The Dangers of Shopping for Baby

Let me start by saying that I do not intend for this to turn into a baby/parenting blogsite. I think there are enough out there already, I couldn’t find that much to write about babies or parenting, and I have other interests. However, there may, from time to time, be occasional things which relate to babies and/or parenting.

Like rants about lists of Essential Baby Items.

M and I are at the point in the whole process where we’re beginning to wonder how we’re doing in the whole Getting Organised for Tiny business and what we’ve got left to gather. That sort of thing. Because it isn’t all about cute baby-clothes and making blankets.

So I’ve been researching what people think are Essential Items for a newborn.

And getting cross, because the lists go on and on, and quite frankly seem to be full of non-essential things. Things to get you out and buying more stuff. Like this one from Pampers. Indeed, some of the items listed as “Essential” do say that they aren’t really essential but could be useful… Which suggests that someone doesn’t understand what “essential” really means.

But I’ve come to the conclusion that, apart from some nappies, I think we’ve got the essentials.

We have: somewhere for baby to sleep; things for baby to wear; and a way to bring baby home from the hospital. What more, really, does a newborn actually need in the way of Stuff? And the NHS seems to agree.

There’s also a whole herd of dinosaurs, but that’s another matter entirely.

Sure, there are still the useful-but-not-essential things to investigate and decide if we need them or if they can be added to my project list to be made (like hooded towels, although I have a feeling I might just jazz up some plain ones with some of the many fat quarters in my stash). Or if a substitute can be found.

Most households have towels and cloths to wipe, a suitably sized sort of bowl to use as a makeshift bath, bags to pack for a day out with baby (don’t we all have a massive stash of Bags for Life?). They don’t have to be specifically for babies. Sometimes it just feels a bit like when you plan a wedding: if you can stick “baby” in front of it, you can add more to the price-tag, because parents-to-be will still pay, because it’s for their little darling. Especially if it’s the first. I can see why some new parents fall into the trap of buying too much stuff. I just feel that I’m probably not the target audience for all the baby-marketing…After all, I found the Moses basket (with rocking stand) in a charity shop for a fiver.

We probably ought to sort out the first aid box, though. Which probably should fall under Essential Item, even if it isn’t, strictly speaking, for the baby.