25 Unnecessary Baby Products (Some May Even Harm Your Baby!)

Are you expecting your first baby, overwhelmed by the long lists of baby must-haves? Read this before you start shopping for your soon-to-arrive baby or before putting your baby registry together! The baby products on this list don’t just include some of the most useless and unnecessary baby items ever, some of these baby products are flat-out unhealthy or dangerous for your baby. (Pssst… some are highly popular – so beware!)

Save yourself some cash, say goodbye to clutter, and keep your baby safe by going over this list of baby items you don’t need (or want!).

25 Unnecessary baby products

#1 Baby shoes

OK this first one is totally unfair – show me a pair of tiny shoes that aren’t irresistibly adorable! They practically jump into the cart by themselves. But the truth is, unless your baby exits your uterus walking, he/she is much better off without shoes for the time being. Not only is being barefoot important for healthy development of the feet, it also benefits your baby’s brain and nervous system development.

Keep socks on your baby’s feet to keep them warm (with non-skid soles for mobile babies), or use soft baby booties that allow your baby to flex their feet and curl their toes without resistance if you feel you must use baby shoes. Avoid buying hard-sole baby shoes and any shoes that restrict baby’s natural movement – no matter how cute they might look.

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Even as babies start to stand up and waddle, being barefoot as much as possible is best for them. The absence of shoes enables babies to spread their toes for optimum support and helps strengthen their leg muscles, too.

#2 Wipe warmer

Here is a public announcement: babies don’t need warm wipes. Nothing bad will happen if you leave a wipe warmer off your baby registry. Even if you ultimately decide on getting one (or a couple) for your home, I promise there will be a moment when you have to change your baby outside of your home and use – gasp – room-temperature wipes. And both you and your baby will do just fine.

Related: Best Natural Baby Wipes

But, more importantly, this baby product falls into the *hazardous* category on this list of unnecessary baby items. One risk of using a wipe warmer is that the increased temperature of the wet wipes creates an environment that promotes bacterial growth which can be legitimately harmful for very young infants who still have an immature immune system. Also, wipe warmers seem to be a notorious fire hazard, so beware!

If you’re giving me the evil eye right now and insist on using nothing but warm wipes on your baby’s sensitive skin, try rubbing the wipes in your hands briefly before using them. Problem solved, and a potential for a fire hazard averted.

Don’t miss: The Best Natural & Non-Toxic Baby Products (2022 Ultimate Guide!)

#3 Baby bath robe

You. Will. Never. Use. It. #TrueStoryTwiceOver

(Now, baby towels, my friend, I loved using… It’s perfectly fine to grab your regular bath towel to dry your baby after a bath, but I actually found those small hooded baby towels much easier to use with my babies. They’re often not as thick as standard bath towels, and the square-ish shape gives you enough coverage without any extra bulk getting in the way.)

#4 Baby laundry detergent

So here’s the thing: contrary to popular belief, a picture of a happy baby on a baby laundry detergent and the words “Safe for babies” do NOT always make a product *actually* safe for babies. Believe it or not, DREFT scores worse in toxicity than TIDE.

Besides the possibility of this generally very popular baby item being toxic and all, a baby laundry detergent *OF ANY KIND* is really, truly, a completely unnecessary baby product you can easily do without.

Instead of using a designated laundry detergent for baby’s laundry, simply use the same detergent for your entire family, ideally one that’s safer for you and your baby than some of the leading brands. (If your options are limited, remember that since DREFT scores disappointingly low in safety, simply using any non-scented family laundry detergent is a perfectly acceptable substitute.)

Why one detergent for the entire family???

If you use a baby-designated laundry detergent for baby’s laundry and your standard detergent for the rest of the family and wash all laundry in the same washer, you’re still exposing your baby to your standard detergent through a residue left over in the washing machine. In addition, the residue left on your own clothes can still expose your baby to harmful chemicals every time your snuggle up with your baby. Also, it’s just easier having to deal with one laundry detergent only. 🙂

#5 Too much of anything in the *newborn* size

• Newborn outfits

Newborns grow super fast and don’t stay in the newborn size (or even the next size up – 0-3 months) for very long at all, so it’s best to plan for a modest stash of newborn clothes.

Newborn baby clothes generally fit babies in the range of 6-9 lb (2.7-4.1 kg). The average birth weight for babies born in the United States is roughly 7.5 pounds. If your baby is born weighing about this much, you can expect for him/her to fit in the newborn sized clothes for about 3 weeks. If your baby is born weighing close to or over 8 pounds, it may only be a matter of days when the newborn outfits don’t fit anymore. Have a wider variety of 0-3 months outfits and 3-6 months and larger outfits as they will get significantly more use (you can always roll up sleeves and pant legs and get more use out of them).

