Does My Baby Really NEED All This?

BellyBelly is an excellent resource for new parents. Based in Australia, Kelly Winder is passionate about providing evidence-based information and support for new moms and dads. You’ll find a range of topics covering pregnancy, birth, postpartum, breastfeeding, and parenting. The BellyBelly Facebook page has a million followers!

I recently came across an article titled, “10 ‘Must Have’ Baby Products that are a Waste of Money.” I took a look at it and did a little research on the prices of the products listed because I was curious about how much money was being “wasted.” Here’s some of the potential costs:

1. Baby Wipe Warmer – $30
2. Baby Seat – $40 – 140 depending on the bells and whistles
3. Baby Talcum Powder – $2 – 20 per bottle, depending on the brand
4. Baby Gloves and Socks – each about $5 per pair
5. Baby Food Blender – $40 – 100
6. Expensive Rockers and Swings – rockers are about $100 and swings are about $200
7. Bottles and Formula “Just in Case” – bottle kits are about $50 and formula is about $20 – 30 per can of powder
8. Baby Shoes – all over the place — from $10 for simple crib shoes to $35 for Sperry Top-Siders or Chuck Taylors to $60 for Uggs or Dr. Martens
9. Baby Walker – $35
10. Hooded Baby Towels – $5 – 35 each depending on if it’s plain or has an animal hood or a Disney character

TOTAL — one could easily spend between $500 and $1000!

It is impossible to know if your baby will even like some of the things mentioned in the article. It would be a shame to spend $200 on a swing when she screams every time you put her in it, and while I totally agree that baby shoes are absolutely adorable, they are a pricey accessory at this point in their lives.

Now it doesn’t mean that you can’t have the things on that list, but you are likely working within a budget or you are thinking about items to add to your registry. I find that there are other things new parents “need” that may be a better use of some of that money.

So what else can $500 – $1000 buy?

• Meal Delivery Service – $60 – 75 for 3 meals for 2 people
• House Cleaning – $80 – 150 each visit
• Massage – $100 for a 1-hour visit
• Postpartum Doula – $400 for 10 hours of support

For that same amount of money you could have a week of Postpartum Support, have someone Clean Your House, and schedule a Massage.

Or you could have a month of Postpartum Support and 3 weeks worth of Meals Delivered.

You could even have almost a year of House Cleaning or Massages!

So when you’re out shopping, or if you see the latest and greatest thing advertised, or if you are registering for the baby shower, take a minute to think about some of the things that you may want during the postpartum period and add those to your list instead.