Useful and Useless

Ok, now that we all have kids lets compare opinions.

We were all so happy to find out we were pregnant. We ran to Babies R Us or Buy Buy Baby to register. We took the must have list from them and then ran around with the gun scanning everything that was cute, cool and what other people told us were the "MUST HAVE" things for our babies.

Lets cut to the BS now. What as the most useless thing that you registered for and why? What was the most useful and why? What advice woud you give to a new mother registering?

Re: Useful and Useless

as a first time mom of a two week old all I can say so far is My bugaboo stroller is so useful - We love it!!!
He is in it all the time!!!

can't answer the useless part yet

Re: Useful and Useless

Useful: swing, bouncer, pack n'play, video monitor, travel system, bottle warmer


Useless: bassinet


I'll add on as I think of more...

Re: Useful and Useless

Useful: Travel system, bouncy, swing, excersaucer, jumperoo, ANGEL CARE MONITOR, wipes warmer



Useless- For me (pack n play- however mine stays at my moms- and he sometimes takes a nap in there while Im at work), dreft ( all free and clear is the same thing and so much cheaper!) bottle warmer (warm water in a coffee mug works just as well)

Re: Useful and Useless

Useless: bassinet and bouncer and pack & play


Useful: swing, swing, and swings & bottle warmer

Re: Useful and Useless

ueless: tub [lol], bouncy seat, pack n play, wipes warmer, bottle warmer

useful: safer bather, car seat, swing

Re: Useful and Useless

Useful:

- First Years bottle warmer (way faster than using hot tap water)
- Prince Lionheart wipes warmer
- Pack 'n play (used this as bassinet)
- Fisher Price travel swing (totally wasn't going to register for it because we don't travel, but we carry it all over the house - it's awesome!)

Useless:

- Swaddle me - could never get it to fit on him right. Big receiving blankets work much better!

Re: Useful and Useless

Useful: bouncy seat, snap n go, summer video monitor, swaddleme wrap, dr browns bottles, gymini playmat

Useless- packnplay- took up too much room, just put her up in her crib, bottlewarmer-mug worked just as well, receiving blankets-had 20 of them and if I used 1 you were lucky, crib sheet saver-total hazard in the crib, "spa" tub that was $40--a plain tub and kitchen sprayer would work just the same......

Message edited 8/9/2006 3:13:01 PM.

Re: Useful and Useless

Useful:
- Gymini Activity Mat: This is my #1 recommendation. I seriously don't know what I would have entertained DS with the first few months without this. It was worth every penny and more. Even now I still take the detachable toys off the arch and let him play with them while on a blanket.
- Bouncer: I have the Fisher Price Infant-to-Toddler Rocker, but it's the same basic thing. Only way you can get a quick shower, 20 min or so on the computer, etc
- Boppy: I originally thought this was useless because I stopped nursing after 2 weeks and have been full-time pumping since then. BUT... it's great to prop the baby up in and seems to come in handy all the time now
- Video Monitor: The only way I could transition him to the crib at night without having a nervous breakdown myself. Also he can nap in the crib during the day and you can go about your business, just taking the monitor with you
- Dr Brown's Bottles: Love these!
- FP Aquarium High Chair: We started putting him in this at 3 months, and he would play with the toys attached to the tray, and DH and I can now actually eat together and enjoy the meal, lol!
- Sleep Sack: We have used this every night since he was about 3 weeks old.
- Pump in Style Advance: This pump works GREAT. I have been full-time pumping for 5 months now using this pump, and it's very comfortable and powerful.

Useless:
- Super-expensive Glider: I splurged on a Dutaiier. I use my glider ALL the time but now I look back and admit that I really would have been fine with a much cheaper model
- Bumbo seat: Fun to prop him up in this and take pics, but what else is it good for really?
- Stuffed toys: Everyone gives these as part of a baby gift. DS is not interested in them, and I won't put them in his crib. So they are all arranged in a big wicker basket in the nursery, looking cute but gathering dust.
- Receiving blankets: I could not swaddle DS properly with these, and didn't have much else to use them for, except for wrapping him up when he's undressed at the pediatrician's office.
- Cheap hooded towels: Why are they all so paper thin? They barely absorb anything! It's worth it to splurge on a couple really good plush ones IMO.

Re: Useful and Useless

You must have read my mind.....
Great Thread....
Please keep the comments coming......
I will post a link to the pregnancy board because this is very helpful.

