Baby Registry Items You'll Actually Use
I remember being pregnant with my first and having no idea what to register for and what I would actually use. There’s so many baby products out there that are marketed as “must haves” that are not even close to necessary!
Now, after having two kids of my own and countless friends with babies, I think I’ve got a pretty good list of things that you will actually use! This list is broken down into categories & I will let you know if it is a must have, a nice to have, or totally not needed in my opinion!
Every single item here was either purchased with my own cold hard cash, or gifted to me by family & friends!
Sleeping
Pack ‘n Play
Don’t mess around with a bassinet. Just get a Pack ‘n Play that has a bassinet insert & use that! That’s one less thing to buy/register for & one less thing to store after baby moves out of your room. It’s also great because you can bring it on trips with you and it travels great!
Must Have
Hatch Rest+ Sound Machine
I LOVE this sound machine! Both of my kids have one in their rooms. I use it as a sound machine for both kids, as well as a “time to wake” clock for my two year old! I have it set so at 8 AM, the white noise changes to birds chirping and it lights up blue to let her know it’s time to get up. She’s still in a crib, but if she wakes up before 8, she plays quietly in her crib until it goes off. Then she stands up and calls for me to come get her. It has worked great and avoided her yelling for me, ready to get up, at 5 AM when I’d rather us both get a few more hours of sleep. After she moves to a big girl bed, I hope to use it to teach her when she can get out of her room in the morning or after naps.
You can control everything from sounds, volume, color, brightness, the clock brightness, and create schedules in the app! You can also use it as a sound monitor to check in on them or talk to them. I prefer the Hatch Rest+ over the regular Hatch Rest because of the clock & built in battery so it doesn’t turn off if the power goes out or if you want to move it around the house for nap time.
Nice to Have
Owlet Dream Sock
This is something that has allowed us to sleep so much better in those newborn days without worrying about our baby and if they were breathing. SIDS has always been something that totally freaked me out. The Owlet is definitely a splurge, but the peace of mind it creates is worth the price, tenfold! I recommend them to every new parent!
Nice to Have
Feeding & Nursing
I nursed my first until she turned one and I am planning to do the same with my second, so these are all things that I think a nursing mom needs and some things every mom needs!
Spectra S1 Breast Pump
I LOVE this pump! It is super efficient, has adjustable settings, a nightlight, and has a battery so you aren’t tied to an outlet while pumping. Make sure to get the blue S1 one! The pink S2 one doesn’t have the battery and has to be plugged in.
Must Have
Haakaa
Such a simple thing that is so beneficial! I always use the Haakaa in the first few weeks of nursing on the opposite side that baby is on to catch let down. I am able to build a freezer stash so quickly while using this. This is the one I wish they had when I got mine. It has a lid & a wider base to avoid that precious milk being spilt.
Must Have
Como Tomo Bottles
Made to mimic the shape of mom’s breast, my babies have both done great with these bottles! I exclusively breastfeed, but sometimes I need baby to take a bottle. They’ve never refused these bottles, even if they don’t get them often, so I’m a fan! They are also made of silicone instead of a hard plastic, so they’re easy for baby to hold on their own once they figure it out!
Nice to Have
Muslin Burp Cloths
These are so much more absorbent & larger than regular burp cloths. They also come in super cute colors!
Must Have
Lily Padz
These were suggested to me by a good friend & I can never thank her enough! Use these silicone nursing pads in the first couple weeks of nursing & you won’t deal with any cracking or bleeding or the pain associated with it! Totally worth it and you only need one pair.
Must Have
Boon Grass Countertop Drying Rack
If you use a breast pump or feed bottles regularly, you will want somewhere to dry them! I love this drying rack & I’m so glad they came out with a white version that isn’t an eyesore on my counter!
Nice to Have
Clothing
Gowns
These elastic bottom gowns are’t the most fashion forward item of clothing, but they are just so dang practical! With optional mittens to cover those little finger nails and an elastic bottom for easy access to diaper changes, these are what my babies live in at home for those first weeks!
Must Have
Onesies
All you need is a pack of short sleeve and a pack of long sleeve onesies in Newborn size and another pack of each in 0-3 Months. They grow so fast, and chances are, you are spending most of your time at home anyway, so don’t worry about getting a huge wardrobe. I think my little guy only wore each of his newborn onesies once or twice before he grew out of them. Register for them in several sizes!
Must Have
Gloves
Those little fingernails are impossible to trim, but somehow they always manage to scratch up their face when you’re not looking. These gloves are easy to put on them to protect that cute little face of theirs until you can trim their nails better. I prefer the thicker elastic band on these ones compared to others.
Nice to Have
Car/Travel
Mirror
It’s so nice to be able to see your little one in the back seat when they’re rear facing & this mirror helps you do just that! I have two of these mirrors in my car for both of my kids & love them!
