Spinoff: What NOT to get! - Page 2

[BetsyNY]

Well, of course strollers and baby bucket seats are the debbil.

But what we got and never used was the wipe warmer, Bumbo seat, & bouncy chairs.

[JanB]

Oh gosh, to each their own; I think if having a stroller works for you, then go for it! I was just responding to the original post asking what I personally got and never used. We do get a lot of use out of the umbrella stroller for when the kids are a bit bigger; I just never personally used one in the newborn/infant stage.

Until reading this thread, I had totally forgotten that we did get one of those foam head positioning things at my baby shower! I think I gave it away to charity still in its original box. Those things just mystify me.

[crysmomofthree]

I'm cracking up at the list

I LOOOOOVe my 80$ super playyards so much I have 2 one goes around the upstairs fireplace and the other around the basement fireplace

I have a 10 year old pack and play that we use every summer when we are camping lots, also there have been times when I had a 4-5 year old who wanted to play with little things (lego) and a crawling/ walking baby toddler, and if you put the big kid in the playpen with the lego there are no tears and everyone gets what they want (baby can see the big kid, and baby can't break big kids treasures)

We have a great stroller (phil and teds E3 with the clip on seat) I use it all the time. Sometimes its just the junk holder (4 kids coats is a lot of junk to carry) sometimes a sleeping 30 pound toddler, sometimes its a cool wagon to carry crap to the beach. And when we are camping or outdoors its a great chair for baby while I cook or drink coffe or help the older kids


I also really like the change table, but that is probably because I don't have enough dressers to store all the diapers and clothes so I couldn't live without those two shelves

and what would we do without the crib/indoor trampoline Actually Lauren sleeps in it now, because she doesnt' like our bed with us in it


but one thing that I never needed ever were bottles, even though I did have some preemies and needed to "top them up" I used syringes and droppers. I guess I needed the one bottle that came with my pump to collect the milk. But I really could have done without the dozens that my mil brings over for gifts every time I have a baby

[crysmomofthree]

Originally Posted by Synchro246

I have to say I like bibs too. DS wasn't a terrific drooler, but I did like to be able to change the bib, not his clothing. Also I am a stain spaz and having bibs kept me from freaking out every time he ate anything. I do have to say that tie bibs are useless. I like ones that snap best.

I have a love hate relationship with bibs right now its love because Lauren doesn''t like messes on her shirt so she always asks for one, but when they are littler I find even if I use a bib they still make a mess and I have to change the tshirt, pants and the bib

[Synchro246]

Originally Posted by crysmomofthree

I have a 10 year old pack and play that we use every summer when we are camping lots, also there have been times when I had a 4-5 year old who wanted to play with little things (lego) and a crawling/ walking baby toddler, and if you put the big kid in the playpen with the lego there are no tears and everyone gets what they want (baby can see the big kid, and baby can't break big kids treasures)

That is a GREAT idea!!!

I was just wondering what I was going to do about a toddler/young child playing with non-baby/non-toddler toys. I guess my arm's reach cosleeper will continue to be of use after we are done with it as a cosleeper. Gotta love that!

[Synchro246]

So what's everyones opinion of monitors?

[crysmomofthree]

Originally Posted by Synchro246

So what's everyones opinion of monitors?

I have yet to find one that works

I wish I had a good baby monitor, we live pretty rural, and if I want to go out in the back yard with the older kids while baby is having a nap I want to know the monitor is going to work, probably wont' be relevent this summer since the baby will be so young and probably just in the sling or stroller outside wtih me, but It would have been nice to have one last summer when my dd was 1. Its hard to balance the needs of a toddler with the adventurousness (totally not even a word ) of older kids.

[FuzzyOne]

Originally Posted by Synchro246

So what's everyones opinion of monitors?

we used our monitors for a long time. mainly because we have 2 cats and 3 large dogs and didn't want them sleeping with ds until he got older. so, during nap time we would shut our bedroom door. i used the monitor so i could tell exactly when ds woke up. course now that he's bigger, he has lots of bed companions during nap time. i guess it just really depends on your living space and lifestyle.

we also had the angel care monitor (the one where an alarm goes off with lack of movement). that was solely for me. because i knew it was there i was able to allow myself to sleep.

[dancebaraka]

interesting....
:

[Kleine Hexe]

Popping in here (but not pg) to day that I'm actually thinking of getting a monitor for my older kids. I'm thinking that when I do actually have another baby I might like for the older boys to be in their room. I'll put a monitor in their room so I'll know when they wake in the middle of the night. I'll tell them to just call out for me in the monitor and I'll go to them. I don't want then trying to go down the stairs at night, in the dark, and only half awake. So how weird is that? I'll be buying a monitor for my 6 yr old.