• Newborn diapers

Babies go through a ton of diapers during the first few months, but not equally across all sizes. Your newborn may only stay in newborn-sized diapers for 2-4 weeks, so getting too many boxes in this size is just unnecessary.

Size 1 is often only a tad larger and you can use it over a longer period of time, so stock up on diapers in size 1 instead, and the next sizes up if you have enough space. The benefit of newborn diapers is that many have an umbilical cutout, but you can easily fold down the front panel and close the diaper below the umbilical area for the same effect.

To help you with planning, you’ll need about 6-10 diapers/day in the newborn stage. Take a look at some of the best non-toxic diapers in all budgets for ideas on which brands avoid using unnecessary and harmful chemicals. (I wouldn’t stock up on too many diapers in any size from any single brand until you try the diapers and know that you like them. It’s always a good idea to try a few different brands.)

#6 Pacifier wipes

Pacifier wipes can be a waste of money, making this another unnecessary baby item. Look, your baby will eventually drop that pacifier. It’s going to happen. You’ll probably panic a little the first time it happens. But I promise that you don’t need a super duper special magic wipe to clean a pacifier that fell on the ground, at least in most environments. (Plus all these extra chemicals can’t be good for your baby, no matter how “safe” they are made out to be.)

Simply wipe the pacifier in a blanket, or run it under drinking water if possible (preferred). Have an extra pacifier ready in your diaper bag in case you can’t clean the one that baby dropped right away.

#7 Baby mittens

Let’s just say I was 8 long months pregnant the day I bought 2 more pairs of baby mittens. They were soft and utterly adorable; I was too pregnant to resist. This had brought us to 4 pairs total. After two kids, they still look brand new. That’s exactly how much use they’ve gotten over the years.

To be fair, baby mittens will work well for a whole 8 seconds or less until they fall of. If babies could walk, these would actually make for pretty decent dusters. But even then you could just use baby socks instead. You see? SOCKS.

#8 Baby walker

Baby walker is a device with wheels that allows babies to scoot around the room before they’re able to walk independently. Some baby walkers have an activity tray around the base. Baby walkers give moms a chance to catch a break, but there are risks associated with their use.

Many babies get hurt each year while using baby walkers, usually from falling down the stairs in them. Sadly, quite a few of these accidents have been fatal. Another problem with baby walkers is that they allow babies to stand upright before they’re ready to do so on their own which puts pressure on their developing hips and spine. This can lead to long-term hip problems.

A baby walker isn’t just another unnecessary baby product on this list, it’s also one that can be dangerous for your baby. Even when used under close supervision, this baby item may negatively impact your baby’s development. It’s best to stay away.

#9 Bath thermometer

Does knowing the exact bath water temperature make one a better parent?

Does using the old-fashioned elbow method for baby bath time make one a reckless parent?

Does wondering how many chemicals the bath water contains make one a total weirdo? Because while I give my baby a not-too-hot-not-too-cold bath, I would much rather know the answer to THAT.

#10 Changing table

Here is a friendly advice: despite the pressure, you do NOT need to buy a “changing table” for your soon-to-arrive baby. What is a changing table? It’s a designated piece of furniture where you change your baby’s diaper and keep all diapering essentials.

If your budget is tight or you’re happy with your existing furniture, you can easily convert *any* dresser into a changing table by purchasing a changing pad and placing it on top of the dresser. Pads come in a variety of sizes and include a safety strap and a fastening system that anchors the pad to the back of the furniture. Boom. You just saved yourself a wad of cash by avoiding more popular baby essentials that aren’t really essential.

Plus only later on you will have realized how many diapers you’ve changed on your bed, your lap, the floor, the sofa… basically everywhere BUT the changing table.

#11 Shopping cart seat cover

As a first-time mom I seriously considered getting a shopping cart seat cover for my baby. Shopping carts are the perfect breeding ground for viruses and bacteria. And parasites! The ULTIMATE of gross.

But then I wondered…

What to do with the contaminated cover once it’s removed from the filthy shopping cart??? If simply left in the diaper bag until next use, the germs will move freely, grow exponentially, and they will almost certainly mutate into some sort of a super bug… Wash it after each use??? (No less frightening.)

So here’s how I solved this quandary of mine – I wore my babies instead.

While I can totally see how the shopping cart seat cover may seem like a crucial baby item to own (and hey, no judgment!), wearing your baby takes care of the germ problem AND you’re keeping your baby safe and close to you at all times which actually makes shopping with a baby much easier. As a bonus – if you have the right baby carrier (here’s my favorite), you can even nurse while shopping. Now that, my friend, is a whole other way of living as a new mom!

#12 Disposable swim diapers

The idea is good, ’cause – come on – who wants to bathe in sewer water?! But the product is not.

