10 Things You Don’t Need On Your Baby Registry

As a new parent, we never truly know what to expect. We aren’t always sure what our little one will need. Here are 10 things you don’t need on your baby registry.

10 Things You Don't Need On Your Baby Registry
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This post contains affiliate links. Should you make a purchase through one of the links I provide, I may receive a small percentage at no cost to you.

I can still recall the excitement of starting my baby registry! I was thrilled to start planning as soon as I found out we were having a baby. But as a new parent, I had no idea what I actually needed. Babies need so much and stores our out to sell you as much as possible. But there are definitely things babies don’t need. At least, you don’t need to actually put them on your baby registry. So today, I’m sharing 10 things you don’t need on your baby registry.

Some of these things sound like a good idea. But honestly, you might find yourself doing without them. Some of them aren’t practical, while others just don’t get used very often. Regardless, if you’re looking to trim down your registry, these are probably things you won’t miss.

10 Things You Don’t Need On Your Baby Registry

Wipe Warmer

I admit, I had one of these. I used to for nearly the entire time my first son was in diapers. But let me tell you that these things aren’t worth it. First, you have to buy the warmer and the pads that go inside. These pads act almost like a sponge. You keep it saturated with water to keep the wipes from drying out. The result is supposed to be a nice warm wipe for your baby’s tushy. It’s a nice idea.

In Real Life:

  • It’s cold before it reaches your baby’s sweet rump
  • The expensive pads need to be changed often
  • You have to constantly add water to keep them from drying out
  • Your child isn’t used to cold wipes when you are out of the house
  • It can get mildew or mold

Baby Towels

I remember building my baby registry and adding several sets of towels. Yes, they are very soft and so it makes us feel to good to protect baby’s skin, right? After all, babies have sensitive skin. I used them fairly religiously for the first month or so. But as time progressed, I ended up using what was at hand and convenient. The caveat is that I still recommend getting baby wash cloths. That matters if you are worried about baby’s skin. But the bath towels really make no difference.

In Real Life

  • You’ll end up using regular towels that are nearby
  • They outgrow the towels very quickly
  • Most are very thin and not very absorbent

Bottle Drying Rack

The bottle drying rack, a place to hang dry all the nipples, couplings, and bottles. It seems like a great idea and it is. But can I just be honest? I rarely used mine. First, more often than not, I ended up putting my bottles and accessories in the dishwasher. The dishwasher basket below was way more helpful. The dishwasher is easy! Furthermore, it washes the bottles with scalding hot water ensuring the bottles get well cleaned. I just the bottles and accessories in the top shelf. Even when I hand washed, the rack was rarely used.

In Real Life

  • You use things that are more convenient like a drying mat or dishwasher
  • It becomes a fixed fixture on your counter and looks like a bunch of clutter
  • It doesn’t really lessen the time it takes to drip dry

Walker

Okay, I know I’m gonna ruffle some feathers here. Now before I go any further, let me tell you I’m pro-walker. There are a lot of people who will tell you they are unsafe. I’m not one of them and I won’t get into that here. My son has a clubfoot and was in boots and bar for the first year of his life. We put him in the walker a lot to strengthen his legs. It has really helped him catch up on his walking. However, this post is about what you don’t NEED. I’m going to tell you right now, your baby doesn’t need a walker. Children didn’t use them for centuries and it’s a totally modern invention.

In Real Life

  • All children learn to walk organically by crawling and pulling themselves up to stand
  • Children can have accidents if mommy uses it as a babysitter
  • They’re bulky and take up a lot of room
  • Your child may hate it!

Infant Shoes

It’s true. I recall buying a few pairs with my first son. After all, those tiny little shoes are just so adorable! But in real life, they don’t serve much purpose.

While we are at it, you actually don’t need to put any clothes on your baby registry. First, stores turn over clothing stock very quickly. I found it became unavailable on a registry before my shower approached. The second reason is because people actually buy you clothes without having to ask. It’s true. Ask women to shop for a baby shower and they can’t resist clothes. They won’t buy the ones on your registry anyway. They’ll buy the cute clothes they personally see, so don’t worry about putting it on your registry.

In Real Life

  • Your child will likely prefer being barefoot until they are close to walking (usually around one).
  • They’ll be in socks and constantly skip the shoes

A Changing Table

Don’t misunderstand me. You absolutely need a place to change your baby. But when I was pregnant, I assumed I needed a changing table. You don’t. You just need a surface to change your baby and that lots of places can be utilized for that. I ended up just using a dresser. I simply put the changing pad on top. When we were done with the diaper stage, it just became a dresser again.