[amyleigh33]

Originally Posted by crysmomofthree

but one thing that I never needed ever were bottles, even though I did have some preemies and needed to "top them up" I used syringes and droppers. I guess I needed the one bottle that came with my pump to collect the milk. But I really could have done without the dozens that my mil brings over for gifts every time I have a baby

Ummm... OK I'm new to this ...what do you do with the collected milk if not feed it to the baby in bottles? Or are you just saying that you only needed a couple bottles, cause you didn't use them that often, as opposed to the dozens from your MIL?

[BrooklynDoula]

I live in NYC where the moniters often pick up everything and I also am in 1000sq feet, all on one floor, so I really can hear everything

I never used the bottles either except the one that came with the pump and one back up but I had horrid pumping issues and never could feed him expressed milk.

[ustasmom]

I have a Sony monitor that is pretty good. I don't usually have a reason to use it, though. I do use it when I put a baby down to sleep and I am using my Angel motion monitor when they are tiny.

[crysmomofthree]

Originally Posted by amyleigh33

Ummm... OK I'm new to this ...what do you do with the collected milk if not feed it to the baby in bottles? Or are you just saying that you only needed a couple bottles, cause you didn't use them that often, as opposed to the dozens from your MIL?

no I really didn't use ANY bottles I'm in canada and get 1 years maternity leave, and I really felt like since I was a wohm that my main "job" for that year was to stay with my baby as much as possible, and I just never had a need for milk in a bottle. I never went out without the baby before 6 months, and rarely after that, but by then if the baby was thirsty they drank sips of expressed milk out of a cup. All the pumped milk I had stored in the freezer I used it for my toddler when I went back to work at 12months, and they took it straight from a cup or a sippy cup.

For some reason I have a weird bottle aversion, I know that a sippy cup and a bottle with a nipple are really the same thing but I don't like bottles, and this was made worse by the constant gifts of bottle from my mil, which I felt was a direct statement to me that I couldn't sustain the baby's just on my breasts alone, and that offended me, and made me dislike bottles even more

[emiLy]

We never had a monitor. A few times we felt like we needed to hear her right away, we set up our phone on speakerphone to the downstairs unit and it worked almost like a monitor. We don't have that phone anymore so I was looking around online for monitors, but they all have horrible reviews so I think I'll pass again.

[angelcat]

Originally Posted by Krystal323

how funny. with Ian, he was a DROOLER, so bibs were essential!! i never had enough! and i've waxed eloquent on another thread about changing tables and wipes warmers too

Yaknow what i think?? I think that the majority of baby things CAN BE useless--it depends on you and your particular baby

a

True! Oh, and I used tions of bibs too.

I had a really hard time thinking of anything I didn't use. Everything people said they didn't use, if I had it, I used it. usually quite a bit.

but, I finally thought of one. The bottle warmer. i finally ended up just nuking the bottles, (well, actually ,just during the winter. Other wise, after the 12st 2 months she'd drink it room temperature.)

Anyhow, the warmer was such a pain to measure the water, and it'd either be too hot or too cold. It was easier to just use a pan of warm water. Then she started being ok with room temperature, then when it got cold, I nuked them for awhille.

Hopefully, If I have another, I'll be able to nurse.

[sdmomma]

Way too many bottles and a bottle warmer. While I was pregnant, I had these visions of pumping and having my DH feed DD every couple days so I could take a bubble bath, read a book, talk on the phone, etc. It turns out I am WAY too lazy to pump - cleaning pump parts, waking up early so I can pump when my supply is the best - forget it!

Decor Diaper pail - I had no idea that I would start using cloth, and found a tote to be the easiest set up.

[koru]

things i got but didn't use or need....

TOYS (bath toys, included).

at least not a bunch of little infant things with bells & whistles. people love to put these as present toppers so it's hard to avoid but i really didn't use them at all. actually, i got rid of all of them after dd1 was born & dd2 didn't miss them at all. (maybe have a few colorful strands of wooden rings, but that's it. and for the bath, my girls love cups! i initially used those stacking cups but they prefer regular little cups that don't have holes in the bottom).

i definitely use my monitor. for me, it's indispensible during naps....espcecially in the summertime when i want to be outside without having to run in & out every 10 minutes to listen for a waking babe. i have a simple, $20 fisher price thing & it works great. i used my first one for 3 years before it broke & replaced it with the same thing....hoping it will get me through the next baby stage.

[roadfamily6now]

great stuff in this thread

[crysmomofthree]

oh and I used to think baby baths were useless until I had a summer baby, and I have to say I loved the baby bath that summer. Because he needed the temp of the bath a little warmer than I wanted to bathe myself in in 30 degree heat. and it got a lot of use