What was the biggest mistake you made buying for baby? (Pin to 10-20-06)

[EllasMum]

Least useful item I got for DD - bunting-style snowsuit. Looked so good - poofy, warm, enclosed legs and arms - turned out to be useless. Too big for those car seat carriers, and babies like to have their hands out! I went right out and bought a regular snowsuit with separated legs and open hands with fold-over parts to keep hands warm. MUCH better than the bunting bags!

Susan

[JBaxter]

Tub side bath seat ( found here)http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2373646&cp=2255976.2256088.2256094&parentPage=family
It didnt fit either of my bathtubs.

[alexsmommy]

Huge, poorly designed stroller "system" from Evenflo. I made the mistake of going to Babies R Us to get some ideas and it was on "clearance". My DH and I thought, "Oh, what a great deal, we might as well get it." I was also caught up in the matchy-matchy thing of the infant seat matching the stroller. So we purchased an infant seat and a stroller with no research, based on looks. Big mistake. Although the infant seat worked out ok, the stroller was a disaster. Too big, too bulky, too heavy, fold was too hard with a babe in arms, not an umbrella fold (we have a mid-size car). Ugh. I wound up spending twice as much money getting a Peg P3 after researching the boards about a year later. Best decision ever - we loved it and have recommended it to several people.
Alaina
Alex Feb '03

[kimbe]

The "Fold Up Baby Tub" by Safety First. DD's fingers got stuck in it all the time and she grew out of it by about 1.5 months. Thank goodness it was a gift. (I registered for it BEFORE I joined the boards LOL!)

[pittsburghgirl]

The ultimate crib sheet. I never had a problem with DS messing up the bed (he was not a spitter and his diapers always held) so I didn't need the convenience of a middle of the night quick change sheet. Plus, it wasn't nearly as soft as his other sheets so it was a total waste of money for us (luckily, it was a registry gift).

Marilee
mommy to James
http://b3.lilypie.com/CSwdm4.png

[Momof3Labs]

1. Buying a Maclaren on clearance while pregnant. Problem? First of all, it turned out that DS1 hated the way he sat in the stroller. Second of all, strollers are on sale all the time, so there was no reason to jump on the deal so early. Never mind that the warranty period is ticking away while that stroller is sitting in a box, waiting for baby to be born.

2. Buying a Baby Bjorn brand new. Ouch. Ouch, ouch, ouch. The fact that there are a ton of them on eBay, nearly new, going for less than half of retail, should have been a hint that this popular purchase often turns into a flop. Similar story for our baby swing - they just aren't used long enough to make it worth $100+. Better to buy gently used or borrow from a friend (who will probably welcome the chance to use your home as storage for this bulky item).

3. Buying an expensive high chair (Peg Perego Prima Pappa) thinking that expensive = better. It is a bear to clean and just doesn't fit a baby learning to feed (versus a toddler) well.

[brittone2]

A crib LOL. I was open to cosleeping but didn't think we would cosleep full time. We ended up happily cosleeping from a few days after birth (prior to that DS was in a bedside bassinet), and we're still cosleeping w/ DS at 2.5 with a baby on the way.

It is hard to predict how you will parent and your child's needs/temperament before they are born, so that's the issue w/ buying various baby products in advance IMO. Later on down the road you realize you parent differently than you thought you would, or your child has different needs than what you anticipated.

[o_mom]

The Graco ComfortSport carseat. My tiny DS1 outgrew it at 24 mos, even though he was only 15th percentile in height.

[clc053103]

THis should be interesting! I wholeheartedly agree w/ the travel system, folding bath tub (leaked at the seams too) and brand spankin new bjorn that DS never even liked being in!

Sleep positioner - besides dr's warning against, DS hated it. Threw it out!

Pack and play w/ bassinet - DS wouldn't sleep in it, and based on the 1/4 inch mattress can you blame him? WOuld rather find a larger play yard that wouldn't end up being a glorified toy box w/ changing table.

[lisams]

Buying an electric breastpump($$$) to give an occasional bottle - DD totally refused the bottle. I wish I would have rented first to see if a. baby will take the bottle and b. if that particular pump was a good match for me!

The "crib in a bag" bedding set. First we never used the quilt, and the sheets that came with it were poor quality and scratchy. This time around we got a bumper and some really soft sheets from fleecebaby.com.

[Mamma2004]

After careful research we registered for - and received from my parents - the Pack-n-Play with all the bells and whistles (changing table, full bassinet, music, light, vibration feature, teddy bears, etc.). I imagined we would use it every day and even purchased several extra sheets, including one very heavily quilted one.

Well, until our trip last month DS had slept in it ONCE in over two years. I never used any of the other features because I didn't feel comfortable with all the noise/vibration/stimulation. Moreover, I never felt right leaving DS in a "play pen" so we didn't even use it in that way!

I don't mean to imply that the PnP is a waste of money; I just overestimated the use we would get out of it. Now that DS is 28 months old, he is getting awfully big to sleep in it.

We *did* use it to block a treacherous staircase at my MIL's house last year so I guess it was very useful for one week!

Stephanie

[juliasmom05]

Another vote for buying a brand new Baby Bjorn. It's was our biggest waste of money. DD hated it and it hurt like heck.

[karolyp]

>The "crib in a bag" bedding set. First we never used the
>quilt, and the sheets that came with it were poor quality and
>scratchy. This time around we got a bumper and some really
>soft sheets from fleecebaby.com.

This was the single biggest waste of money for me (and to make matters worse, I shelled out $186 for it too!). The bumper broke, the sheet split open, and I never used the quilt either (it was to heavy to put ontop of DD and I was afraid to put DD on it for fear that she would ruin it!!).

The second waste of money for me was the Graco quattro travel system. While I loved the car seat, the stroller was a nightmare - it took up the whole trunk of my car and weighed 25 lbs for pete's sake!!!

[DebbieJ]

>The "crib in a bag" bedding set. First we never used the
>quilt, and the sheets that came with it were poor quality and
>scratchy.

This was our biggest mistake too. I ended up selling the whole $200+ set of stuff for $40 at a garage sale.

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
2 year check up: 25 lbs with clothes on and 35 inches!
BFARed for 20 months and 6 days
(Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org)

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[brownlesa]

I bought a breast pump, all the breast feeding equipment, nursing bra, clothes etc. while pregnant. I really want to nurse. My milk never came in and now I have this expensive stuff that I can't return. I should have waited until the baby was here.

Leslie

[SnuggleBuggles]

This thread is interesting b/c there are lots of dif't opinions out there. My dh and I liked our Bjorn. Not having tried any other carrier I have nothing to compare it to but I did use it from month 2- month 8 and then occaisionally after that.

I bought My Mtrolite before it was reviewed in the book (early 2002). It wasn't like the travel systems that were trashed in the book (mainly it was really light). And it was a fine stroller except quality lacked (wheels fell off and the closing switch got stuck all the time!).

I really don't regret my purchases. Maybe too many clothes as we are overrun in clothes now that ds is 4yo.

Next time around I would buy a better quality stroller. I might buy a Marathon instead of a Roundabout so it will last longer.

Beth

[SnuggleBuggles]

This thread is interesting b/c there are lots of dif't opinions out there. My dh and I liked our Bjorn. Not having tried any other carrier I have nothing to compare it to but I did use it from month 2- month 8 and then occaisionally after that.

I bought My Mtrolite before it was reviewed in the book (early 2002). It wasn't like the travel systems that were trashed in the book (mainly it was really light). And it was a fine stroller except quality lacked (wheels fell off and the closing switch got stuck all the time!).

I really don't regret my purchases. Maybe too many clothes as we are overrun in clothes now that ds is 4yo.

Next time around I would buy a better quality stroller. I might buy a Marathon instead of a Roundabout so it will last longer.

Beth

[Tondi G]

Wipes warmer, turned the wipes brown and icky.... by the time you get it to the baby's bottom the wipes have cooled off anyways!

Bottle warmer, we fed bottles room temp and baby never knew the difference.... that thing went back right away!

With #1 we got a big ol Peg Perego Milano XL and it was OVERKILL. It was nice right in the beginning with the reversible handle and the bed on wheels idea but we quickly learned how impractical it is for shopping.... the wheel/width got caught on everything. And outdoors... forget it! Got a Pliko and we were in heaven!

We got a brand new Bjorn for our baby shower and though it is expensive we have used it for our 2 kids and 2 cousins in between ours! We feel we got our money's worth out of it!

~Tondi
Mommy to Mason 7/8/01 and Aidan 5/4/05

[Tondi G]

Wipes warmer, turned the wipes brown and icky.... by the time you get it to the baby's bottom the wipes have cooled off anyways!

Bottle warmer, we fed bottles room temp and baby never knew the difference.... that thing went back right away!

With #1 we got a big ol Peg Perego Milano XL and it was OVERKILL. It was nice right in the beginning with the reversible handle and the bed on wheels idea but we quickly learned how impractical it is for shopping.... the wheel/width got caught on everything. And outdoors... forget it! Got a Pliko and we were in heaven!

We got a brand new Bjorn for our baby shower and though it is expensive we have used it for our 2 kids and 2 cousins in between ours! We feel we got our money's worth out of it!

~Tondi
Mommy to Mason 7/8/01 and Aidan 5/4/05

[kss611]

I purchased a bassinet for baby #2 and he hated being in it. After two weeks, I moved him to his crib and he slept great after that. By that time he was over 10lbs and I guess the crib was just more comfortable.

I agree with PPs, the Baby Bjorn was a not a great purchase. However, because it is used so infrequently by most, it is now being handed down to the 5th baby to use it.

[kss611]

I purchased a bassinet for baby #2 and he hated being in it. After two weeks, I moved him to his crib and he slept great after that. By that time he was over 10lbs and I guess the crib was just more comfortable.

I agree with PPs, the Baby Bjorn was a not a great purchase. However, because it is used so infrequently by most, it is now being handed down to the 5th baby to use it.

[neeter]

Following the advice of a friend in getting a stroller before the baby arrived! My friend loved her Combi Savvy Soho. By the time DS was ready to use it, he was such a big baby that it was sooo uncomfortable for him. That was totally the wrong stroller for him and us! I hated it, too...it seems plasticy and not sturdy.

The best thing we did was take him stroller shopping, and test driving the models together. I tell that to all my friends now, don't buy ahead on the stroller and don't buy without letting the baby try it first!

[neeter]

Following the advice of a friend in getting a stroller before the baby arrived! My friend loved her Combi Savvy Soho. By the time DS was ready to use it, he was such a big baby that it was sooo uncomfortable for him. That was totally the wrong stroller for him and us! I hated it, too...it seems plasticy and not sturdy.

The best thing we did was take him stroller shopping, and test driving the models together. I tell that to all my friends now, don't buy ahead on the stroller and don't buy without letting the baby try it first!

[Zana]

Ditto everything on the breastfeeding (issues and buying all the equipment) :(

I bought the Inglesina zippy stroller after a lot of research here. I have no complaints with the stroller, but we went so fast to the convenience of an umbrella stroller. If I could do it over I would get a carrier frame for $50 and then see what my baby needed later down the road.

[Zana]

Ditto everything on the breastfeeding (issues and buying all the equipment) :(

I bought the Inglesina zippy stroller after a lot of research here. I have no complaints with the stroller, but we went so fast to the convenience of an umbrella stroller. If I could do it over I would get a carrier frame for $50 and then see what my baby needed later down the road.

[hudsonam]

1. Wipes Warmer - a friend had one and loved it, but the darn wipes kept drying out, and my DH and I couldn't be bothered with tending to the pad in the bottom, making sure it was still moist.

2. "Bed in a bag" - We got the whole set from PBK and we did hang the quilt on the wall for the first couple months, but then we moved and never hung it up again. I used the bumper for a while, and the crib skirt, but ultimately we didn't use anything but the sheet, and even that we switch out with other sheets, so it was kind of pointless.

