Pregnant Woman Wants To Know If She’s Wrong For Saying She’ll Return Baby Shower Gifts Not From Registry

Oct 05, 2021 by apost team

Expecting a baby is a pretty exciting time for parents even though it comes with plenty of challenges. There are so many fun factors that go into getting ready for the baby to finally arrive, from picking out his or her name to decorating the nursery and celebrating with your friends and family members. 

Something most mothers choose to do is have a baby shower and register for specific baby items that they need. This is a great way for moms, and parents, to get all of the necessary items their baby needs, like diapers, bottles, clothing and a car seat. However, some of these gifts can be on the pricier side and guests may not be able to afford them. On top of that, some guests may simply choose to just not stick with the registry as they may find gifts that they feel would be absolutely perfect for the soon-to-be mother and father and their expected little one.

Parents typically spend a good amount of time researching the specific items they want to include in their baby registry, so it’s understandable that they want those items first and foremost. A mom-to-be took this to heart and decided that she wanted to return any gifts her guests gave her that weren’t from her registry much to her guests’ disapproval. The woman went to an online forum called Mamas Uncut in July 2020 to explain her situation and ask if she was right or wrong for wanting her guests to stick so strictly to her baby registry.

On July 17, 2020, an anonymous mama went to Mamas Uncut to share her grievances about guests not buying the items she specifically asked for on her baby registry. She started off her heated rant, and said, “Am I wrong for feeling that if people don’t buy off of the registry for the baby shower that I made specifically of things my baby and I will NEED and guest choose to buy other things that we didn’t ask for, we should receive receipts so we can return the items we don’t need and get what we actually need and asked for in the first place?”

It’s clear that this mom-to-be had some high expectations from her guests, but it could be understandable since there is so much stress and pressure that comes with having a baby. The anonymous user continued, “I want the bottles I asked for that will feed my baby daily. I don’t want those onesies you thought were so cute but may not be in my taste for what I feel comfortable with my child wearing.” 

Her list seemed pretty standard, although some guests may have thought some of the items were too pricey. For example, the mom-to-be also asked for a specific crib mattress. However, Baby List reported that most moms register items such as car seats, bassinets and strollers on their baby registry, which are usually on the pricier side. On the other hand, moms typically also ask for less expensive items such as onesies, hats, socks and pacifiers, according to Baby List.

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The expecting mother continued, “I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but I personally feel that baby showers are to benefit the mother and father by saving them money in the long run, correct? But if no one is buying what the mother and father need off of the registry and then the mother and father have to go buy it themselves anyway, it defeats the purpose of the baby shower, to begin with. Am I wrong?” 

The forum users were quick to tell the mom-to-be how they really felt. A user named Jaclyn said, “Wow. That’s pretty ungrateful. Just be happy they were gracious enough to get you anything.” Others agreed. “You are supposed to take what you get and appreciate it. It’s the thought that counts,” a user named Janie said.

Some users proposed the idea that getting gifts that weren’t originally on the registry can actually be good. “I’m glad that people don’t always stick to the registry,” Mamas Uncut user Angela said. “I had people get me things I completely forgot to register for or didn’t even cross my mind to get.” Another user named Tammy commented, “You can always donate what was given as a GIFT and buy your own.”

Overall it seemed like this mom-to-be’s guests and the users on the Mamas Uncut forum were not pleased with her idea of returning gifts that weren’t originally on the baby registry. It’s important for her to be grateful for the kindness other people show when they buy her a present.

What do you think about this expecting mother’s idea of returning her unwanted gifts from her baby shower? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family members and friends, too!