When I found out I was pregnant with my first baby, I promptly went on a shopping spree. I bought everything. Tiny baby shoes! Fancy crib bedding! A number of friends warned me not to spend a ton of money on unnecessary baby gear, but I was excited. Isn't it a rite of passage for expectant parents to go completely overboard? Retail therapy distracts us from the fact that we're hurtling towards a slew of unknown sounds, emotion-filled cuddles, sleepless nights and first steps. Without arming ourselves for every possible situation, it feels like it's almost too much to bear. I wanted to honor each moment with the precious trappings—necessary or not—because I felt so incredibly blessed.
So, is this just a first-time parent thing? Not so much. When my second child came around eighteen months later—as much as I swore that we had everything we could possibly need—I found myself getting wrapped up once again in the latest gadgets. We were set on wipes warmers and jogging strollers, but there were updated rattles and decor sets for the new nursery! Tiny knit hats and advanced monitors! I got swept up and sucked in... and you know what? That's okay. I cherished the heck out of those baby days.
Based on my own experiences, here is the quintessential list of baby things you don't really need (or do you?).