3. Chicco Capri (?) stroller - It's the $50 or $60 one. We ended up getting a Mac Quest after getting sick of being hunched over due to the low handles. Otherwise, it's actually a very decent stroller.

[hudsonam]

1. Wipes Warmer - a friend had one and loved it, but the darn wipes kept drying out, and my DH and I couldn't be bothered with tending to the pad in the bottom, making sure it was still moist.

2. "Bed in a bag" - We got the whole set from PBK and we did hang the quilt on the wall for the first couple months, but then we moved and never hung it up again. I used the bumper for a while, and the crib skirt, but ultimately we didn't use anything but the sheet, and even that we switch out with other sheets, so it was kind of pointless.

3. Chicco Capri (?) stroller - It's the $50 or $60 one. We ended up getting a Mac Quest after getting sick of being hunched over due to the low handles. Otherwise, it's actually a very decent stroller.

[zen_bliss]

whittlestone breast expresser. poor quality issues. my second hand, older model of a PIS worked better!

peg perego high chair. it was fine, but for such a short period of time. we used it all of 2 months before going to the stokke kinderzeat, which is about the same price, and a much better use of money.

it's one of the things NOT to buy while pregnant because you won't use it right away and, as a previous poster pointed out, the tick tock on the warranty. a stroller is another one, unless you can use it immediately with the newborn bucket.

[zen_bliss]

whittlestone breast expresser. poor quality issues. my second hand, older model of a PIS worked better!

peg perego high chair. it was fine, but for such a short period of time. we used it all of 2 months before going to the stokke kinderzeat, which is about the same price, and a much better use of money.

it's one of the things NOT to buy while pregnant because you won't use it right away and, as a previous poster pointed out, the tick tock on the warranty. a stroller is another one, unless you can use it immediately with the newborn bucket.

[writermama]

1. bought a new bjorn -- only used it for a few months and it hurt. DH couldn't be bothered to use it all. In contrast, I was still using my ergo carrier up until I got pregnant again (when DD was 2 1/2) and I used an adjustable pouch almost that long.

2. registered for a running stroller -- no one in the family runs. it was an impulse when we registered for it, the first time DH and I walked in to BRU and were completely overwhelmed. No research. Didn't know that there were other options. Couldn't even use it until baby was 6 months old so there was no point in having it before she was born. Ended up getting an e3 when DD was 2 that I use now with both DDs. The fixed-wheel jogger is gathering dust in the garage.

3. A crib -- I would have said this until dd was 9 months old because she NEVER slept in it until then, but we did use it until she was 2 1/2, and we'll use it with DD 2, so it's ok. Of course, we didn't realize the crib itself wasn't really to blame, the culprit was:

3a. Colgate Classica 1 crib mattress. To be fair, this mattress had zero risk of SIDS because our baby could not sleep on it at all. Even deep asleep, she would wake up screaming the moment she touched the mattress. It was only slightly softer than plywood, so I can't blame her. She only started using her crib after we went out and bought a new mattress.

[writermama]

1. bought a new bjorn -- only used it for a few months and it hurt. DH couldn't be bothered to use it all. In contrast, I was still using my ergo carrier up until I got pregnant again (when DD was 2 1/2) and I used an adjustable pouch almost that long.

2. registered for a running stroller -- no one in the family runs. it was an impulse when we registered for it, the first time DH and I walked in to BRU and were completely overwhelmed. No research. Didn't know that there were other options. Couldn't even use it until baby was 6 months old so there was no point in having it before she was born. Ended up getting an e3 when DD was 2 that I use now with both DDs. The fixed-wheel jogger is gathering dust in the garage.

3. A crib -- I would have said this until dd was 9 months old because she NEVER slept in it until then, but we did use it until she was 2 1/2, and we'll use it with DD 2, so it's ok. Of course, we didn't realize the crib itself wasn't really to blame, the culprit was:

3a. Colgate Classica 1 crib mattress. To be fair, this mattress had zero risk of SIDS because our baby could not sleep on it at all. Even deep asleep, she would wake up screaming the moment she touched the mattress. It was only slightly softer than plywood, so I can't blame her. She only started using her crib after we went out and bought a new mattress.

[SummerBaby]

Spending $340 on a Peg Perego Venezia stroller. It seemed like such a great idea to have the reversible handle and "carriage" feature. Well, DD hated lying flat so I got much more use out of my $40 Kolkraft car seat carrier, which, by the way, was far easier to push than the Venezia, and had a handy cup holder.

In addition to wasting money on the reversible handle feature, the Venezia turned out to be a piece of crap. After 6 months of light use (walks on paved streets and mall), the wheels wore unevenly and the stroller was/is no longer useable. When I was pregnant I thought I could get away with one stroller that would "do it all." Now I realize for the same amount of money I could have bought what I have now (and love)- a car seat carrier, a Mac Triumph for the mall and errands, and a Schiwnn jogger for outdoor use.

Val
Mom to Madeline
7/28/04

[SummerBaby]

Spending $340 on a Peg Perego Venezia stroller. It seemed like such a great idea to have the reversible handle and "carriage" feature. Well, DD hated lying flat so I got much more use out of my $40 Kolkraft car seat carrier, which, by the way, was far easier to push than the Venezia, and had a handy cup holder.

In addition to wasting money on the reversible handle feature, the Venezia turned out to be a piece of crap. After 6 months of light use (walks on paved streets and mall), the wheels wore unevenly and the stroller was/is no longer useable. When I was pregnant I thought I could get away with one stroller that would "do it all." Now I realize for the same amount of money I could have bought what I have now (and love)- a car seat carrier, a Mac Triumph for the mall and errands, and a Schiwnn jogger for outdoor use.

Val
Mom to Madeline
7/28/04

[tarynsmum]

The only thing I really regret buying (and, oddly enough, the only thing I bought that I didn't read the review for in your book!) was the stroller. I really (thought) I wanted a stroller with a bassinet feature, but I didn't know about the Peg Perego one at the time, so I ended up with Graco's Coachrider (and, FWIW, it really wasn't terrible). It has been used twice. Seriously. We got really into wearing soon after she was born, and she lived in a fleece pouch for the first few months (and then in a Maya Wrap. and then in a mei tai. lol). And then my husband decided he wanted a jogger, which is when we totally retired the Coachrider to the basement. (and by the way, we love our BOB!!!)

The Coachrider was a gift, and I feel really bad for not ever using it.

Oh, the problems with the coachrider: yeah it's heavy (as BB says), but the worst part is that it folds HUGE! It literally took up the entire back of my CR-V. Nothing else could ever go it there. Oh, and the whole bassinet thing? DD hated lying flat, so that was useless anyway. *sigh*

[tarynsmum]

The only thing I really regret buying (and, oddly enough, the only thing I bought that I didn't read the review for in your book!) was the stroller. I really (thought) I wanted a stroller with a bassinet feature, but I didn't know about the Peg Perego one at the time, so I ended up with Graco's Coachrider (and, FWIW, it really wasn't terrible). It has been used twice. Seriously. We got really into wearing soon after she was born, and she lived in a fleece pouch for the first few months (and then in a Maya Wrap. and then in a mei tai. lol). And then my husband decided he wanted a jogger, which is when we totally retired the Coachrider to the basement. (and by the way, we love our BOB!!!)

The Coachrider was a gift, and I feel really bad for not ever using it.

Oh, the problems with the coachrider: yeah it's heavy (as BB says), but the worst part is that it folds HUGE! It literally took up the entire back of my CR-V. Nothing else could ever go it there. Oh, and the whole bassinet thing? DD hated lying flat, so that was useless anyway. *sigh*

[Pennylane]

Mine were

1)the baby sleep system. Supposed to help relax your baby

http://www.babysleepsystem.com/

3)Baby bjorn, she hated it! Would scream as soon as I got it out!

Ann

[Pennylane]

Mine were

1)the baby sleep system. Supposed to help relax your baby

http://www.babysleepsystem.com/

3)Baby bjorn, she hated it! Would scream as soon as I got it out!

Ann

[TaChapm]

Diaper Genie- It was a total PITA to use and the refills were expensive. After about a week of using it it started to smell bad all the time even though I would wash it out. I found that keeping a trash can in the nursery with a wal-mart bag in it was so much easier. I would just bundle up the bag every morning and not worry about it.

Wipes Warmer-It dried out wipes and I always worried about having a heating device constantly plugged in in the nursery.

When I was pregnant with Jackson I put a lot of research into purchasing our crib but never put much thought into the mattress. In retrospect I should have invested in a good mattress and bought a cheaper crib. Lesson learned! With Jaci we saved money on the crib but wouldn't go without our Moonlight slumber mattress. It's the mattress not the crib that makes a difference in how a child sleeps.

Tara
Mommy to Jackson 11-10-02
Tyler 6-9-05
& Baby Jaci 8-10-06


http://b4.lilypie.com/gzWfm8.png

http://b2.lilypie.com/sJmVm7.png

http://b1.lilypie.com/EZwnm7.png

[TaChapm]

Diaper Genie- It was a total PITA to use and the refills were expensive. After about a week of using it it started to smell bad all the time even though I would wash it out. I found that keeping a trash can in the nursery with a wal-mart bag in it was so much easier. I would just bundle up the bag every morning and not worry about it.

Wipes Warmer-It dried out wipes and I always worried about having a heating device constantly plugged in in the nursery.

When I was pregnant with Jackson I put a lot of research into purchasing our crib but never put much thought into the mattress. In retrospect I should have invested in a good mattress and bought a cheaper crib. Lesson learned! With Jaci we saved money on the crib but wouldn't go without our Moonlight slumber mattress. It's the mattress not the crib that makes a difference in how a child sleeps.

Tara
Mommy to Jackson 11-10-02
Tyler 6-9-05
& Baby Jaci 8-10-06


http://b4.lilypie.com/gzWfm8.png

http://b2.lilypie.com/sJmVm7.png

http://b1.lilypie.com/EZwnm7.png

[oliviasmomma]

Diaper Genie, hands down. DH could never figure it out and I hated emptying it!

Oh, and I feel like a traitor, but I never liked my Boppy pillow. It was too cumbersome and never worked for me. I just ended up using the sofa pillows because they were the right height to support my arms as DD nursed. I think the problem was that I am too long in the torso for it to work--DD was never at the right level.

It was nice to prop her on as she got older, though.

I also never liked my nursing gown--it was like a peep show when I wasn't nursing and too billowy when I was. I only wore it three times and then found button down PJ's worked better.

[oliviasmomma]

Diaper Genie, hands down. DH could never figure it out and I hated emptying it!

Oh, and I feel like a traitor, but I never liked my Boppy pillow. It was too cumbersome and never worked for me. I just ended up using the sofa pillows because they were the right height to support my arms as DD nursed. I think the problem was that I am too long in the torso for it to work--DD was never at the right level.

It was nice to prop her on as she got older, though.

I also never liked my nursing gown--it was like a peep show when I wasn't nursing and too billowy when I was. I only wore it three times and then found button down PJ's worked better.

[MonicaH]

Most uncomfortable baby carrying device: baby bjorn. When we registered I just didn't know that there was anything else out there. We don't live in an area where you see a lot of baby wearing. DH did use it some, but I hated it and while DD didn't complain, she never looked really comfortable dangling like that.

Also, by the time DD was like a month old, she was too heavy for me to carry in the Graco Snugride. Since I didn't know enough about baby wearing, I thought that was the only way to carry her around. She didn't yet fit in her Peg Perego P3 even though it's supposed to accomodate infants.

If I had it to do over again, I'd skip the snugride, get a good convertible seat, like a Britax Marathon (which we needed by 9 months anyway) and would use a fleece pouch for out of the car carrying. (I do love the P3 though.)

