OMG Mama! You’re getting closer than ever to holding your precious little baby! You are probably having a baby shower, or at least a virtual one. This is the time to think about your baby registry. But, if you’re anything like me, you may start out by saying that you don’t want to create a baby registry. Perhaps you don’t want to burden your friends and family. You might have limited space like me being a #citymama, or you’re an environmentalist and would rather get items second-hand and don’t want too many things that you don’t need – but that its precisely why you should start a registry. Your friends and family want to contribute, so let them! Suggest items and cash funds that you actually do need. Otherwise, what will inevitably happen is that they will take it upon themselves to buy you all sorts of odd baby clothes and plastic toys that don’t really suit you.
The process of creating a registry will really allow you to plan out those items that you will need right away and those you plan on getting in the future.
Remember, I’m here to make your life easier and help you to navigate those MUST HAVE items.
Which is the best baby registry?
First let’s start out by talking about how to start your registry. I looked into several options to create a registry, such as Amazon, BuyBuyBaby (no longer in service) and Target. Ultimately, I chose to use Babylist. What I liked about it was that I was able to add items from any website, create cash funds, and easily track the registry on the go from the Babylist app.
If you wanted to stick with AMAZON, here are my Ideas list for mama & baby.
What items should I put on my baby registry?
I like to think about baby registries a bit more holistically than just a list. During this time of prepping for baby, I started thinking about my personal mama-philosophies. These values guided my choices on how I want to start my family and the items that I bring into it.
One of my mama-philosophies is to reduce the need to be a mom-sumer (mom+consumer). What that means to me is that I don’t need everything that other moms have, or everything that is advertised to me. I wanted to focus on the essentials and do my best to get as many items as possible second-hand.
Things I thought about were: sustainability through pre-loved items, space-saving for our city life, cost vs. longevity of use (gender-neutral & will use for my 2nd baby), less but better items.
Sustainability: The best way to create an eco-friendly baby lifestyle is to start with a sustainable philosophy, and TELL PEOPLE that this is your goal. The more I spoke about how I wanted less stuff, preferred used items and only essential new items, my friends and family for the most part complied. Hand-me-downs are the best way to save you time, money and make the giver feel good about where their often sentimental items are going.
Space-Saving: For those new items, make sure they are what you love and also think about how you will store them. We decided to give up on a few of the larger items such as a rolling high chair and activity centers to go for a more efficient use of our small space.
Less but Better: As for the cost of items, I took a less but better approach. These items that I will be recommending are not always the least expensive items, but they are high quality and worth the price. Many of them also hold their value if you were ever to want to resell them.
I have put together my essential baby registry with items that I use everyday and those gems that I could not live without.
What should I not put on my baby registry?
Free items: Don’t include any items that you can get for free from friends, family, and even strangers! Start by asking your friends and family, join a mom’s Facebook group in your area and search through their classifieds, don’t be shy to post to these groups: “ISO free baby swing in good condition,” look on Facebook marketplace, and Craigslist. It’s incredible what you can find on these sites. Just make sure that you gather used items before putting together your registry, this will help you focus your list.
Our second-hand items included: a mixed bag of baby bottles, baby clothes to 1 year, two sizes of baby bath chairs, a changing table/cabinet/hamper combo, the Graco baby swing, the Skip Hop play mat, our Uppa Baby stroller and bassinet, the 4Moms Pack & Play, and an heirloom wooden cradle.(Thank you Suds, Raff, Catherine, Fay & Arlene!)
Multiples: I learned that you don’t need to add multiples of items on your registry (unless you’re having multiples of course.) Babies grow so fast and once you know you love an item, you can always buy more later. I hardly ever use our muslin swaddles, although cute, I honestly ended up feeling more comfortable using the hospital blankets they gave us (which ended up being sentimental) until we moved our baby to a swaddle sleep sack.
Nesting items: Save some of those nesting items for you to shop for. I enjoyed buying a few special pieces of baby clothes and some of the basics like baby lotion, body wash, and laundry detergent in person while browsing the aisles.
Mommy recovery items: I left off post-partum care items from my registry, as I really didn’t feel the need to share that I wanted to buy ice packs for my lady parts. As for breast pumps, utilize your insurance as much as you can, they will provide you a pump for free. HERE IS HOW TO DO THAT.
Items you will probably get without asking: Baby blankets, baby towels, lovies, pacifiers and stuffed animals.
Items you don’t have room for: We gladly accepted all sorts of baby clothes, sorted through them at home (sometimes they went directly into our donation pile), but we just could not accept items that we just didn’t have room for. We waited on getting a high chair and still haven’t gotten a proper crib at 7 months, but, if you have the space or storage and know what you want – go for it!
What are the best baby tech gadgets?
Ok, so these are not all necessarily baby-specific, but they are some of the best tech gadgets for technophiles, or are married to one. What more of an excuse do you need to get your techy fix then when prepping for baby?
- Bandolier crossbody phone case – More of a tech accessory… this phone case is life, it keeps my phone hands-free, strapped to my body & my credit cards close for those late-night online purchases 🤷.
