The Ultimate Baby Registry

I’ve been putting off this post for a while. I’ve wanted to give the being a mom thing a chance and figure out what products we really needed, and which we didn’t, before I got around to discussing baby registries. Now that my baby is almost 9 months old (if you need me on January 17th I’ll be drinking wine, eating chocolate cake, and crying while I watch my 9 month old be the crazy active little baby that she is), I feel like I’ve had the time to figure out the essentials and discuss them here. Every woman is different, but for me being pregnant was a joyous and exciting time. I spent so much time researching and reading reviews because I only wanted the best for my baby. And all that time paid off as we had great products that helped my husband and I easily transition into parenthood. Keep in mind what works for me may not work for you, but here are what I consider must haves and what would be on my dream registry if I could go back in time:

Diapering: 

• Diapers – It’s 100% true that you can’t have enough diapers. I highly recommend including diapers on your registry. We included the Pampers Swaddlers Super Pack on our registry and were very happy that we did. I highly recommend checking out Pampers Baby Basics for Any Mom on Walmart.com’s Parent & Baby Center when creating your registry. The hospital used Pampers® Swaddlers as well and sent us home with size 1 diapers, but I was happy to have size newborn ones at home as well as the size 1’s were a little big those first few weeks.

• Wipes – You can also never have enough wipes. We decided to register for and received wipes which was such a blessing because for the first few months we never ran out of wipes. We use Pampers® Sensitive Wipes and love them.

• Changing Table – Some people told me not to register for a changing table because they never used theirs, but we use ours all the time so I guess it’s just a personal preference. You may want to go ahead and also register for baskets to keep your table organized, or you may want to register for a table that comes with an organization system already. On my dream registry below I included one by Badger Basket® that has both a hamper and baskets built in which is kind of amazing.

• Diaper Bag – Yes style is important, but so is durability and functionality. Pick a bag that is not only cute, but will withstand rough treatment and has lots of pockets and room to keep you organized.

• Diaper Pail – It’s important to have a place to throw away all those dirty diapers! If you are cloth diapering you can put a liner in your pail that you wash all the diapers in so no matter your preference you probably want a pail. The Arm and Hammer® diaper pail by Munchkin® is perfect for keeping bad smells at bay too.

• Other things you may want: wipe warmer, portable diaper bags.

Feeding:

• Nursing Pillow – I don’t know what I would have done those first few months without my Boppy®. Even if you don’t end up breastfeeding these pillows are great for snuggling with baby so that your arms don’t fall off, or for baby to relax on (see picture above).

• Bottles – Whether you are breastfeeding or formula feeding you are going to need some bottles. And each baby is different about which bottles they like. MG’s favorite were Dr. Brown’s®, but I know a lot of people who preferred other brands.

• High Chair – You may choose to leave this off because you won’t use it for the first 4-6 months. But after that you will want to have a high chair. There are so many high chairs it’s easy to find one that will fit all your needs. For us we looked for how it looked with our decor, how easy it was to clean, whether it was height adjustable and reclined, and how much space it took up. You may also want to list bibs on your registry, which we also didn’t use until starting solids.

• Other things you may want: nursing cover, pacifier, bottle warmer, bottle drying racks, burp cloths.

Nursery/Sleeping

• Crib – Picking a crib is very important. Pick one that is good quality and will last. You may want one that transitions into a bigger bed, or one with a side that comes down.

• Crib Mattress – Just as important as the crib, make sure you get a good quality crib mattress. You want one that is hard enough for a newborn to sleep on but soft enough for a toddler to find comfortable, and one that is easy to clean if an accident occurs.

• Swaddle Blankets – Our baby was fairly strong and able to break out of the traditional blankets, so we opted for ones with Velcro or snaps to keep baby secure and safe. Summer Infant® makes some that are cute and work great.

• Wearable Blanket – The amount of time your baby is in swaddle blankets will be pretty short. To keep baby warm at night but avoid risk of suffocation, make sure you have a few wearable blankets on your list. You may as well register for a few sizes, we are still using them now!

• Bassinet – We used one a cosleeper by Arm’s Reach® that was just perfect until Maddie Grace was big enough to sleep in her crib.

• Other things you may want: waterproof crib sheet, crib sheets, dresser, glider, monitor, thermometer, safety gates, outlet covers.

• Infant Tub – Giving a newborn a bath is scary! Make it less so by using an infant tub.

• Baby Towels and Washcloths – The hooded towels are must haves for wrapping your little one up after a bath. And whereas you could use washcloths you already have, it’s fun to have cute ones for your baby.

• Nail-clippers – It’s also scary to cut little tiny baby nails. Having little tiny baby clippers definitely helps.

• Other things you may want: nasal aspirator, baby shampoo, bath toys, humidifier, lotion.

Travel

• Carseat – An infant carseat, like the Graco® SnugRide® was a must for us because I liked being able to snap the carseat into the stroller, and carry the carseat around where needed. Want to eat at a restaurant, take baby to the pool, etc? You’ll want an infant carseat for baby to be in. Some people choose just go start with a convertible carseat that can fit baby from a newborn through their toddler years, but keep in mind you can’t carry baby in it outside the car.