Monica

[MonicaH]

Most uncomfortable baby carrying device: baby bjorn. When we registered I just didn't know that there was anything else out there. We don't live in an area where you see a lot of baby wearing. DH did use it some, but I hated it and while DD didn't complain, she never looked really comfortable dangling like that.

Also, by the time DD was like a month old, she was too heavy for me to carry in the Graco Snugride. Since I didn't know enough about baby wearing, I thought that was the only way to carry her around. She didn't yet fit in her Peg Perego P3 even though it's supposed to accomodate infants.

If I had it to do over again, I'd skip the snugride, get a good convertible seat, like a Britax Marathon (which we needed by 9 months anyway) and would use a fleece pouch for out of the car carrying. (I do love the P3 though.)

Monica

[thomma]

Diaper Genie: never used ours; total PITA

Bedding set: thankfully babiesrus let us return ours w/o a receipt so we didn't lose any money; all needed were crib sheets

Kim
ds&dd 5/03

[thomma]

Diaper Genie: never used ours; total PITA

Bedding set: thankfully babiesrus let us return ours w/o a receipt so we didn't lose any money; all needed were crib sheets

Kim
ds&dd 5/03

[StantonHyde]

$300 Combi Stroller that had an infant car seat attachment and snack tray. It broke while I was guiding it up our entry stairs. Bought a $60 Graco and it has lasted for 4 years, many airplane trips, every family outing, and has served as a jogging stroller several times when I was in a pinch. Still going strong.

The Baby Bjorn was the ONLY way DS would sleep. Saved my life.

Inflatable Travel Tub--never used it. Just use the kitchen sink when I was at somebody's house.

Baby head positioner--never could figure out how to get it around their necks without waking them and sleeping slumped over never seemed to bother them.

Gigantic diaper bag--too big for any normal trip. Did use a couple of times on the airplane though. So if you travel alot...

Black and white mobile--no interest in it at all.

Breast milk storage system--took up too much room. The bags are fine in the freezer. I organize them by month in a gallon zip bag

[StantonHyde]

$300 Combi Stroller that had an infant car seat attachment and snack tray. It broke while I was guiding it up our entry stairs. Bought a $60 Graco and it has lasted for 4 years, many airplane trips, every family outing, and has served as a jogging stroller several times when I was in a pinch. Still going strong.

The Baby Bjorn was the ONLY way DS would sleep. Saved my life.

Inflatable Travel Tub--never used it. Just use the kitchen sink when I was at somebody's house.

Baby head positioner--never could figure out how to get it around their necks without waking them and sleeping slumped over never seemed to bother them.

Gigantic diaper bag--too big for any normal trip. Did use a couple of times on the airplane though. So if you travel alot...

Black and white mobile--no interest in it at all.

Breast milk storage system--took up too much room. The bags are fine in the freezer. I organize them by month in a gallon zip bag

[chrissyhowie]

Any expensive toy marketed for age 0-6 months. What a waste of cash.

[chrissyhowie]

Any expensive toy marketed for age 0-6 months. What a waste of cash.

[jd11365]

Thankfully, the BB book and boards helped me a lot along the way, but there were a few goofs...


Having either a Pack N Play or Cradle in our room instead of a bassinet or mini cosleeper that can be moved from room to room. The cradle didn't have wheels, and the PnP was too large to fit through the door, so there was no way to move a sleeping baby to another part of the house.

Not knowing about Gripe Water until colic was almost over.

Buying fancy 0-3 month clothes, when in fact the baby was in t-shirts, zippers and onesies during that time. "Real" clothes were just too bulky for a newborn.

Buying a Bjorn, especially new.

Buying a fancy schmancy crib, a Bonavita. Outside of having hardware that wasn't exposed, I don't see where they get the nerve to charge what they do.

Buying a Britax Roundabout as a spare seat instead of another Marathon.

Buying the Eurotub. What a beast! Not comfortable at all for a newborn.

[jd11365]

Thankfully, the BB book and boards helped me a lot along the way, but there were a few goofs...


Having either a Pack N Play or Cradle in our room instead of a bassinet or mini cosleeper that can be moved from room to room. The cradle didn't have wheels, and the PnP was too large to fit through the door, so there was no way to move a sleeping baby to another part of the house.

Not knowing about Gripe Water until colic was almost over.

Buying fancy 0-3 month clothes, when in fact the baby was in t-shirts, zippers and onesies during that time. "Real" clothes were just too bulky for a newborn.

Buying a Bjorn, especially new.

Buying a fancy schmancy crib, a Bonavita. Outside of having hardware that wasn't exposed, I don't see where they get the nerve to charge what they do.

Buying a Britax Roundabout as a spare seat instead of another Marathon.

Buying the Eurotub. What a beast! Not comfortable at all for a newborn.

[saschalicks]

1. Registered for a Baby Bjorn and then received it. It was a total waste and DS#1 hated it. DS#2 did love my hotsling, but I only learned about that after DS#1 was 4 months old.
2. Bottle warmer
3. Play mats for the floor, neither of my kids liked being on their backs on the floor

[saschalicks]

1. Registered for a Baby Bjorn and then received it. It was a total waste and DS#1 hated it. DS#2 did love my hotsling, but I only learned about that after DS#1 was 4 months old.
2. Bottle warmer
3. Play mats for the floor, neither of my kids liked being on their backs on the floor

[Moneypenny]

It wasn't any one item, but rather we just bought too much - too many clothes, too many devices, too many infant toys. You really don't need that much for a baby!

Susan
mama to my cutie pie, Avery
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_sapphire_24m.gif[/img][/url]

[Moneypenny]

It wasn't any one item, but rather we just bought too much - too many clothes, too many devices, too many infant toys. You really don't need that much for a baby!

Susan
mama to my cutie pie, Avery
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_sapphire_24m.gif[/img][/url]

[MegND95]

I didn't hear about the BBB until after our first was six months old. Our biggest mistake was not buying a Britax carseat. We bought an Evenflo convertible and the straps twisted terribly. We eventually replaced it with a Marathon and I think it was worth every cent we paid.

[MegND95]

I didn't hear about the BBB until after our first was six months old. Our biggest mistake was not buying a Britax carseat. We bought an Evenflo convertible and the straps twisted terribly. We eventually replaced it with a Marathon and I think it was worth every cent we paid.

[Aunt to sweet baby boy]

Buying a $$ Graco Travel System. The carseat was used for 4 months and then avi outgrew it. The stroller is also way to small for him and we needed to get a larger stroller when he was a year old.

Buying a Graco Convertible carseat to "save money". It was a PIA to install and the straps were so twisty. Avi would have outgrown the seat by now.

The infant bath tubs. We had one when he was a newborn, and then bought another 2 trying to find one that avi could use past 4 months of age. We are currently using the Eurotub and could have saved money by using it from the start.

Ilana, aka Nana to my sweet nephew Avi

http://lilypie.com/pic/061013/8QJ2.jpg[/img]http://b3.lilypie.com/xZBrm7/.png[/img][/url]

[Aunt to sweet baby boy]

Buying a $$ Graco Travel System. The carseat was used for 4 months and then avi outgrew it. The stroller is also way to small for him and we needed to get a larger stroller when he was a year old.

Buying a Graco Convertible carseat to "save money". It was a PIA to install and the straps were so twisty. Avi would have outgrown the seat by now.

The infant bath tubs. We had one when he was a newborn, and then bought another 2 trying to find one that avi could use past 4 months of age. We are currently using the Eurotub and could have saved money by using it from the start.

Ilana, aka Nana to my sweet nephew Avi

http://lilypie.com/pic/061013/8QJ2.jpg[/img]http://b3.lilypie.com/xZBrm7/.png[/img][/url]

[heather_c]

1. Buying the Baby Bjorn New. It had it's purpose, but there are a ton on ebay for $15 that are like new.

2. Buying a baby bathtub. The regular bathtub is so much easier.

3. Buying a travel system instead of the snap and go and car seat. I liked the Metrolite, but it was so big. As soon as possible, we switched to the Maclaren Triumph.

4. Not looking at cloth diapers sooner. We switched at 6 months, and it has been awesome.

Heather

Matthew - 9/7/05

http://b2.lilypie.com/Kz2Ym6.png

[heather_c]

1. Buying the Baby Bjorn New. It had it's purpose, but there are a ton on ebay for $15 that are like new.

2. Buying a baby bathtub. The regular bathtub is so much easier.

3. Buying a travel system instead of the snap and go and car seat. I liked the Metrolite, but it was so big. As soon as possible, we switched to the Maclaren Triumph.

4. Not looking at cloth diapers sooner. We switched at 6 months, and it has been awesome.

Heather

Matthew - 9/7/05

http://b2.lilypie.com/Kz2Ym6.png

[jamsmu]

"Huge, poorly designed" high chair from Evenflo. I've posted about it before. Even called Evenflo to report an injury (they didn't seem to care). Basically, DS' fingers got caught when we moved the seat from reclined to upright as there was no safeguard to protect from injury. Also, the tray is so high that I still attribute this to DS being slow to accomplish the pincer grasp. He couldn't reach the top of the chair for months. Had I known then what I know now, I would have waitied til he was 4 months to have him sit in it at the store before buying. (We gave it to my parents and purchased a FP Healthy Care for DS2).

[jamsmu]

"Huge, poorly designed" high chair from Evenflo. I've posted about it before. Even called Evenflo to report an injury (they didn't seem to care). Basically, DS' fingers got caught when we moved the seat from reclined to upright as there was no safeguard to protect from injury. Also, the tray is so high that I still attribute this to DS being slow to accomplish the pincer grasp. He couldn't reach the top of the chair for months. Had I known then what I know now, I would have waitied til he was 4 months to have him sit in it at the store before buying. (We gave it to my parents and purchased a FP Healthy Care for DS2).

[bisous]

I would have to totally agree with you about the stroller and the Baby Bjorn!

I used my BB daily with little back pain (until he hit about 30 lbs but when he's that heavy, truly, what WOULDN'T hurt.) I understand now that there are other options that might work such as slings or pouches that I might like even better but the BB was a lifesaver for us!

Strollers... I've had just too many! I still have found the perfect stroller yet that satisfies everything that I want but I've come pretty close and nobody on this board will like what I'm going to say! I started with a UCSC and a Combi Savvy Soho. I also have an Instep jogger, and two umbrella strollers. The stroller that I use everyday that has replaced all of these is some model of Evenflo I got for free from a friend. I totally thought the cupholders, baskets etc were overkill but I love and use them. It works for our lifestyle because we often spend a whole day in the stroller at Disneyland, the zoo etc. and I both need the storage space and it is apparently really comfy because my DS has taken 3 hour naps in it! I really prefer the look of the Peg Perego and some of the other strollers and everytime I see a Mountain Buggy I have stroller lust but we're pretty happy with our cheapo mass market hand-me-down stroller. Like I said, its replaced all 5 of our other strollers.

Biggest wastes of money for me? An infant carseat--he grew out of it at 4 months and with a C-section it was too heavy for the first 2 months. I should have just gone for the Britax Marathon--I LOVE that thing. Also, as noted above the strollers. I'm now recommending to parents to "borrow" various strollers before they commit. I did SO much research and ending up loving a beat up hand-me-down!

[bisous]

I would have to totally agree with you about the stroller and the Baby Bjorn!

I used my BB daily with little back pain (until he hit about 30 lbs but when he's that heavy, truly, what WOULDN'T hurt.) I understand now that there are other options that might work such as slings or pouches that I might like even better but the BB was a lifesaver for us!

