Hellobee Boards

We were lucky to get a lot of hand me downs from my SIL (exersaucer, bouncer, play gym, small toys) and we managed to do without the rest (we didn't buy a swing or bassinet or pack n play). So since it was free, I don't really regret any of it.

My first LO didn't really love the RocknPlay, but I'm waiting to see if LO 2 likes it before declaring it a gear regret. There's not really anything I wish I would have bought that I didn't buy.

Swing, high chair, stroller and crib. Two kids so far and we have yet to really use any of those things (never used the swing or high chair and stroller was only used a handful of times with our first while still in the infant seat). Cribs have turned into full size beds so they will get use, eventually, but otherwise I wish we never got some of the other stuff.

I regret the Britax B-Ready that we got. I loved it in the store but hated it in person. It's deceptively wide and I would constantly run into things with the wheels or get stuck. We also ended up having to exchange our Britax carseat for one that fit in our car better and it never worked all that well with the Britax. Now that we're gearing up for #2, the carseat and stroller (as a double) just do NOT work together.

I have someone coming to buy the b-ready this morning, but for WAY less than we paid. We should've gone with the City Select from the beginning, which is what we replaced it with.

I don't like the Britax Boulevard convertible seats we got. The wings on them are huge and DS hated the seat more than his infant seat. I also found the straps really difficult to adjust. We ended up with a Diono Radian when grandma wanted one of our seats for her car. I wish we had gone that route from the beginning!

Things we sold and/or replaced after using with LO1:
- B-Agile. Loved it, but too much overlap with our BOB. Ended up selling it and getting a G-Luxe so we had a BOB for more strenuous things and the umbrella for travelling.
- Pack-N-Play. Used as bassinet for LO1 but it was terrible for travelling. Both sets of grandparents have one at their houses...and we are fine using a hotel crib...so it never left the house. Ended up replacing it with a Lotus, since it's actually easy to travel with when staying at AirBnB/VRBO type places.
- Jumper/Exersaucer. Rarely used it with LO1 because she went to daycare FT and crawled/walked on the early side. Would probably use it with LO2, but sold it to get it out of the house

I regret getting two strollers (one DH really wanted because it was a jogging stroller (he does not jog), one I wanted because I'm short and it was more comfortable). In the end we ended up not being stroller people.

A high end high chair. It's thrashed after one kid and I kinda hate it. I wish we got the cheapo one and just junked it after DD was over it. Now I feel the need to keep it because it was an expensive gift but I hate the thing.

Regret the mamaroo. Should have bought a fisher price swing instead.

I also regret the jogging stroller I bought. I have a recurring neck problem which makes jogging with LO impossible. And my husband just prefers jogging solo.

i wish we bought a more high end stroller like the bugaboo rather than the city mini. we've had several break.

@Peasinapod: we have something similar and didn't put it in the crib until she was 11 months. Now she loves it and will often wake up, crawl over to it and turn it on herself to help herself fall back asleep in the middle of the night.

Things I bought and ended up selling:
- City Select (with a second seat that we never used) - too big and bulky, replaced with a city mini GT
- K-tan - Just didn't like it

Things we still have but don't really use:
- Ergo - DH liked it but it never fit me well
- Pack and Play - just haven't had the need for it
- Our original high chair (Graco) - We replaced with the Stokke Tripp Trapp which we LOVE

Things I regret not buying:
- Glider for the nursery

pack and play, DD hated being confined. It was a good thing we got it as a shower gift.

Bumbo - my kids have chunky legs so they don't fit well.

Graco Travel System- that stroller was HUGE!

Momaroo - LO1 didn't really like it enough for what we paid. The good news was we sold it at 6 months and got most of our money back out of it.

Baby carrier - sold my Britax carrier for about 50% off (used 1 time!) and probably will sell my non-used Ergo too. I just don't like to carry my baby.

Pack n Play - its okay for home, but I hate the bulk of toting it around when we travel. At home it's used as a safe place to put LO while we get ready in the AM.

The Bumbo! Used it twice and all of a sudden she could sit up unassisted. Oh well!

I also wish I bought a stroller that could convert to a double from the very beginning. We got the Cruz but literally only used it for a year. We just bought the City Select Double and I was able to sell the Cruz but still......

@raintreebee: @MamaG: Ditto on the momaroo! We barely used it, and wished we got a traditional swing instead. Arg. We're only keeping it now because we want another LO and hope s/he will use it. If not, it's definitely going up for sale. I just hope we have takers since there's a newer model out now.

@CakeLady: ditto the Nuna Sena Mini - the smaller footprint was great in theory, but he outgrew it WAY too fast

mamaroo - he just didn't like swings of any kind. big waste of $

maclaren strollers - i got 2 different versions for cheap on facebook, but didn't like either one. I think I can recoup my cost, but it is just annoying. The Mountain Buggy Nano arrived last night and I'm SO excited!!

I did my best to not buy things I didn't think I needed. I took a very minimalistic approach and told myself I could always buy stuff later if I felt I needed it.

My only regrets:

1) Breast pads. Every "must have" list said I needed breast pads if I was going to breastfeed. I bought a big box, packed my hospital bag with some... and never used a single one. I mean I leaked a bit at the beginning but not enough that my bra didn't do a good enough job keeping it unnoticable. I've been EBF for 10 months now and still haven't used a single one.

2) Manual breast pump. This was another "must have" on the lists for breastfeeders. I've used it maybe a handful of times... and it's kind of a PITA to use. I kind of wish I had "splurged" and gotten a electric breast pump. Even though I don't pump often (only if I am going out somewhere without DD which is not common) I find myself avoiding pumping as much as possible because I dislike it so much.

Things I didn't buy but do not recommend:

1) Complicated high chairs. Seriously I love the $15 high chair from IKEA. Easy to use and clean. I don't see the point of all those extra features. My ILs have this monstrosity of a high chair at their home we use for DD when we're there and I think it's annoying.

Stroller travel system

With my 1st, I would have said the crib. Luckily, his brother has slept in it more.

Ring sling-E didn't like it at all
Moby-too complicated for me
Oxo high chair-used it lots, but never transitioned it when he got bigger. Just used a booster seat instead

For the talk of the Bumbo, I used it a lot for mornings getting ready after LO was up and fed.

I don't love my Chicco Cortina, but I think we are just not stroller people. I wish we had gotten a snap n go and an umbrella stroller instead.

I bought a Safety 1st Complete Air carseat, because it was recommended as fitting one of our vehicles, and supports relatively extended rear facing. It does not actually fit well, nobody can sit in the passenger seat comfortably. I also do not like having to use a rolled up towel for the installation.

We also bought a cheap glider, which was perfectly comfortable, but broke.

I love my pack n play. The toy bar was the first thing DS grabbed for. He used it for practicing sitting and standing. Now he takes naps in it. It is fine for car travel. For plane travel, we only visit family, and it is much cheaper to buy them an extra pack n play than one of the expensive travel cribs. I would use a hotel crib if traveling there by air.