brand or item. I don't collect slings, strollers, diaper bags, or anything that I can think of. I have the essentials and am pretty happy, not that I wouldn't like to have a few more "extras".

[janeybwild]

Deborah, thanks for posting this. I sometimes think I am missing a gene on being gear addicted and as crazy as it sounds, that that is a bad thing! I can appreciate others who find a way to indulge their passions, and perhaps budget has something to do with it. Like Caroline says below, I now limit my use of this boards to specific forums. I find that aimless surfing in the other forums leaves me feeling a bit crazed. Would I like another stroller? Sure, but I don't really need it. I did however need to buy that lovely bike seat :) Thanks for recognizing that we are all a bit different.

[AngelaS]

I have a lot of baby clothes, but that's about it for my obsession, especially since most of them come from garage sales. As did most of my baby gear. I knew I wanted a specific swing and shopped until I found it. I wasn't picky about which bouncy seats to buy tho.

And I refuse to get caught up in obsessing about which item to buy. All highchairs/bouncies/excersaucers are mostly the same. Either your child will love or hate it, so why spend weeks obessing???

[sbjf]

I do not have a baby product obsession with certain things. For example I'm not into special clothes at all b/c I would stress about them getting dirty, plus kids grow so fast, it's not worth it to me. I'm also not a toy obsessor either.

I find that the things that do make me obsess are things that can make my life easier, and more stylish ;-), like diaper bags and slings.

Although I consider myself to have a good deal of restraint when it comes to these obsessions due to financial, ahem, maturity? :-) So I have 2 slings and a Baby Bjorn (that was a shower gift) and I only have one specialty diaper bag, the Loom Marsupial and only one stroller, the MBUS. So I think I'm doing ok, but then again, baby is only 6 weeks old.

I think I'm just happy that I'm not obsessed with ALL baby related gear. :-)

[JElaineB]

I'm not obsessed over any particular baby product, though I would like to be! I just can't afford it. I do come here looking for true bargains and sometimes I find them! I don't even look at the stuff that is out of my price range. I do like to research before I make a purchase, but once I've done that I'm done.

I have one cheap Graco stroller which is a two-hand fold, so I would like another and have been researching those. I have had a mini diaper bag obsession lately because I really need a medium sized diaper bag. I have 2 Lands End bags that have served me well for almost 2 years, but one is now too big and the other sometimes too small. But I just purchased one that I hope will work from the swap, so if that works my diaper bag obsessing will be over! More power to the people who can afford high end items, but sometimes I feel bad for new people who might be checking in for the first time and wondering how a $120 diaper bag or a $300+ stroller are "bargains".

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[aa2mama]

No obsessions here. Budget challenges have kept me in check, and quite honestly I’m all the happier because of that. When I was pregnant, I obsessed over pretty much every purchase to find things that had great reviews and were modestly priced. I’ve ended up with a basic selection of nice products that I love and use often. Although I browse through other forums and drool, even if I had the money to buy those things most of my collection would sit collecting dust. I’d rather keep things simple and essential.

[Jen in Chicago]

I was obsessed with picking the right stroller b4 Jude was born, but since then I just obsess about his care and giving him as much love as I can.

I can't resist a few books for him when I go to Marshalls or TJMaxx.

We finally own all the Ralph's World CD's (5 or 6?), which were mostly bought at free concerts around the city of Chicago.

Most of his clothes Grandma buys at her charity resale store for $1 or less a piece. She picks up toys too.

I rarely buy toys for Jude, but if I see him really enjoy something at daycare or a friend's place I may try to get it when TRU has some type of a special (1 on get one free deals I love!)

For carseat #2 we bought the Evenflo, not the Britax. It was a big decision I researched.

We have lucked out b/c we received 2 diaper bags as gifts, and bought a "gender neutral" one for DH to carry. Our stoller (Zippy) was a gift, as well as the Snap-n-Go and Jog Stroller (Overstock.com). The Baby Bjorn was a gift that used a lot. Grandma made the bedding in Jude's room, and his dresser was part of his Great-Grandparents bedroom suit (with many coats of paint now.) The highchair and exersaucer Grandma bought at Big Lots for Jude.

I made his birth announcements, holiday cards, personalized stationary and birthday party invitations with my rubber stamp collection and a ream of cardstock.

I love a good deal, and find them hard to pass sometimes, but then I remember who much college is going to cost for Jude and think I should save the money. The guilt hits me!

[aliceinwonderland]

This will probably get me banned from the boards: I tried, really did. Not so much for me. There's MAYBE a couple of things I liked from there, and those were not hanna-ish (like the black dressy overalls)

I had a short-lived obsession with Ralph Lauren and Absorba baby clothes, but now I have too many.