Strollers... I've had just too many! I still have found the perfect stroller yet that satisfies everything that I want but I've come pretty close and nobody on this board will like what I'm going to say! I started with a UCSC and a Combi Savvy Soho. I also have an Instep jogger, and two umbrella strollers. The stroller that I use everyday that has replaced all of these is some model of Evenflo I got for free from a friend. I totally thought the cupholders, baskets etc were overkill but I love and use them. It works for our lifestyle because we often spend a whole day in the stroller at Disneyland, the zoo etc. and I both need the storage space and it is apparently really comfy because my DS has taken 3 hour naps in it! I really prefer the look of the Peg Perego and some of the other strollers and everytime I see a Mountain Buggy I have stroller lust but we're pretty happy with our cheapo mass market hand-me-down stroller. Like I said, its replaced all 5 of our other strollers.

Biggest wastes of money for me? An infant carseat--he grew out of it at 4 months and with a C-section it was too heavy for the first 2 months. I should have just gone for the Britax Marathon--I LOVE that thing. Also, as noted above the strollers. I'm now recommending to parents to "borrow" various strollers before they commit. I did SO much research and ending up loving a beat up hand-me-down!

[jamsmu]

X( The Bjorn... what a waste! That's another one that we shouldn't have spent $ on. At least ours was on sale. But it was used maybe 3 times between both kids!

[jamsmu]

X( The Bjorn... what a waste! That's another one that we shouldn't have spent $ on. At least ours was on sale. But it was used maybe 3 times between both kids!

[egan284]

For me, they were:

Buying Kiddopotamus UV protective stroller sun shade, which we never used, because it kept rolling up and didn't stay in place as it's supposed to be.

Buying a bedding set. I bought the PatchKraft bedding set per BBB recommendation (the company got A rating). I think for the money I paid the quality should've been much better. The set I got was not at all soft and fabric is cheap and thin, not at all an A grade quality.

[egan284]

For me, they were:

Buying Kiddopotamus UV protective stroller sun shade, which we never used, because it kept rolling up and didn't stay in place as it's supposed to be.

Buying a bedding set. I bought the PatchKraft bedding set per BBB recommendation (the company got A rating). I think for the money I paid the quality should've been much better. The set I got was not at all soft and fabric is cheap and thin, not at all an A grade quality.

[jamsmu]

LOL Bottle warmer. Hmmm... that thing has never resurfaced since I received it as a gift. Perhaps I gave it away?

And one more while I'm thinking about it: My Combi Double stroller. I need a double stroller (had a MacTT that I loved, til I ran it over :( ). So, since the Combi was less $$, DH and I decided to purchase. We've had nothing but problems, including part of it falling apart, and their customer service is AWFUL. I've e-mailed, very politely, several times and never gotten a response. Even e-mailed their corporate offices.

You would think they would care. Time to let the world know.

ETA--sorry... did you ask for single biggest mistake?

[jamsmu]

LOL Bottle warmer. Hmmm... that thing has never resurfaced since I received it as a gift. Perhaps I gave it away?

And one more while I'm thinking about it: My Combi Double stroller. I need a double stroller (had a MacTT that I loved, til I ran it over :( ). So, since the Combi was less $$, DH and I decided to purchase. We've had nothing but problems, including part of it falling apart, and their customer service is AWFUL. I've e-mailed, very politely, several times and never gotten a response. Even e-mailed their corporate offices.

You would think they would care. Time to let the world know.

ETA--sorry... did you ask for single biggest mistake?

[cmdunn1972]

I bought too many battery operated toys for DS for his first Christmas. It's so easy to get caught up in the glitter and noise of TRU/BRU. Trouble is, the glitter wears off, and all you're left with is the noise. Oh, and you become a slave to Duracell.

If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't shun Fisher-Price or Playschool completely, but I would be more selective and balance it out with more Playmobil and wooden toys.

Who needs all those toys anyway? Most of last year's Christmas gifts became this year's Salvation Army donations since he grew out of them all so fast.

[alandenisefields]

Hi folks: We are working on a story about the biggest mistakes first-time parents make when buying for baby and need your help!

So, let's talk! Tell us about the Biggest Goof Your Made When Buying for Baby!

Was it the stroller from hell? That item that seemed perfect in the store but turned into a nightmare? Some other expensive baby product/purchase that you realize in retrospect wasn't needed?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Alan & Denise
authors, BABY BARGAINS

[shilo]

really interesting to read the responses, btw. ita with some of the other posters on some things and really disagree on others. leading me to echo the thesis - "it's ok to not buy everything before your baby gets here and you know what you need/like." i think first-time parents also need to know that even if you do do all the research in the world, wait until your baby gets here to know what s/he is like for as many things as you can be comfortable with, there will still be a lot of trial and error and it's ok if you make a few fumbles along the way. it's kind of one of those rites of initiation to parenthood, i think. anyway, i'm not even sure i could convince my old type A self of this pre-DS, i just wasn't a trial and error kind of gal at that point in my life - but parenthood has a way of changing things :).

my biggest mistakes definitely fall into the category of trying to be too prepared if that makes sense? i'd read the BB book cover to cover, highlighted all of my choices, done my research, etc. on a lot of things, this worked well (crib, matress, diaper dekor, glider) on some things it didn't (had to learn the hard way that my baby hated the graco open top swing, but actually slept for the first time not 'on' someone the first time we put him in a friend's fisher price aquarium swing - so off to the store we went that same night).

i too wish i would have returned the baby bjorn i received (and didn't register for :)) until i'd tried out a friends first. then i would have known for sure it wasn't for me/DS, rather than still guiltily looking at it sitting on the floor of his closet, practically unused. i could have bought an extra sling or two for the cost of the bjorn. but that's a tricky one, because my BF couldn't have surrvived her DD's first three months without one, so again, trial and error.

i wish i had only bought one miracle blanket instead of two to start, because they didn't work that well for us, so i wound up trying two other brands (kiddopotamus and the first years one at target) before finding that the cheap first years swaddle worked best for us. once you know what works, that's when you go out and buy two or three of them so you are never without :).

our pnp was barely used - he wouldn't sleep in the bassinet at all and i found it easy to just child proof a large 'safe' area for him so it was never used as a playpen. not as expensive a mistake as a $300 bassinet, but still a waste for us. i guess if i had it to do over, i would have started out with an inexpensive moses basket until i knew if i really needed something in next to the bed, vs. crib, vs. co-sleeping, vs. swing, etc.

if i had it to do again, i'd leave all the tags on anything bigger than 0-3/newborn i received, return and get credit for later on anything i didn't LOVE, and even in the smaller sizes, only remove/pre-wash one or two of each 'type' of clothing. i kept them all and washed them all before he got here - so that i could organize them by size in his closet. like pp said, 90% of what he wore for the first 3 mos. were soft onesies (and you don't know what the 'soft ones' are until you start using them), and footed sleepers (again, you don't know what brand/style you are going to like until you start using them). so if i had it to do over again i would a) leave the tags on stuff until i needed it/figured out what i liked didn't like (at least then i could exchange it if i had gift receipts or sell it 'new with tags' at my local resale shop if not) and b) try one package or type of each thing so i could learn what i liked before committing. i did this with diapers, but somehow it didn't dawn on me to do it with clothes too. it was actually a pretty expensive mistake when you take into account the stuff that never got worn and the things i could have bought with the exchange credit or extra resale shop credit.

i'm sure if i go back and read the intro chapters to BB, a lot of this is probably already there, and i just didn't absorb it in my pregnancy dementia fog, or maybe i just let my old type A tendancies get the best of me. but generally, i wouldn't have done so much _before_ the baby even got here, if i had it to do over again. some of our 'best' purchases were those made once we knew what 'we' needed. after the first time the UCS saved me in the middle of the night, i went out and bought a spare - i love love love my ultimate crib sheets. when DS was going ballistic in the middle of the night with cold wipes during diaper changes his first weeks home, i went out and got the wipes warmer baby depot carries, and it's been great (no pad to keep wet, just add a little splash of water when ever i refill it with wipes and have had zero problems with it). and my number one lifesaver - the peanut shell sling i bought when he was about a week old, when he would only sleep if he was on someone, preferably moving, night or day.

lori
Sam 5/19/05 How lucky I am that you chose me.

[sdoyle]

1) Avent Isis hand breast pump. I had a friend that used it and loved it. I tried it and couldn't get a drop. Like PP, I had bought a TON of breastfeeding stuff- pads, bras, etc and was never able to make enough milk. It was a TOTAL waste of $. (No one wants used breastfeeding supplies :))

2) Sleep positioner. What a crock those things are. Not even necessarily "safe" and DD would scream until she was taken out. I put it back in the package and threw it in the trash!!

Unlike others, I loved the wipe warmer. DD had a very sensitive "bum" and when she would wake up at night, if I didn't change her, she would take a bottle and go back to sleep. If I changed her, she was WIDE awake the moment the wipe hit tail. The warmer took the edge off and I swear that thing is responsible for about an extra 4 hours sleep per week for the first 2 monthes. (Which, at the time, was worth the cost of 50 wipe warmers!!)

[aa2mama]

A Chicco 2002 stroller that I bought sight unseen online. The stroller itself was fine, but I kicked the wheels on it.

The Avent Isis breast pump. Didn't work for me at all, and I ended up renting a hospital pump.

[Ceepa]

I completely agree with those who say you don't know how you'll parent until baby arrives. That was us exactly. But I was really scared to be a first-time mom and I thought that the fewer things I had to compare, research and bargain shop for after the baby arrived, the better, so we fell into the buying-too-much-stuff-beforehand trap.

But that's OK; we were just trying to make things easier on ourselves and DS. :)

What was a waste of money for us?

Avent bottle sterilizer that goes in the microwave. The same thing could have been accomplished with our dishwasher.

Swing. This is tricky because some people swear by them. Our DC just weren't relaxed in them. I think the movement aroused them more.

Expensive electric pump (and BF pads). Used maybe a dozen times. Now sitting in my closet.

[ciaobella]

Buying a Baby Bjorn instead of an Ergo or Mei Tei, or something similar. I can't remember if you reviewed the Ergo, etc. in your book because it has been years since I looked, but if you didn't, you should! I thought that the Baby Bjorn was way overrated in general and I wish I had gotten the Ergo to start with.

[Sillygirl]

I really don't have many regrets! I read Baby Bargains cover to cover many times and saved soooo much money.

Things I didn't buy (on BB's advice) and never missed:
- Infant carseat: Jonathan came home in the Roundabout he's still using.
- Bedding set: no bumper pads, diaper stacker, or unuseable pillows.
- Wipes warmer
- Bottle warmer
- Retail clothing (consignment shops all the way!)
- Swing

I got my Baby Bjorn on Ebay and got a ton of use out of it. Between nursing and walking the neighborhood with Jonathan in the Bjorn, I dropped all my baby weight plus another twenty pounds. The Bjorn made it super-easy to get out of the house those first few months.

[crAbbymom]

Diaper Genie: Yuck. Easier to just use grocery bags and toss directly in the trash!

Infant seat: Smart Fit22...at the time, it was one of the only ones (5 point) to go to that weight, BUT the adjuster was AWEFUL! It was on the back and you had to take out a metal bar and then put it back, in a different set of slots. ARGGGGG!

Stroller: Combi something Perfect Match...IMPOSSIBLE to steer one handed. It went all over the place AND the foam stuff on the handle split. It wasn't an expensive stroller ($100) but I barely used it. I ended up finding a brand new Graco Duoglider on clearance for $35 when DD1 was maybe 9 months old. I used that just for her and then when we had DD2. Too hard to use when they were older, but I really loved it!

I actually like my Bjorn...it was a lifesaver when I had DD2. She loved it. I've never tried a sling or wrap, so that may be the difference!

[kep]

Ditto, ditto, ditto on the Coachrider. We bought the stroller/car seat combo before I had read BBB, and the stroller was just awful. It was absoluetly huge, really heavy, and the quality just wasn't there. I then sold the Coachrider and bought a Mac Global. Well, I got the Mac part right, but the Global was horrible. (Apparently it was the only Mac NOT reccommended... :) ) So, the Global was eventually sold, and we finally bought a P3. Love it! It's been terrific, and we're planning on using it for baby #2 soon.


