There’s so much to figure out when you realize you’re pregnant and the new baby’s on his way, one of the more important things being putting together a baby registry list.
A baby registry list is a list of items you’d like to have for your little one before he comes into this world. Think of it as a kind of preemptive shopping list mixed into a wish-list.
The items in question usually consist of all sorts of things. From the cheapest, but barest necessities of diapers and baby clothes all the way up to car seats, strollers and baby cribs.
But, its purpose is not just to be a mere list of items that you yourself are going to be buying.
It can also serve as a checklist and a guideline for your friends and family when they go out and start buying baby shower gifts.
That way, they know what you actually might find necessary and what wouldn’t be as helpful.
While you can structure it any way you want, the best baby registry checklist usually has some sort of order to it.
Whether its items sorted by order of importance, use, price or even just alphabetical, it’ll help in navigating what’s sure to be a rather sizable list of items.
You can also have either a universal list of your baby registry items pooled together or you can have several, each one made for a specific store.
It’s all just a matter of preference really.
With all that said, it’s time to look at what the baby registry must-haves are as well as some other items. Let’s go!
What Items Go Into A Baby Registry List
There’s a long list of items that qualify and yours may look somewhat long (and expensive) if you’re a new mom.
This is mostly due to the fact that you’re probably lacking some essential baby gear from the get go.
These are items that are usually not disposable and can last a long time given enough care so they can serve as hand-me-downs for when the new baby comes.
The necessary ones would be:
• Various toys
• Nail clippers and anything else that might fit into a baby first aid kit
• Cloth diapers
• A breast pump
• Blankets
• A baby bath
• Bibs
• Swaddles
• A baby crib
• A changing table
• A baby stroller
• A baby carrier
• A baby monitor (prices range from under $100 to several hundred dollars for more premium monitors like Miku or Nanit)
• A diaper bag
• Baby clothes
• A high chair
There are other items which aren’t exactly necessary, but may find themselves on your baby registry lists regardless like:
• A night light
• A baby bouncer
• A nursery glider
• A nursing pillow
• Anti-scratch mittens
• Changing pads
• Burp cloths (most parents need 15-20 burp cloths)
And many other baby products. But, as you can see, all of these are likely not going to be present when you start expecting babies after the first one if you decide on expanding, of course.
That said, clothes are a slightly 50/50 topic since your first little one might’ve been a boy while the second could end up being a girl.
While babies themselves won’t care too much whether they’re wearing blue or pink, it might be something that you personally believe could be odd to fit your child in.
Keeping that in mind, you might want to wait until you find the baby’s gender out before you go shopping for clothes and different toys.
With all of these items in mind, you still won’t have everything you need even if it seems like a lot.
There’s still the disposable stuff to keep in mind like:
• Disposable diapers
• Pacifiers
• Baby-safe laundry detergent
• Baby-safe shampoo and soap
• Talcum powder
• Various baby lotions and moisturizers
• Baby formula
• A cream for diaper rash, preferably organic and non-toxic
• Nipple cream
All of these items you’re bound to be re-buying at some point. Some sooner, some later, depending on their frequency of use.
Items That Aren’t Recommended
While I did say that almost everything can be put on a baby registry list, there are some that simply aren’t overly necessary.
Items that are more than likely going to end up being either a safety hazard or an unwise monetary investment.
These are:
• Baby booties and shoes (because newborns don’t really need them until they learn how to walk which happens way later)
• Crib bumpers (Deemed a safety hazard by the American Academy of Pediatrics claiming it poses an unnecessary risk of suffocation and discomfort for the baby)
• Fancy clothes (A baby really only needs a simple onesie or something similar because most of his clothes are likely to end up in the wash rather often)
• Baby gear that no longer adheres to current safety standards (some old models or hand-me-down items come to mind)
• Luxury gear (While a lot of items might seem like they’re absolute must haves, not all really are. Check your list a few times to see if you can do without a pricy optional item. You can always get it later if it becomes needed)
What’s The Right Time To Start Making A List?
Usually, you don’t want to start too early, but nobody is going to stop you.
The main reason for that is because you might end up buying something for a boy and then you end up finding out that it’s a girl after the fact.
Then you have to go through the uncomfortable process of having to return the items or end up getting stuck with them.
It’s best to wait for clothes and such until that time comes which is usually somewhere around the 17th-22nd week of pregnancy when the baby develops enough to discern a gender.
In the meantime, you can already securely lock in some gender neutral items like changing tables, baby diapers and the like.
What Stores Offer Constructing Baby Registry Lists Of Their Own?
Now, I’ve mentioned earlier how you can either keep track of a universal baby registry list or separate them based on retailer or store.
The reason for that is because, while a universal list might be easier to manage since it’s all in one place, individual retailers can reward you for sticking with them and deciding to make a baby registry in their stores.
Usually these things end up being something like completion discounts, loyalty discounts, welcome packages of various prices, extensions on item returns for the entire first year and many others.
Some of these retailers are:
• Amazon
• IKEA
• eBay
• Babylist
• Bed, Bath & Beyond
• Kohl’s
• Walmart
• BuyBuyBaby
• Target
• Crate & Kids
• Pottery Barn Kids
There might be more centralized stores in your area that deal in baby gear as well.
So make sure to take a look at them to see if they have any extra perks for creating your baby registry there.
Those retailers might be a bit more limited in their selection.
But, if you look at online shopping websites like eBay and Amazon, you’re likely to only ever need the one site to make a baby registry list on.
Then you can have the best of both worlds.
It’s almost always worth the effort to check for specific store benefits. Who knows, you just might end up with a neat baby registry find or two that might make your overall costs lower.
What Does An Example Baby Registry Look Like?