The only other thing that I went crazy over was that I had to have a pram, a real one, not the Bugaboo (hehe).
I only have one diaper bag, one other stroller, a Baby Bjorn and one sling (recently purchased).

This is a good thing because we're about to get VERY poor (what with school, buying a house we can barely afford, daycare, etc)

[Raidra]

I would absolutely love to be able to finance an obsession, but we can't. I have a nice stroller that was a gift, a cheapie umbrella stroller, and one diaper bag. Colwyn has a lot of nice clothes, but they were mostly gifts. The clothes I buy him are pretty much all from BRU.

The closest thing I have to an obsession is that I love Peek-a-Blocks. I've restrained myself pretty well so far, and we only have a few sets - only the ones I really love.

[Marisa6826]

Well, I have one stroller (a Venezia), although I will be getting an E3 for when the next baby arrives.

I have two dipe bages. A Coach one that I just *had* to have before Sophie was here. It is sooooo heavy even empty, that it's been sitting in the closet for over a year. Its replacement is a Vera Bradley that I just love. I throw it in the wash all the time and I've never had a problem with it.

I have two Bjorns (one with back support, one without). I bought a plain sling that never worked for me. It's too long, hurts when I wear it and is in a box packed away somewhere.

Sophie does, however, have a fair amount of clothing and her book collection (courtesy of Daddy, the English Major) surpasses most toddlers I know ;)

-m

[deborah_r]

Whew! I logged in today worrying that someone might have taken offense to this thread, but thankfully it appears not. I started worrying people might think I was complaining about the "baby-product-obsessed" among us, which is so not the case. I actually feel a little left out sometimes, since I'm mostly a "lounge, bitching post, feeding baby" girl. I was noticing that the lounge seemed a little slow, and thought "where is everyone?" and then I thought, they are probably all off in the product forums! I think it would be fun to indulge in a baby product collection and I don't begrudge any of the people here who do it. And I think it still make sense for those people to search this board for info, because they might not be able to afford 10 full price diaper bags, but maybe they can afford 10 diaper bags found at a great price here!!! :)

[McQ]

I don't think I have an obsession on anything particular. I do buy a lot of stuff but I'm pretty frugal about it. I do have a hard time passing up a deal though - that would be my weakness. I can't stand having things and not using them so I do try to pare down or not over buy.

I've bought a lot of Hanna (on sale or with a discount code plus I buy ahead) but it's probably only a week's worth of stuff per season.

And while I loved my Aprica I just didn't use it so I couldn't justify keeping it so that was sold on the swap. I've also sold the slings that I don't use.

I have two diaper bags - a Gap backpack and a cheap Maclaren that I got off the swap/TJ Maxx sale. It bugs me that I have two.

Also, I think it depends on your idea of a bargain. To me it's getting something I want at a good price. Sure I bought a Bugaboo but got a discount on it so to me, that was a bargain.

Allison
~ mommy to Declan 3.24.03
and number 2 EDD 9.14.04

[jbowman]

I think that DH and I like the Peek-a-Blocks as much (if not more than) as DD!

[llcoddington]

If I have a particular baby product obsession, I am not ready to admit it! I don't think I do though.

I have one diaper bag, an Eddie Baurer backpack. I am about to go looking for something smaller though.

I do like baby clothes, but mostly buy them used on ebay or from you guys! And, I have no problem dressing Lauren in onesies and sleepers most of the time. She just drools and poops on them anyway!

I do have a few baby carriers- pouch, wrap, ergo. Only because I have had a really hard time finding something that works for me. But, these three work, so I am good to go.

I can definitely say I am NOT obsessed with Lauren's room. It is our second bedroom and has all kinds of stuff in it besides the crib. Copy machine, bookshelves, file cabinets, etc. So, no room for decorations. :(

Despite my lack of an obsession, I do enjoy reading about everyone else's obsessions! And, I do think some of the diaper bags are quite lovely and I do like the looks of Hanna clothes!

Lana
mommy to Lauren 12/5/03

[californiagirl]

I get obsessed with finding the 'right' thing -- something we'll all like and is at a good price. On big things I do the preliminary research and then DH and I decide together. On little things I just get what I want, and DH is bemused but accepting. We were given two Gyminis, and the one we returned had this great elephant on it, and I decided I wanted the elephant. But I decided this *after* we were in the store that had it (because we were there before she started loving the bird and the monkey from Tiny Love). So I looked for the silly elephant on and off for weeks, and when I found it, they had changed the elephant, and instead of having a pink holographic circle on its stomach, it had a stupid little lavender one that isn't properly sparkly, so I didn't get it. DH thinks this is demented, but at least partially reassuring -- he knows I won't spend money unless I think it's the right thing. I guess that counts as an obsession, but I didn't look for it continuously, and in the end I didn't buy it at all!