Kelli
Proud Mommy to Lukey (2003). Weaned after 3 years of happy nursing!
And Mommy to our newest baby, due Christmas Eve, 2006

http://lilypie.com/pic/060922/3RHU.jpg[/img]http://bd.lilypie.com/lrIKm4/.png[/img][/url]

[Radosti]

Wow... it's so interesting to read the different results people got.

I LOVED my Baby Bjorn. I probably should have checked Ebay, but I didn't even think of it. We used it daily and I chose it over my Hotsling (that was a waste) and over my Peanut Shell. Although, I have to say that I still use the Peanut Shell occasionally. The Baby Bjorn was an absolute necessity as it didn't require the use of my hands and for a long time, it was the only place he'd sleep. I walked the dogs with him, I cooked, I cleaned. And he slept. I stopped using it when he hit around 25 lbs as he got too heavy for it and it's only good to 25 lbs.

I wish I'd have gotten the Original Arm's Reach co-sleeper instead of the Mini. However, I bought my Mini on Ebay and after not using it as DS would wake up if his hands touched the side of it, I sold it on Craigslist for the same amt of money.

The crib has been a total waste so far b/c DS co-sleeps with us and it's the best thing for our nursing relationship. I did use the memory foam sleep positioner in the middle of our bed for the first several months and I loved it.

I followed this board and the book a lot for my registry/purchases and I have steered clear of a lot of waste. I got the Diaper Champ based on the book and LOVE it. Glad I avoided the Diaper Genie.

[1ceng1]

Ditto on the Combi PerfectMatch. I suffered through 2 years with that thing thinking it was the way all strollers were. Now I have a Zippy and love it. Combi handled terribly.

Biggest waste of money by far: $600 Valco twin Runabout. Bought it before DD#2 was born thinking DD#1 would need it. Turns out we used it a handful of times since DD#1 quickly grew too old for a stroller, and the darn thing is WAY to big, bulky, and heavy to take to the mall. It won't fit through aisles! It handles great, just not practical. We use a Sit and Stand now.

[Lovingliv]

I am so sad to say.....

my Bjorn! I wanted this so bad and got it new...and used it all of 3 times because it really hurt my back...

I am thinking about a KKAFP for the new baby...but i will do more research!

[KarenNYC]

hmmmm.... the overall biggest waste of money was the "full" layette we just HAD to have and like an idiot I took ALL the tags off of everything and washed it all before I knew any better and I have tons of stuff that was never worn. If I had known how often I'd be doing wash (like every other day) I would have bought half the stuff.....

other than that we were told that we HAD to have a pack and play which we have never taken out of the box and we are on child #2.

I agree that a baby bunting is a waste as you can't use them in car seats or strollers and there is no way to buckle them in!!! I also think those bulky snowsuits are a waste for the same reason - get a JJ Cole car seat blanket thingy. That was the best.

Other than that - a wipe warmer and a bottle warmer - waste of money. Then the baby gets used to a warm wipe (plus I hear it dries them out before you can use them all) and a warm bottle and you are stuck having to warm them each time. Luckily I got this advice prior to using these items and was able to return them.

[Piglet]

Biggest mistake and the only item that I didn't refer to Baby Bargains for was our Evenflo high chair. The tray was so high and far out that we called the stuff that fell down "crotch food". Just about everything landed there once DS1 started feeding himself! We kept having to fish it out and try again. The only good thing was Evenflo's customer service - they sent me a replacement tray and cloth cover no questions asked! I since replaced it with a Fisher Price Healthy Care booster and couldn't be happier.

As an aside, we have adored, used and abused (through 2 and probably 3 kids) - Baby Bjorn, Pack n Play, infant carseat, Diaper Genie, crib sheet set (bumpers, quilt and sheet still look great and get used every night).

Best things I learned from BB - extended RF, and not buying a travel system!

[jeminaal]

Hum...let's see...

1. Swing...both kids never liked it.
2. Wipes Warmer...like others mentioned, dried the wipes, turned them brown and did I really need wipes warmers living in a predominantly warm weather climate? No.
3. Hanging diaper holder that matched the crib bedding...
4. Folding Bathtub...leaked the first time we attempted to use it.
5. Pacifiers...despite our efforts to find the perfect one, neither child liked them.
6. Nursing Necklace. Both kids didn't have too much problem with being distracted while breastfeeding.

Thank goodness we didn't buy a bassinet. A friend loaned us hers, and our DD and DS never liked it. They both preferred the crib.

Jeanette
(formerly known as jeanmick, member since Feb 2003)

DD Born Christmas Eve
DS Born Valentine's Day

[chiqanita]

Ya' live and learn.

Stuff I didn't use or just plain shouldn't have purchased:

1. Convertible Cribs x2 ( I have twins ) - One of the twins jumped out a couple of months ago so we put a queen mattress on the floor and they haven't slept in their cribs since. The cribs didn't come with a guard and they're pretty high off the ground so I'm hesitant to convert it to the toddler bed. I would prefer to get 2 toddler or twin beds now.

2. Maclaren Twin Traveller - It's a great stroller just wasn't the one for us. I used it for 7 months. In hindsight I should've purchased the Combi Twin Savy or the Perego Twin Aria or the Perego Duette.

3. Medela Harmony Pump -- Bought it for weaning but weaning was faster and easier than I thought, used it maybe 2-4 times. Also, it was very uncomfortable compared to the Medela Symphony pump which I used prior.

4. Sutemi Gear baby carrier -- I used it once on a trip and maybe a couple of times around the house. It's great but it was $80 and has been collecting dust ever since.

5. Baby Sling -- The round plastic fasteners hurt. I just couldn't get it to sit right on my shoulder. Also, my little ones were little heaters from day one, they could only go into the sling with a tee and a diaper otherwise they would sweat.

If it wasn't for bedrest and hyperemesis I think I would've could've done more research and footwork. Like I said, ya live and learn.

[ribbit1019]

Big mistake for us too. Our set was around $200 and is in a bag in the closet. The quilt is cute but is hanging on the wall, what sense does that make? Should have saved my aunt's $ and had her buy me a skirt and some sheets.
Sleep positioners were a waste as was the Bjorn like carrier I got (used it once and hated it).

ETA: I also got an Evenflo travel system ($200+) and it was a total waste, hated the car seat and the stroller. DD hated the stroller too.

Christy
Wife to Richard
My Waterbabies
http://lilypie.com/pic/060928/Yw0w.jpg http://b3.lilypie.com/0vphm4.png
http://lilypie.com/pic/060928/iBmU.jpg http://bf.lilypie.com/uy3Mm4.png
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/steitzsmith/Other/jump.gif

[maestramommy]

Wow, this thread is really interesting! Esp. because I agree with most things, but disagree with some like the Baby Bjorn. We were given one as a gift, but then inherited a secondhand one, so I returned it, and got our infant carseat instead. Good thing too because even though Dora was fine in it, it really hurt my shoulders, even when she was barely heavy enough to be used in it! I think it's one of those carriers that fit some people great, and other people terribly. I would love for future editions to cover traditional carriers, which get much more wear, like the Ergo, meitai, wraps.

Dh never buys anything without hair splitting research, and infected me with the same bug, so we read the Baby Bargains book cover to cover several times, and never bought anything until we were either super sure, or absolutely needed it. The only purchase we weren't thrilled with (but registered and got) was the Safety 1st folding bathtub. Dora is tiny was was still in it at 9 months, but when she was a newborn we still had to support her while giving a bath, so it took both of us to give her a bath. What a pain! Eventually she was sitting up by herself in the tub, and when she started crawling we moved her to the regular bathtub. The only reason we like it is because it folds up to be put away and we don't have much space in our apartment, and it fit in the kitchen sink.

I got the Avent Isis handpump which worked great until Dora was about 6 months. Then I couldn't get much milk, and I was always losing milk out the other side because of my letdown. I ended up renting a hospital pump, spending more money than if I had just gotten a double electric in the first place. In addition, Dora hated the Avent nipple, so I've never used the four bottles that came with the pump.

[spunkybaby]

1. The Baby Bjorn. Our friends said that it was the best baby purchase they had (they've used it constantly for all three of their kids), but DD was a small baby (born at 5 lb., 5 oz.), and you can't use the Bjorn until the baby's at least 8 lbs IIRC, and it was quite some time before DD weighed enough to even try the Bjorn. I never got the hang of the Bjorn and thought it was uncomfortable. I wish we had just borrowed one instead of registering for it!

2. The Rosado sling. I went to a local baby/maternity store and tried on the Rosado sling. DD seemed fine in it at the time, so we bought it and brought it home, but we only used it a few times. I couldn't quite get the hang of the sling even though it seemed so easy to use in the store!

Mom to a spunky toddler
March 2004

...and another spunky baby due in Dec. 2006!

[mcdonald29]

Another lover of the Baby Bjorn -only way to grocery shop, with 1 *or* 2 (no kiddos in the icky cart w/o a cart cover)! I purchased a pouch sling for #2 and still don't feel as comfortable using it as the Bjorn. Good tips about eBay though! And I would enjoy a review of "alternative" carriers on BBB too.

I also like the Avent Isis. IME as a SAHM I've only needed to pump a few times that anything more would be overkill.

Waste of money: nursing clothes. Baby, blanket, or zip cardigan hide most of my bare skin anyway. Although not exactly answering your original question, those nursing cover ups also seem like a waste of $.

With tall kiddos, both the Graco SnugRide and Britax Roundabout weren't great purchases b/c they grew out so fast (5 months and <3 years). It's hard to predict child's height, but I should have suspected since Grandpa is 6'5".

As many PP's said, I think it's hard to pick the perfect stroller on the first attempt, so good advice to try as many out as possible and wait to see what your needs really are (i.e. I did a lot more long distance, rough road walking than I would have imagined).

[squimp]

I think a big mistake folks make is to buy so much stuff before the baby comes. We had a carseat, a few clothes, swaddling blankets and a diaper service when DD arrived - that was it, and it got us through the first couple months very easily. We didn't even have a crib until she was 9 months old.

BTW - LOVED the Baby Bjorn ;). I prefered it over the Ergo and KKAFP, and our friends fought over who would inherit ours.

[kboyle]

funny, i bf'd both boys and never once used the boppy...i tried, but it was entirely way too odd.

it did make a great tummy time tool when ds's were little, and helped them sit when they got older. now we use it as a very huge neck pillow when laying on the couch watching tv.


i got a zooper double stroller when i had ds2 and used it probably twice. it was just too heavy, to big of a PITA! and charlie hated being beside his bro. this time around i may borrow a tandem from someone, if not i'll probably get another travel system since our infant carseat is old and grungy even after many many washings & so is the matching stroller. personally, i LOVE my travel system!

[dules]

This goes back almost three years now so the things that stick out must have been baaad. lol.

- Quilted Hanna bunting for the carseat. Really, really cute, but DD was totally lost in it as an infant. We did better with a fleece bunting and a fleece infant seat topper/fleece crib blanket. (The bunting would have been great in the stroller though).

- Peg Perego Pliko. Impossible to push one handed, we were marooned in Target when DD started fussing and I had to pick her up.

- Inglesina Zippy - same problem as above, although they claim one handed steering. The only $300 stroller I contemplated leaving in the gutter more than once. Folding is a dream, pushing is another matter entirely.

- Arm's Reach Co Sleeper. DD never slept in it. We used a $50 Snuggle nest instead and she (and we) loved it. Still need to sell that Co Sleeper, forgot we had it...

- A full sized high chair. I LOVED my high chair but my kitchen was not big enough. I didn't know that there were booster seats that recline until a friend loaned me hers on vacation. Definite space and money saver.

- Baby Bjorn. I wish I had known about Mei Tais and sized pouches with padded rails far, far earlier.