Re: Useful and Useless

Useful: Swing, bouncy seat, snap-n-go, play mat

Useless: Bumboo(my DD hated it), pack-n-play (we hardly use it), Derft - I agree ALL Free & Clear is the same thing and cheaper

Message edited 8/9/2006 3:25:03 PM.

Re: Useful and Useless

Useful - BIBS BIBS AND more bibs - trust me you will use them especially when your baby starts eating cereal - or you don't have a chance to do laundry as often as you'd like.

Useless - wipes warmer, swing (in my opinion)

Re: Useful and Useless

I have a 4 1/2 year old and a 14 month old. The same useful/useless items applied to BOTH of my children:

Useful:
* Boppy
* Avent Microwave Bottle Sterilizer (so fast and easy)
* Video Monitor
* Swing (my 14 month old STILL uses it)- #1 most important item!
* Bouncy Seat (for first few months)

USELESS:
* Glider
* Pack n Play
* Bottle Warmer
* Diaper Genie (so retarted. why would you want to keep smelly diapers in your house anyway!!)

Re: Useful and Useless

Useless: Bottle Warmer

Re: Useful and Useless

Useful: swaddle me(works wonders for his sleep), papasan, pack and play (for the bassinet), gymini pay mat(he loves it!)

useless: swing (he hates it), bassinet(it only lasted 5 weeks).

Re: Useful and Useless

It is so funny because half of the items people have on their useful list, I hated and vice versa.

Re: Useful and Useless

Useful-Play mat, PNP, bouncy seat(s), snap n go stroller, swing, bassinet, lots of cloth diapers to use as burp cloths, travel high chair/booster seat, stroller netting, lots of bibs, travel wipe holder. Soft colorful toys.

Useless-bottle warmer, plug in sterilizer, wipe warmer, too many recieving blankets, i only use like 3-4 of them and I have like 15!, Crib bedding (next time i am only buying sheets and a ruffle.)

Re: Useful and Useless

Useful:
Pack & Play (crib upstairs/pnp downstairs, also good for vacations, beach & outside on the deck)
Bouncy Seat
video monitor
regular monitor
Stroller with step board in the back for when you have 2.
Boppy


Useless:
Highchair - we used a booster seat more
Bottle Warmer
Bathrobes for infants
10,000 stuffed animals
5,000 receiving blankets
Baby Bjorn - used it maybe 2-3x
Bath Seat/tub
My Breast Friend pillow

Message edited 8/9/2006 4:03:04 PM.

Re: Useful and Useless

I agree with all the usefulls, especially my boppy

useless to me a bottle warmer, pack in play so far but we will be using as she gets older and for when we go camping..

Re: Useful and Useless

The most useful thing to me is a Sling!!! I wear DD in it all the time and she absolutely loves it!!! It enables me to have her close to me and I can get things done! Ocean Wonders Travel Swing is great too!

Re: Useful and Useless

Usefull = Bundle Me!! (especially for winter babies), PNP, travel swing (great to move around the house) bouncy seat and Baby Einstien videos


Useless = wipes warmer, bottle warmer, and blankets.

Re: Useful and Useless

useful-- the swing, fp bouncer, co sleeper, swaddle me blanket, boppy, burp cloths


useless- bassinet, million blankets when you only need 1 or 2, receiving blankets never really used them at all.

Re: Useful and Useless

Most useful is the tub with a sling that goes in your kitchen sink..that is the best invention and it makes giving a bath very easy. The wipe warmer is a waste i never used one and my babies are fine. They get used to the wipes fast.Also the the snap and go...Best!

Re: Useful and Useless

useful: cradle swing, boppy pillow, bassinet, playmat, infant tub with sling, bouncy chair

useless: pack n play, a million receiving blankets (i have never used them because I got about 30 blankets), stuffed animals, the snap undershirts for before their umbilical cord falls off - never used these either.

Re: Useful and Useless

Useful:
cradle SWING
play mat
bouncy seat
bottle warmer if using RTF
BIBS!!!!! I never thought I would use the 50 I received, but now that she's teething and eating solids, I go through about 4-5/day


Useless:
bassinett
wipe warmer
bottle warmer--if using powder--you'll never need it
also- don't register for receiving blankets, I got a TON and returned some...still have about 10

Message edited 8/9/2006 6:48:05 PM.