- Amazon Alexa Show – We have one in every room in the house. If you’re an Apple or Google gal – see if you can find it’s equivalent. This Echo is great for your nursing table. Tell Alexa to record & time a feeding on the right breast, or a dirty diaper. See the headlines, weather, reorder diapers, watch videos while nursing, or simply see what God-forsaken hour it is on your third nursing for the night. It also controls many of the app products I am about to talk about.
- Apple Watch – When I have my hands full I use this for phone calls and text messages, I also use the flashlight function (swipe to the red light, which works best for this) on it every day when I wake up in the middle of the night to check on the baby. About 20 times per day I use the the Find My Phone button to ping my cell if it is not strapped to my body via the Bandolier phone case.
- Nest cam – great as a nanny cam, and home security in general. Download the app and see your little any time from anywhere.
- SNOO baby bassinet – we didn’t get this for our first baby, but it was a Godsend with our second. Although it can be expensive to purchase, there are also rental options. Fast forward to 2023, SNOO received De Novo clearance by the FDA as a medical device, which now means your company or insurance may cover the expense. It swaddles and rocks the baby to sleep claiming more sleep for baby and parents. The idea is that 1. It keeps babies sleeping on their back, statistically reducing the chance for SIDS & 2. Helps babies connect their sleep cycles to allow for more sleep.
- Hue lights – awesome for hands-free control of the lighting, you can use your phone app or tell Alexa to turn on nightlight when you are trying to keep the light low during late night
feedings/changings.
- Hatch Baby app (Free) – download on iPhone and iPad – I use this every time to track nursing, and diapers, sleep, weight, pumping – you’ll need to track this at the beginning to report back to the pediatrician and keep track of the baby’s growth progress. We also connect this with Alexa to record a wet diaper or turn on Hatch Baby white noise.
- Hatch Rest – we use this every single night for sleep, we preset the ideal sound level (20-24%) and program the white noise to go on automatically in the evenings, and wake the baby up with soft purple light with birds chirping in the morning. It also connects to the Alexa.
- Wabi Baby sterilizer– the must have to dry and sterilize your baby items, you use on anything such as bottles, pacifiers, toys, even toothbrushes and cell phones! It is also great for storing all baby parts so they are off the counter. #COVID essentials!
- GoVee – I look at this every morning and night in the baby’s room to track the temperature and humidity. The room temperature can be so important to know exactly how to dress the baby for sleep so he’s not too warm or too cold, and great for travel. Bonus: It also hooks up to Alexa. “Alexa, ask Govee what’s the temperature in the baby’s room?”
- Infant Optics baby monitor – we like to have this traditional baby monitor on hand – it is very simple to use and no need to open your phone every time you want to check on your little one.
- Hatch Baby scale – we use this on our changing table and used it to track baby’s weight especially in the first few days and weeks – there are several out there I am sure, but we really liked this one. This gives you piece of mind when you are nursing that they are getting enough mil as there is no other way to track this if directly nursing.
What are the must have items for a baby registry?
Baby Bjorn bouncer – this is a must have, there are other less expensive brands, but we absolutely love this one. It folds up into a super slim profile, easy for throwing into the car or stashing under your couch.
Diaper Fund – Add this on Babylist, you will always need more diapers. No matter which brand you end up going with, creating the fund will be a great help. Also, don’t be afraid to make the switch to diapers from Sam’s or Costco, I have found that I really like the Member’s Mark brand just as much as Pampers for example.
Subscription giftcards to Lovevery.com – your friends and family can contribute to baby’s development with Montessori toys and lessons. Parents love this as it takes out the guessing work to track baby milestones and give them developmentally appropriate toys.
Muslin diapers/burp cloths – A set of these is all you need, period. My husband’s co-worker Jacqueline gave us these muslin cloth diapers, but she recommended to use them as burp cloths. Now we use nothing else! All other burp cloths pale in comparison. They are extremely absorbent, soft on baby’s skin, and you aren’t afraid to wash them over and over.
High contrast flash cards – this is the first visual toy babies will have. This particular product comes with a set of 4 cards. The first pack is black and white, and each set becomes more colorful as the baby gets older. A newborn can only see a few inches in front of them and gradually they will be able to focus further and further away. Your baby will be interested in these high contrast images and it will help to entertain them and get familiar with all sorts of patterns and shapes.
Oball – this ball was the very first toy that Harrison learned to grab. It’s easy to clean, fun to grab and rattles. When they get older they will love to throw and kick it too.
Baby clothing items
- JessHess’ AMAZON Ideas List
- You will only need a essentials in the first few months. Baby swaddles, pajamas, and booties are it. Two rules here: keep clothing items that are easy to change the baby’s diaper and provide the proper mix of clothing based on the season. Those cute clothes you’re dying to buy will come into play at around 7-8 months, by that time you’ll be ready to go shopping!
- Swaddle Me – this is an absolute MUST HAVE. It is what the baby sleeps in every night, it is the easiest way to swaddle a baby. Take a couple hospital blankets if you’d like to do a traditional swaddle, but those babies eventually become little Houdinis and wriggle out of any blanket that it’s Velcro’d down like a straight jacket. I would recommend having at least 2 of each size so there is always a clean one on hand.