Mary

[jadamom]

Me too! I tried so hard to like my Boppy, but never ended up using it. Too awkward and uncomfortable for me. I just used a regular pillow.

[sidmand]

I agree that you can't know until the baby gets there. You don't know what kind of "model" you'll get! I also know that that's not going to stop people like me who wanted to be totally prepared BEFORE baby got here.

Unfortunately, all of my baby carriers were a waste. The only one DS liked at all was the Baby Bjorn (which was the last one I bought because of all I had read!). So I now have a Zolo ring sling, a Mei Tai, a hotsling, a Maya Wrap, a Maya Pouch...DS likes/liked the stroller fine and never really liked being carried.

For me, unfortunately, cloth diapers were actually a mistake. I spent too much money on cute diapers that I never ever used. I should have known it wasn't something I would ever do. It may be pretty easy, but it requires a level of running the washing machine that I just don't do!

The Bumbo seat—mistake.

I was prepared to co-sleep, but DS never took to it at all.

A Pack 'n Play Sport has so far been a waste. We used it at the beach for one trip and that's about it. The regular Pack 'n Play was very useful for awhile, but we stopped using it completely around 6 months or so and I don't see us using it again except for sleepovers.

I never found either the Boppy or My Breast Friend Pillow very useful.

I agree with any toys geared only for 0 to 6 months. Not useful!

I didn't buy a wipes warmer 'cause I thought it was a waste, but our doula swore by them, and DS did like them for awhile.

Never bought a bumper or bottle warmer though and never missed them.

Even though we only used the Snugride for 4 months, I loved it. And I like the Britax Marathon now.

And I'm a WAHM but found the PISA to be wonderful. Couldn't have made it so long without it.

Debbie
http://b2.lilypie.com/BI7Tm5.png

[crayonblue]

Baby Bjorn. I couldn't even use it with an 8 lb. one month old without killing my back. I eventually ended up with a Sutemi and Ergo and never had back pain.

[Puddy73]

Zooper Stroller. I love the stroller and it worked well with both kids . . . for a few months. Both kids HATE being in a stroller, and both walked at 8 months, so we hardly used it. A $40 stroller would have been fine for us.

Bouncy Seat. Both kids loved the swing, and this just seemed redundant.

Ring Sling. Beautiful, but I never felt comfortable with it. Baby Bjorn and Mei Hip worked great for us. I advise parents to borrow and try out a few different carriers before you buy one!

Jumperoo. I really wanted my kids to love this, but they didn't. They would bounce for a minute or two, then scream to get out.

Jennifer
Mommy to Annabelle 9/08/03 & Finn 10/31/05

"If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane." - Jimmy Buffett

[blueeyedb]

Tummy Time mat. DS was an early crawler (he was doing the army crawl at 5 months) so by the time he could really appreciate the toys on the mat, he wasn't staying in one place any length of time. He would have been perfectly happy hanging out on a blanket.

Sleep Positioner. DS alway found a way to wiggle out of it even at one or two months old.

Snow Suit. DS was a December baby, so I thought I had to get a snowsuit. Well the suit was too big to go in the carseat and if it was cold enough out to require a snowsuit, I wasn't comfortable taking him outside to play. So our rather expensive snowsuit hangs in his closet with the tags still on, never used.

[JTsMom]

I have many, unfortunately. Thank goodness Baby Bargains saved me from making even more mistakes!

1. Crib- that has to be the biggest b/c it cost the most. In the begining we dubbed it The World's Most Expensive Changing Table, b/c that's all we used it for. Now it's The World's Most Expensive Guardrail. :) We never planned on co-sleeping, but ditto what everyone else has already said- you never know until you have the baby!

2. Close second- Pack and Play with all the bells and whistles for the same reasons.

3. Bjorn AND a Hotsling.

4. Patemm Pad- what was I thinking? $50 for a round piece of plastic.

5. I wish I would have gotten the Graco infant seat instead of the Peg Perego just b/c of cost, and b/c we barely used it.

6. Bumbo- hated it

7. Jumperoo- too much money, too little use.

8. Graco highchair- pita to clean, switched to a booster and never looked back.

9. Isis pump- didn't work for me, ended up buy a Purely Yours.

[wencit]

It's so interesting reading all the responses in this thread! I definitely agree with the sentiment that you never know what kind of baby you'll have until he/she gets here, so don't spend too much money beforehand.

That being said, I followed the advice of this board and the BBB book religiously, so I didn't have too many regret purchases. The following is a short list of our "eh, not too great" products:

1. Zolo cotton sling. Bought this on sale before DS arrived because I wanted to babywear. He HATED the thing, but I kept trying to stuff him into it, because I was determined to get my $50 worth, LOL! He much preferred the Bjorn. Like a few others, I would have loved for the book to have a section on alternative carriers, because most people think the Bjorn is the only option out there. If it weren't for these boards, I never would have known about any other carriers. BTW, DS barely tolerates the Zolo now, but he loves the Ergo, which makes me happy because IMO it's so much more comfy than the Bjorn OR the Zolo!

2. Eurotub. All the moms on here raved about this tub, and the BB book gave it its best mark, too. I have yet to figure out why. As a newborn, DS didn't like the slanted side, because he kept slipping into the water, even though his feet were planted against the "stopper" piece in the middle. Bathing was -- and still is -- a two-person job until DS can sit up well on his own. Still scratching my head over this one.

3. Pack N Play. We bought one with a bassinette and changing table, figuring DS could sleep in it downstairs. He never slept in the bassinette insert for longer than 20 minutes, so that was a waste. Plus, it was impossible to get anything done downstairs since we have a very open floor plan, and DS would wake at the slightest noise. Duh on my part. The changing table was nice for a while, but DS is now too squirmy for it, so the PnP is essentially a glorified toy box now.

[DrSally]

Believing our sonographer and buying all girl stuff! We had a boy and it is hard to go shopping with a newborn and husband away on business. Luckily we got a ton of gifts after the fact. Other than that, the bedding set. Valence too small, crib skirt didn't fit right, bumper was a bear to get on. I would buy high quality separates in the future. We got the Amy Coe sorbet splash bumper and skirt. Ditto, on the baby bjorn. Babies aren't really all that comfortable in them and we didn't use it that much. Oh, and the expensive tiny love mobile. Way too stimulating and now we have this big klunker sitting in the basement.

[Tondi G]

COMBI was so highly recommended by the BB Book when I was pregnant with my first. we looked at them over and over but just weren't impressed. I am still not impressed! Sorry you had such an awful experience!

~Tondi

[AdiMom]

Gosh, where do I start :-) I might as well start with the most expensive items

1. Crib. We blew $2000.00 on a fancy Ragazzi crib, matching dresser, Colgate Classico Mattress and a bedding set. Turns out we co-slept with my DS till he was almost 3 years old. He hated the crib and wouldn't have anything to do with it. The only way we got him to move out of our bed was buying him one of those Fire Engine shaped toddler beds. Even now, he makes it back to our bed sometime in the middle of the night.

2. The Medela PIS beast pump. Lots of women have great luck with this pump, but it just didn't work for me. I am a WOHM home who needed to pump several times a day. I bought the higher end traveler model with the hand free set and everything. I had better luck with my $30 Avent Isis. I should have tried out different breastpumps to see what worked for me before buying one or rented a hospital grade one instead.

The rest are chump change compared to 1 and 2.
3. High chair. We never used ours. Preferred a booster sit on our bar chairs at the kitchen table.

4. Swing. We got so little use out of it before my DS outgrew it by weight, it was not worth it.

5. Diaper Genie. Who wants the continous expensive of buying the bags? We ended up using a diaper champ.

6. Most infant toys :-)

AdiMom

[hillview]

1. Bumbo (used maybe 3 times)
2. Swing - he hated it -- returned to BRU
3. Sling -- never got the hang of it
4. High end bottles (Dr Brown's Avent etc) -- didn't need anything other then the generic ones
5. Quinny Buzz -- could have gotten a better one wheels need to be oiled weekly,
6. Zooper Swing -- broke and bad customer service
7. Baby blankets
8. Got for my parents who were the primary caregivers for first 6 months a cheap changing table with a 20 lb weight limit -- BAD IDEA

Loved (but others didn't on this post):
- ultimate crib sheet
- pack and play for grandparents and traveling -- which we do a lot

Other things that saved me:
- Swaddle me
- Pump
- Asking for help from DH
- Quinny Zapp (fab for traveling/cary on/restaurants)
- Gap triple roll socks
- Sales -- you can get shirts for $2 - who knew?
- Tiny ? Mobile -- 20 mins of baby bliss

Wish I had a no plastic rule in place before I started getting toys!

/hillary

[Neatfreak]

For us, I'd say that we just should have put our daughter into Marathon right off instead of bothering with an infant seat. I never popped her in a stroller in the infant seat, and rarely took it off the base.

Apologies for mentioning this, but buying the amount of clothes suggested in your book was way too much for us. We could have gotten by with about 1/3 of it. Maybe it's because DD never really spit up much ...

(I also love the Bjorn and our Zooper stroller).

[Oregonmother]

Ditto, about the Baby Bjorn. It was the only way DS would sleep if we we're out. Refused to sleep in the carseat. We love our Bjorn and are using it now with DD. I also have a KKAFP that I love too, but they both have their benefits.

[mainepotato]

1. Baby Bjorn. We like our Mei Tai much better because it can be worn on the back.

2. Silver Cross Camden. It's too bulky when folded and nothing else fits in my car's trunk with it. We prefer the Peg Perego Pliko Lite.

3. The swing was great for my first child, but my second wanted nothing to do with it.

4. $400 Pali crib.. I basically just use it as a playpen. Both babies co-slept.

5. Avent Isis and Medela PIS. I had the Isis with my first baby and found it to be slow and painful, so then I bought the PIS to use with my second baby. It wasn't much better.

[Jen841]

Wow! I contradict many of you. My only purchasing regret is the Bumbo and Avent Bottle. The Bumbo I got it around 4 months, and it was too late. Avents both boys rejected, and I thought I HAD to have them. Ok, I hate our cheapo umbrella stroller, but it is only a use as needed item for us (family in town, air travel, extra for Grandma's car)-minimal mileage.

Thanks to all of the great advice here on the boards, I think we made good well informed decisions.

The following items we really like/love and would recommend to other families. I confess to being shocked a bit at all that think these were a waste, shows we all have differing opinions:
Fold up Tub (great for city living)
Baby Bjorn- gosh, can you weat them out b/c I could!
Jog Stroller (Yakima Beetle I learned about here, folds up well for hikes and the beach)
Diaper Genie- we have 2!
Breastpump- borrowed for #1, bought at garage sale for #2
PNP minimal use, but when we needed it we needed it (2 floor house after a c-section)!
Carseat carrier - what a great invention, perfect with the Snap N Go
Double Stroller- don't leave home without it!
Hooded towels- both boys love to play in them, more entertainment than use, but great entertainment value!

Good luck with the article!
Jen

[scoop22]

dh and i were really good about not buying. i would have to say we had way to many clothes. then there were shoes. when ds could actually wear shoes we didn't even put him in shoes. now we can't find shoes to fit.

toys. we still don't need them.
http://b2.lilypie.com/XbITm4.png

[hez]

We had too much 0-3 month clothing, either bought by us or purchased for us. He was out of that size by about 6 or 7 weeks. I expected a baby my size (I was a 5 pounder) and got one a bit closer to my husband's size (he was a 10 pounder). He quickly caught up to Daddy's growth curve and doubled his age in clothing sizes (i.e. 12-18 month clothing at 9 months). If I had it to do over I'd have bought less (and traded gifts in) at each stage.

[C99]

There were so many, I'm not sure where to begin.

