7 Things New Parents Waste Money On
Written by
Nicole Spector
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
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New parents are easy targets for retailers. They’re emotional, sleep deprived and terrified that they’ll do something fatally wrong when caring for their babies. Plus, babies are so cute and the stuff that is marketed to us, for them, is also so cute. And if it’s not cute, then it’s hyped up as oh-so useful. You’ll be walking down the aisles of Target and think, “Oh, maybe that bottle will make the experience of suckling better for him,” or, “That toy sure looks engaging in a multisensory way. I can see how that would help stimulate healthy brain development.”
It would be presumptuous to say that one bottle doesn’t, for some reason, work better for your baby than another. Or that a particular toy won’t become their first big fascination. But a lot of the stuff we buy as new parents is stuff we (and they) just don’t need and, sadly, may not ever use — at least not to an extent that justifies the spending. Here’s a look at seven things new parents waste money on.
Baby Shoes
Baby shoes are heartbreakingly precious. Even the ever-macho Hemingway seems to have known this when he won the entire genre of flash fiction with the six-word short story “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Most people think this miniature fiction is alluding to the death of an infant. But it could be about someone finally getting rid of all the adorable baby stuff they thought their baby would use that ended up being utterly useless.
Babies do not need shoes and they shouldn’t wear them even when taking their first steps. Not until toddlers — yes, toddlers — have been walking for at least a few months should they be wearing shoes, as shoes can impede the natural growth and movement of an infant’s foot.
Stuffed Animals
We’ve all seen the movie about the expecting parents who have an immaculate, premium nursery all set up for the newborn months before they’re even due. This dream nursery usually has at least a couple very expensive looking stuffed animals somewhere on display. These stuffed creatures really bring the whole darling aesthetic together. They’re so cute and yet, honestly, so useless. Kids may show some interest in stuffed animals as babies, but usually they don’t really interact with them until they’re about 18 months old. So, while it’s OK to get maybe one high-quality stuffed, hypoallergenic stuffed animal for baby, don’t get them more than that. They’re a waste of money and space.
Blankets
You will want to have some swaddle blankets on hand (a nurse, doula or nanny can show you how to use them), and you can get a four-pack of muslin ones on Amazon for not that much, about $17.
But that’s really it when it comes to any and all things blankets. A lot of parents buy blankets for the wee ones, not realizing that it’s actually extremely dangerous to have blankets in a crib before your baby is a year old, due to the risk of accidental suffocation.
Wipes Warmer
Here’s something parents didn’t have 50 years ago but probably wish they did, right? A baby wipes warmer! These electronic gadgets, which sell for around $35 on Amazon do just what it sounds like they do: Warm up wipes so your baby’s bum experiences only the silkiest and softest of cleanings.
Well, here’s the truth about wipe warmers: Most of the time you will be too consumed with the absolute insanity of all things baby-rearing to deal with them and they will not be accessible when you’re out and about, so baby’s going to have to get used to wipes that are not perfectly warm. More importantly, they may be breeding grounds for bacteria.
Baby Oil
Here’s the deal with baby oil: There could come a time when you actually want to use it. Pediatricians may recommend it if your baby has cradle cap — but vegetable oil, mineral oil or petroleum jelly work just as well and are more multipurpose.
If you just can’t go without that sweet-smelling Johnson’s Baby Oil, we won’t persuade you to think twice, but make sure not to buy a lot of it. A little goes a long way and you probably already have something in your kitchen or bathroom pantry that will do the trick.
Diaper Genie
Having a baby means having to change diapers, and unless you have the time and patience to opt for the most cost-effective method — reusable cotton diapers — you’re going to be buying a lot of disposable diapers. You will buy more, in fact, than you ever thought imaginable. Obviously, once used, these things don’t smell too good and it’s reasonable to want to eradicate the stench pronto. That’s where the Diaper Genie comes in.
Launched in the U.S. in the mid-1990s, the Diaper Genie features a diaper pail that seals each diaper individually to lock odors in. Now, make no mistake: This thing really works and it’s a great idea. But it’s not like using a trashcan where you just step on a lever and boom you’re done. It requires some dexterity and a dash of thought — nothing major, but enough to get on your nerves when you’re dead tired with a newborn on your hands. Plenty of parents swear by using a regular trashcan and putting each diaper in a sealed bag, rather than spending $23 on this nifty but ever so slightly involved contraption.
MamaRoo
Type “Is MamaRoo worth it” in a Google search and you will find loads of Reddit posts, social media rants and think pieces. The MamaRoo, a multimotion baby swing and bouncer by 4moms, has, over the past decade, become an item you can find on probably 80% of baby registries. This machine, which looks and sounds like a baby spaceship, purports to oscillate your infant into a quiet bliss. If baby gets tired of one speed or direction, you can try another speed and direction. Look, it’s worth a shot if it works, right? It’s only $270.
But not only do plenty of babies absolutely hate the MamaRoo, to the point where it actually causes them to sob and scream, there’s also controversy around this ultra-hyped machine. And for good reason: Past iterations of this thing have proven to be fatally dangerous. In 2022, the 4moms MamaRoo Baby Swing versions 1.0 through 4.0 (about 2 million units) were recalled due to strangulation hazards. As of now, new MamaRoo machines are generally considered safe, but still not worth $270 because of the strong possibility that your baby will loathe it. Plus, even if it is safe, you still have to watch them like a hawk while they’re in it, so it’s not as though you get to enjoy their downtime — heaven forbid!
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