WHEN I was pregnant with my first baby, I spent hours researching everything I thought a newborn could possibly need.
My shopping list grew by the day, fuelled by recommendations from social media, parenting websites and other mums. But now I’m out of the new mum phase, I know there’s eight baby products that are a TOTAL waste of money – don’t make my mistake and save yourself £1,000.

I felt like I needed to buy EVERYTHING as a first-time mum – but I wasted £1,000 Credit: Olivia Tomlinson

My husband and I spent a small fortune when I was pregnant, making sure we had everything
Having a baby is eye-wateringly expensive.
It costs £1,645 in the first year paying for essentials like nappies, according to MoneyHelper.
But in reality it could be much more – as LV estimates parents spend a whopping £12,400, per year on raising a child.
It’s no wonder then that 59% of parents have borrowed money, taking on an average debt of £2,658, according to research by Intuit Credit Karma

My husband, Henry, and I spent around £5,000 in total paying for everything we needed for our baby’s first year.
I convinced myself that buying the “right” products would make those exhausting first few months easier.
But after my daughter arrived, I realised I had wasted hundreds of pounds on things that barely made it out of their packaging – or, even worse, we could not use at all.
From clothes my baby had already outgrown at birth to a designer carrier costing hundreds of pounds, my expensive mistakes quickly added up.

In total, I spent £1,004.88 on eight baby buys that simply did not work for us.
Of course, every baby and every parent is different. Some mums may swear by these products, but I wish I had waited until after my baby was born before spending so much.
Below are the eight purchases I regret and why – and what I would do differently next time.
Moses basket and stand – £95

The John Lewis Moses basket was my dream – but it barely got used Credit: John Lewis
I was SO excited to buy a Moses basket.
It’s one of those traditional newborn essentials I could not wait to have one in my living room.
I bought the John Lewis Moses Basket, Fitted Sheet and Blanket Set for £65, as well as the £30 pinewood stand.
It looked lovely and I imagined my newborn sleeping peacefully in it beside me during the day.
In reality, my daughter refused to settle in it for any longer than five minutes. She just preferred being held or carried by me or my husband.
It became a place where I’d put my daughter for just a few minutes if I needed to do something urgently, like run to the loo.

That meant I had spent £95 on something that was effectively decorative.
The SnuzPod bedside crib we bought for £199.95 from John Lewis made the Moses basket even more useless.
We used it all the time and kept it in the bedroom of our one-bed flat.
Looking back, I should have waited to see where my baby preferred to sleep or looked for a second-hand basket on Facebook Marketplace.
I would, however, always buy a brand-new mattress and make sure any sleep space met current safe-sleep guidance.
My biggest lesson was that newborn sleep is unpredictable. A beautiful basket is not a guarantee that your baby will agree to use it.
Lansinoh Silver Nursing Cups – around £42.99

The Lansinoh Silver Nursing Cups are a lifesaver for some mums – but not for me Credit: Boots
I bought silver nursing cups because I had heard glowing reviews about them from my midwife.
The reusable cups are designed to sit over the nipples between feeds to ease any pain, and I hoped they would be a lifesaver during the early days of breastfeeding.
But unfortunately, they didn’t work for me, and I got more relief from using Lansinoh HPA Lanolin Nipple Cream, at just £11.95 a tube from Boots.

At nearly £48 from Boots, they were an expensive product to discover was not right for me.
I couldn’t get them to sit comfortably, and it was also advised not to use them at the same time as the nipple cream to avoid tarnishing the silver.
But, of course, what ends up being completely unnecessary for one mum might work brilliantly for another.
Newborn clothes – around £200

I spent a small fortune on newborn clothes from M&S, only for my baby to be too big for them Credit: Getty
One of my biggest mistakes was buying lots of adorable newborn clothes from Marks & Spencer before I even knew how big my baby would be.
I spent £200 stocking drawers with tiny outfits which were never worn – the tags never even came off.
The retailer’s newborn clothes are suitable for babies weighing up to 7lb, but my baby arrived weighing 7lb 13oz.
That meant they were too small from the start.
Thankfully, I managed to make around £50 of my money back by selling them on Vinted, but it was much less than I’d forked out.
I would advise expectant parents to buy only a handful of the smallest items and keep the labels and receipts wherever possible.

Stocking up on a mixture of sizes is far more sensible. Babies can grow incredibly quickly, and you have no way of knowing in advance exactly what will fit.
Tommee Tippee microwave steriliser – around £35.99

The Tommee Tippee steriliser was left sitting in a cupboard unused Credit: Tommee Tippee
A steriliser appeared on almost every newborn checklist I read, so the Tommee Tippee microwave steam steriliser seemed like a practical purchase, costing me £35.99.
It can hold up to four bottles and accessories, with a cycle taking as little as four minutes, depending on the microwave.
But I was lucky that our breastfeeding journey went really smoothy, and my daughter wouldn’t take a bottle, so it barely got used.
She also didn’t take to a dummy, so we didn’t need to use the steriliser for those either.
When she got a bit older and started to use teethers, we used microwave steriliser bags, which cost just £6.09 from Boots.
It was not the most expensive mistake on my list, but all these smaller purchases soon added up.
I wish I had waited until I understood how we would be feeding our baby and what type of steriliser would fit our routine.
Lansinoh Single Wearable Pump and Lansinoh bottles – £90.91