Nice to Have
Little Bum Cooler
This is one item that I wouldn’t do without in our hot summers! I always hated having to put my little girl in her sweltering hot car seat in the summer, and these totally eliminate that! You fill the 5 sections with ice packs that are less that $1 at Walmart & store it in your freezer. Then you set it in your child’s car seat for a few minutes before you leave, or when you go into the store or park, so that when you come back, their seat is nice and cool! No more sweaty backs or burning yourself on hot buckles! This is a small business owned by a fellow Mom in Arizona & she just recently launched them on Amazon!
While you may not need them much while your child is in an infant car seat, they are so nice for laps in the stroller and you will definitely get use out of them when they move out of the infant seat, so register for one now & maybe you won’t have to buy it yourself!
Must Have
Portable Sound Machine
I have the Rohm portable white noise machine & use it all the time! Car seat or stroller naps on the go, and while traveling(instead of packing the sound machine from home) are the main times that I use it! You’ll definitely use it if your baby will ever sleep somewhere other than home! I recommend getting the case for it to protect it in diaper bags & suitcases as well.
Must Have
Wild Bird Sling
I never thought I would be much of a baby wearer, but this sling makes those times that I am, SO nice! It is super comfortable for me and nice and cozy for baby! From chores around the house, to walks and running errands, I love this sling! Just recently, I went to a parade of homes with my mom & sister. I wore Kellen in my Wild Bird sling though every single home & he was totally content all day long. It’s super secure & easy to adjust for the best fit. They have tons of helpful videos to help you have the best experience with it and are willing to help if you have any questions at all!
Nice to Have
Other
I couldn’t be more happy with this monitor! There are so many baby monitors on the market, and I opted for a non-wifi monitor for several reasons, but mainly because I didn’t like the lag that the video and audio feed had. This monitor is awesome. It has two different lenses you can use, a large screen, two way audio, and you can connect up to four cameras!
Nice to Have
Swing
While it may take up some real estate in your living room, it’s worth it! I love our swing to keep baby content while I’m making dinner or even to help soothe him when nothing we are doing can! It’s truly magic sometimes & I’m so glad we have one.
Nice to Have
Bouncer
Another item that is such a great place to lay baby when you need to free up your hands. I love that its super easy to pick up and move from room to room.
Nice to Have
Snuggle Me Organic
This one is a bit of a splurge so I didn’t get one with my first, but wished I did! So when I was pregnant with my second, I waited for a good sale and snagged one, plus a couple covers! They have pretty good sales a few times a year & I’ve also seen them on Facebook Marketplace often! Nice to have a safe place to lay baby for supervised naps during the day. The sides gently hug baby and give them a secure feeling that is super calming to them. I have a light and a dark cover & I wish they were both dark to help hide stains better, so keep that in mind!
Nice to Have
Baby Bum Brush
I don’t know about you, but the thought of diaper cream under my fingernails just gives me the chills. No thank you! These are so nice to completely avoid that! I love having a mini one for the diaper bag as well!
Nice to Have
Wet Bag
I keep one of these in my diaper bag at all times! You never know when a blow out is going to happen. And when it does, what are you going to do with that nasty onesie covered in poo? This wet bag is waterproof and is a great place to zip up dirty clothes and even dirty diapers or wet swim suits until you get home & can deal with them. It folds up super small & I just keep it in an interior pocket for when I will undoubtedly need it.
Nice to Have
Paci Case
My kids both took pacifiers, which meant I liked to have extras in every spot possible in case we forgot or lost one! This silicone case straps to the outside of your diaper bag, or you can throw it inside to store pacifiers while keeping them clean and ready for baby.
Nice to Have
Ben & James Swaddle
The ultimate baby swaddle blanket! I know everyone loves Copper Pearl swaddles, and I did too! But these ones blow them out of the water! They’re huge, soft, super stretchy, and wash up amazingly! They are a small, family owned business started by a dad with big babies that regular swaddles didn’t work well for, so he made his own!
Use code “MORGANTAYLER” for 10% off!
Must Have
Promptly Journal
One of my all time favorite things! I am NOT a journaler, but I want to document my kids’ childhoods somehow & this journal is so perfect! It goes through each trimester of pregnancy & then birth, first weeks, first 12 months, and then every year until they’re 18! It gives you prompts and questions for you to answer & fill in. It also has space for you to write in any other info you want to, and a spot for a photo in each section. It is so great!
Must Have
Not Needed
Wipe Warmer
Not needed at all! Your baby will be totally used to room temperature wipes before you know it. In those early days, hold the wipe in your hands for a few seconds to warm it, but after a week or two, don’t even worry about doing that anymore.
Diaper Pail
I have never seen a diaper pail that actually fully contains the stink of dozens of diapers. For me, I have found that having a small trash can next to the changing table to toss diapers in works great! When it fills up, or at the end of every day, I just take it outside to the trash can. That way you aren’t letting them sit around for days, adn you also don’t have to buy an expensive, bulky item to have in the nursery!
Changing Table
Another totally unnecessary piece of furniture! All you need is a dresser and a changing pad and it works the exact same and your child can use that dresser for many years to come!
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