In Real Life

  • You’ll use a bed, sofa and any other soft surface at hand. You don’t need a whole extra piece of furniture.
  • You can use a standard dresser and just put the changing pad on top

Baby Bath Products

Yes, your baby will need his or her own bath stuff. But let me be strait with you. Here is something I never knew until I became a mom. Your baby’s skin will react to all kinds of products! I don’t care if it is specially formulated for babies or if it says hypo-allergenic on the label. The truth of it is your baby’s skin will be unpredictable to fragrance, dyes, and other irritants.

In Real Life

  • You will likely have to do a lot of testing, trying, and searching for the right products. Don’t worry about necessarily adding it your registry.
  • Your best bet will be Free and Clear detergents. Skip Dreft.

Baby Bedding Sets

When I was pregnant with my first son, I was shocked to learn that there were actual bedding sets with quilts, pillows, bumpers, etc. All of those things pose a SIDS risk to your baby. You should keep the crib free from excess bedding and stuffed animals. So don’t worry about the costly baby beddings sets.

In Real Life

  • All you need is a fitted crib sheet and waterproof mattress cover.
  • Opt for a wearable blanket or sleep sack instead

Baby Hats

As you’ve probably seen in stores, they sell little infant hats to help your little one regulate their body temperature. There are lots of ways to keep your baby warm and a hat isn’t super necessary. But here is the thing, all hospitals send you home with one and frankly, I never found that I really needed anything more than that. In fact, both my boys hated having it on. They preferred being kept warm in other ways like swaddles and long sleeves.

In Real Life

  • The hospital will give you one
  • Your baby likely won’t care for it

Crib Mobile

Ask any of your moms and grandmothers and they will swear by a mobile. It’s true that babies love mobiles. It gives them something to focus on and babble to in the crib, which in turn helps them goo-goo their way to dreamland. But mobiles are becoming less popular due to the strangulation risk they pose. At least, that’s how I felt, when my oldest son managed to pull his down. I never put it back up and neither of my sons seemed to miss it.

In Real Life

  • You can use other safe things to help your baby sleep like black out curtains and white noise makers.
  • They can be dangerous if they aren’t secure.

That’s It

Here is my last disclaimer. You’re the mama. These are just my opinions. No one should judge you if you end up buying these things and find them helpful. Every mama is different and you’ll find the things that help you on your mom journey. I hope you have a happy and safe pregnancy. Good luck, mama!

Thats it! 10 things you don’t need on your baby registry.

Don’t forget to check out my Baby Registry Checklist. I’ve even included a FREE printable checklist to help get you started. Also, don’t forget to PIN this post for later and subscribe to my blog before leaving.

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10 Sanity Saving Products for Your Reflux Baby

This post contains affiliate links which I recommend. If you make a purchase using the links I provide, I may receive a small percentage at no cost to you.

10 Sanity Saving Products for Your Reflux Baby

Having a baby with reflux is exhausting. I’ve compiled 10 Sanity Saving products for your reflux baby to help you get through this tough season.

Our Story

I should know. Our oldest son was born prematurely at 35 weeks. He didn’t need a NICU stay, but after a few weeks of being home, we noticed something was wrong. He cried every time we put him down. As new parents, you go through the standard reasons for crying. Is he fed? Diaper changed? Hot or cold? Burped? Sleepy? But nothing made him happy. Except for being held.

Even more horrifying is that it was getting worse every week. I felt like the worst mother. I couldn’t comfort my baby. We didn’t know why he would scream and writhe every time we put him down on his back. We didn’t understand why he would arch his back. He’d act like he was drowning when he ate, even on a slow flow nipple. Even after he’d eaten, it would all come oozing back out of his mouth like a faucet. And then….the screaming. The terrible screeching sound that filled our house for hours. We made several trips to the emergency room because the screaming was so intense. I stopped nursing and tried multiple formulas. I bought nearly every bottle type I could find. Nothing helped. I had no answers.

One night, my husband and I were on the verge of tears. Neither of us had slept in weeks. I felt delusional, like I was going mad. In a fit of frustration, I took to Facebook, begging for help, ugly crying with every keystroke. My cousin’s wife responded and asked me a few questions. “It sounds like reflux. Our son had it too.” She proceeded to give me a list of things they used that helped them. We went to the doctor and it was finally confirmed as reflux (also known as GERD).

I never even knew children could have acid reflux. It’s painful and their little sphincters just can’t keep food down. If they are being held up, gravity helps it, so it isn’t so bad. But if they are moving around or laying down, particularly on their back, the acid, bile, and partially digested food makes its way back up.  I can’t stress enough how these items saved us. I don’t know if we would have survived that first year without these solutions.