There just isn't that much baby stuff out there that I love, or she loves, enough to spend money on it. I make a fair amount of stuff, and DH would be happy to explain to you exactly what each of our 4 carriers is best at (1 sling, 1 pouch, 2 mei-tais). We have more toys than she really needs, but not big fancy expensive ones. The outfit she gets the most comments on is one I made out of one of DH's work T-shirts! (My snap habit may get expensive soon, though...)

[cchavez]

I am diaper bag obsessed but I do not endulge myself very often. But I do love to visit that forum so that when baby #2 comes along I will have an idea of what kind of bag to get. We have two strollers ( a zooper and a chicco umbrella) and I could not justify more than two. DS does have a kettler and in a way I am obssessed w/ toys and books but we have been buying the majority of his toys/ books at garage sales lately. I really wanted to try Hanna but I couldn't justify the cost. Oh, and my 3 carriers did not work very well for DS but I am holding on to them in hopes that #2 will enjoy them. DS (and I) don't lack for anything and our family has certain financial goals we want to achieve so I try to stay disciplined.

ETA: But I have found some great deals b/c of this board. I am probably going to do the snack trap coop if my playgroup friends decide they want to order so we can hit the 30.00 and get the max discount.

[hobey]

I don't have a particular product obsession but I love getting great quality things at rock bottom prices and I am kind of a bargain junkie.

I can't bring myself to spend more than $10 on one item of baby clothing. DS wears mostly baby Gap & Carters but I pick up all the pieces on clearance-usually around $5/piece. From the bargain junkie side of things, I was ready to buy some Hanna items last week until DH told me to get a grip since the sizes I was looking to pick up were 3-4 year old sizes. LOL :)

We started with an Eddie Bauer backpack diaper bag that we just didn't like from an organizational standpoint so I picked up a cute tote from Filene's for me and I got DH a Timbuk2 for Father's Day since he's been wanting one for years.

We have one stroller (a Combi Savvy Soho), a Baby Bjorn, and an REI Piggyback since we're both avid hikers & backpackers. We have a Marathon in one car but went with the Evenflo Triumph for our second car. I have a shopping cart cover which I never thought I would want since I've never been a total germ-phobe but then I started noticing all the stuff DS wanted to shove into his mouth.

From a toy standpoint, DS's favorite toys are Mom & Dad, his Baby Einstein blocks, and a set of stacking cups I picked up for $2. We haven't gone toy crazy. We did buy the Kettler for his first b-day but more because DH & I thought the dump truck feature & all-terrain tires were cool and we remembered how many Big Wheels we went through as a kid so we think the Kettler will last through kid #2.

Raquel
Nathan's Mom 12/19/03

[deborah_r]

"snack trap coop"? Do tell.... :)

[JElaineB]

Gina posted the info last night in the Bargains forum and the Around the House forum.

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=12&topic_id=19450&mesg_id=19450&page=

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[cchavez]

Check out the "around the house" or "bargains alert" forum. The snack trap is this really neat cup for keeping snacks but I will only get if if my girlfriends go in on this so the price will be really cheap. Otherwise, I will eventually make it to the specialy store in the neighboring town and get it there.....but there is no big rush! I just think this could be a really great bargain. And, eventually Target will start carrying this....just like the tiny diner....lol!

[mommd]

I don't have any obsessions either. I own one stroller, one diaper bag, and 2 slings. I do shop at Hanna and Gymboree occasionaly, but only during big sales. Most of her clothes are from thrift or consignment stores, as I refuse to spend more money on an item of baby clothes than I would spend on the same item for myself. I do use cloth dipes, but I only own what I need.

I do like living vicariously through others obsessions though. :)

[stillplayswithbarbies]

Target already carries it.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[kijip]

Great thread!

Strollers are the thing we have been through the most of (we have bought and sold or given away several now including one I decided was too expensive to keep- we could afford it but I felt it was excessive). All of the strollers we have now we paid $100 or less for and all are used a lot for a specific situation so I would not call my self a collector. It is ironic that I have this many strollers since I insisted that we did not need a stroller at all while I was pregnant. But I don't drive, my son LOVES riding and we use a stroller all the time for things most people drive for (grocery shopping, errands, commute) so I have honed in on the features that I find I prefer from lots of time pushing.

As for other gear we have 2 slings and 1 diaper bag (may buy another now that we are using cloth diapers and the bag is seeming too small) plus tons of toys (all gifts and many have been given away since we lack space).

Things we are less obsessed with than average are furniture (no nursery- just a modest crib in a corner and and bare bones changing table in another), clothes (no $100 or even $20 sweaters for my baby), and fancy toys.

