10 Baby Items You Won't Need

When I found out I was pregnant with my son Roo I was ecstatic. One of the things I was interested in was the birth process! You can learn more about the hypnobirthing technique like I did. I did a lot of shopping for baby gear before my baby shower and I ended up with a ton of baby items I absolutely didn't need, and I used many of them once if ever. When I found out I was expecting again I had a good idea of what things I would not need. I am going to share a list of baby items you really don't need to help you save money when you are shopping for a baby shower or your own little bundle of joy.

A baby wipe warmer- I received a baby wipe warmer as a shower gift. I thought what a cool idea and couldn't wait to set it up I envisioned my son being blissful when a perfectly warm wipe touched his skin...Then he arrived and I found I was never changing a diaper in the same place. I became a master of changing diapers in any location. The pads in the warmer dried out super fast and it mostly sat around using electricity. Save your money on this item, it is really not needed.

Baby Blankets- I saw so many cute blankets that I couldn't resist buying about a dozen for Roo. Then I had a baby shower and received 9 handmade blankets and 10 adorable mass produced blankets. We had so many baby blankets that I ended up giving 5 away right off the bat. We had so many blankets in the end that my son only used a few of them once or twice. We didn't need to buy any blankets for Harper as we had so many and friends and family have offered her handmade blankets also. Save your money, don't buy any blankets until after your baby shower. Really you need no more than 6 blankets in my opinion.

Toys that are aimed at newborns- Let's face it, we can't resist buying some of this baby stuff because it is cute! Toys are no exception. With Roo he had so many toys at birth that it was crazy. People that aren't familiar with babies will buy them toys at birth (or so it seems) then act very disappointed when baby isn't playing with them right away. If you need to buy toys stick with teethers, rattles and similar items. You are better off to buy toys for future play. Think the 3-6 month age range.

Clothes from the previous season- I have a well meaning relative that works retail. She buys up all of the kids clothes she can for my family at prices as low as $1 per piece. This always makes me feel bad! She might bring 20 items to us from the previous season. My infant daughter cannot wear a 3-6 month tank top and short set when it is January. Before she could wear it she will have outgrown it and that is a waste of money from the well meaning loved one. If you are going to buy off season clothes, think how big will the child be when it is spring? And buy a bigger size than what the child is currently wearing.

Infant towels- these are cute, who can resist tiny little towels?! But really they are so thin and flimsy they are not super effective for drying a baby. You can use your bath towels on baby, it will be okay!

Tummy Time Mats- These are cute and look fun too, but you can save at least $30 by not getting one. Put one of the lovely baby blankets you have to use. Offer baby a few of those toys you couldn't resist or were given as a gift. A rattle, a large inflatable ball  or a child safe mirror will do the trick of engaging the child while he or she is getting tummy time.

Pacifier Wipes- You think you are going to use these. You have good intentions. Then you realize how busy you are, you forget about them. These are a novel idea but in my opinion, they are not worth the money. 

Diaper Genie- I am sorry the idea of a huge container of soiled diapers just grosses me out. Plus, this is just silly! Just throw the diapers away with your garbage and save your money. The refills on these are too expensive anyhow.

Baby Powder- this smells nice, don't get me wrong, but my pediatrician told me not to use it, it is like rubbing sandpaper on delicate skin and can cause breathing problems if inhaled. He said frequent changes and use of diaper ointment when needed are better options for baby.

Baby Shoes- my daughter is 6 weeks old. She has 8 pairs of shoes for the 0-3 month size. She has at least 3 pairs of each size of shoe until she is about 18 months old... don't get caught up in this style game! One pair, maybe 2 if you can't resist of each size is more than enough. Shoes are really unneeded considering baby cannot walk.

I hope this list helps you save money on items for baby. I would love to hear from you, what items did you have that you found to be completely unnecessary?

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Technogel Anatomic Pillow Review

As a pregnant woman, I have developed a strange relationship with sleep. I long for it, I chase it. I feel like I could sleep a few extra hours a night and I need a nap daily. In reality, when I fall asleep, I can't stay asleep. I toss, I turn, I am uncomfortable. I want to sleep on my belly. My pillow gets too hot, I don't have enough pillows, or I have too many pillows.

