Baby & Toddler Items I Regret Buying as a Mom of 3 (And What I'd Get Instead)

Three Kids Later and I Have Notes: Baby & Toddler Items

If there is one thing the baby and toddler product industry is exceptionally good at, it is convincing moms, especially new moms, that they need everything. The "must have" roundups are multiplying faster than my kids' sock collection disappears.

And listen — I fell for it. Multiple times. Across all three kids. Which either makes me a slow learner or an exceptionally dedicated researcher for this blog post, and I'm choosing to believe it's the latter.

I have three kids under six and I have bought, been gifted, registered for, and used a truly impressive number of products that I now realize were a complete waste of money.

This post is my late Mother’s Day gift to you. Consider it the registry edit you didn't know you needed — with alternatives that actually work, from a mom who has now done this enough times to know better.

Let's start with the one that still stings the most and a Heads up that some links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share things I'd genuinely text a friend about.

1. The Electric Kids Ride-On Car

What I'd get instead:

Nearly three hundred dollars. I want you to really sit with that number for a moment.

I spent nearly three hundred dollars on an electric ride-on car and here is the thing nobody told me — and that I absolutely did not read in the fine print — most electric ride-on cars are not made for grass. They are designed for pavement. Smooth, flat, pavement.

Who exactly is letting their toddler ride on the street? Nobody. Nobody is doing that.

So we did what any reasonable parent would do and let our kids ride it on the grass. And the battery drained fast and eventually just gave out entirely. Within a year the whole thing was done. Oh, and it’s actually still in our toy shed because I haven’t figured out how to properly dispose of it so, it has just been sitting there wasting space. Can you tell I am still bitter about this?

For my second child, we were given a hand-me-down Little Tikes Cozy Coupe. That classic red and yellow car that has existed since 1979 and apparently lasts forever because it arrived at our house already well-loved and my son absolutely loves it. No battery. No charging. No fine print about approved surfaces. Just four wheels, two little feet pushing it along, and a kid who couldn't be happier.

It is also $230 cheaper than what I paid. The fine print on that one is pretty easy to read.

This is the one that stings the most. And I hope it saves you $300. 💛

2. The 3-in-1 Convertible Crib 🛏️

What I'd get instead: A 4-in-1 or 5-in-1 Convertible Crib

This one felt so smart when I bought it. Convertible! Grows with your child! One purchase for years! All of that is technically true — it did convert, it did grow with her, and it did last years. What the label did not mention is that mine only transitioned to a toddler bed. Which toddlers outgrow. Quickly.

And so when my daughter was done with it I found myself buying a new bed frame and a new mattress and by the time all was said and done I had spent approximately $1,500 on the full transition. Combined with what I originally paid for the crib, that is a painful number for something that was supposed to be the smart, long-term purchase.

If I had those years back I would buy a 4-in-1 or 5-in-1 from the start — the kind that converts all the way to a full-size bed. Yes, it costs more upfront. But it costs significantly less than a crib plus a toddler bed plus a frame plus a mattress spread across five years. Read the conversion stages before you buy. Count them. Make sure the last one is an actual bed your child can sleep in through elementary school.

Future you will be very grateful.

And if you are looking for other Timeless Kids’ Furniture Ideas, check out my previous post for inspiration.

3. The Inflatable Pool 🏊

What I'd get instead: Slip n Slide, Reusable Water Balloons, and a Water Table

The idea of an inflatable pool is genuinely wonderful. Your kids, splashing around in the backyard, a little oasis of summer joy right outside your door. Beautiful vision. Truly.

Here is the reality: inflatable pools get gross fast. Faster than you think. Faster than seems scientifically reasonable. You either have to be extremely diligent about draining, cleaning, drying, and storing it after every single use — which, with multiple small children, is a level of logistics I personally cannot sustain. Or you end up buying a new one every summer because the old one spent the off-season growing something you do not want near your children.

I am in the "bought a new one every year" camp and I am not proud of it.

What actually works: a slip n slide that rolls up and goes away in ten seconds, a set of reusable water balloons that create complete chaos in the best possible way, and a water table that entertains three different kids at three different levels simultaneously. Same amount of summer fun. A fraction of the mess, the maintenance, and the annual replacement cost.

Check out my previous post on Best Outdoor Activities for Kids for other outdoor play ideas.

4. Baby Shoes 👟

What I'd get instead: Literally anything else

I say this with the full confidence of someone who has made this mistake more than once: save your money.

Baby shoes are among the most adorable items ever manufactured and among the most pointless purchases you will ever make. Babies do not walk. Babies do not need shoes. Babies need their feet to be free to develop properly, and what they will actually do with any shoe you put on them is look at it with great curiosity and then remove it within four minutes flat.

They do not wear shoes until they are actually walking. And by the time they are actually walking, they have grown three sizes and the shoes you bought are already too small.

