8 Things for Kids That Experienced Parents Wouldn’t Be Caught Dead Buying

The news that you’re going to have a child is not only happy but also quite stressful. Future parents often get really nervous upon their little one’s arrival, and they may even get lost in a storm of all the new information and wide variety of kids’ products. Fortunately, there are more experienced parents out there that can tell others what is actually necessary and what will probably be a waste of money.

We at Bright Side have asked more experienced parents about the products we shouldn’t waste money on. At the end of the article, there’s an unexpected bonus for you.

Changing table

Thanks to the rails on the sides, it’s believed that changing tables can help you keep your children safe from rolling and falling off. But according to statistics, thousands of child injuries happen each year because of changing tables. Besides, many mothers claim that it’s much easier to change diapers on the bed where there’s more space.

• No, you don’t really need one. A changing mat on the floor or an existing dresser is fine. © gardenhippy/ reddit

Baby scale

Weighing a baby after every feeding makes mothers grow really worried about whether or not their babies are eating enough. This extra stress is bad for breastfeeding. If a baby pees and poops regularly, there’s no need to constantly check if the baby is gaining or losing a few ounces.

• Obviously, just my opinion here, you don’t need a baby scale. You end up worrying about every gram/ounce. If your doctor recommends one, different story, of course. We just hop on the scale with the baby to get a rough guess. © soulie12 / reddit

• Oh, you’ll just obsess. I know because I’m addicted to weighing him by holding him and subtracting my own weight. He can vary by even a pound in the same 24 hours yet I still get myself worked up. My son is 8 months by the way. © LilNerdyMama / reddit

Baby shoes

Baby shoes look very cute on those little feet, but there’s really no need to buy them. They constantly fall off the baby, get lost, or get covered in saliva because babies love putting their feet in their mouth.

• A baby doesn’t need shoes. I liked to have my son wearing soft shoes, kind of like slippers, just to protect his feet from the cold. But when it was warm out, I would leave him in just socks. © mommy1st_wife2nd / reddit

Baby cutlery

Special small plastic spoons for kids are comfortable but not necessary. In everyday life, you can feed a baby from a regular teaspoon.

• I haven’t used baby cutlery. We went pretty simple and cheap on our cutlery choices. © OntoSomethingWitty / reddit
• I don’t have a brand recommendation, but we GREATLY preferred the ones that were metal to the plastic ones. They lasted longer, worked better as our kids gained more control, and didn’t get all icky. Much easier to clean. © aerrin / reddit

Playpen

Parents often use playpens for a number of reasons. For example, it keeps the baby safe and can entertain them in a small space full of toys. However, according to studies, playpens can lead to suffocation.

• You don’t need a playpen. If your place is small, you’ll never be too far away anyway. I have gone to put in a load of laundry and come back to baby making a mess of the cat food but that’s just about the worst thing that has happened. By the time your kid is moving, they will follow you to the bathroom and bang on the door while you try to enjoy your poop. You’ll always know exactly where they are. © Suepr80 / reddit
• So, we got a playpen, but frankly, I wish we’d skipped it. We used it like 2 times but then our daughter started crying every time we put her in there (even with a lot of fun toys inside). © InannasPocket / reddit

Wipe warmers

Wipe warmers are a new device that warms the wipes to a comfortable temperature to wipe the butt or the back of the baby. Yes, warm wipes feel nice but they are not necessary at all. In the best-case scenario, you will only use it for a few months.

• My baby never seemed to care about the temp of the wipes. If they were particularly cold, I warmed them in my hands. We have a wipe warmer but I’ve never even plugged it in! Saving it for baby #2 anyway, just in case. © Rustblossom / reddit

• I never understood why a wipe warmer was necessary. Do people warm wipes while they’re on the go? Seems superfluous to me. My baby has never cared about cold wipes. © jro10 / reddit

A bucket for used diapers

A bucket for used diapers is nothing more than a bucket that is attached to the changing table. The device is supposed to keep the unpleasant smell inside. But many parents that spent money on it don’t think it’s worth it. Besides, you need to buy special plastic bags, which also cost money.

• This stupid plastic bucket broke down all the time. I could maybe have a part-time job just in Diaper Genie repair. Always stinking terribly, even with the deodorizing inserts. Taking the bags out is not nice anyway. © platetone / reddit
• I agree. I laughed at this rant and remembered how we threw our Diaper Genie away after a month. © fliesonwalls / reddit

Baby knee pads

Mothers want to keep their babies safe, and baby knee pads are supposed to protect their knees from getting scratched up when the child crawls around. If your floor is not old and scratched up, you don’t really need any pads.

• They naturally build up callouses on their knees. Kneepads are not needed nor are they very practical. © cmcg1227 / reddit
• I actually considered knee pads when my son started crawling because he was getting bad rug burn (his skin is super sensitive), but I guess the skin toughened up on its own and now his knees are fine despite maniacal crawling. © GoooingToTheChapel / reddit

Bonus: pacifiers

It’s hard to imagine a child that doesn’t have a pacifier. But when you buy one, make sure it doesn’t have anything attached to it, like beads. Unfortunately, according to statistics, there’s a risk of getting injured. This is why it’s better to buy a standard pacifier with no straps.

What things for children would you never recommend to buy and which ones made your life easier? Share your experience in the comment section below!