The Top Baby Items Pediatricians Don’t Want on Your Registry

Creating a baby registry can be an overwhelming experience for first-time parents. With so many items out there, it’s hard to know what you really need for baby, and it seems like everyone has an opinion on the must-have essentials. But not all baby gear is created equal. In fact, as a pediatrician, I can tell you there are a few things you definitely don’t want to have on your list. Ready to narrow it down to the actual “must-haves?” Here, we take a look at seven items to leave off your baby registry.

1. Sleep Positioners and Loungers

Preparing a safe place for baby to sleep is an absolute top priority. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies sleep on their back on a firm sleep surface that’s free of any objects. Sleep positioners, wedges and other specialized sleep surfaces, such as baby nests or baby loungers, could pose a danger and don’t reduce the risk of SIDS.

2. Home Cardiorespiratory Monitors

First-time parents are of course anxious to make sure baby is okay, especially while they sleep. But monitors that track an infant’s heart rate and breathing aren’t needed for healthy babies and haven’t been shown to reduce the risk of SIDS.

3. Crib Bumpers

Crib bumpers—even the mesh kind—as well as pillows, blankets and stuffed animals should never be placed in baby’s crib, since they pose a suffocation hazard. In fact, crib bumpers and inclined sleepers were banned by the Safe Sleep Act, passed in May 2022.

4. Formula Dispensers

We don’t recommend using some of the automatic formula-making machines, similar to a Keurig coffee maker, that prepare bottles from powdered formula. There are many reports of these machines incorrectly mixing formula, making the bottle too dilute or too concentrated. And incorrect concentration can cause a baby to not gain weight properly or have electrolyte imbalances and possible seizures.

5. Baby Walkers

It’s pretty exciting to see baby take their first steps—but devices like walkers can unfortunately delay when a baby begins to walk. They’re dangerous: In a walker, babies can accidentally roll down the stairs or, since babies are seated higher in a walker, grab things that are normally out of reach, such as a hot pan on the stove or a hot drink on the table.

6. Amber Teething Necklaces

While there’s of course a wide range, many babies start to teeth around 4 to 6 months, and parents are eager to provide comfort for their babies in pain. But according to the AAP, amber teething necklaces aren’t effective and their claims aren’t backed by any scientific data. They do, however, pose a strangulation and choking hazard and aren’t worth the risk.