Newborns need a lot less than we think. Photo / 123rf
If you're about to become a new parent, congratulations. It is the most thrilling adventure of your life.
Now brace yourself: the internet is full of "baby essentials" lists and you'll be flooded with information on all the things you need to buy for your baby. And we get it: you want to give your child everything you can. That's a completely normal feeling and one of the many things that make you a great parent. There is, however, a big difference between what your child needs and what the internet tells you your child needs - and the difference can translate into hundreds of dollars.
Of course some items make your life a lot easier - and as a new parent, you need whatever helps. Other items, however, are a complete waste of money and you will probably find yourself wondering what to do with this thing you paid for in your hormonal daze but never actually used.
Before you head to the shops, here's a list of items you don't need to buy and probably won't use much (disclaimer: some parents might disagree and swear by these but, if you're tight for money or space in your home, these are definitely not essential).
1. Baby bathtub
Infant bathtubs take up more space than they're worth, for the amount of use you'll get out of them. Newborns aren't supposed to be bathed very often so you won't get to use it much before your baby turns into an older infant who can sit up in your tub. While they're small enough for an infant bathtub, you'll probably find they're also small enough for sink baths (which have the added bonus of making for cute baby photos) and can be bathed in any other plastic container you've got lying around.
2. Change table
I think I used my change table about two, maybe three times, in the first six months of my child's life. The rest of the time, I found myself doing emergency nappy changes wherever we happened to be (on the floor, on the sofa, in the back of the car, on the bed). By the time she learned to roll around, the change table became officially dangerous (and by then it was just a shelf for the stuff I was meant to tidy away anyway). Minus 10 points, would not buy again.
3. Baby towels
Baby towels are just towels so, really, just use a towel. Any towel. The softer the better, obviously, but that goes for you as well anyway so just treat yourself to some nice towels and then share them with the baby. Everyone wins.
4. Baby shoes
The problem with baby shoes, like baby anything, is that they're so freaking adorable they can almost send a mother into early labour. But babies can't walk and, therefore, don't need shoes. Some experts will tell you that they should not have shoes, as you need to let their tiny feet move and grow as freely as possible. Also, good luck having a baby who won't try to take the shoes off. I swear some make it their personal mission to lose at least one shoe per outing.
5. Nappy disposal system
Yes, some days you'll feel like the smell coming from that nappy needs to be locked in some kind of vault so no one on the planet ever has to come near it. Some days, your baby's poop will stink so badly you worry it might send the value of your house right down. That still doesn't mean you need to spend money on a nappy disposal system. Taking the rubbish out every day works just as well, for 100 per cent less money.
6. A baby foodmaker
Much like baby towels are just towels, baby food is just food. Skip the fancy foodmaker, you're spending enough money as it is. You can cook baby food on the stove like anything else, than use any old blender to mash it all up.
7. Toys
Things your baby will want to play with: your shoelaces, any power cord lying around, the TV remote, his/her own feet, anything you wish they wouldn't touch. Things your baby will probably ignore: any fancy toy you buy them. If you want to have designated items for the baby to play with, putting together a heuristic basket is a good idea for sensory play. The good news is that you can use any old item (little plastic bowls, a honey dipper, a small sieve, bottles filled with things like rice, etc). The other good news is that other people are likely to gift some toys for your baby so it's definitely not an expense you need to have, as babies don't need many toys anyway. You could argue too many toys are actually bad as they can overstimulate them so don't overstimulate your bank account with that expense.
8. Baby toiletries
Do you know what smells better than a baby? Absolutely nothing. Also, keep in mind that a baby's skin is very sentitive so you need to be careful with what products you put on it. Plain water does the job and, if you want to get fancy, you can add a little bit of coconut oil. Newborns don't need shower gel, they don't need shampoo (unless yours has a lot of hair, in which case please send pics because he/she sounds adorable) and they most definitely do not need perfume.
9. Breastfeeding pillow
A breasfeeding pillow is a funny-shaped pillow and that's not something that should be on anyone's "must buy" list. If you have pillows at home, you can make your own breasfeeding pillow by arranging these in a way that makes you comfortable while feeding your baby. Of course all of that is useless anyway as you are likely to be too tired to think of proper posture while feeding every hour or so and will therefore end up with a permanently sore neck for the next few months of your life (but, again, congratulations on your happy news).
10. Baby mittens
If you know a baby who kept their baby mitts on then you know a special baby and should give them a cuddle for being so good. But you know what's better than baby mittens for your baby's hands, if they're cold or you worry about them scratching their adorable baby face? Baby socks. So save yourself some money and then spend it on extra socks. The other good news is that a lot of sleepsuits have built-in mitts so you can just unfold that to cover your baby's hands.
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