5. Scented Baby Lotion and Wash 🛁

What I'd get instead: Cetaphil Cleanser and Lotion

All three of my kids have sensitive skin. Lucky me, I know. And with my first I went through a truly embarrassing number of scented lotions and washes before I figured this out. By kid three I went straight to Cetaphil Cleanser for wash and Cetaphil lotion and I have not looked back since.

Here is the thing: sensitive skin in babies is incredibly common. Fragrance is one of the most frequent irritants. Starting with fragrance-free is not overcautious — it is just smart. If your baby's skin turns out to be totally fine with scented products, great, you can always switch. But starting gentle and working your way out is a lot less stressful than going the other direction.

6. Baby Detergent 🧺

What I'd get instead: Scent-free regular detergent

Oh, the baby detergent phase. I bought so much of it with my first. Special baby detergent, gentle baby detergent, the kind with the soft baby on the label that costs twice as much as the regular version and does the same job.

Here is what a few years of parenting taught me: you do not need special baby detergent. You need scent-free detergent. That is it. Any brand, any store, any price point — as long as it is fragrance-free it will be gentle enough for your baby's clothes and your sanity's budget.

I now buy the same scent-free detergent for the whole family's laundry. One detergent. One less thing. Revolutionary.

7. The Bedside Bassinet 🛌

What I'd get instead: A Pack 'n Play with a bassinet insert

Bedside bassinets are genuinely useful for approximately two months, which sounds fine until you realize that a standalone bedside bassinet costs nearly as much as a Pack n Play that does everything the bassinet does AND converts into a playard your child will use for years.

They outgrow bassinets so fast. So fast. And then you have this beautiful, dedicated piece of furniture that does exactly one thing sitting in the corner of your bedroom taking up space while your two-month-old has already outgrown it.

A Pack 'n Play with a bassinet connector gives you the same newborn functionality — baby close to you, easy nighttime access, that sense of security in the early weeks — and then when they outgrow the bassinet insert you just remove it and keep using the Pack n Play as a safe sleep space, a travel bed, a contained play space. It is one purchase that actually grows with your child the way the bassinet promises to but doesn't.

8. The Baby Wipe Warmer 🌡️

What I'd get instead: Nothing. Truly nothing.

I know the wipe warmer comes from a place of love. You do not want to startle your newborn with a cold wipe. You want their little bottom to be comfortable and warm — but you do not need a wipe warmer.

If you are genuinely concerned about the temperature, rub the wipe between your palms for a few seconds before using it. That is the entire solution. Free of charge. No batteries required. No counter space consumed.

And here is the real argument against the wipe warmer that no one talks about: get them used to the cold wipe now. Because eventually — whether at daycare, at grandma's house, in a public restroom, or when the wipe warmer inevitably breaks at 2am — that cold wipe is coming. And a baby who has only ever experienced a warm wipe will let you know exactly how they feel about that.

Cold wipes from day one. You are doing them a favor. You are welcome.

9. The Trendy Highchair 🪑

What I'd get instead: An easy to clean highchair with no fabric

I want to tell you about the highchair I have now versus the one I started with — because the difference is the whole lesson.

My first highchair was cute and I thought it was a smart buy because it folded. Ask me how many times I folded it? None. It also had an all fabric seat cushions which is where food goes to fossilize. And no matter how well I cleaned it, there was always a smell that I just couldn't take anymore.

My current highchair wipes down completely in under thirty seconds. I spray it, I wipe it, I'm done. It also has a 2-part removable & dishwasher safe tray which has honestly been a game changer.

The lesson is not "don't buy a nice highchair" — it is "define nice correctly." In this season of life, easy to clean IS the nice one. Your future self doing cleanup after spaghetti night will thank you profusely.

10. The Electric Baby Nail Filer ✂️

What I'd get instead: Regular baby nail clippers

The electric baby nail filer was one of those purchases that sounded genuinely genius. No sharp clippers near tiny fingers! A gentle filing motion! Safe and easy! But honestly good ole fashion baby nail clippers work better, faster, and cost a fraction of the price.

They are small, precise, and once you do it a couple of times you realize it is nowhere near as terrifying as it seems the first time. The electric filer takes longer, requires charging, and still somehow manages to feel fiddly and uncertain.

Clip the nails. You can do it. I believe in you.

Pro Tip: Clip when they are asleep in those newborn days.

Grace from the Mom Who Bought All of It

Here is what ten items on this list have in common: they were all purchased by a mom who was trying her absolute best to get it right. Some came from registry lists. Some came from recommendations. Some came from late-night Amazon spirals fueled by newborn anxiety and a genuine desire to have the right thing ready.

None of them were bad purchases because I was careless. They were purchases made with more information available than experience to filter it through.

That is what this post is for. Not to make you feel bad for anything already in your cart — but to give you the experience I didn't have yet so you can make a different call. Buy the Cozy Coupe. Skip the wipe warmer. Get the 4-in-1 crib. Start fragrance-free.

And absolutely, under no circumstances, do not let anyone talk you into an Electric Ride on Car. That one I feel strongly about. 💛