My biggest mistakes were in buying anything directly out-and-about baby-related before the baby arrived. The reps at Maclaren made the MacGlobal look so good; with a baby (especially once that baby gained weight), the stroller was unwieldy. Seeing all those dads with babies strapped to their chests in the Baby Bjorn was heartwarming... and then I used one myself and discovered why it was always the dads carrying the babies!

[carrie_geiger]

1. Baby Bjorn - (#1 Biggest mistake) - way too big for newborns & way too uncomfortable once the baby's big enough to not "disappear" in it; I finally discovered (& still love) a regular wrap instead of the Baby Bjorn for much more versatility & easy baby-wearing.

2. Boppy - too bulky for using in a glider & it kept slipping off (not to mention it didn't properly position baby for nursing anyway). I preferred a regular bed pillow b/c I could bunch it up to whatever shape I needed.

3. My Brest Friend - I thought I'd love this due to rave reviews by moms & LCs, but I found the back "lumbar support" to be so uncomfortable, I couldn't use it. I preferred a regular bed pillow b/c I could bunch it up to whatever shape I needed.

4. Jumperoo - too big & too expensive, especially if your DC isn't a huge jumper.

[kijip]

Buying a Combi stroller before my son was born.

And I can blame the Baby Bargains book for that inspiration :P.

Notes:

-Buying gear before you know your needs/your baby is usually not a great idea.

-Combi's tend to not be great choices for parents that are taller and for heavier babies or parents that want to use the stroller to walk around outside.

I really hated that stroller and I remember it 3+ years later. It was a total waste of money.

Other regrets:

-Paying full price the the Bjorn (however, we liked it ok)
-Not finding ring slings earlier
-Buying a Britax Roundabout. Should have gone straight for the Marathon/Wizard size. My son outgrew the RA RF at a bit over a year. Yikes. Still going strong in a Wizard.
-Not cloth diapering with washed at home diapers earlier. I wasted 4 months with a pointless delivery service and then 6 months in disposibles because I did not know about pockets and better clother diapers.

[HallsofVA]

Some "mistakes" or regrets with regards to what we bought or acquired for DS (who's now 2 3/4 years old):

1. Buying the sheet set plus most of the other available accessories - Once we decided on the sheet set and theme, DH decided he wanted many of the accessory items (I'd read the BB book - he hadn't). With the pieces he wanted, it was cheaper to buy the full sheet set, though we never really used the diaper stacker (at least for its intended purpose - it became a hanger holder), and the quilt only went in the crib for the 1st month when DS was sleeping in the bassinet. We never hung up the growth chart but did have it in the room until DS started toddling (though I'm optomistic that we'll get it up for #2). The wall hanging set never got on the wall (just how are you supposed to hang them up), but we did use them as play mats for a day or two. Luckily I saved money by buying the Internet, but I also had to wait almost 3 months for the stuff to be delivered.

2. The Boppy Tummy Time toy - this was really a waste. Tummy time was much more effective with just DS laying on a mat or blanket, than being propped up on this thing. Plus I have a regular boppy if I really wanted to prop him up on or with something.

3. Mom and Me pouch - I purchased this when pregnant, and it was always too small and too hot for DS and I to use for any length of time.

4. Babyproofing stuff - I purchased a bunch of stuff before really considering what we actually needed. For example, I bought wedges to keep the windows from being opened too far. Well, we don't open our windows and most of them are painted shut, so these are still in the package (but purchased at a going out of business sale so non-returnable.) I have cord winders that are still in the package, and several packages of tot loks (though we really like them, we never got back to installing them once we ran out of the first batch and decided we needed more)

5. Foot or bootie rattles - Never used them. Never seemed to be a need.

6. Heavy fleece bunting outfit - Purchased on a whim. Had fleece coverall with a sack-type overlayer (complete with slits to feed car seat straps through. Never had a need to dress baby that warmly (though January baby born in DC area). Had much more luck with simple outfits plus a good blanket over him in the carseat.

7. Newborn diapers. My son was 8lb 15oz at birth. We used Newborn size diapers for 2 weeks, and everyone (his ped. included) it was about a week too long. Should have gone straight to Size 1 diapers once the first pack of newborn diapers (plus all the ones they gave us when leaving the hospital) ran out.

8. Tiny little decorative burp cloths - Though these were all received as gifts, they were all pretty useless. Much happier when I finally went out and bought a 6 pack of plain cloth diapers to use as multi-purpose burp rags, blankets, spill catchers, etc.

9. Shoes before 6-9 months. Though I didn't buy any, I was given several pairs of shoes from newborn on up. My son didn't wear any shoes until he started really crawling everywhere sometime after 6 months, and he stayed in robeez-type shoes until he was a year or so old and walking outdoors.

10. Onesies - Never really used them. I bought some, and was given a ton. Most went unused. Probably function of having a January baby (he lived in cotton sleepers mostly for first several months.)

11. Too many receiving blankets. We ended up with a ton, but there were only a few (including all Gymboree blankets we had) that we used on a regular basis. Many blankets went unused.

12. Convertible feature of crib - While we were very happy with our crib (Sorelle Rosemary), we never used the convertible feature with DS. He went straight from crib to twin bed at 22 months.

13. Purchased bookshelf hutch for dresser. Not really sure if this was a waste, but it sure went unused for almost 3 years. When we ordered the large Mother Hubbard Cupboard dresser to use as a changing table for DS, we also purchased the matching hutch at the same time. The hutch was delivered straight to our basement storage while we used the dresser as a changing table. We just now opened the shipping box (almost 3 years later) and installed it on top of the dresser which is now in DS's big boy room.

[rupptopia]

Funny enough, it was our car! I still love our car (Subaru Forester) & it has been very good to us but it's back seat is too small.

We purchased it when pregnant & before we knew how much room carseats take up. We were only looking for safety & something that could fit in our garage in the city. But we didn't know that those infant seats take up a lot of room length-wise.

We bought a Graco snugride first & when we installed it the passenger side had no leg room! Our knees would have been touching the dashboard. (DH & I are 6 ft & 5'9") So we returned the Graco and bought a Peg Perego b/c it was 1.5" shorter & could fit it in the center of the backseat.

Once we turned DS around at 15 months we have lots more room. However, now we are TTC #2 and are faced with the same issue - no leg room if we install an infant seat on the passenger side. So we have decided to buy a new, larger car when we get pregnant. This will certainly cost more than a few extra clothes!

[Dcclerk]

>
>2. Eurotub. All the moms on here raved about this tub, and
>the BB book gave it its best mark, too. I have yet to figure
>out why. As a newborn, DS didn't like the slanted side,
>because he kept slipping into the water, even though his feet
>were planted against the "stopper" piece in the middle.
>Bathing was -- and still is -- a two-person job until DS can
>sit up well on his own. Still scratching my head over this
>one.

This is the one-person method that we use, and maybe it would work better for your little guy. (Although depending on his age, it probably does not matter at this point.) We have the baby far enough down on the slanted side, that it is his bottom that touches the stopper piece in the middle, not his feet. There isn't much water in the bath at all, so it just barely covers the legs for us. In that position, the baby can't slip down and is stable enough to not have a problem washing by yourself.

[calebsmama03]

Registering for/Buying a stroller before the baby was born. That, and ordering it from a website without having tried it first. Honestly, they are so tiny in the beginning that it's easy to pop them into a sling and take your time finding something that will better fit your needs.
Mommy to C 3/03
And Miss P 5/05

[sdjeppa]

Buying not one, but TWO Graco Comfortsports - thinking they were good "extra" seats for DH's car and grandparents. Well, he outgrew them at 24 mo. We now have a Graco Ultracargo (hate it, hate it) and a Recaro youngsport. Would have been cheaper to buy 2 more MA's.

[SpaceGal]

Probably something I consider a mistake but not really is buying my Peg Perego car seat because it matched the P3 we were buying. We did a get a good deal on both the stroller and matching car seat. What I disliked about it was later I found out that other seat could be used without a base but not mine. What a pain to have to bring the base and seat whenever and whereever we travelled.

I've always reasoned that I do feel safer having the base to lock it into (seeing how loosey goosey some parents install seats without the base) but man it owuld be so nice to not have to bring both when travelling. Plus I didn't always use the seat with the stroller because DS disliked being in the car seat outside of the car.

Oh well #2 is on the way and we're still going to use the same seat but man I wish I thought that one out better.

The other mistake item was one of those all in one changing pad dealies that have a changing pad and pockets for a wipes case, diapers and miscellaneous items like diaper rash cream and what not....the bulkiest thing ever once it's all packed up. Those things (diapers, wipes, and rash cream, oh and changing pad, fit much better solo in any diaper bag I used. Thankfully it was only $10 and I got it as a registry gift so nothing lost, but man I should have returned it when I had my chance for something else.

Big total waste of money: snowbuntings. I have two or three...maybe even four of them. Never used a single one. DS was tiny and those were huge and a monster (even thought they were 0-3 months size) and not to mention not safe to use with a carseat anyways. Most of our still have tags on them. We ended up using blankets and a car seat cover thingamajiggy to keep DS warm in the winter.

My playpen was my changing table/bassinet/baby timeout/baby safe place early on, but after DS turned 9 months it became our safest place to put things that DS couldn't/can't get to. DH calls it my organized junk pen. Considering how much ours was I might have thought twice about spending/registering for one as expensive. It was a "base" model at $90 no music or lights or anything like that but I guess I wish I could use it for DS more...like naps and what not. For $90 it's not bad but not great either. Knowing that #2 is coming it will be useful once again, but I also know I'm not a bad mom if I change DC on the floor or couch. Although it might be a safe place for DC to go in case DS is in a terrorizing stepping on baby bro/sis mood. ;)

I did LOVE my Bjorn though and DS loved being in it.

[Sarah1]

Mustela baby products. Other than the newborn foaming shampoo (which I LOVE), all the other stuff is heavily fragranced and irritating. Not to mention seriously overpriced.

[MommyAllison]

Disposable diapers were our biggest mistake - we had poopy blowouts daily, and we tried all of the brands. We switched to cloth and no more problems! I would never switch back!

Allison
Mama to DD 11/05

[denna]

I second the crib. We purchased a crib, and had to return it for shipping reasons before DS was born. After birth we have been co-sleeping (even in the hospital) and we love it. We have had other cribs on order but have cancelled all, DS will just go straight to a toddler bed/ twin.

[denna]

ITA about the Baby Bjorn, we have used ours several times since DS was 1-month old. It is very useful when we go to Venice, IT; where it is impossible to get a stroller around. We got the sport one, and it easily adjusts between DH and myself. We also purchased a sling from peppermint.com and loved it as well. I guess its just a matter of opinion, and how much you really have the need for it.

Our waste of money was a Mesh Bouncy seat tub from safety first (I think). The mesh left marks in DS's skin, and the fabric always felt 'itchy' to me. He couldnt use it as a newborn and now it is worthless; he constantly slides down. Worst purchase by far.

Our 2nd worst purchase was the co-sleeping 'nest'. The backing is a hard cardboard/ particle board and felt way to uncomfortable for DS; luckily we were able to return it.

[AddiesMom]

Clothes! I knew at 18 weeks a girl was on the way I just went overboard buying clothes! All kinds of dresses and outfits, plus I got a ton as gifts at the shower and after she was born. Then the holidays were a month later and even more clothes came. I found that when a baby is born in November in freezing cold New England you don't dress them in dresses or cute outfits.... you dress them in WARM outfits! I have a two huge rubbermaid totes in the basement with 0-3 and 3-6 mo size clothes, need to buy another tote for all the 6-12 mo summer clothes and it is a crime some of the things that were barely worn.

It's a year later and I still have to restrain myself at times and say "is she really going to wear that more than once?" I did go overboard recently with comfy gap and old navy jeans lined with fleece or jersey knit and gap cardigan sweaters, but I now know she will get to wear them a lot more than a frilly dress!

