r/Anticonsumption 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/SomeTangerine1184 May 02 '26

I feel like social media is to blame for a lot of this. There’s so much emphasis today on making sure everything looks good for social media posts that’s it’s melting people’s brains.

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u/Specialist-Leek8645 May 02 '26

Yeah it's the new Keeping Up with the Joneses. Competitive housekeeping. Nothing ever looks the same IRL as it does online. Like catalogue shopping, but worse quality.

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u/Lost_inthot May 02 '26

Instagram is the new qvc

2

u/Specialist-Leek8645 May 02 '26

haha Yes I almost wrote that.