… And a few more!
If you’re a first time mama, where oh where do you begin when it comes to creating a baby registry?! Overwhelmed? I was right there with you. If anything, keep your registry simple. Your baby actually needs very little – a safe place to sleep, food to eat, clothes, diapers, wipes, and lots of love. Everything else is simply nice to have. And, just because something is more expensive doesn’t always mean that it works better! In my opinion, you should put things on your registry that you don’t necessarily want to purchase yourself. Especially if it does happen to be a more expensive item, putting it on a registry can allow multiple people to contribute to it. Below, in no particular order, are my favorite registry items. I’ve included some honorable mentions at the bottom!
I want to quickly mention that I used Babylist as a registry platform and I loved it! We were able to add items from multiple stores and websites to the list and see them all in one location. We were also able to track our gifts and keep track of who gave us what. Big fan of anything that allows me to consolidate and make things easier.
1- Mama Roo
- It wasn’t a hit immediately as a newborn, but Leo eventually learned to like it, especially when he started gaining more environmental awareness. It’s nice to have someplace to put your baby down if extra hands aren’t available. With that being said, this product is not intended for infant sleep. Infant airways are incredibly limber and quite small. They’re like tiny straws. Since they don’t have the neck strength (in the first few months) to support their head, their positioning could put them at risk for suffocation. Use this product while your baby is awake and while they are supervised.
2- Uppababy Travel System (Mesa Car seat, Vista Stroller with rumble seat and bassinet)
- Ok, this one is expensive, but so worth it! It’s perfect for a registry and multiple people can contribute. We love that all the “attachments” can easily click into the stroller (bassinet for newborn, carseat, and rumble seat). It’s one swift system and you don’t have to worry about compatibility. The car seat accommodates babies as small as 4lbs (aka Leo when he was discharged) and up to 35lbs so you will get great use out of it. We used the bassinet attachment for walks when Leo was really tiny and unable to hold his head up. Now that Leo is older and bigger we use the toddler seat. The stroller itself is pretty slick. It collapses and reopens easily. As your family grows you can add an extra seat or a standing board depending on the age of your kids. This stroller is a longterm investment!
3- Lou Lou and Company and Caden Lane knotted gowns and swaddles
- Having a couple knotted gowns can be really nice for easy diaper changes during the early newborn days. There are no zippers or snaps to worry about.These brands are high quality and SO soft. The patterns are so sweet. I loved that Lou Lou and Company products were created by a NICU nurse. Their swaddle blankets are divine! Caden Lane is another great option with very similar products. You can’t go wrong with either one!
- Our favorite onesies! They are incredibly soft and they stretch with growth. The fabric is made from bamboo, so it keeps baby warm but is very breathable. You can get some really good wear out of them as they tend to fit beyond their intended sizing. Leo wears a pair every night as jammies. We especially love the dual direction zippers for easy diaper changes.
- *Once you transition baby out of the swaddle, Kyte sleep sacks are fantastic- same material so incredibly soft and breathable- Leo uses them now!*
5- Boppy pillow
- I don’t have any experience with other breastfeeding support pillows, but this one does the trick. We have used it for elevated tummy time and sitting practice as well. I don’t think the Boppy pillow cover material is particularly soft, so I got a couple covers off Etsy that are much nicer. Highly recommend using a support pillow of some sort if you plan on breastfeeding! As Leo has grown and become heavier, it is nice to have a support pillow to prevent a sore neck and back. I have also heard really good things about My Breast Friend pillow as well.
- Easy to use, efficient, and doesn’t take up too much counter space. You can connect the warmer to an app on your phone to perfectly time a bottle for your babe. Make sure you test the temperature of the milk before feeding to baby. I have found that the milk will sometimes heat to a temperature that is too warm for feeding right away especially if the “quick heat” function is used.
7- Aqua scale 3-in-1 digital scale, water thermometer, and infant tub
- Most people aren’t super concerned with weight gain, but I found this tub to be reassuring while Leo was going through significant reflux/spit up. I was able to weigh him every so often to make sure he was gaining weight appropriately. I love that there’s a thermometer built in so you can monitor water temperature as well. There is some margin of error in the scale and you may find a slight discrepancy between this scale and the one in the doctor’s office.
8- Keekaroo Peanut diaper changing pad
- I love this changing pad because it’s soft, durable, and easy to clean. Baby boys are…messy (haha) and you want to be able to quickly and easily clean your changing pad.
9- Pack and Play or Travel Crib
- When we started thinking about traveling with Leo, we needed to make sure we always had a safe sleep environment for him. Until a baby is closer to 2 years old, it is unsafe for them to sleep on surfaces that aren’t flat, firm, or cluttered (blankets, pillows, toys, etc). It is also important to use a fitted sheet made specifically for the crib/mattress size. After researching multiple travel crib options, we decided on the Guava Lotus Travel Crib. Not only does it provide a safe sleep environment, but it also comes in a compact, light case. It is easy to travel with it and it won’t take up very much space.
