Things we did not use for our baby after purchasing

In this time and age, we are so easily influenced by.. well.. influencers, to get this and that.

‘This rocker saved me’ ‘This rubbish bin really contained all the smell of his poopy diaper’ ‘This food steamer made my life so easy. Just put in and go’

They always say words we want to hear and materials that make our lives easier. Being a working mom, yes, we don’t have time to cook a full 3 course homemade puree, soup and fruits for our child.
However, by doing them the traditional way, it saves us lots of money.

1. Rocker

Some babies prefers to be rocked to sleep, some babies don't. My brother-in-law's baby G had to be rocked on the yaolan for every down time. She needed to be rocked because they were doing t since she was a little one.
In the beginning, Bradley needed to latch to sleep, but I was training him to sleep on his own and he did! He reached a point of teething, he did not fall asleep on his own after that. (It was around 4 months old.)

At 14 months old, he unlatches on his own when he is ready to go to sleep.

Don't need a mamaroo!
I see dozens of people advertising for mamaroos and having them in a bundle when you buy a playpen. You don't need it! Plus, they outgrow it SO fast. Logically speaking, you will only use it for the first few months, then it will be an overpriced elephant in room.

2. Swaddle:

Don't buy too many swaddles as some babies do NOT like swaddling.

Bradley does not like being swaddled after he started moving at 2-3 months. Which was lucky that I did not buy swaddle sacks but I used muslin blankets. Up till this date (he is going 14 months old), I use the muslin blankets to cover him up when he is cold and tie them up to use as a nursing cover.
I recommend 3-4 blankets to rotate as when they are newborn, poop may leak a lot and you may accidentally drop the blanket/swaddle while you are out. 

3. Baby Cot:

I have a playpen-cot that my MIL gifted to us before baby was born.

We did not manage to use it as we are co-sleeping. It really was a waste of money as it cost $300.

However, we used the rocker as his bed everyday up until he was 2 months when he outgrew it. 

4. Diaper Bin

Unless you are using cloth diapers, It is not a necessity to buy a diaper bin. We clear our dustbin out everyday and diapers do not attract ants. If you find it foul smelling, get a bin with a cover. I’m not going to spend $80 on a bin when I can get one at ikea for $10-20!

Or one from the mama shops for less than $10.


5. Specialized food steamers for babies

I steam my baby's food in a normal pot or even the rice cooker. I am not spending $300-400 on a steamer which they will outgrow at 6months when they start eating solid food. 

What I had done was get a baby bowl that had grooves at the bottom of the bowl to make it easier to mush food which was only $5-10. 

Just because other people make it look like a necessit, does not mean it is. If you are in a pinch and want to save those extra bucks for future emergencies, these are the few things you can save on.

Hope you have a good day mommies and daddies! Congratulations on your newborn !