Our second child had reflux too. I can’t tell you how these products have helped us. Despite having reflux and a club foot, our second little guy is an easy baby. This time we prepared ourselves with the right gear. So if you’re a mom whose child has just been diagnosed with reflux, I sincerely hope this helps. You aren’t alone. Hang in there, because I will also tell you that once they are past the 6 month mark and eating a good amount of solids, you’re almost out of the woods. Believe me when I say, it gets better. I promise.

  1. Fisher Price Rock and Play

Before we found this amazing inclined sleeper, we were “sleeping” in our glider with our son. Of course, we didn’t really get sleep because we were so worried about dropping him. This solved that! We had tried putting things under our son’s mattress to prop it up but nothing worked until he was older. This amazing sleeper is great for under 6 months. It keeps him upright, but maintains a natural sleeping position. Because it is gusseted, they also can’t roll over to their tummy. It includes breathable mesh sides and strap to secure your infant.

2. Dr. Brown Bottles

I’m not joking. I tried every bottle in the early days of my son’s reflux. I spent hundreds of dollars and nothing helped. Nothing, until I found Dr. Brown bottles, that is. I can’t stress enough how good they are for colic and reflux. They have a special vent system that breaks up air and controls the flow. If you have a reflux baby, don’t settle for anything less.

3. Angelcare Movement Monitor

Once your little one outgrows the Rock and Play, you’ll have to make the transfer over to the crib. This is definitely optional, but making the transfer was scary for us. We were worried he could spit up at night. With babies sleeping on their back there is always the worry of choking. So this movement alarm gave us peace of mind. It’s very sensitive and it senses if your baby has stopped breathing. After a few seconds, a sound alarms. It can be used all the way up to toddler years if still in the crib. You also need to purchase an additional wooden board that helps keep it accurate.

4. Owlet Smart Sock Baby Monitor

An alternative to the Angelcare is the Owlett. Again, this is totally optional, but it does help your peace of mind. Your child wears it like a sock and it transmits information to your phone. It measures your child’s breathing, in particular their oxygen levels It also measures his or her heart rate. Any concerning drop in vitals sounds an alarm. It’s extremely sensitive, but it’s also a little on the pricey side. This really helped us sleep better at night.

5. Similac Spit-Up Formula

I would absolutely consult your pediatrician regarding formulas, but this formula helped us tremendously. It was the only formula, my second son would drink. Before that, every feeding was like a battle of the wills. He would struggle and spit up most of what he drank. This formula saved us since he wouldn’t eat the hypoallergenic one. Its available in powder and 32 oz ready to feed bottles.

6. Enfamil AR Forumla

This was my first son’s formula. Like the Similac Spit-Up formula, it is contains a rice starch which makes the formula heavier and harder to come back up. It’s available in powder form and 8 oz 6-packs.

7. Similac Alimentum Formula

Again, consult your physician before changing formulas. Doctors may ask you to try a hypoallergenic formula like Similac Alimentum. Our son didn’t care for it and wouldn’t drink it. It has a vitamin kind of smell and taste. But a friend of mine had a son that did amazingly on it! It may not be tasty, but doctors use this hypoallergenic formula to help manage reflux with great success.

8. Ergo Baby Carrier

One thing you’ll have to accept is that your reflux baby will need to be carried a lot. That can be really hard, especially if you have other kids to tend to. But having a good carrier makes all the difference! This definitely kept me sane. I was really hesitant to spend the money. I actually went through two cheaper carriers before finally splurging on this. It was worth every cent! As your baby gets heavier, you’ll need a quality carrier. Trust me, your back and shoulders will thank you.

9. Dr. Brown Formula Mixing Pitcher

If you plan on using powdered formula, this is a Godsend! It is a pitcher with a built-in manual blender. Because it’s made by Dr. Brown, it’s designed to mix your formula without introducing extra air. Then you just pop it in the fridge and pour from it. It holds about 36 oz comfortably. It’s also dishwasher safe.

10. Extra Absorbant Cotton Padded Burp Cloths

Before I had my son, I had the cutest little burp cloths that matched outfits. But honestly, they were no match for my son’s projectile spit up. They were too thin and not absorbent enough. If your baby has reflux, you’ll soon learn everything will get covered in spit up. These burp clothes are great and they have extra padding to catch spit up and vomit.

Looking for more mom support? Learn more about Resetting Your Day as a Mom

The post 10 Sanity Saving Products for Your Reflux Baby first appeared on My Beautiful Mess