[AddiesMom]

Clothes! I knew at 18 weeks a girl was on the way I just went overboard buying clothes! All kinds of dresses and outfits, plus I got a ton as gifts at the shower and after she was born. Then the holidays were a month later and even more clothes came. I found that when a baby is born in November in freezing cold New England you don't dress them in dresses or cute outfits.... you dress them in WARM outfits! I have a two huge rubbermaid totes in the basement with 0-3 and 3-6 mo size clothes, need to buy another tote for all the 6-12 mo summer clothes and it is a crime some of the things that were barely worn.

It's a year later and I still have to restrain myself at times and say "is she really going to wear that more than once?" I did go overboard recently with comfy gap and old navy jeans lined with fleece or jersey knit and gap cardigan sweaters, but I now know she will get to wear them a lot more than a frilly dress!

[millerpjm]

Hey everyone!

It's been so interesting reading this thread - some people's "goof" items were big hits for others! Here's my 2 cents:

1. I also spent too much for a bedding set that was never used. $160 dollars and I only used the crib skirt and the bumpers for a couple of months. The crib quilt was a total waste because my mother hand-made a beautiful quilt for DS that I hung from a quilt rack on the wall.

2. Boppy and Tummy Time Boppy - DS and I could not get situated for nursing w/ the Boppy - it was too big. And he hated the Tummy Time Boppy - I ended up returning it.

3. Graco Quattro stroller. It's a monster! So heavy, and took up my whole trunk. The only saving grace was that the infant seat snapped in, even though we bought them separately.

These were items that I liked, but had I known then what I know now, I would have done things differently...

1. Roundabout - I loved the RA, but DS outgrew it in height by 3 1/2 years old. I wish I had bought a higher-limit seat like the Marathon.

2. High Chair - I got the Fisher Price high chair (can't remember the name but it has 3 trays that can go in the dishwasher) but if I'd known there were nice, reclining boosters with trays, I would have gotten one of those instead. We have a small kitchen and the high chair took up a lot of room.

Here's my dissenting opinion on other items...

Newborn diapers - I only bought 1 package, but we ended up going through about 4-5 packs, because DS was a little guy - 6 pounds 8 ounces but skinny.

Ditto on 0-3 month clothes...I hardly bought any and I had to go out and buy a few sleepers so he wasn't drowning in everything!



I can't think of anything else right now - Baby Bargains book and the boards saved me from the Eddie Bauer carseat and a couple other goofy purchases!

Jen

[klwa]

I had forgotten it until I read a PP, but the Avent Isis breast pump. It's still sitting in a drawer unopened. Although DS was BF until he was a year old, I used a PIS to get started and later at work.

[wencit]

Thanks, Kerry. We did try that too, but DS was just too slippery and would still slide around. He was terrified of the water for the first month, so he would just thrash everywhere and was quite difficult to control. Maybe we did have too much water in there, though. I was always afraid he'd be too cold!

Thanks for the tip; I'll try using less water for the next babe (if there is a next baby).

[table4three]

Many of the things I bought before DS was born were mistakes.

I bought nursing tops and pajamas and bras. I hated them all. In the end, lived in glamourmom tanks, night and day.

Diaper bags. I really didn't know what I needed in a bag until I actually had a baby and needed to use a diaper bag. I have two bags I've never used.

Crib comforter - got a PBK set as a gift (from registry). The comforter sat unsused in the closet until last week when we finally hung it on the wall. Now it is art. But it sat in a closet for 18 months.

Crib bumber - honestly the only time it was ever used was the first 5 months when DS didn't EVER sleep in the crib - he was in the cosleeper and the bumper was for looks only. When we moved him into the crib I put a mesh bumper in. I can't even figure out how to hang it our use it decoratively now, so the pretty bumper remains in the closet.

Avent bottles. Read about the plastic issues and stopped using them. And I had a large collection.

Bumbo. Great concept, but never used it. The bouncer seat was much more useful to us. At least I've been able to lend it to two friends so it has gotten some use.

http://b2.lilypie.com/mkn7m5.png

[proggoddess]

Your kids disliked the swing *and* the paci? Yikes, you poor thing! You must have forearms like Popeye now! ;)

Back on topic, it wasn't the biggest money waster, but a big time waster. It was buying a HUGE box of Avent nursing bra pads. They were thick and showed through my clothes and I didn't want to throw them out, so it took me almost 3 months to use them all. Love the Lansinoh and Medela pads!

A whole tube of lanolin. I could have just grabbed a few more sample packs from the hospital and my pediatrician and gotten by. Now what am I going to do with this tube of sticky stuff that I've only used 3 times? (Maybe I can waterproof my basement with it...)

Nursing bras that have regular hook-and-eye fasteners on the cups. They are *not* one-handed release! It's extremely difficult to thread the tiny hook through the teeny eye without looking, one-handed, and with a squirmy baby, especially in public.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I hear you on the diaper bag. I bought a great diaper bag (good fabric, good size, lots of helpful pockets/ sections) and I hardly ever used it. Since ds was in his Bjorn for most errands it was just too hard to have to carry a diaper bag. I breastfed so I didn't need to take extra food when he was a baby. Diapers were cloth and they got changed at home (unless there was a bm, of course- luckily he was very predictable!). I just had one of those Fold N Go changing pads. I put 1 diaper, 1 baggie for throwing the old diaper away and a baggies with about 3 wipes in it, clipped it to my Bjorn and I was good to go.

As he got older I had a small tote bag for snacks and such.

Really, I was either close enough to my car or home base to just keep all that extra stuff there and not lug it around.

I just assumed that I had to have a diaper bag. I really didn't though. YOu learn about your habits when the baby comes. I've always been a "small purse" kind of person so I should have known I wouldn't want to lug around a diaper bag.

Beth

[Mommy Of A Little Angel]

Hmm...we tried to really be carefully, but here are somethings that we definately could have done without:

1. The Diaper Genie. I didn't want it, but it was a shower gift and we thought, sure we'll try it out. I HATE it. I won't even put diapers in it anymore. It is so annoying - the Diaper Champ is so so much better.

2. Our stroller. I love our Valco Rebel, but it's big even when folded and it's heavy. I love taking it on walks, but loading it in the car for the mall is a big pain. Maybe it wasn't worth the $425 price tag only to have to buy an Easy Traveller and then a Techno. But, hey strollers are fun so maybe it's not a total disappointment! ;)

3. Clothes. We thought we were being smart buying lots of 3-6 months and not very many 0-3 months. Well, who would have thought DD would have blasted through all that and now at 5 months is wearing 12-18 months and I have a closet full of unworn stuff.

4. Our infant seat. I did love the Companion, but DD is heavy and it quickly became ridiculous for me to carry her in it. Plus, she hated it. We put her in the Marathon at 4 months and she is a whole new baby. Now we wish we had gone that route from the beginning.

Things we LOVE:

1. The Bumbo. Seems like a lot of people don't really like it but DD has been in hers since 1 month and she loves it. She is so proud of herself. It's awesome for restaurants and it's the only place we feed her solids.

2. The Bjorn. She loves it too. She hated facing in, but once we faced her out, she is happy as a clam. She is heavy, but I never really had a problem carrying her - and it sure beats just carrying her in my arms - now that is tiring!

I am sure there are other things, but those are the big ones. I love reading about everyone elses. It's so funny what works for some kids and what totally doesn't for others! I agree with PP. You should really wait until you have your baby to make the big money decisions because it all comes down to what they like and what works for everyone!

[sdbc]

Sleep positioner and bed rail for our bed were only used once. Big waste. The Graco stroller that was impossible to steer was a waste. Should have gotten a second-hand snap and go or something. (We switched to our beloved Maclaren as soon as DD could hold her head upright.)

Some things DD didn't use, but we couldn't have known until we tried...these include her bouncy seat and the exersaucer. She also never used her baby gym thing. We probably would never have used her PNP at home, but she ended up in a home daycare, so we brought it there where it got use for naps.

[elliput]

The lanolin works great for relieving chapped lips and a chapped nose from a cold. :-)

[elephantmeg]

I think the book saved me tons, really! But here are a few
-Buying a mobile at all. Had to have the one that matched the bedding set (which I did just buy the peices I wanted and I love what I got)
-buying a swing that I didn't love. We used it some during the 6-10 wk crazies but it sat up too straight and well, it was/is a $70 space hog. He's just not a swing boy
-Not getting a car seat stroller attachment at the begining (we bought a stroller for him to grow into-which I love). Broke down at 4 months or so and loved it until her grew out of the snugride at 7 months.

Really, this book is great and everyone asks my opinion on stuff now because I had everything I needed and not a whole bunch of extras. One thing I did do was return a ton of stuff after each shower-like a total of $200 worth of junk. Never be afraid to return!

I have to say that I love my bjorn and the bumbo for what they were-very useful for small babies. Now I love the ergo and well-he's crawling so so much for keeping him in 1 place

[tchrmom13]

DS is 7 months and he does not like his exersaucer. I only put him in it when I make dinner He is okay for 15 minutes then starts to fuss. Would rather be rolling/scooting/trying to crawl around on the floor. Fine with me though.

Heather
Mommy to William 3/20/06

[Marcy_O]

Among many other things I went crazy buying, two of the worst things were:

1. A bug shield. It was a mesh sheet that fit over the pack and play, I used it once and I had to drag the pack and play outside with me.

2. The Baby Einstein version of the activity center - bouncy thing. It was 70.00 and DS wouldn't stay in it to save my life. He would cry the minute we put him in there.

[bunnisa]

Well, I'm a researcher by nature so I spent a lot of time online (mainly here!) and thankfully didn't make too many mistakes.

Things I didn't need:

Kimono style baby gowns: Dressing the newborn was not a problem for us, and I disliked the extra effort (especially during those first weeks where, in my very sleep-deprived state, I wished for 2 snaps rather than 3 on the onesies)

Fleece baby snowsuit: think we used it 3 times. We would have used it more if we took the baby for walks in the winter, but the weather just wasn't conducive to that.

Complete set of Baby Einstein videos: A gift, thankfully. Not interesting to the DC and we're sans-TV so we're not big on videos in general (especially not for babies). Good for a laugh for DH & me, though: "We could have filmed closeups of garage sale toys and made millions! Darn! Why didn't we think of that???"

The biggest mistake was the Moses basket I bought for DC #2. DC#1 would have loved it. DC #2 will not tolerate it and has been in it for a total of 2 minutes. May be great for some moms, though!


...blessed wife and mama to two!

"And children are always a good thing, devoutly to be wished for and fiercely to be fought for."
-Justin Torres

[mommy_someday]

We had the slipping problem, too, until we used a washcloth/hand towel in between DS and the tub. Piece of cake after that!

[newnana]

Thanks to your book and my garage sale/second hand store ways, I had very few regrets. Anything that I didn't really use didn't cost that much to begin with because I probably got it at less than half of full price. Now any time I hear one of my friends is pregnant, your book is the gift I always give.

That being said, I do have a few mistakes that others have mentioned:

1.Boppy. I'm short and it was most comfortable to nurse in the rocker/glider that had arms at a perfect height.
However, this was useful for when the grandparents visited and their arms/back tired easily. It made it much easier for them to hold DD as long as they wanted.

2. Nursing attire. Okay, the bras were a necessity. The shirts and sleeping gear were a pain in the rear. PJ's were better than gowns for me though.

3. Swing. DD hated it, but we only spent $15 for a really nice one in new condition at a garage sale.


There were many things that would go on our best purchase list. 90% of them were from your book. The one that wasn't and that has brought us the most joy is the digital camera. For some reason we were still in the dark ages with the camera and being pregnant this seemed a necessity. Now I can't put it away and can't imagine how I ever lived without it.

Thank you so much for your books and this web page. I have learned so much and would have been overwhelmed and misinformed without you. Thanks!!!
Michelle