PREPARING for a new baby is exciting, and for both parents and their loved ones, it also presents an opportunity to shop.
But not every "must-have" baby item is worth the money, and one mom is on a mission to keep her followers from wasting their cash.
Frances Chie is a mom whose helpful, informative videos have racked up over 3.6million likes on TikTok.
In a recent series, Chie detailed the "must-have" baby registry items that turned out to be total busts.
A few of the items were things Chie bought and didn't use, while others were tools she found an effective substitute for.
These are some of the items Chie recommends you skip – you're unlikely to use them and your money is better spent elsewhere.
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WIPE WARMER
First up on Chie's list of must-skips was a baby wipe warmer.
"You're not gonna use it, I promise you," she insisted.
"Maybe for the first one or two months, your baby will cry if the wipe is cold, for two or three seconds," Chie added.
But after those few seconds, "your baby doesn't care that the wipe is room temperature.
"Take it off the registry," she insisted.
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CHANGING TABLE
9To illustrate how illogical a changing table can be, Chie asked a question.
"Are you really gonna go all the way to a specific room to change your baby?" she asked. "No."
Instead, buy a much-cheaper option that will allow you to change your baby anywhere while staying sanitary.
"You can get a changing mat for $10," Chie insisted, or even look for other baby items that include one.
"Mine actually came free with my diaper bag."
By substituting a mat for the changing table, won't have to interrupt your entire routine to go to the baby's nursery for a diaper change.
"Change the baby on the couch, change the baby on the bed, change the baby on the floor," Chie said.
DIAPER GENIE
The next item on Chie's list was one many parents swear by, but Chie swears isn't necessary.
"Now, I actually have a Diaper Genie," she began. "But let me tell you why you don't need it.
"It fills up super fast. The bag is confusing – you tie the knot at the bottom of the bag, too complicated," she continued.
And while Chie said yes, a Diaper Genie does trap the smell of dirty diapers, it's not magic.
"You know what else traps the smell? The trash can. The regular old trash can," Chie said.
If you take out your trash regularly and don't let dirty diapers sit for days, the smell shouldn't be underwhelming.
"If you need added smell protection, you know you've got these under your bathroom sink," Chie said, brandishing a small plastic retail bag.
Just wrap the diaper in a smaller bag before putting it in the trash to combat smell.
BOTTLE STERILIZER
A trendy item on Chie's list was easily replaced by tools parents already have at home.
"You know what a bottle sterilizer is?" Chie asked.
"A pot. A pot of boiling water.
"I bet you have a pot and I bet you have running water," Chie said.
If you aren't using the tools at hand to sterilize your bottles, you're not likely to use an expensive tool to do the same thing.
"Waste of money," the mom insisted.
NEWBORN DETERGENT
Her next tip was to ditch the idea of "newborn-safe" detergent, and instead opt for a natural detergent that caters to sensitive skin.
"It is 2022, there is too much research and knowledge out to still be using this," Chie said.
"Get rid of the chemicals for the whole family and go ahead and switch to one detergent for everybody."
She recommended a detergent from Seventh Generation that includes no fragrances, dyes, or artificial brighteners, and is made with sensitive skin in mind.
NEWBORN SHOES
The last entry on Chie's list was cute, but useless: shoes for newborns.
"Maybe a couple of you want to take a little picture," she reasoned, "but your baby is not going to wear them."
Tiny shoes are just impractical for an actual newborn, Chie explained.
"Your baby is going to be in a zip-up onesie, 99.9 percent of the time.
"You're going to have to change the baby's outfits three to four times, into different onesies," she added. "Nobody has time to be taking shoes on and off.
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This was a purchase Chie fell victim to when her own daughter was born.
"I had one pair," Chie admitted. "She didn't even wear them."
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