Creating a baby registry was the LONGEST process for me. I was honestly changing it up until Emery’s due date, even after our baby showers were over! I remember (jokingly) telling Nick that we needed to create a business centered around baby products because moms flock to anything cute for their babies and we’d be millionaires. I also watched countless YouTube videos from vlogger moms who contradicted one another on what was a “Must Have” and what they could do without. It was so overwhelming and I think many first time moms would agree. How in the world do you know what to get?
There are also many products that your baby may or may not enjoy. These items can include, but are not limited to pacifiers, bottles if you’re using them, baby swings, swaddles, and more.
I’m a minimalist (or I like to think that I am), so I was sure to put things on our registry that were intended to make my life easier and not just take up space. I created registries on Amazon and on Target. These two places made it perfect for people who wanted to shop online and for people who wanted to get something from a store. I also went ahead and price compared my items so that our gift givers got the best deal.
I was pregnany during the holidays so we always took advantage of some of the Black Friday deals- I highly suggest doing this! We ended up having 60 items on our Amazon registry and 30 items on our Target one. I’m only three weeks into motherhood right now so I am a self-proclaimed rookie, but I am still fresh in my registry making skills so I figured I would share what has been a must-have (and why!) for us so far. All items are linked to Amazon. You’ll also find a complete Amazon list at the bottom of this post if you wish to see EVERYTHING.
- We love these baby washcloths! They are incredibly soft for babies’ delicate skin and they are a nice size as well. I also like that they are white, but be sure not to wash them with bleach!
- This may not be a must-have for everyone, but I desperately wanted one of these bath kneeler/elbow rests for bath time. We haven’t used this yet because Emery’s baths haven’t taken long (and have been mostly sponge baths in the sink until recently), but I know I’ll be thankful for it when I’m sitting next to her playing in the future!
- I love these cute reusable baby wipe pouches. When you’re packing a diaper bag you don’t always have room to put in an entire package of wipes and it’s not as cost-effective to buy smaller packages of wipes. With these, you can take one package of wipes and disperse it between these pouches and place them where needed (we keep one in each of our cars, our diaper bag, and one in our bedroom where baby is sleeping right now).
- THIS. All of this. Get it and put it on after every feeding if you plan to breastfeed. It comes in a very small container, but will last you a while! Hint: It also works great as a chapstick!
- A baby lounger, like the Snuggle Me Organic (or the DockATot), was something I debated getting my entire pregnancy. So much so that I didn’t purchase it until the week Emery was due. Luckily Amazon gives you a discount on the items not yet purchased from your registry so I was able to get it a bit cheaper. After a few weeks of having her at home, it’s been something we use more than anything else so that’s why it makes my “Must Have” list. This particular lounger will be useful until she’s around 6 months old, it is super easy to clean, and she loves sleeping in it because it “hugs” her. As with all baby products, supervision is best in a sleeping item such as this.
- This stroller fan served a purpose before Emery was born and I already love it (we used it at the hospital when I was in labor and then I clipped it onto my hospital bed because the room was so hot). It will come in handy to clip on to the stroller on hot summer outings like the many baseball games we attend!
- The boppy pillow (or something similar) is another item I use every time I breastfeed. Which is like ALL DAY. I also have two covers for mine which have already been handy when I needed to wash one.
- We love the LILLEbaby carrier so far! My top priorities in a carrier were the comfortability, easy to clean, keep me cool, and are user-friendly. I also preferred one that didn’t need a separate insert for a newborn. This one met all of the criteria I was looking for and my husband can wear it just as easily as I can!
- We have enjoyed the Hatch Baby sound machine. I appreciate the ability to control it from my phone, the many options of sounds and light colors, and the fact that it can grow with the child and be used as a time-to-rise device when she’s older.
- The Owlet Smart Sock has been amazing. It monitors the baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels during sleep and shows you graphs of these levels as well as times they are asleep hour by hour. If they drop below what is safe, it will sound off an alarm to wake you. It really pays for itself in the piece of mind it gives! It comes with three socks to grow with your baby. We also love looking at the graphs from our night to see how little of sleep we’ve been getting, haha!
- We just pulled out the Baby Merlins Magic Sleepsuit this week even though our girl is a bit too small for it. Our girl dislikes being swaddled. I don’t blame her. It looks miserable. But, this became a problem in the third week when she wasn’t sleeping as well and her startle reflex was waking her up constantly. This suit worked like a charm to keep her arms down and it keeps her warm.
This certainly is not a full registry because we know babies need so much! We were so fortunate to have three baby showers so we haven’t needed to buy anything for Emery since she’s been here with us and I don’t see us needing anything for a little while. I created a more extensive list that includes even the smallest things that you can find by clicking HERE! This list also includes the stroller we chose (which I LOVE!)
I hope these items, as well as my full Amazon list, was helpful for you in creating or thinking about your registry (or maybe gave you some gift ideas for someone else!) Questions? Leave a comment and I’d be happy to help!