As a new mom, it’s so easy to get overwhelmed by the endless lists of “must-have” baby items. Everyone you know and every influencer seems to have a different take on what’s essential. But let me let you in on a little secret: a lot of baby items? You really don’t need them.
Some baby products aren’t practical and some are just a marketing scam. I’m a big believer in cultivating a thoughtful environment by only bringing what’s truly helpful into your home — especially when you’re deep in the trenches of new motherhood. So here’s a list of baby products you can skip on your registry (with love and zero judgment). This isn’t about minimalism for the sake of it — it’s about being intentional and practical.
Don’t get me wrong — there are many baby products that I do recommend. And frankly, many will make your life easier as new parents. BUT, let’s be real about some of these… your baby doesn’t need a bathrobe and some other heavily marketed baby products.
Here’s a list of baby items you might consider skipping on your registry, along with honest alternatives to simplify your baby budget and parenting journey.
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25 Totally Unnecessary Baby Products
This isn’t even about minimalism… these products are pretty useless! You can go ahead and skip most of these products.
1. Bathtub Thermometer
These novelty thermometers are often inaccurate, break easily, or end up as clutter. You don’t need a gadget to tell you whether the water is too hot — and relying on one may even dull your instincts.
What to do instead: Use the inside of your wrist or elbow to test the water. It should feel warm but not hot — the same way you’d test a baby bottle. If your baby cries a lot in the bath, they might run hot and need a slightly lower temperature in the bath. But you don’t need a separate bath thermometer to tell you this.
2. Diaper Cream Applicator
These silicone diaper cream applicator wands are marketed as a hygienic way to apply diaper cream, but they’re completely unnecessary and not all that hygienic if you ask me. You’re already using your hands to change the diaper — it only takes seconds to wash or wipe your finger afterward.
What to do instead: You know what to do… just use your fingers. If you’re on the go and want to stay mess-free, keep baby wipes or travel hand soap in your diaper bag. (Want to know what else to pack in your diaper bag? Check out my diaper bag checklist here.)
3. Hospital-Grade Nasal Aspirator
Unless your pediatrician recommends one for a medical condition, you don’t need an industrial-strength aspirator. Many of them are bulky, expensive, and can actually be too strong for delicate little noses.
What to do instead: A gentle nasal aspirator like works just fine — and is more affordable and portable.
4. Tummy Time Water Mats
These plastic tummy time mats are often made from PVC plastic, which can expose your baby to toxic chemicals — not something you want your baby lying on or mouthing. They also take up space, are easy to puncture, and don’t last long.
What to do instead: Lay baby on a clean cotton blanket or playmat. Use Montessori mirrors, black-and-white cards, baby books, or wooden toys to make tummy time fun and stimulating — without the toxins.
5. Excessive Newborn Clothing
As tempting as it is to stock up on tiny outfits, most newborns wear footies and onesies around the clock. Plus, they outgrow that size so fast. Newborns outgrow their clothes rapidly, often before they’ve had a chance to wear everything. And some babies come out of the womb a little too big to wear newborn-sized clothes.
What to do instead: Register for more 0–3M and 3–6M clothes than newborn size — and stick to simple, easy-to-put-on pieces. If you need some baby clothing inspiration, check out my newborn layette guide or my favorite organic baby clothing brands.
6. Floor Seat
These seats place babies in a sitting position before they’re developmentally ready, which can interfere with natural motor development and spinal alignment.
What to do instead: Let your baby develop sitting skills naturally through plenty of floor time, tummy time, and unstructured movement. Your baby will sit when ready — there’s no gear required. If you need a baby seat, try this one OR better yet, a bouncer that grows with your baby.
7. Baby Bath Robe
Baby bath robes are so adorable but sadly, very impractical. They are incredibly tricky to put on and they don’t even dry babies all that well. Plus, your baby will outgrow them quickly. Reserve baby bath robes for a photo op, or save the dough and avoid these altogether.
What to do instead: Use a soft cotton towel, one that is preferably organic. These offer better absorbency, less fuss, and work better than a bath robe could.
8. Baby Lotion
Babies don’t actually need lotion in the first place, so that’s one great reason to skip it altogether.. And, most baby lotions are full of synthetic fragrances, preservatives, and questionable ingredients that can irritate sensitive skin.
What to do instead: You can usually skip baby lotion OR use something natural like organic jojoba oil or tallow balm if they have dry patches. Keep it simple and watch for any reactions.
9. Crib Bumpers
Crib bumpers are not just unnecessary — they’re dangerous. They pose a suffocation and entrapment risk and have been banned in many places. Even “breathable” ones are not recommended.
What to do instead: Keep your baby’s crib free of pillows, bumpers, and blankets. A fitted sheet on a firm mattress is all you need for safe sleep.
10. Pacifier Wipes
They seem convenient, but most pacifier wipes contain unnecessary and often questionable ingredients. Plus, babies drop things all the time — you don’t need a specialty wipe for every little germ.
What to do instead: Rinse the pacifier with soap and warm water or stash an extra clean one in your diaper bag.
11. Anything That Uses Bluetooth or Connects to a Mobile App
App-connected sound machines, bassinets, swings, sleep monitors, and other misc. baby products might seem cool, but they often create more stress than peace of mind. Plus they can emit EMFs and drain your phone battery.
What to do instead: Choose analog or low-tech baby gear that helps you stay present and in tune with your baby’s natural cues. You don’t need an app to tell you if your baby is asleep or fussy.
12. A High-Tech Video Baby Monitor
Unless you have a large home or specific need, a fancy baby monitor with night vision, temperature tracking, and movement sensors may just lead to more anxiety. Not to mention, these emit strong signals and aren’t safe or recommended for babies.