All of this information thrown out like this might seem like a lot for new parents to take in all at once, but I promise it’s a very simple matter, just like the making of any other list would be.
That’s why I’ve devised an example list for a new mom to look at, one that I think helps give them the framework for their own one:
Diapering needs
• A changing table/changing pad
• 3 boxes of biodegradable diapers
• A diaper pail
• A diaper bag
• 3 boxes of wet wipes
• Diaper rash cream
• Talcum powder
• Half a dozen washcloths
RELATED: How Many Diapers Do I Need To Get For My Baby?
Breastfeeding needs
• A breast pump and replacement parts
• Tools for cleaning the breast pump
• A box of nursing pads
• A dozen glass breast milk storage bottles
• A swaddle
• 2-3 baby bottles (keep in mind that baby bottles last for up to 6 months and need to be replaced)
• A bottle brush for cleaning
• A few replacement artificial nipples
• 2-3 pacifiers
• Nipple cream
• Half a dozen nursing bras
• A nursing cover
• A nursing pillow
Other feeding needs
• Baby formula
• A high chair
• 3-4 bibs
Baby clothing needs (all machine-washable)
• 8-9 onesies
• 8-9 footie pajamas
• 8-9 burp cloths
• 8-9 pairs of socks
• 4 snug hoodies
• 4 sleep sacks
• A scarf
• A soft winter hat
• A layette
• Baby-safe laundry detergent
First aid needs
• Nail clippers
• Safety scissors
• Bandages
• Oral and rectal thermometers
• Cradle cap comb
• Cotton swabs
• Saline solution
• Nasal aspirator
• Medicine dropper
• Baby toothbrush
• Baby medicine
Toys and playtime needs (optional items mostly)
• Playtime blanket so the baby doesn’t get cold on the floor
• A baby swing
• A baby bouncer
• An activity mat
• Toys that develop fine motor skills
• Sensory bins (DIY, get materials)
• Teething toy
• A plush doll friend
• Wooden letter blocks
• Bath time toys
• Picture books
Travelling needs
• A baby carrier/baby stroller
• A baby car seat
• Stroller cover
• Portable changing pad
• A playard or a portable baby crib
• Travel blanket
Baby room needs
• A baby monitor
• A humidifier
• A baby crib
• A mobil above the crib
• A nursery glider
• A bassinet
• A changing table
• A night light
• 2-3 sets of fitted regular crib sheets
• 2-3 sets of fitted plastic crib sheets
• A mattress protector
Bath time needs
• 2-3 soft washcloths
• Baby safe and tear-free shampoo
• Baby safe soap
• 2-3 hooded towels
• Baby lotion
• Bath seat (for safety)
It looks massive, doesn’t it? This is, after all, what a first time mom’s baby registry is going to look like.
For good reference, almost anything that didn’t have a number next to it (and some that do) would be eliminated from this list for any subsequent kids.
This ends up making the list much shorter because you’d already own all that stuff.
Other Benefits Of Having A Baby Registry List
Outside of your own personal comfort, a baby registry provides your friends and family some insight into what you’d like to have when the baby arrives.
This helps make gifting a breeze for others.
Not only that, but if you make your list public, either through social media or by simply showing it to people who ask, they can help provide input.
They can either help add something to it that might not have come to mind at first.
Or, they can even take something away that you first thought necessary, but ended up otherwise thus saving you some money.
While not everyone is going to be that helpful advice-wise, it’ll still make it a whole lot easier to get you a baby shower gift or a gender reveal party gift when you finally announce the gender of your child.
If you didn’t prepare one beforehand, expect a lot of generic gifts that might be hits or misses.
But, if you made sure to prepare a baby registry prior to this and showed it to your guests at some point or another, the gifts are more likely to be exactly what you may have needed.
And, whether it’s something brand new or a hand-me-down, accept it regardless.
You can return it later in case something doesn’t adhere to a safety standard, doesn’t fit your child or when your child ends up outgrowing said item.
It pays to be a good friend or neighbor after all, plus you get to free up some space for future items for your growing child.
EXTRA: Be sure to continue the cycle
As much as you can be given stuff, don’t forget that you can also give stuff away too.
If you have a friend who has recently become pregnant and who has assembled a baby registry of her own, make sure to take a good look at it and see if any of the baby gear that you have might end up being useful to her.
If you’re not using it, it’s just a waste of function and space for it to not be utilized, plus your friend is going to appreciate the gesture.
Us mammas have to stick together after all considering how expensive everything is getting. Any little bit helps.
In Conclusion
While a baby registry list may seem like a simple thing at first, it’s actually a really useful thing to have on hand, especially for new moms.
That’s mostly due to the sheer number of items required for a first time baby, something that can be really hard to keep track of just in her head.
And, it’s not only beneficial for the mother, but also for family and friends as well should they ever be stuck on baby gift options for baby showers and gender reveal parties.
While the length of the baby registry gets significantly shorter for any future pregnancies, it can still be an invaluable asset in helping you organize better.
This way you won’t find yourself all over the place when the due date starts creeping closer.
My personal suggestion is to make one online on one of the many retailer sites.
This way you’ll get to earn special discounts and benefits that only mothers get including extended returns and gift packages.
The absolute best has got to be Amazon though or even eBay, given how you can find almost anything on their sites.
This, in turn, reduces the need for making several baby lists with handfuls of other stores and helps keep it all in one place. And, that’s all there is to it.
I hope you have a wonderful time shopping for baby gear and that you’ve managed to either save up on time or money by making a registry of your own.
References:
• American Academy of Pediatrics, “Crib bumpers in the night: a hazard to infants”, published by Allison Bond on aappublications.org in Jan, 2008.
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