Bizarre Baby Products

Tinkle tubes? Potty mitts? Nope, these aren't props from an SNL sketch mocking the absurdity of the baby product industry; they're actual items.

After talking about how exhausting new parenthood is, one of the ideas that's constantly hashed out is the sheer amount of stuff that babies require. Some of that stuff is, of course, nonnegotiable: the baby needs somewhere safe to sleep, diapers, bottles, and clothes. Then there's all of the other stuff. Gear our mothers somehow lived without that we've come to rely on — video monitors, white noise machines, and smartphone apps that can do pretty much anything except nurse the baby. Here's where things get a little weird: amidst the many useful and innovative items introduced every year, there are a handful that range from being totally unnecessary to downright bizarre.

Click through for a selection of baby gear that might leave you scratching your head.