So while I do research every purchase (just like I research non-baby items such as computers or kitchen items) and I have more than 1 stroller, I would not say that I am obsessed with any type of item. Reading the product forums does not make me yearn for things I do not want like Hanna clothes or Kenneth Cole diaper bags. I use them to research a possible calculated purchase. I do think that all of Toby's gear adds up to a lot....I try to purge any extra items (baby related or not) as often as possible.

[babymama]

Like a PP said, I'm a bargain junkie.

I think I might be obsessed with buying bibs. I won't spend more than $3- $4 on them though. I buy mostly from Ross, Target (typical price $1.99). I have to keep a stack of bibs at DS's school (they change his bibs like every 30 minutes - too frquently IMO, but that's their routine). Then I keep a few drool bibs and plastic feeding bibs at home.

I'm a bit of a cheap bib junkie.

Mama to Santiago, born 11/16/03

[deborah_r]

Hmmm, I was just thinking about bibs this evening. We are still using a lot of the tenny tiny ones we got from Carter's and OshKosh before DS was born. I think they are more of a drool bib. I only have a couple of bigger ones. What are the best ones you've found? (and I need snaps, because velcro does not fool my DS)

I've been considering making a trip to the evil-empire-that-is-Walmart to get some of those bibs I have read about on here that people really like.

[momathome]

While I do have a clothing/stroller/diaper bag obsession, I do not have a cloth diaper or baby carrier obsession. We used disposable dipes and I had a Baby Bjorn that Kasey and I both loved. No slings for me!
-Lauren

[alkagift]

I don't have a diaper bag obsession. I should, since I have more purses than I need, but I love a deal and the expense of diaper bags that I barely use just would be stupid on my part.

I also haven't had any luck with slings--I plop DS in the stroller instead. I love my strollers--one regular, one jogging, but I don't lust after more!!


Allison
Mommy to Matthew Clayton, 5/19/03

[starrynight]

No one here would recognize me in a crowd, I have no real product obessions but part of that is lack of fundage and part of that is a very practical (cheap) dh.

I drool over strollers and diaper bags but I don't have more than one of each and both are generic ones! I stay out of the stroller and sling forums because then I get I wantitis and then get depressed over lack of funds ;).

My sling is homemade and I only have one, I love to drool over cloth diapers also but I don't have too many of the really expensive ones.

My weakness is toys, I love the peek-a-blocks and LP stuff so my girls both get lots of that stuff but otherwise my obessions are kept incheck and we don't have a ton of stuff.

I don't buy very expensive clothing or too much name brand stuff unless it is on sale or clearance because my kids are too hard on clothing and I don't want to worry about it when they get messy like I would if I spent a lot on one shirt.

[starrynight]

My favorite bibs are the ones that snap or velcro in the back (but I know you don't want velcro) that are wipe off plastic, they last forever. I am still using the same ones on E. that I got 6 years ago for ds. 99% of the time I rinse them in the sink, so that might be part of why they last so long. The ones I have are from the Hamco brand, I have bought a few new ones that are more girlish just because I like them so much. I have 4 and that is plenty. I got a few at hellmart (I hate that place but it's the main option here) but I have found some at BRU/TRU also, although they had more velcro than snap ones there.

If you get any they can go in the washer but don't dry them if you want them to last through mulitiple kids. I ruined the pocket on one of mine by tossing it in the dryer when I wasn't paying attention!

I think bumpkins makes some of these also but they are a bit more money then the cheapie brand. Target might have them but I didn't notice any there last time I went.

They look like this but these have velcro:
http://tinyurl.com/324hl

From what I've found it's harder to find them with snaps anymore, the old ones have snaps but my newer ones have velcro.

[mharling]

No obsessions here (and I even had a fellow board member and friend confirm that for me ;) ). Ds has some Hanna's and J&J, but everything else is on sale from Carter's, Gap, OshKosh, LE, Target and/or from a second hand store or was a gift. I have 2 strollers, but should probably get rid of one, one diaper bag (cheapie Maclaren from TJMaxx) aside from the one I used early on, a basic CD stash and one sling (Hotsling) on the way.

The only thing that might come close is my addiction to Peek-A-Blocks. At least that's relatively cheap. :)

Mary
Lane 4/03

[cchavez]

Thanks for letting me know. :)

[tippy]

Buy Buy Baby has the snap on ones with the pockets in two or three sizes and some really cute patterns

[deborah_r]

I don't know if anyone remembers this, but I think it was Oprah a while back they had some people who had invented products and they were competing for patents. One of the women (who I thought should have won) had invented something very similar to this "Snack Trap" you have referenced here. I remember some stupid garbage can won.

Was this the same lady? I didn't see any reference to Oprah on her website, maybe since she didn't win that contest she can't say "as seen on Oprah"? Or do I just have the whole show and everything wrong?