The intended purpose of swim diapers isn’t to absorb liquids but to hold solids. However, all moms know that #2 isn’t always solid (and never really is with exclusively breastfed babies). The truth is, disposable swim diapers don’t work very well. The failure rate is evident when 9 out of 10 times they’re pooped in by little swimmers it ends up with a swift mandatory pool evacuation.

Instead of stocking up on disposable swim diapers that don’t work, consider investing in a reusable cloth swim diaper instead. You may need to play with the right fit for your baby (and might need to double up with an exclusively breastfed baby), but this set up is likely going to work much, much better!

Alternatively, if you use or are considering using cloth diapers (read about my very honest pros & cons of using cloth diapers here), you can use a cloth diaper cover (without the absorbent insert) for baby swim time fun as well. (FYI: The pool chlorine will likely bleach the fabric after repeated use, so I wouldn’t use my favorite diaper for this…)

#13 Diaper-changing gloves

They exist. They seem to be popular. All I want to say is…

Don’t think for even a second that any sort of hazmat apparel like diaper-changing gloves will prevent you from eventually touching your baby’s poop. On the other hand, standard diaper sacks for soiled diapers like these are very, very much helpful to have on-the-go.

#14 Button-up rompers

I was gifted a pair and because it came from somebody I love very dearly, I did my best to love using it. Turns out, brand new moms just don’t have time for nonsense like actual buttons. If you don’t believe me, go for it. It’s so much fun.

#15 Pee-pee teepee (for baby boys)

In full disclosure, I have raised exactly ZERO little boys, so please do take this one with a grain of salt.

However, I’m guessing that a good old wash cloth to prevent spontaneous sprinkles from painting my face or walls would do the trick. What do you think?

Bonus points if you make it a nice thick one with good absorbency. That way you’re also proactively taking care of any potential clean up, something that pee-pee teepees don’t seem to be able to do anyways.

#16 Baby powder

Some of the unnecessary baby items on this list are included in my newborn baby guide of toxic baby products to avoid, and baby powder is one of them. That is, the classic baby powder based on talc which can pose a number of health risks to your baby.

Aside from the possibility of contamination with asbestos, the next ingredient to be concerned about in baby powder is synthetic fragrance. Even though you can buy more natural versions of baby powder these days that don’t use talc or add synthetic fragrance, there is a very simple baby powder substitute that you can use instead (which you probably already have at home!).

#17 Baby oil

Why is baby oil one of the baby items you don’t need for your baby? Because babies just don’t need routine applications of lotions or oils on their skin, and there are better alternatives for very dry skin.

Not only is traditional baby oil made from crude oil (not necessarily toxic to your baby but not exactly “baby material” either), it’s often enhanced with synthetic fragrance which has a worrisome toxic profile. If your baby has really dry skin, you can use coconut oil instead of commercial baby oil (apply on damp skin – using on dry skin may dry out the skin even more), or a natural baby balm like this one or this one which have simple ingredients and are gentle and soothing for your baby’s delicate skin.

If your baby is prone to having irritated dry skin, it’s also a good idea to cut down on baby baths. Many new parents like to bathe their babies daily as part of a bedtime routine, and that is simply not necessary.

#18 Baby food processor

If you want to make your own baby food when the time comes, more power to you! There are ways to make healthy nutritious baby food without using unnecessary baby products such as baby food processor. In fact, any time you see a “baby” version of any standard commercial product, there is a good chance it will be a waste of money (and space).

Do you have a standard blender? There you go, you can use it to make baby food. If not, you may need one, or the baby version – your pick.

Or, forget baby food altogether and try baby-led weaning instead. Baby-led weaning is a uniquely amazing way to feed your baby that skips purees altogether! (Both my babies were baby-led weaned. It totally rocks!)

#19 Diaper rash cream applicator

Perhaps a diaper rash cream applicator shouldn’t be on this list of unnecessary baby items because there are plenty of moms who prefer to apply diaper rash cream using a stick rather than their fingers. I totally get it – diaper rash creams are messy, and they like to get cozy under the nails.

So this one is like 50:50 – in my opinion this isn’t a completely useless baby item, but it doesn’t make your life THAT much easier. Wash your hands, or wash your diaper rash cream applicator (and your hands). You’ll still need to keep the applicator reasonably clean and sanitary.

Should you buy a diaper rash cream applicator or not in preparations for your baby? If you feel like you’d rather have one available just in case, this one has excellent reviews. (Just know that it will still require some maintenance to keep it hygienic for your baby.)

