Baby Registry Essentials

Hi guys! I’m sorry that it has taken me a couple weeks to post! It is totally not normal, but we are just wrapping up LITERALLY the biggest week of the year at work so I was pretty consumed, and EXHAUSTED every other minute of the day. But I did want to get on here share, because…

My best friend had a BABY!

I first met Rina when we started working together at a Bank about 9 years ago and we hit it off instantly.

I’ve seen her go through hell and back through years of obstacles, and she’d always push through. She has seen me at my lowest and worst, with no judgment, and I can’t count how many times I’d call her to vent and she’d just be there for me, just to listen.

Towards the end of last year, we got the most exciting news: she was having another baby, something she has wanted for a long time.

At 7 months pregnant she had a preeclampsia scare that prompted the doctors to deliver her at 33 weeks. She was NOT prepared to have baby so soon (I don’t think any mom plans for that) so when she asked me to help her set up her Baby Registry, I JUMPED at the chance to help her. Her first child is 13 and the baby world has changed so much since then.

Of course, it’s always fun to add a cute little stuffed animal or that cool nursing chair that you’ve always wanted— but I wanted to make sure that more than anything, she had the list of essentials.

Here are (in my opinion) the essential list of baby registry must-have items, especially in those first months of life.

Diaper changes

This post is without the obvious mention of diapers and wipes because you will obviously need those. I will say that my preferred brand of diapers is Pamper swaddles till about 3-4 months and when they start being more active and mobile I’ve usually switched to Huggies.

I will say one thing you can’t live without is butt paste. Anytime their bottoms get red or irritated you put that on and you’ll see a difference in the next diaper change. Not to mention it doesn’t have as strong of a smell as some of the other creams do, like Desitin.

Clothing

Yes, baby clothes are so cute, and if you get some cute outfits as gifts they will be nice for a photo op. But do not buy anything in the first few months except onesies.

They are the easiest to change baby and fairly inexpensive.
And you will be changing the baby quite a lot.

My favorite brand of baby clothes is Carters because of the cute prints, stretchy material, and durability. I can wash over and over before they shrink in size in comparison to other brands.

Feedings

If you are planning to breastfeed, then you will need to read this Ultimate Guide for Breastfeeding Essentials. If you are going to do both, or plan to go back to work, you’ll need bottles for baby while you’re gone.

Bottles

I had these Dr. Brown ones for my second child and I found them to be the best. The air vent flow reduces baby gas by pushing air towards the bottom of the bottle. And I liked that the nipple was easy for baby to transition between bottle and breast. I like the fact that they were skinny so they could fit in pretty much any type of bag or side pocket. Because they are not as wide, it’s quicker for baby to learn how to hold it on their own as well!

I want to notate that I’ve also tried Comotomo bottles with Keira and Tommie Tippie brand with Mila. Although I do like that the Comotomo bottles were also similar to breast shape, they were hard to stand upright, and always got lint everywhere from the silicon material. I also for some reason had a hard time opening them at times and they are VERY costly! The Tommie Tippie is also supposedly great for babies who do both, but often the nipples would collapse and the bottles would leak and Mila would get milk all over her chin and neck!

Bottle Sterilizer

I would say this is a NEED. Yes, you can do it with a dishwasher, or do it the old fashioned way and boil them. But honestly, this is quicker! The one I use requires you to put it in the microwave for 5 mins and then let it sit in the sterilizer for another 10. Washing bottles is a real pain and ANYTHING I can do to make it easier, I will!

Sleep

Bedside Bassinet

We had a bassinet for a while but she refused to go in it. She would wake up immediately the moment we put her in and just cry. After a few weeks, we were DESPERATE for sleep and after doing some reading online, I stumbled upon this bassinet that goes on your bed.

This was a lifesaver! It was so nice to be able to reach over and soothe Keira in the middle of the night. Babies are smart, I think she knew she was closer and on the bed and would sleep pretty soundly, with a small pat from our hand letting her know we were right there. It was also peace of mind knowing that she was there and wouldn’t get rolled over on (my husband can be a heavy sleeper) She was in there till almost 5 months old!

Muslim Swaddle Blankets

These are the best type of blankets for swaddling. These are thin, and stretchy type of material so it’s easy to wrap baby in snug. I had other brands of blankets and my girls had always managed to get out of them. These blankets are so comfy that Mila still uses them from time to time now. And because they are so lightweight, they don’t take up too much space in the car the diaper bag.

Play

Newborn Boppy Lounger

I had this with both of the girls and it was amazing! Especially when you are recovering! It’s nice to be able to prop this wherever you are with little to no effort. This is not recommended for babies to sleep in, but both babies have napped in it occasionally, but only when I was awake and could fully keep an eye on them.

It’s also nice to bring even when you’re traveling or going to a friends house- without taking up too much trunk space. This is a staple gift I give to all expecting mamas.

Playmat

It’s nice to put down in eyes view when you need to do quick house chores like cook. I will say that I’ve had 3 different playmats for each kid and this one by fisher price was my favorite. I would go against the one with the cross features like this one pictured because as baby starts to roll their feet will constantly get caught.

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This is also a nice way to entertain baby and encourage hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Baby will over time learn cause and effect “when I hit that toy, it makes that sound”.

Baby bouncer / swing

Most babies like to be rocked and held and most bouncers / swings will create that sensation for babies. A lot of them also come with mobiles that hang to give baby something to look at and play with. Some are fancy and they even play music that baby will like.

I don’t think you need to splurge and get those super expensive ones. With all 3 kids I was able to get ones that were in the $40 price range. I will say that all babies are different and I would keep the receipts and let baby do some test runs. My middle child absolutely hated a swing but was fine in a bouncer.

Nice to Haves

Little Remedies Saline Drops

There will be times that your baby may catch a slight cold and these worked wonders.

I’ve also tried the Baby Freida and that works well also. However, Mila would constantly move and coordinating the time as well as the angle was some times challenging since the hole for that was rather large.

The trick is to drop these saline drops in their nose and let it sit for a minute, and then use the basic bulb syringe to suck it out the old fashioned way. The saline drops will soften what is in there to make it easier to come out. And it’ll also clear up their little noses really good. And for the most part, I don’t think they mind. In fact, I think Keira loves when I do it because she always takes a deep breath and smiles like this after.

Baby carrier

I say that this also comes in handy but it will depend on your baby. I would definitely say to keep the receipt when you buy a carrier one make sure baby takes to it well before throwing the receipt away.

I had an Ergo Baby for Mila and she didn’t mind it. It was nice for those quick grocery store runs where we didn’t want to have to push a cart AND a stroller.

Keira on the other hand hated being in it and wouldn’t last for more than a few minutes. I thought that maybe she didn’t like the Ergo brand and wanted something more of a wrap, so I went and purchased a JJ cole wrap but she hated that one as well.

There you have it! Those are things that made it a little easier for me with the kiddos. But remember that every baby is different; what works for one may not work for another. But these are some items that I hope will help you find the necessities you need. Or maybe items that you currently don’t even know you need!

Remember a baby registry is there for those who may want assistance in finding a gift for you and baby, but they will buy for you what they want; ALWAYS be grateful for anything you are given! But a registry is also helpful to keep track of the things that you still need to get for the baby after baby showers and parties have passed. Plus, most registries have great deals! Target will give you 15% off everything that is on your registry from 8 weeks before your due date! 🙂

I hope this is helpful for you mamas! Please share if you liked this post. What about you? What are some things that you needed for your littles? I’d love to hear them in the comments below. Again, thank you for reading!