Like most every other American mom-to-be, I had a Baby Registry at a certain giant retail chain store for Babies. The store was so big, with so many offerings, that I made two trips just to add things to the registry, not to mention the countless afternoons I spent online adding things via their website. My Sister-in-Law and I had multiple conversations on the ridiculousness of this enormous industry making money off of mothers and their desire to provide everything possibly for their babies. So much of what is available seems completely unnecessary. But in the end, I purchased plenty of "unnecessary" baby items for my girl. It feels kind of shameful, but most of these purchases turned out to be for the good. Here's a rundown.
I have a love/hate relationship with the HALO brand SleepSack Swaddle. Running it through the wash almost ruined it before it was ever used, warping the velcro and creating a lot of loose threads. Plus, the velcro decided to stick to only the most delicate of other items that it was washed with, almost ruining those as well. When I finally had it looking useable, I almost threw it out - all the velcro seemed dangerously scratchy to be wrapped all around my little girl's so-soft skin. But one night I got desperate: she would not stop fussing, and had Houdinied herself out of multiple attempts to swaddle with blankets. I wrapped her up in this contraption and
voila, instantly quieted baby who allowed herself to be bundled off to bed for the night. Now I'm looking in to getting a non-micro-fleece version that we can use during the summer, since this version makes her very, very toasty overnight.
I purchased these before I even knew how to swaddle. It seemed a bit presumptuous at the time to invest in
four swaddle blankets when my attempts to perform "baby origami" had failed so miserably so far, especially since they weren't the cheapest ones out there. But I love these things now. Yes, they have adorable prints. But they are most definitely the perfect size for swaddling a newborn baby, and the only blankets that so far have had any chance of containing our little Houdini Baby. Plus, they are lightweight enough to use in any weather. Also, they make excellent sun shades...
These seemed like a good idea at the time. A necessary purchase to be sure! The problem is, they only cover about three-quarters of the passenger door windows they're attach to. The sun is constantly getting in our keiki's eyes, usually when we are stopped at a light and can do nothing about it. The problem really isn't the shade however, but really the configuration of the windows of my Hyundai Santa Fe. The only real solution is to somehow tint those windows. Until then, those muslin swaddle blankets do work wonders, except for blocking the driver from seeing the baby's face in the mirror. Not a bad purchase, just frustratingly inadequate.
I was warned about the unnecessity of added head supports like these. But Kailea is so tiny in her car seat, and her head is constantly lolling over to the side at a very uncomfortable-looking angle. These are very easy to move between the car seat and her bouncer, which also gives us problems. She doesn't seem to like them very much - I think they work a little too well for her and her adamant desire to always be able to move all of her body whenever she feels like it (and never when you want her to!). But they definitely do the job!
When my online registry suggested I add a wipes warmer to my list, I couldn't believe my eyes. This was the penultimate example of an Unnecessary Baby Product designed by the industry to suck extra dollars away from inexperienced new mothers. Or at least I thought so at the time. Fast forward to weeks of changing diapers on a screaming baby, and it dawned on me that the really blood-curdling screams were always brought on when I introduced the cold baby wipe to her skin. I originally balked at the idea of caving in to The Man, but told myself I would at least look in to how much a wipes warmer costs. On my very next trip out, I discovered that they were only about $20, and
bam! it was in the cart. My reward was a non-screaming baby at her next changing. Whoever invented these things, I salute you!
After a few weeks of dunking bottles in vats of heated tap water for l-o-o-o-n-g minutes during which our keiki would quickly begin to wail, I remembered that I a bottle warmer tucked away somewhere that just needed to be plugged in and have its instructions deciphered. The instructions were simple, the heating was unbelievably quick, and baby was much happier much more quickly! Of course, this just means that we're reinforcing her need for instant gratification - exampled by her new tendency to cry almost immediately when she's hungry, instead of her previous M.O. of giving us a few minutes of grace period to figure out her hunger cues. Still, I can't fault the warmer - it is wonderful!
When I received a free sample of these, I threw them out, as they immediately were in the running for Most Unnecessary Baby Product Ever. Between spit rags and bibs and baby wipes and tissue, was a packet of moistened wipes just for baby's nose
really something someone should even consider? Well, after weeks of watching Kailea spit-up through her nose, and watching that little nose get more and more red, I broke down and bought a packet. The end result is she hates having her nose wiped with these just as much as with anything else I try to use, but her nose doesn't get completely dried out and red so quickly. Final judgment: worth the $3.
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