The Lansinoh wearable pump seemed like a practice purchase, but I barely used it Credit: John Lewis

I loved the idea of a wearable breast pump because I thought it would allow me to express milk while carrying on with other chores around the house.
I’d watched dozens of TikToks from other mums, and the consensus seemed to be that the Lansinoh Single Wearable Pump was the best on the market.
The Lansinoh Single Wearable Pump cost me £64.95 from Boots, and I also spent £25.96 on a pack of Lansinoh 160ml bottles.
This brought my total spend to £90.91.
In practice, I struggled to get a good fit, and my milk output was lower than expected when using it.
As a result, the bottles also went largely unused because my daughter would not take them.
On the limited occasions that I did express milk, I found that my £23 Medela Harmony Light Manual Breast Pump worked much better for me.
Breast pumps and bottles can be very personal. The pump that works for one woman may not suit another’s body, milk supply, or lifestyle.
Rather than buying one before giving birth, I would consider hiring a pump or waiting until I had established what I actually needed.
I would also buy only one or two bottles initially, rather than investing in a full set before knowing whether my baby would take to them.

I would also check whether the pump’s breast shield is the wrong size, and seek specialist support from your health visitor, before assuming the pump itself isn’t working.
Artipoppe baby carrier – £370

I chose fashion over function with the Artipoppe carrier Credit: artipoppe
My most expensive regret was the Artipoppe Zeitgeist Tweed baby carrier, which we bought for £370 from Artipoppe.
I was influenced by seeing fashionable mums on social media wearing it online, and I wanted to feel stylish while carrying my baby around.
I imagined using it constantly from birth, for walks and chores around the house.
However, while the carrier says it is suitable from birth, we found that our daughter did not sit in it in a way we were comfortable with.
It’s advised that parents follow the safety acronym T.I.C.K.S. when using a carrier.
This stands for:

Tight: The carrier should hold your baby close to your body so they cannot slump down.
In view at all times: You should always be able to see your baby’s face simply by looking down.
Close enough to kiss: The top of your baby’s head should be close enough for you to kiss.
Keep chin off the chest: Make sure there is space beneath your baby’s chin so their breathing is not restricted.
Supported back: Your baby’s back should be supported in a natural, upright position, with no room to sag.

I didn’t feel like the carrier provided her with enough back support or was tight enough around her tiny newborn body.
We started to use it again when she was around four months old and had grown into it, but I needed to use it everyday from the beginning to feel as though I had gotten my money’s worth.

In hindsight, I would have bought a newborn wrap carrier, which vary in price, costing from around £25 to £40, instead of choosing fashion over function.
I should have tried on several carriers with my baby as she got a few months older before committing to such an expensive model.
Many sling libraries allow parents to try or hire different designs, which is useful because the best carrier depends on both the adult and the baby.
Maxi-Cosi Kori rocker – £109.99

My baby barely spent any time in her Maxi-Cosi rocker Credit: Boots
I bought the Maxi-Cosi Kori rocker because I thought it would give me somewhere safe to place my baby while I ate, showered or got jobs done.
But, once again, my baby had other ideas.
She cried whenever I put her in it, meaning we only used it a handful of times.
As she got older, she didn’t want to be restricted by a chair, and much preferred being able to kick and roll around on a play mat.
At around £109.99 from Boots, it was another costly item that took up space without making our lives any easier.
There is no way to predict whether a baby will enjoy a particular rocker, swing or bouncer.

Before buying a rocker again, I would try to borrow one first or choose a less expensive model.
Parents should also follow the manufacturer’s age and weight restrictions and remember that inclined rockers are not intended as a baby’s regular sleep space.
Ingenuity Cozy Spot Play Gym – £60

This aesthetic play gym ended up being swapped out for something more colourful Credit: Argos
I bought the Ingenuity Cozy Spot Play Gym because it looked gorgeous, and I wanted something that went with the colour scheme in our living room.
Although it looked stylish, it simply was not stimulating enough for her, and she quickly lost interest.
At £60 from Argos, it was an expensive purchase that ended up taking up more room than the use we got from it.
I eventually replaced it with the Baby Einstein 4-in-1 Kickin’ Tunes Music and Language Discovery Activity Gym for £40 from John Lewis.
It was brighter, more interactive, and much more fun for my daughter, with music, lights, toys, and a kick piano to keep her entertained.
It also grew with her, as it could be used in different ways as she developed, so we got far more use out of it.
Looking back, I wish I had chosen the Baby Einstein gym in the first place rather than prioritising how the Ingenuity mat looked in our home.

It taught me that the most attractive baby product is not always the one a child will enjoy most.
What I wish I had known

We spent around £5,000 getting everything ready for our daughter’s arrival
The experience taught me that preparing for a baby is not about buying every product recommended online.
Babies have their own preferences, which means feeding and sleeping arrangements can look completely different from what you imagined during pregnancy.
If I could turn back time, I would buy the basics, keep every receipt and wait before making expensive purchases.
I would also borrow or hire products where possible and ask friends whether I could test their baby items before buying my own.
There is so much pressure on first-time mums to be perfectly prepared, but shops will still exist after your baby is born.
You do not have to buy everything in advance – and waiting could save you hundreds of pounds.

I exclusively breastfed my daughter, so all the other feeding items we bought were left unused