Five things your new baby doesn’t need

Since the New Year, we’ve had three babies arrive to first-time parents in our street.

I’ve spotted the Dads coming and going, wearing that glazed and terrified look of when you have no idea what you’re doing – but it’s costing you a lot of money.

Apart from a live-in nanny, what I wanted most when I was a brand new mum was guidance on what to buy.

The amount of useless stuff we picked up, thinking it was necessary, was so frustrating.

But the baby industry is like that. It has you convinced if you don’t buy the fancy gadgets and matching furniture you’re jinxed and your child will never sleep or eat.

And you buy everything before baby arrives, so you’ll be prepared. When apart from the essentials, you really should wait and see.

Here’s the stuff I consider the biggest waste of money when you’ve got a new baby:

1. Changing table

There’s always a matching one to go with your baby’s cot. But what’s the point? They cost anywhere from £60 to £100 – and some people consider them dangerous once your baby starts rolling. A foam change mat can be picked up for less than a tenner, and can be used anywhere in the house. Put it on the floor to change baby, and it doesn’t matter if you’re distracted and he rolls off along the carpet (although make sure you’ve wiped his bottom first. Yeuuuurrrrrgh!)

2. Moses baskets/bassinets/rocking cribs

At any other time in your life, would you buy a bed you know you’ll need to replace in 3-6 months? Unless you can borrow one to get you started, I’d buy a cotbed and invest in a cot divider which will make it cosy enough when baby is very small. Swaddling with a blanket will also mean the little one doesn’t feel too exposed.

3. A pram

This is the travelling equivalent of the moses basket. Something the little one will grow out of and then you need to buy a buggy. Not only that, but it’s bulky and not the kind of thing you can easily get in the car boot or on the bus. A buggy which reclines, or a travel system which allows him to stay in his car seat, is a much better bet.

4. Baby shoes

Who are you buying these for? Barefoot is best for a baby until he starts walking – and even then going bare indoors is still encouraged while the feet are developing. Socks are enough to keep an infant’s feet warm, or an all-in-one sleepsuit under a jacket. Baby shoes can be restricting and they’re purely for decoration.

5. A free-standing highchair

Now I know what you’re thinking. And I must admit we had a highchair (a gift from my Mum) which saw us through feeding times for both our boys when they were little. But thinking about the cost – more than £100 – and the fact we couldn’t get it close to the dining table, I’ve realised it wasn’t necessary. This great highchair-style booster seat is less than £30 and means baby could sit with the rest of the family.

What do you think? Would any other items make your top five?

Would you argue any of these are essential for a baby?

For a definitive list of what you will need for a newborn, check out this article written by yours truly for MyFamilyClub.

Tags: baby essentials, baby shoes, bassinets, best buys for new baby, booster seat, buggy, change mat, changing table, cot divider, cotbed, five things babies don't need, highchair, moses baskets, MyFamilyClub, pram, pushchair, rocking cribs, swaddling a baby, travel system, waste of money