- Swaddle up – is when the Swaddle Me is no longer working, the Swaddle up is a transition sleep item where the baby can sleep with their arms up.
- Halo Sleep Sack swaddle – we liked the Halo fleece version of the sleep sack for colder nights.
- Zutano booties – the ONLY bootie you will need for a long long time. Annoying miniature socks need-not-apply, just a couple of these until they are walking or need shoes. Zutanos actually stay on the babies feet and are very warm.
- Magnetic Me pajamas – Just say NO to snaps. Make your life easier – zippers or magnets only! They save so much time and frustration when dressing a wriggling baby, and changing diaper after diaper in the middle of the night. For the first 0-4 months onesies are all you really need. I have found that when they start finding their toes at 5 months it is ideal to transition them to footless clothing during the day. And don’t worry, by around month 7-8, those cute clothes you’ve been dying to buy are now ideal. Other affordable brands that are great:
- Old Navy – zipper onesies
- Target – Cloud Island brand zipper onesies
- Carters – fleece onesies for chilly days/nights
- Baby’s first outfit – This is a special outfit where you bring baby home in. I absolutely loved The Seraphine Dreamy Set – A beautiful layette set that was simple and classic for boys and girls.
Baby Transportation
JessHess’ AMAZON Ideas List
- UppaBaby system – Each city has it’s own favorite stroller, but in SF, UppaBaby is the most popular. It can be very pricey, but it holds its value well and can also convert to a two baby stroller. Luckily for us, we got ours as a hand me down from our nephew and niece. We bought adapters so the latest car seat would work with the older model stroller. It has great reviews and comes in two sizes. Our baby actually ended up sleeping in the UPPAbaby bassinet for about 3 months until he grew out of it. There is a stand for the bassinet which also is useful if they decide to use it for sleeping.
Ergo baby carrier – We got ours as a hand me down and ended up not liking it…
- Baby Bjorn Carrier Mini – We inherited an Ergo baby carrier, but didn’t like it. I tried my friend’s BBMini and gladly spent the money on it. It was the absolute easiest carrier to instantly adjust for myself and my 6’1″ husband. It is SO easy to get baby in and out. The others were more of a struggle to attach, often needing more than one person. The BB Carrier One has a lumbar strap which is great for longer wear.
- Car seat Mirror – a must have for each vehicle.
- Mountain Buggy Nano stroller – when our little guy got a little older and could sit up on his own, we liked using this light travel stroller which eventually replaced our big bulky Uppa Baby version as our daily stroller.
- UppaBaby infant car seat & base – this car seat also attaches to the stroller as well. Also add an extra base to the registry for multiple vehicles.
- Doona car seat/stroller All in one – We have not used this but I know many mothers that have. They love that it combines the stroller and the car seat into one. Perfect for using in Ubers to minimize the amount of things you need to carry. Suitable for infants 4 – 35 lbs. Definitely look into it!
More Baby Items
• My Brest friend – I used this 10x a day every day when my baby was an infant. I found that the hands-free aspect was a MUST, way better than the Boppy pillow. I also swear by the inflatable version for travel. It has a nice pocket to hold items for feeding, and a belt that wraps around your waist and secures the pillow especially if you are carrying the baby and walking into the next room. It is a MUST HAVE.
• Night nurse – register for a cash funds to help offset costs such as night nurse services. During our first days at home with our newborn, we used a student doula to come 3x per week for the first three weeks to help front-load the help. During the night, she woke me every 3 hours to nurse and handled the rest (changing, burping, swaddling) which to allowed me to get back to sleep as quickly as possible. These services tend to be more expensive in San Francisco, we were spending about $280 per night ($35/hr 8 hrs per night; 10pm – 6am) and that was on the lower end. We didn’t have a lot of family that could help us or stay the night at our little apartment. We made the WORTH EVERY PENNY decision to front-load the help so we could transition better into parenthood. I can’t emphasize this enough as a non-material gift.
• Baby Shusher – I throw this in my bag and use it in the stroller or in the car as white noise.
Other Baby Items
• Ubbi diaper pail – this is the best diaper pail – it is made out of metal instead of plastic so the smell is contained and does not seep into the plastic. A friend also has one of these for their dog as since they live in a high-rise apartment in the city.
• Babyletto Kiwi recliner – I found this to be a great recliner/rocker for small spaces. It is a powered recliner that reclines at a push of a button, it also has a USB charger perfect for charging your phone as you will undoubtedly be spending a lot of time in it. Rockers do present a bit of sticker shock, but you’ll find that this model is a huge space saver in comparison to other rockers or recliners.
- Nursery care kit – a baby care kit is always a must to have on hand.
- FridaBaby – these items are all great, we especially used the Nose Frida to suction the nose, and the Windy to relieve gas.
Go ahead! Just put it on the registry, you can always exchange the item later.
You will get more gifts than you need, but a way to minimize this is by creating a very practical and essential baby registry.
Enjoy the process mama!
-Jess