1. Diaper pail (for disposable diapers). In theory, these are a great idea. Until you get it home and realize that you spend all your time downstairs, so every time you change a diaper, you have to run upstairs to the nursery to throw the diaper away. One day, you cannot fit one more diaper in the pail, so you have to figure out how to open the thing and remove the gigantic sausage-like trail of old dirty diapers. Even though the ridiculously expensive refills are very heavily scented, the diapers have been sitting there for at least a couple of days, so the entire room smells for a while after you remove the old dirty diapers. The pails that use regular garbage bags are basically one more trash receptacle to remember to take out on garbage day, but this one is full of nothing but very old diapers. Nowadays, most disposable diapers are scented enough on their own, that if you change your kitchen garbage as often as most of us do, there is little or no added odor. Save your money and the Earth, and skip the diaper pail.
2. Changing table. As with the diaper pail, these are never in the right place at the right time. How many new parents want to climb the stairs every time they change a diaper or the baby's clothes? Most of us use the floor, the couch or the bed (be extra careful when they start moving-- never leave a baby alone on a raised surface!). Later on, changing tables are a huge hazard for little rollers and climbers. On top of all of this, they are expensive and used for a very short period of time. Buy a new rocking chair or glider, instead; you will get a lifetime of use with one of those!
3. Nursing pillow. Some women may take issue with the nursing pillow being included in this list, but if the goal is to save money and space in your home, you can use the pillows on your bed and achieve the same assistance while nursing. That being said, there are various pillows available, with a variety of features. If you feel you must have one, don't buy the first one you see! Visit a store with several options so you can try them out before committing (generally, hospitals have boutiques with a good selection).
4. High chair. These things are ridiculous. They take-up a ton of space, cost way too much, and are a pain to store when your child is finished with it. Plus, you can't take them to Grandma's house, so you will no doubt buy a portable booster seat, as well! Many experienced parents have done-away with the high chair altogether and just used the portable booster. At home, you can strap it to a kitchen chair and no extra space is needed around you table; when you are going to eat at someone else's house, or even to a restaurant with inadequate high chairs, you just unstrap it and pop it in the trunk! And if you go to a barbeque where there are no chairs available, these seats work just as well on the ground! I cannot say enough good things about portable booster chairs. My personal favorites are made by Fisher Price. The less expensive one
is more portable, but does not recline, and the higher-end one
is bulkier, but reclines and has a 5-point harness. Either one is a MUCH more sensible purchase than a full-size high chair.
5. Stroller. Gasp! In our culture, it is practically blasphemy to suggest that a stroller is unnecessary, but I stand by that statement. Next time you are at a mall, fair, zoo or other popular family destination where a lot of walking takes place, look for strollers, and count how many actually have a child in them. And of those children, how many are infants? I have done this very experiment several times, and the answer is always that very few infants spend much time in their strollers. Most strollers are glorified shopping carts until a child is old enough for the stroller to be used as time-out quarters, temporary rest-stops and safe holding areas for runaway toddlers. The current trend of baby wearing means a myriad of less expensive, more portable, and very comfortable carriers are available for infants (and many of them are comfortable to wear toddlers in, too!). When done safely, baby-wearing reduces infant crying, promotes attachment, and helps regulate heart rate and breathing (see www.thebabywearer.com for more information). Of course, I have my personal favorite
, but so many great options are out there, and each parent and baby are so individual, I am not recommending one carrier over another (at least not in this post!). Almost invariably, if you do your research and buy the right carrier(s) for you and your family (Bryce wears Isadora all the time-- these are not just for moms, it will be less expensive and more versatile than a stroller. Make sure you know how to correctly use whatever carrier(s) you buy; many retailers have baby wearing specialists who can help make sure you and your baby are both safe and comfortable. If you are in the Seattle area, see Regarding Peanut; my friend Katy will take good care of you! When your baby is older, you may decide you need a stroller for the reasons I mentioned above, or you may not.
Keep in mind that stores are more concerned with their sales numbers than they are with you preparing adequately for your baby, and while friends and family will each have their own favorite items, babies need very little in the way of material items to be happy and well-taken-care-of. If you minimize the "nice to have" items and concentrate on the "need to have," you will have more time, more money, more space in your home and more FUN!