When a mother finds out she’s pregnant, the first thing she thinks is that she needs to buy everything she sees in front of her for the baby, especially if she’s a first-time mom, but after the baby is born, it’s easy to notice several useless items in the layette. Bright advertising is designed to sell thousands of cute things for the baby, but don’t be fooled: many things on the market are unnecessary and most of them will be used for just a few months at best, which makes them useless items for the layette. It’s possible to keep the baby happy with much less if instead of looking up ready-made lists on the internet, the mother asks friends and relatives who have already had children about what really gets used, so as not to waste money on useless layette items.

Suggestions to Consider for Your Layette List

Here are some tips to consider, especially for the practicality and the busyness of everyday life with a baby: Make sure it can be cleaned – Avoid anything that can’t be thrown in the washing machine or easily wiped clean. Stay away from single-use items or baby-specific things, opt for items that the baby can use in the coming years. Choose secondhand – The moment the baby spits up, vomits, or poops on anything (and they will), the item becomes “used” and is worth a fraction of what you paid for it. Skip the depreciation and buy used to start. Also, embrace secondhand clothes that meet your needs and pass things along when you no longer need them. If you’re buying a used car seat, make sure it doesn’t have any problems, and used cribs should also meet the latest safety recommendations. Be selective – Items like bottles and pacifiers with modern designs cost more, but rarely work better. Invest in organic and toxin-free options instead of famous brands. Test out options – Try different options if you can, before making a purchase. Don’t buy multiples of the same thing – Small items, like pacifiers, shouldn’t be bought before knowing if the baby will actually use them (a dozen wrong pacifiers won’t help in the middle of the night if your baby is picky). Keep products in their packaging – Also leave tags and the receipt (if purchased, or if you received it, it’s good to know which store it came from) until you’re sure the item will be used. If you’re in doubt about a purchase, wait! Every situation is unique, and the preferences of parents and babies vary. What worked perfectly for your best friend may be completely useless to you or your baby. Wait until you actually need something, then look for a product to solve it, or figure out a way to handle it without buying anything. Babies’ needs go in stages, and most of those stages are very short. It can be tempting to fill your home with everything your baby might ever need until they go to preschool, but wait a bit and save your money. The stores aren’t going anywhere.

What Can Be Crossed Off the Baby Layette List

Here are a few useless layette items that can easily be discarded or replaced: Hygiene Kit – Although there are very cute models on the market, the kit made up of jars for cotton, cotton swabs, and thermos bottles is rarely used and ends up serving only as decoration. Electric breast pump – It’s a great ally for moms, but usually expensive. So, if you have the opportunity to take 6 months of maternity leave, wait to see how your breastfeeding routine goes before deciding if it’s really necessary to buy one. Pillow – Up until the first year of the baby’s life, pillows are not needed for newborn sleep. Pediatrician Lia Brasil points out that all babies have reflux, but few develop reflux disease, so only invest in special pillows if it’s really necessary. Otherwise, a mattress with an incline (from 15 to 20 degrees) is enough. What matters is that the space between mattress and head keeps the child’s spine aligned and airways as open as possible. Bottle warmer – The idea is to make it easier to warm up the baby’s bottle, but it ends up being totally unnecessary. Most mothers end up giving the bottle at room temperature anyway. Bath thermometer – Like the bottle warmer, this item is supposed to make parents feel more secure when checking the baby’s bath water temperature, but nothing works better than the old habit of dipping your elbow in the water. Swaddling cloth – It’s a flannel square used to wrap the baby. It used to be common, but nowadays has little use. Perfume and cologne – Avoid buying a lot “to stock up,” because besides these products expiring, your child might be allergic, leading to waste. It’s better to buy little by little, according to the child’s needs. Stage 1, stage 2 pacifiers and pacifier holders – Ideally, pacifiers should not be used, but if you choose to use them, it’s best to buy them later to see if your baby really adapts, and then change them as needed for each stage. Wipes warmer – Did you know that ten seconds after you remove a wipe from the warmer, it gets cold again? Do babies really need semi-warm wipes on their bottoms? Sleep positioner – A pillow can be used for this, but only in the first days. Afterwards, the baby already understands they’re out of the womb and won’t be as startled when moving. Stroller sheet sets – Rarely used; usually, parents just fold a small blanket and place it under the baby, which is enough. Lots of shoes and expensive clothes – It’s hard to resist baby clothes, but while they’re cute, they’re also pricey and most get given away with tags still on. When preparing the layette, prioritize what’s truly needed and pay attention to the time of year. Feeding pacifier – One of today’s products that promises to help babies during the introduction to solids. It may seem useful, but this device keeps babies from experiencing the true texture and flavor of foods. The nets are also not very hygienic, as parents can’t clean them properly after feeding. It’s better to mash food with a fork. In short, we could add even more useless items to this list and still forget some. As mentioned above, the best recommendation before making purchases is to research the real use for each item and whether it was actually used by people who already have babies. Saving now is essential for the next stages to come. Read Also: Tips for First-Time Moms – How to Get Organized? Photos: Miesha Moriniere