After several weeks of fighting to sleep well, I started shopping around for a new pillow. I realized that a pillow is an investment in myself. If I have a great pillow, a great nights sleep isn't far away. I had never given much thought to pillows before. I assumed that if it was soft it would do the trick. Then I got a lesson in Pillow Education when I learned about Technogel® Sleeping. Boy, I was all wrong about pillows!

Technogel® Pillows are different from something you might buy in a big box store on many levels. Please let me tell you a little bit about Technogel® Pillows.

Imagine sleeping on a gel filled pillow... what does it feel like? How is it different?Why is it better?

These pillows are different in many ways. A Technogel® Pillow molds to your unique form, the gel inside deforms in a 3D manner, meaning that pressure peaks are reduced and blood circulation improves. The pressure your body applies to the pillow is distributed evenly over the entire surface.

A Technogel® Pillow feels different than a foam or memory foam pillow, naturally as the material is not the same, but a Technogel® Pillow is really different in the sense that it keeps you cooler. The heat of your body is dispersed which results in a surface temperature of 3.5 degrees cooler than other pillows. Take my word on this, that is a huge difference. I used to wake up and flip or switch pillows several times a night when I was sleeping on a foam filled pillow.  In the several weeks I have been sleeping with a Technogel® Pillow I have not needed to wake up and flip or switch my pillow- not one time! Comfortable temperatures are crucial to sleep. The unique thermal properties of a Technogel® Pillow are amazing for a sleeping body, the ventilation provided by the open air channels of a Technogel® Pillow make sleeping better than ever.

I have heard that it is important to change your pillows every 18 months, due to the breakdown of material, and the manifestation of bacteria within a foam pillow. In reality, 18 months can seem like a long time to maintain a relationship with a pillow that loses shape or becomes flat. A Technogel® Pillow is free from the volatile agents that lead to disaggregation. This brand of pillows will not change with use. It doesn't get hard, it doesn't become flat, it doesn't get super soft. It remains true to form with nightly use.

I was curious. I bought a pillow at WalMart to begin using the same day that my Technogel® Anatomical Pillow arrived. I used the WalMart pillow for lounging on the sofa in the evening and my Technogel® remains in my bed. Within 3 weeks the WalMart pillow has lost its shape completely. It is as flat as a pancake. It has no support to it, no softness, just some stuffing that has no elasticity. I used this pillow no more than 2 hours a night for 3 weeks. My Technogel® Pillow is used for 5 hours a night at a minimum. How has it held up? It is exactly the same as it was the day I began to use it.

Now that you know a little bit about Technogel® Pillows, lets talk about what it has been like sleeping with this pillow.

I did my research. I read other reviews, I wanted to know what other people thought of their Technogel® pillow. I read some people saying it was hard to adjust to, but I have to state for the record, the first night I slept with this pillow, I slept better than I had in years. I felt like I was sleeping the sleep of angels. I loved that my pillow was cool, it was firm, yet soft. It was unlike any other pillow I had ever used. There was no period of adjustment for me.

I have slept better since I started using a Technogel® Anatomical Pillow. I don't wake up every hour anymore. I feel comfortable when I am laying down. I don't need 5 pillows anymore. Just my Technogel®.

My son co sleeps with me. He is 3, and he is smart! He insists that we share the pillow, he loves it too. Every morning I wake up face to face with my son, as he scoots over during the night and claims his spot on the Technogel® Anatomical Pillow. My dog also tries to steal this pillow from us at night, it is that comfortable that the spoiled dog feels that other pillows just don't live up to his need for comfort.

I had to sleep with a regular old bed pillow for a few nights last week. I was miserable. I woke up 3 mornings in a row with unbearable neck and back pain from using a standard pillow. I whimpered and whined as I longed for my Technogel® Anatomic Pillow. I am completely sold on this brand. The science of a good night sleep has influenced the design of the Technogel® line of products to such an extent that I would not hesitate to call the people behind this line of products the Sleep Masters.

While a Technogel® Pillow is going to cost you more than something you can grab at Target or WalMart, it is an investment in you, in your health, in your comfort level. You are worth the investment! You will feel better, sleep better and feel different when you wake up after using a Technogel® Pillow. To find a retailer near you visit the dealer locator. You owe it to yourself to learn more and consider upgrading your pillow for the ultimate sleep experience.



Sleep Redefined. What a perfect motto for this company!
To learn more please connect with Technogel.
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