NEWBORN ITEMS YOU DON’T ACTUALLY NEED FOR YOUR LITTLE ONE

If anyone asks you, “what is the most amazing moment of your life?” your answer would definitely be none other than the moment you got to know that you have conceived. You’re receiving the highest form of title in the world, which is parenthood, for the very first time. That moment is a mixture of so many feelings. It is a fact that it was the very instant you thought to yourself that you wanted to give everything possible to your baby.

Following this thought, you then start making lists, surfing baby items online, asking for recommendations from your friends, visiting baby stores, and the list goes on. Nevertheless, your excitement and eagerness lead you to purchase every baby item under the sun for your baby. Now, if you’re in this same situation, pause for a while, take a deep breath, and relax.

If you’re all set to go in this mindset, you’re not too far away before realizing most of the stuff you’ve purchased is not actually necessary. You need to understand that your baby does not require, nor does he look for everything you think you will “need” after the confinement.

Sure, if you’re a first-time parent, it’s a fact that you don’t believe, but if you’re a second or a third-time parent, you very well understand and will surely agree with this. You must already be experiencing the amount of unnecessary baby stuff that has piled up and taken so much of space in your house.

When you’re a mom-to-be or a dad-to-be, it’s quite obvious that you try to shower your baby with the best of the best. That’s perfectly justified, but it’s advisable to pay attention to how you can be smart enough to buy only the items you “actually need.”

When we consider the items we require, we need to focus on a few things. Sticking to a budget is always wise as most of the things that we buy from a range of brands and prices will not be used for too long. Therefore, buying what you really need while being budget conscious is advisable. Also, do not stack things up as and when you see them. This is not a great idea as your baby will outgrow things. Another fact to focus on is always thinking if you really need to buy the item or if you can use any other options or alternatives.

Let’s look at a few of the many items you don’t actually need to buy for your newborn. Top among the list includes loads of newborn-sized clothes, baby shoes, feeding items, baby care items, etc.

• Newborn Sized Clothes

When you’re a first-time parent, it is very natural that you fall in love with all kinds of baby clothes. If you happen to know your baby’s gender, chances are even higher that you buy even more stuff. Always remember your baby will outgrow all those onesies and other newborn clothes in no time. So, if you fill up your baby closet with newborn clothes, you will be in trouble before too long. Always go by a list, and keep in mind your baby will be receiving gifts too. As an alternative, you can buy a very limited number of clothes and gradually add to the collection as and when needed.

• Baby Shoes

Another item that you go crazy about when you see is baby shoes. Most of the time, when we buy shoes, we try to match them with the outfits. You will end up buying so many pairs of tiny shoes, which will outgrow your baby in a blink of an eye.

Instead, you can use a few pairs of socks so when your baby is ready for his first steps; you can then buy a few pairs of shoes.

• Crib Bedding

When you are a new parent, you simply go crazy when seeing full sets of crib bedding filled with dainty little nursery prints and patterns on them. And in the next moment, you will find yourself buying the whole collection for your baby. These sets consist of bumpers, comforter, crib sheet, bolster pillows, and pillowcases. Your idea is to make your baby feel extremely comfy and cozy in the crib, but remember, your baby will not be in the crib for long. Therefore, spending a considerable amount on these is nothing but a waste.

As an alternative for these expensive items, you can simply settle down to a pair of fitted sheets and a crib skirt, which will still make your crib look stylish and cute.

• Bath Thermometer

A bath thermometer is a piece of equipment you will use for an extremely short period, but the price you would pay for it will be quite considerable. Instead of a bath thermometer, you can easily use your elbow or the inside of your arm to make sure the temperature is at the right level. As we know, in the olden times, our grandmas used this method, and it was extremely accurate. Checking the temperature and feel on your body will help make sure it’s the right level for your baby.

• Changing Table

A changing table is another item that will make you spend a lot of money and take up a lot of space in your room. You should keep in mind that your baby is not in diapers for long, and even if he does, it will change into diaper pants where your baby will no longer need to be kept on a changing table.

In its place, you can use a changing pad on a dresser. Once your baby outgrows the changing pad, the dresser will still come in handy for future use.

• Plenty of small feeding bottles

Instead of buying sets of small quantity bottles like 4oz or 5oz feeding bottles, it’s a smart move to invest in larger size bottles that hold 9oz or 12oz. The only change you will have to do in such instances will be changing the nipple of the bottle from a slow flow nipple to a fast flow one. When you invest in these larger-sized bottles, your baby will eventually be using these bottles for a longer period.

• Bottle Sterilizers

Bottle sterilizers come in different brands and models. Still, in reality, once your baby is away from the first few months and the sterilization reduces, these sterilizers become nothing but an unwanted piece of item in your home. As a substitute for buying a bottle sterilizer, you could easily boil some hot water in a big saucepan, cup, or bowl and immerse the bottles and other items and keep them closed to use when needed.

These are very few items of the many you will be investing huge amounts on, and even after doing so, these items will be the ones you don’t actually need.

Therefore, a few tips that would be really useful would be first to buy a list of essentials for which you will not spend tons of money but will spend wisely and not fill your home with unnecessary items.

As we know, “babies are expensive,” this saying is in use because we very well see those baby items are extremely expensive, and some items, including toys, can cost us a fortune. Also, what you buy the first time is not the last thing you will be purchasing, from clothes to shoes to toys to other baby items. Everything will keep coming into your home as your little one grows up.

To add to it, the gifts you will receive from friends and family are yet to be counted. The majority of these gifts will also be the same items you would have already bought, so be concerned about the gifts when you buy things.

One last tip would be talking to close friends and family who are new parents or have little babies. They will be able to help you out with the extremely essential items they used, which will help you finalize the items you should buy and exclude newborn items you do not actually need.