That being said, if you spend any amount of time on social media you’ll quickly be convinced you need all. The. things. Mail in developmentally appropriate play kits. Matching first foods kit. Matching pajamas for Christmas and every holiday in between. And don’t get me wrong, I think it’s nice to treat yourself every now and then to something to make your life easier, or just because you want it- but a quick scroll on instagram shows how out of hand this whole thing really has gotten. A quick read from the guardian can show you how something that started out as a low-waste initiative, the reusable cup, quickly became a greenwashed social media marketing campaign as companies fight to keep people buying more and more stuff.
Before things get to ranty, I’ll go ahead and share my list- it’s certainly not groundbreaking or the end-all be-all by any means, but here are 3 things we registered for and are very happy with, 3 things we wish we purchased but didn’t, and 3 items we bought that I’d probably leave off our registry if I had to do it again- here goes!
Items we’re so glad we registered for:
Baby monitor: This was my husband’s pick. It seems like a no brainer, but in his own words, ‘we traveled a lot [and it worked well in] a lot of different sleep settings’ It helped us both for safety purposes, for sleep training, and for our own entertainment (watching her sing to herself- so cute!) To be fair, if you’re in a small space or sleeping one room over, you may not need one, but both of our permanent home situations with E we’ve been separated, either by a floor or by the rest of the living space. We actually still use it now (she tells us when she has to use the potty at night through the speaker.) This is the one we were gifted, and we’re probably just going to add a second camera when our baby boy arrives :)
Nose Frida and thermometer: this is 100% biased by me being a pediatrician, and maybe I’d just purchase it for myself, but this is something you definitely want to have when you walk through the front door with your newborn. I have counseled hundreds of parents before they take their newborn home, and seen dozens of newborns in the ER for both colds and fevers. I tell every parent the same thing: you need to have a thermometer that can check a rectal temperature, and you need a nasal aspirator for your baby’s first cold. The first because fever in a newborn can be the only sign of a serious bacterial infection, a true emergency in the first few months of life. The second because the nasal passageways are tiny and even a small amount of congestion can make breathing difficult for a young infant. Newborns are also more prone to a cold traveling to the lungs and causing bronchiolitis. These two items can be crucial to recognizing a serious bacterial infection and also helping your child through respiratory infections at home, before things get too serious.
Carrier: I have to say, before we had E, we registered for 2 carriers (both Sakura brand) and were gifted 2-3 secondhand ones. I 110% am SO thankful for this, but I also sort of wish we had done more research on the type of carrier that would work best for us. I returned the wrap carrier pretty quickly because I was feeling overwhelmed and unsure how to make it work for us, but many people love them! I probably will stick to our core 2 carriers this time around (the Sakura Scout and Ring Sling,) but I’m also going to learn how to get more use out of the ring sling, which I ended up loving when E was just at the top of the weight limit for that carrier. This is definitely an area where a little research will get you far!
Items we wish we registered for but didn’t:
White noise machine: A minimalist at heart, I tend to shy away from items that really only serve a single purpose, so we left this one off our registry. Within the first two months my parents bought us one and I’m so glad they did- we tried out youtube clips and even a static-y radio and nothing was working. But pretty much everyone and their Mom told us we needed a white noise machine and when my parents got us one, it was a life changer when it came to E’s sleep. I can’t even find the model online right now, but this list should be a good place to start.
Baby bouncer/lounger: I don’t even know why we didn’t originally register for a baby bouncer- it just didn’t cross my mind, I guess…my sister actually surprised me with one from Fisher Price and we ended up using it everywhere at a certain point - when one of us had to shower, cook a meal, or put E down for a Zoom class or meeting, the bouncer was absolutely essential to freeing up our hands to get a bit of work done (and she love it!)
The babybjorn bouncer was extremely popular among parents in our area (I actually bought and re-sold one secondhand in a span of months!) but you’ll do just as fine with one of the fisher price ones (or any other brand), which can just as easily be found at target as they can on facebook marketplace.
Breastfeeding Supplies/milk collectors: For parents that plan to breastfeed, the haakaa and similar milk collectors are both phenomenal for adding a little extra milk to your supply. I actually think I registered for the haakaa, but left off the milk collectors. One tip: when using the haakaa, don’t use excessive suction, as it can push you into over-supply, which then makes you more prone to discomfort, clogged ducts and potentially mastitis.
In addition, there’s about a dozen or so different breastfeeding related items that will make your life so much easier if you plan to nurse your baby. I used these bamboo pads instead of single use ones, and I joke that I should have bought stock in Lansinoh because I used so many tubes of nipple cream those first three months. This time around our list also includes silicone milk storage bags and glass bottles, since we are trying to move away from plastic.
