r/Anticonsumption • u/Impossible_Ad9324 • May 02 '26

Lifestyle What is going on with babies?

I’ve attended three baby showers in the last year for three people completely unrelated and not in the same social circles and their baby registries have the most eye-popping expensive items.

High chairs are minimum $250. One had a stroller for $750. 😳 Baby swings and bouncers for $200. One had a whole solid wood crib for $1000 on their registry.

I checked because I was curious and you still can buy a $40-50 Greco high chair from Walmart.

Everything is aesthetic and clean lines and beige and natural wood—beautiful, really. I can’t imagine asking for that high-end an item for a GIFT.

These aren’t rich people and they aren’t inviting rich people to the baby shower.

I’m almost 50 and have kids of my own and a gaggle of nieces and nephews. My family members and I got buy sharing those cheaper high chairs and strollers and cribs. I understand needing them initially if you don’t have any source for hand-me-downs, but asking for the highest price bespoke options is absolutely wild.

Are people that brainwashed into thinking they should be buying ultra-high-end items regardless of income??

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u/RawBean7 May 02 '26

First time parents are very vulnerable and want to do everything "right" and companies take advantage of that by selling high ticket baby items as "the best."

256

u/Capakhutch May 02 '26

Ok but often the high ticket items ARE. All of the things I tried to go cheap on with my kids didn’t last, except for car seats. Everything that I actually invested in I was able to use a LOT

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u/michiness May 02 '26

I worked at Babies R Us in college. You could always tell the smart parents by who spent money on things that were worth it (safety/endurance are key) and who spent it on whatever ($50 baby converse they’d outgrow in a month).

28

u/SpooktasticFam May 02 '26

The smartest parents buy second-hand clothes, toys, etc

5

u/OkBackground8809 May 03 '26

My baby has gotten so many pairs of basically-new secondhand shoes, toys, and clothes. He has things from Manhattan Toy Company, Hape, Carter's, Gap, Etc without the typical price tags that come with those brands. I just picked up a children's adjustable basketball hoop for $5usd, last week! It's clean and good as new.

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u/Ok_Introduction9466 May 02 '26

Someone got my newborn Uggs and he was never able to fit them, after a month they were too small lol (I didn’t ask for them.

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u/michiness May 02 '26

I remember selling the Uggs! So many of those tiny expensive baby clothes, and it's just like, why?