Things Not to Buy Baby

A List of Things not to Stock Up on Before Baby Comes Home

“What do we need for baby?” Is probably one of the questions parents face as it rapidly comes time for baby’s arrival. I know that I get asked this question all the time in conversations with our customers. We’ve already touched on What to Buy For Baby – but thought it was equally important to talk about what we found was not necessary to buy before baby comes.

First, decide what gear and equipment you need, determine a budget – and stick to it. You can pay thousands of dollars just on decorating a nursery – and that’s not counting other baby necessities such as strollers, car seat, etc. Or, you can get a great nursery look for well under $500 (including furniture), and spend the rest of your money on the stroller, car seat, etc.

Some of the things people buy (or stock up on) that they really don’t need include:

Crib Bumpers:
Crib bumpers go around the inside of the crib slats to protect baby’s head from bumping against the slates. The problem is, most of these bumpers create more of a safety hazard than any protection. Baby should be put to sleep on their backs – and away from any soft bedding that could cover their noses and suffocate them. If you have a mobile newborn (and once baby is scooting or rolling over on their own, at about 3-4 months), make sure that the crib bumper (and any other bedding) isn’t loose enough that baby can suffocate against the fabric. Once baby can pull themselves up, using the slates as support, you should remove the crib bumper so that baby does not become entangled in the bumper.

We did buy a crib bumper (with a matching quilt, mattress, mobile, and diaper holder). We ended up removing the bumper as soon as the boys started ‘scooting’, because they would scoot themselves against the bumper attached to the rails, and I was concerned that they wouldn’t be able to breathe right.

Diaper Rash Cream:
The good news is that if you change diapers often, keeping baby’s bottom clean and dry, diaper rashes aren’t a big risk – especially while baby is breastfeeding or on formula. Our boys didn’t have any diaper rashes at all until they started eating fruit and fruit juices after four months. Another piece of good news is that a little bit goes a long way. Products like Grandma El’s Diaper Rash Remedy helps prevent diaper rashes from even occurring. If you do want to buy a diaper rash cream, invest in a jar of Grandma El’s Diaper Rash Rememdy or a large tube of Balmax, A&D or another brand, and you’ll be surprised at how long it lasts.

Formula:
Even if you know you’re not going to breastfeed, or are going to supplement, don’t stock up on formula. There are several different types available, and a formula that was perfect for your first born or your friend’s baby may cause a negative reaction (spit up and gassiness, to name two) for yours. One of our boys could take just about any formula, but our other son seemed to have a problem with all but one. I had a friend who had stocked up on a six-month supply of soy-based formula, only to find out that her daughter was allergic to soy.

The hospital will have formula for you to use, and many pediatricians also have cans that they will give you as you find the formula that’s best for you (ask your hospital and pediatrician for samples, and you may be surprised at how much you receive). I’m not saying don’t buy any, I just wouldn’t plan on storing a few weeks’ supply until you know what your baby likes and tolerates well. A hint for formula buying: sign up with the major formula maker’s websites, and you’ll be getting all sorts of freebies, samples, and great “checks”. We were able to go for over four months without actually “buying” any formula because I watched stores sales and the “checks” we received covered the purchase cost – and we were buying for twins. The savings didn’t stop there, either.

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