Items we wouldn’t register for/purchase this time around
Clothes: this one may come as a surprise, but I actually feel pretty strongly about it- the reason is twofold. First, babies grow so fast that the secondhand market is incredible- you can get gently used baby clothes from 0-12/24 months for a really good deal, both online and in person. And secondly, no matter what you register for, some people are just going to buy you baby clothes anyways. This happened to us a lot- it really surprised me! But honestly, thinking back to before I had kids, one of my favorite things to do when a friend had a new baby was buy them an adorable new outfit (honestly, I still find this hard to resist.)
Receiving Blankets: As for receiving blankets, they’re cute, and beautiful to look at- but their use is a bit limited. I think we ended up with 4, and were gifted 3 additional handmade ones (all of which are beautiful, and my daughter still plays with them!) But we quickly switched from blankets to velcro swaddles (specifically this one, which is worth the money, IMO, since it is incredibly easy to use and will get you through 0-6 months of age!) In the future I’d register for 1, maybe 2, as you can use them as floor mats and photo backdrops- but take it from someone who spends all day in newborn nurseries swaddling and unswaddling babies- the velcro ones are much better.
Bassinet: Ok, this one honestly pains me to write. Let me start by saying I loved our bassinet. It was an incredibly generous gift from my core group of friends. I couldn’t bear to sell it, even when it didn’t make much sense packing it in the move, and we will still use it with baby #2. And then keep it forever and repurpose it as storage or something else because it’s too pretty to look at and I can’t bear to even give it away.
But.
Many babies outgrow bassinets fast. Some within weeks! And in the life span of baby products, the amount of time that a bassinet is usable and useful is incredibly short. You will do just as well starting them right off the bat in a crib or pack and play. For parents who plan to breastfeed, there are ones with an (FDA approved) drop-down side to easily access your infant for feeding. As much as I love our sweet little moses basket, I don’t think I would register for it the second time around.
Other things to consider:
Have a variety of price points. The people who want to gift you something to celebrate the baby may surprise you! Especially for the first baby, people will want to contribute in some way, big or small. It’s nice to have items from a few different price points so that everyone who wants to gift you something can participate, without feeling the pressure to spend a lot of money.
Think about how far ahead you want to look. At first we thought maybe we’d only register for items we’d need for the first 6 months, but the first year of a baby’s life can really add up cost-wise, if you’re not careful. While feeding that tiny newborn solids may seem far away, it sneaks up on you. Consider throwing in your high chair and feeding supplies, or that push walker- you’ll be using them before you know it! Also, registries like, Amazon, Target and Babylist will often offer a one-time ‘completion discount’ close to your due date on whatever you register for- so it makes sense to stock up on any items you may need through the first year.
Consider some non-tangibles, too. Far and away some of the most helpful things I can think of in the newborn period were the meals people sent to us (I still dream about the chicken cacciatore my sister made for my first meal home from the hospital!) and the endless loads of laundry my mother helped with when I was recovering from my c-section. It’s ok to ask for these types of contributions, whether its a door dash gift card, a laundry/cleaning service, or even donations to a college fund (it’s never too early to start saving :))
Secondhand Alternatives to purchase baby gear: Lastly, I wanted to end with a list of places you can purchase items secondhand. Not to sound like a broken record, but the first two years your baby grows so fast, some items you’ll use for just a few short months before moving on to the next size or toy or model. It’s ok if every single item you use for your baby isn’t brand new. Plus, if no one else in your family or circle is having kids any time soon, if you’re anything like me you may be eager to de-clutter some items once your child has outgrown them.
Buy Nothing Groups. I will forever sing the praises of Buy Nothing Groups. I’ve received and gifted so much baby stuff in these spaces. People’s generosity will really amaze you, and it builds community as well.
In person secondhand stores. Check your local google maps for consignment shops focused on kids- in addition to local spots, we like Kid2Kid and Once Upon a Child.
Facebook Marketplace. I haven’t ventured into this space as much down in Florida, mainly because the local Boston parent BST groups were so well moderated and many of the ones down here are just a bit messier. But if you’re looking for something specific or too large to practically ship (like a jogging stroller, or a particular brand of clothing,) these can be a great option.
Other Online Markets. Kidizen is probably my favorite and where I’ve had most success finding baby items, but Poshmark, Thredup and Goodbuygear are some other great options.
That’s all I’ve got! Anything I missed? What would you add or take away from your registry for baby #2?
