The 'Must-Have' Baby Items You Can Totally Live Without

New parents are bombarded with lists of "essential" baby products—many of which end up collecting dust in a corner. The truth? Some of these so-called must-haves are completely unnecessary, while others can be replaced with smarter, more versatile alternatives. If you’re looking to streamline your baby gear (and save money), here are the baby items you definitely don’t need—and what to get instead!

1. Wipe Warmers

💭 The Hype: Your baby’s bum deserves a warm, spa-like experience every time they get a diaper change.

🚫 The Reality: Babies don’t need pre-warmed wipes, and they’ll adjust to room-temperature ones just fine. Plus, once they’re out and about, they’ll have to deal with cool wipes anyway!

✅ What to Get Instead: Stick to regular wipes and save that counter space for something more useful.

2. Diaper Pails That Require Special Bags

💭 The Hype: A high-tech diaper pail with odor-locking magic to keep your nursery smelling fresh.

🚫 The Reality: Many require costly, proprietary bags, and let’s be honest—no diaper pail fully eliminates odors. You’ll still have to empty it regularly.

✅ What to Get Instead: A basic foot-pedal trash bin with a lid and biodegradable bags does the trick (and saves you money!).

3. Baby Food Makers

💭 The Hype: A special gadget just for making fresh, organic purées for your baby.

🚫 The Reality: It’s basically a glorified blender that takes up precious kitchen space.

✅ What to Get Instead: Use a regular blender, immersion blender, or even a fork to mash up soft foods like avocado, banana, or sweet potato.

4. Shoes for Newborns

💭 The Hype: Tiny sneakers and booties that make your baby look extra adorable.

🚫 The Reality: Newborns don’t walk, and shoes just fall off. Socks or footed onesies keep their feet just as warm.

✅ What to Get Instead: A few pairs of soft, well-fitting socks or footed pajamas.

5. Expensive Themed Bedding Sets

💭 The Hype: A Pinterest-worthy crib setup with pillows, quilts, bumpers, and matching decor.

🚫 The Reality: Bumpers and quilts are unsafe for newborns due to the risk of suffocation. Simple is best when it comes to safe sleep!

✅ What to Get Instead: A firm mattress, fitted crib sheet, and sleep sack—that’s all your baby needs.

6. Pee-Pee Teepees

💭 The Hype: A mini tent for covering baby boys during diaper changes to prevent getting sprayed.

🚫 The Reality: Cute, but totally unnecessary. A washcloth works just as well, and chances are, you’ll get peed on at some point anyway!

✅ What to Get Instead: A sense of humor and quick hands!

7. Over-the-Top Baby Monitors

💭 The Hype: Monitors with heartbeat tracking, oxygen sensors, AI sleep tracking, and night vision capabilities.

🚫 The Reality: Unless your doctor recommends medical monitoring, most babies don’t need this level of surveillance. Plus, over-monitoring can lead to unnecessary anxiety.

✅ What to Get Instead: A simple video or audio monitor that lets you check in without obsessing.

8. Shopping Cart Covers

💭 The Hype: Protect your baby from germs lurking on grocery store carts.

🚫 The Reality: A quick wipe-down with a disinfectant or placing a muslin blanket in the cart seat does the same thing.

✅ What to Get Instead: Carry sanitizing wipes and save the extra bulk in your diaper bag.

9. White Noise Apps on Your Phone

💭 The Hype: Just play white noise from your phone, and baby will sleep like a dream.

🚫 The Reality: Your phone battery dies, notifications interrupt, and you're not even able to listen to your friend's six minute voicenote.

✅ What to Get Instead: Shushiie—a beautifully designed, customizable sleep speaker that creates a consistent and high-quality soothing sound experience for your baby, whether at home or on the go.

Conclusion

Not every baby gadget is a must-have. Sometimes, less is more, and versatility beats excess. Save your money and space for products that actually make life easier—like Shushiie, the sleep solution you’ll actually use every day.