#20 Crib bedding set

The gorgeous color-coordinated set you’ll spend a small fortune on usually consists of the combination of:

• Padded bumper pad: which is nice and soft but poses a suffocation hazard.
• Quilt/Comforter: which is adorable but poses a suffocation hazard.
• Embroidered baby pillow: which is cute but poses a suffocation hazard.
• Diaper stacker: the odd item in the package that will turn retrieving a clean diaper into a 3 a.m. new-mommy rage.
• Fitted sheet: which is great except you’ll need a whole lot more than one!
• Dust ruffle: not essential but will work well at hiding whatever it is you’re storing underneath the baby crib.

Clearly, a crib bedding set is not just another unnecessary baby item on this list – a good half of it is potentially dangerous, at least until a baby is much older.

Here is some good advice: Instead of getting a baby product you can’t use, splurge on multiple all-cotton crib sheets with a practical amoeba print in the lovely earth tones of brown, orange, yellow, and yes, even green. Baby poop is no joke.

#21 Baby tracker

A baby tracker allows you to log diaper changes, feedings, sleep times, and some offer additional tracking features such as when medication was given, etc. You simply press a button after each diaper change, nursing session or feeding, or when your baby snoozes, etc., and the timer will let you know how long it’s been since each task. Some include aggregated view as well.

While it all sounds good in theory, it’s not a necessary baby item. Initially during the first few days or weeks it’s helpful to keep track of the ins and outs of basic baby care tasks since sleep deprivation will kick in and ravage your brain cells, but this can easily be done with a pen and paper. And this way you’re still covered if the power goes out or you’re out of batteries.

#22 A formula maker

Making a baby bottle is not rocket science (measure, pour, shake), but not only that, automatic formula makers are capable of producing a baby bottle with the WRONG RATIO of formula and water which is scary because mixing the wrong amounts is dangerous for your baby.

#23 Bottle Warmer

You DON’T NEED to warm your baby’s milk. Many babies do just fine drinking milk that’s room temperature or even colder.

If you have a preference for feeding your baby warm milk, you can save money on a bottle warmer by setting the bottle in a bowl of warm water, using just hot tap water. It will take a bit longer than using a bottle warmer, but a commercial bottle warmer doesn’t work instantly either. It can take as many as 10 minutes to warm your baby’s bottle using a bottle warmer, depending on the model.

If you’re feeding expressed breastmilk, keep in mind that gentle heating is best. Heating breast milk too fast or on a temperature that’s too high can potentially destroy some of the vital components of breast milk.

#24 Small (4-5 oz) baby bottles

Why are there smaller (4-5 oz) and larger (8+ oz) baby bottles to begin with? Tiny baby bottles are stinking cute and sell. That’s why. Because it’s perfectly fine to feed a newborn baby from the larger bottle.

You can easily go with the larger bottles only and save yourself some money along the way. (You’d still need to buy them eventually once your baby outgrows the small size… if you’re bottle feeding, that is.) Just make sure you’re using slow-flow nipples on them initially. Some brands equip their bottles with slow-flow nipples regardless of the bottle size, and some use faster flow nipples on those larger bottles, so you’ll have to check.

This is especially helpful if you’re using glass baby bottles which don’t need frequent replacing like plastic or silicone bottles due to wearing out.

Resources for choosing baby bottles:

• Are plastic baby bottles safe?
• Glass baby bottles vs. plastic bottles (pros/cons)

#25 Baby cologne

Must be in high demand; even Johnson’s now makes one of those. You can make your baby smell less like a baby, or more like a baby, depending on your mood and how much or how little your baby smells like a baby. I mean, whatever happened to just letting babies smell like… babies?

Avoiding unnecessary, dangerous, and useless baby items

Save your money by not getting unnecessary baby products that will just sit around, collecting dust and cluttering up your home, and protect your baby from baby products that might be legitimately harmful!

As a first-time parent it can be frustrating trying to figure out which baby products are the real must-haves and which ones are not a necessity. Especially if you’re on a budget, you definitely don’t want to overspend on baby items you might not need after all. Moms-to-be are bombarded with images of all the baby gadgets they should get in preparations for their new baby, but in fact, many of these items are completely unnecessary or just plain useless. Or, they might even harm your baby in various ways.

Say no more to wondering about unnecessary baby products if you’re browsing the stores and online catalogues, thinking about what you’ll need to buy for your soon-to-arrive bundle of joy, since now you have an idea about baby products you don’t need. If you’re working on your baby registry, take these unnecessary baby registry items into consideration if you don’t want to end up with useless and dangerous baby items.

This list of things you don’t need for baby is based on my personal opinion. Other moms may feel differently. This is just my genuine advice for new moms and moms-to-be who are either on a budget or carefully considering whether getting all popular baby products is truly necessary and worth it.

Have anything to add to this list? Drop your ideas for unnecessary baby items in the comments below for other moms and moms-to-be to see!