When it comes to buying things for a first child, a lot of parents buy unnecessary items because they've been convinced by marketers that it is something they need. I think that a lot of marketers rely on the fact that first time parents don't know what they need and are quite frankly nervous about the impending major life change. When someone is expecting a child they are probably going to read books, take classes and/or talk to other people that they know who have children to try to determine just what they need to supply themselves with in order to be prepared for raising a child. In actuality, you could probably get by with a short list of necessities, but baby gear and accessories has become a major market in the United States. I feel it is unethical to prey on people that you know don't have a clue about what is in store for them. Below are some examples of items that while they are completely unnecessary, have actually become quite popular:
Bathrobes for babies:
When is your baby going to hang around home in a robe? You wash them, then dress them people!
Baby Swaddler:
While it is true that babies like to be swaddled, there is no efficiency or convenience savings by using a Velcro closure as opposed to swaddling them in a blanket. What they don't tell you is that most newborns don't swaddle for long, my daughter did it for only two weeks.
Wipe Warmers:
Why would anyone need to pay $25 so that their child's wipe could be warm? It's not like they are kept in the refrigerator, then tend to be room temperature anyway.
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