What to do instead: Go for a simple audio monitor or low EMF baby monitor — or none at all if your baby sleeps nearby. It’s one less device to worry about (and one fewer potential EMF source).
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13. “Baby” Laundry Detergent
Most “baby” detergents are filled with fragrances, toxins, and skin irritants — exactly what you don’t want on your baby’s clothes. Choose a fragrance-free, gentle, non-toxic laundry detergent and use it for the whole family. One detergent = less clutter and safer for everyone.
What to do instead: Use a non-toxic laundry detergent suitable for the whole family.
14. Polyester Baby Blankets
Polyester traps heat, doesn’t breathe, and can irritate a baby’s sensitive skin. Plus, it’s a petroleum-based fabric that may off-gas VOCs.
What to do instead: Choose natural fiber blankets made from organic cotton or wool. They’re softer, safer, and more breathable for baby.
15. Baby Loungers
While popular, baby loungers are not safe for sleep. Some loungers have even been recalled for safety issues.
What to do instead: Lay baby flat on a firm, safe surface for naps or play. While these loungers are technically okay for awake time, a playmat or your arms are the best places for bonding and development.
16. Wipe Warmers
They seem like a nice luxury… until they cause your baby’s wipes to get moldy and stop working. Babies really don’t need their wipes to be warm, and once you’re out and about, they’ll be using room-temperature wipes anyway. This one’s your call, but I recommend that you skip the wipe warmer.
What to do instead: Babies adapt just fine to room-temperature baby wipes.
17. Polyester Baby Clothes
Polyester clothes often feel scratchy, don’t regulate temperature well, and aren’t great for delicate newborn skin. Not to mention the microplastic shedding in the wash.
What to do instead: Stick to 100% organic cotton or regular cotton baby clothes when possible. It’s breathable, gentle, and free of toxic finishes.
18. Changing Table
A designated changing station can be helpful, but a bulky piece of furniture just for diaper changes? Totally optional. Most parents end up changing their baby on a portable pad on the bed, floor, or couch. I used a changing table adapter that went on top of the dresser in the nursery, saving us lots of space.
What to do instead: Use a changing pad on a dresser or a portable changing mat, allowing flexibility to change your baby wherever it’s convenient.
19. Bottle Sterilizer
Unless you’re exclusively formula feeding, using bottles around the clock, or have a medical reason for using a sterilizer, they’re often more effort than they’re worth. A pot of boiling water does the job just fine. And if you’re breastfeeding, you might not even need to sterilize bottles regularly.
What to do instead: Sterilize bottles and nipples by boiling them in water or using the dishwasher’s sterilize setting.
20. Newborn Shoes
Shoes for newborns? Absolutely adorable. They’re also only for looks. Babies don’t walk for many months, and socks or footie pajamas are more than enough. Save the shoes for when they’re actually starting to walk.
What to do instead: Keep your baby’s feet cozy with soft socks, organic booties, or footed pajamas.
21. Baby Food Maker
Specialized baby food makers can clutter your kitchen and duplicate functions of appliances you may already own. If you’re planning to make your own baby food, that’s great! But you don’t need a fancy appliance just for that. A blender, food processor, or even a fork and some elbow grease will do the trick. And if you’re doing baby-led weaning, you’ll need it even less.
What to do instead: Use a standard blender or food processor to prepare homemade baby food purees. (Check out my list of first foods for babies.)
22. Fancy Baby Bath Tubs with Bells and Whistles
Those deluxe tubs with sprayers, batteries, and built-in temperature gauges? Marketing scam. These bells and whistles are unnecessary and a pain to clean.
What to do instead: A basic baby tub is more than enough. You’ll only use it for a few months anyway.
23. Pee-Pee Tents
These little cone-shaped covers for baby boys are supposed to catch rogue streams during diaper changes… but you’ll probably end up just using a diaper or wipe to shield yourself. Can I admit, though, that I bought one of these when my first son was born? They are not useful at all and I would only buy them as a gag gift, to be honest.
What to do instead: Nothing, really. Speaking as a boy mom, you’ll get peed on a few times and then you’ll start to learn your baby’s pee rhythms and you won’t get peed on much after that. Use a clean washcloth or be alert during changes to avoid surprises.
24. Snot Wipes
These are just baby wipes with a little extra dose of marketing. Snot wipes are overpriced and sometimes fragranced or chemically treated, which can irritate sensitive skin. And they’re just unnecessary.
What to do instead: Use soft, fragrance-free tissues a gentle baby washcloth with warm water or or a booger extractor. Simple enough.
25. Baby Jumpers (Doorway or Freestanding)
Baby jumpers can hinder proper motor development by placing unnatural stress on baby’s hips, spine, and leg joints. They keep the baby in an upright position before their body is developmentally ready — and they can become overstimulating really quickly.
What to do instead: Encourage lots of free movement on the floor — tummy time, rolling, scooting, crawling. Let your baby explore their body on their own timeline, without devices that “prop” them up. Your baby’s development will thank you.
Skip These Products on Your Registry, Mama
When preparing for your new baby, try and differentiate between wants and need. By focusing on the essentials, you can reduce clutter, save money, and create a more manageable environment for you and your baby. Remember, every family is unique, so consider your lifestyle and preferences when deciding what to include on your baby registry.
If you need some help, check out the Baby Registry Handbook!
Recommended:
- The Best Baby Registry Websites: Where to Register for the Best Perks
- Ultimate Non-Toxic Baby Registry Checklist
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