- The Hatch is really nice because it is portable with 10 hours of battery life, has an audio feature, and can be controlled on an app. It can also serve as a nightlight for those late night/early morning feedings. The only thing we don’t love about it is that you can change the color and sound by touching the device, which is really annoying if you’re moving it between your bedroom and the nursery or trying to control the unit on the actual device.
11- Video monitor
- There are so many high quality video monitoring systems out there. We use the Nanit monitor and don’t have any complaints. It monitors room temperature, humidity, and when baby falls asleep/wakes up. It comes with a swaddle (for newborns) and a belt (for infants) that monitors respirations, if that’s important to you. The app is pretty user friendly as well.
Honorable Mentions
The Snoo: We put the Snoo on our registry in case anyone was either able to get it for us or do a group gift. We ended up getting it! As you might know, it’s rather expensive, so we were thrilled. There is also an option to rent a Snoo if you are interested in using one but don’t want to pay for the ridiculous price. Honestly, we didn’t use it to its full capacity. After being in the NICU for 5 weeks on a stationary surface, Leo didn’t love the rocking sensation in the Snoo. Also, since he had really bad reflux and we think the movement made it worse. Ultimately, we ended up “locking” the Snoo on its base level (no movement). One of the benefits of using the Snoo is that the swaddles clip into the bassinet so you don’t have to worry about baby rolling over or into the sides. Is that worth $1200? Probably not. In hindsight, the Halo bassinet would’ve worked perfectly fine for Leo. Hopefully we can use the Snoo fully with our next baby. Even then, some babies absolutely love it and some babies hate it. I would recommend getting the Halo bassinet or *renting* the Snoo. If you decide to go with the Halo bassinet, I recommend using the Halo swaddles. We used them in the NICU and loved them. Otherwise, the parent company to the Snoo, Happiest Baby, makes swaddles that are identical to what you get with the Snoo, minus the attachment that secures to the bassinet. I especially like these swaddles because we could transition Leo out of swaddles and into a sleep sack using their adjustable arm holes.
Snuggle Me/Dock a Tot: We used our Snuggle Me quite a bit in the early days as a surface to put Leo down for short periods of time. The caveat to these loungers is that they are not safe for baby when unsupervised (like you need to be right there at all times), especially if baby is sleeping. We used it a lot during dinner time and put it right on the kitchen table so we could enjoy a meal together. If you do choose to get one/ask for one, include covers as well.
Owlet: Initially, I was not going to ask for/purchase an Owlet monitor. As a nurse, I was afraid I would start obsessing over the heart rate and oxygen levels. However, aftering bringing Leo home from the NICU, I wasn’t sleeping at night. I was constantly worried about him. So one day, after countless nights of no sleep, I said screw it and went to buy it. It was the best decision. I could sleep knowing if there were any drastic changes, the alarm would wake me up. Is this truly a *necessary* thing to have or put on your registry? No. But it gave me peace of mind so I was able to actually sleep at night. In recent news, the FDA has issued a warning to the company, requesting its removal from the market. The Owlet does not have the specificity of a true medical grade monitor and it can give parents a sense of false reassurance or cause parents concern over false alarms. Because it was marketed to be used as a medical monitor at home, the FDA said nope, can’t do that. To an extent, I can understand the concern. Most people don’t have medical knowledge or training to understand the information on a monitor like the Owlet, especially if the readings are inaccurate.
Large burp cloths– Cannot stress enough the importance of large, absorbable burp cloths. Get a pack of big muslin burp cloths from Amazon!
Portable Sound Machine– We didn’t have this on our registry and didn’t know we even needed it until a friend gifted it to us and just said, “trust me”. You can clip it onto the stroller, carseat, diaper bag, etc. We use it all the time! Great for on the go naps.
Frida Basics Kit– Nose sucker, nail clippers/file, gas reliever, and head scrubber. We’ve used them all!
Taking Cara Babies– This program is a game changer. I purchased the 0-4 month package. We credit this program to helping Leo sleep through the night! It would be a great addition to your registry.
Tinyhood or Karrie Locher’s baby course/breastfeeding course– I highly recommend taking a course that isn’t offered by the hospital. These courses are highly rated and so informational. Much more practical application. I thought I knew it all, turns out I was very mistaken. It has also come to my attention that some hospitals don’t staff lactation consultants (?!?!?!?!?!?). All women should have access to high quality and hands on breastfeeding assistance before leaving the hospital. Establishing correct form and latch is essential in your breastfeeding journey. I highly recommend taking a breastfeeding course before baby comes (if you plan to breastfeed) so that you are armed with this information in case your hospital does not have lactation consultants. Could also be great registry gifts!
And finally…
BOOKS! Any books, all types of books. Start building your little library early on and your babe will have a collection of books for life.
At the end of the day, your baby just needs your love! All of the other stuff is just extra.
If you’re a mama, what are your favorite registry gifts that you have received?!
Until next time,
XOXO, Sarah
Que Sera Sarah 