OKAY. We have one year under our belts and I am here to do an updated baby registry post. This is one of my most frequently emailed questions and I get it. I was confused AF about what all to register for. Unfortunately…. you can’t know what you don’t know and every baby is different. And I’m convinced the baby industry people all got together to make things as confusing as possible so that you have to buy more stuff. Have I mentioned that it’s confusing? I was so overwhelmed when I started the process and relied heavily on lists from the internet in addition to personal recommendations from friends.

I am going to start with the disclaimer that this is my own personal list of must register baby items that I’m sharing to try to be more helpful. There is no way any baby list is going to be comprehensive…. But this is my list of must register baby items and what I’ve been sending to all my friends. (Really, I have a living Google spreadsheet I’ve been keeping track of items with and then just invite my friends to it as they get pregnant!)

First, I cannot recommend using Babylist enough. It is the easiest way to keep track of your baby registry and it works for all different websites. I still refer back to my account from time to time. There’s a handy button you can add to your browser so that you can quickly add the baby product you want to your registry. This made it so easy to organize all the items. I went wild and added everything to my list and then went in tailored my baby registry by researching items and removing things later. Also, if you’re going to host a baby shower with friends and family, it’s a good idea to add different price points!

• Speaking of that, you could go crazy adding things to a list. I’m going to keep this post as succinct as I think is necessary with the essential items. A lot of these are things I registered for, and also included things I wish I had registered for. (Spoiler alert: I wish I had thought beyond the newborn stage!)
• 

MUST REGISTER BABY ITEMS

BEDDING & SLEEP

– Kyte Sleep Sacks

I transitioned Jack out of a swaddle pretty early (started the process around 8 weeks). I switched him into these sleep sacks and they are so good. I ended up ordering two more (so we have three now) to rotate through between laundry days. They come in different TOGs for different climates and Jack just seems so cozy in his. I swear it’s what helped him start sleeping the longest stretches during the night.

– Crib Sheets

Definitely pick out crib sheets that spark joy, and then get a few extra. I like having a few sets on hand so I can wash them and rotate through without ever being stuck without a clean set. (And sometimes you do need to swap them out between naps!)

– SwaddleMe

Okay as far as swaddles go…. you may need to buy a few different styles before you find what your baby prefers. We loved the SwaddleMe swaddles for the first couple of weeks. I wish I had thought to bring one in my hospital bag to use while there instead of using the hospital blankets.

– Halo Swaddle

At some point, we switched to the Halo swaddle! Once we did, we never went back and it seems to be (fingers crossed) working well still!

– Muslin Swaddles

Muslin swaddles are so useful for babies. I stocked up on more once I realized how frequently we used them. They are great for wiping up spit up in a pinch, wrapping baby before a daytime nap, tucking over legs while baby is in a carseat, etc. I typically swaddle Jack in one of these muslin swaddles during daytime naps!

– Moses Basket

BIG FAN of this Moses basket. We were using it for daytime naps (babies can sleep in it until they’re 15 pounds or three months old) and then ended up bringing it upstairs at night too.

– Sound Machine

Everyone says you need one and…. you totally do! The difference in sleep without one is, haha, night and day!

CLOTHING

People will be incredibly generous with clothing gifts, so I think it’s best to keep to the basics. That’s just my personal preference though. If you want a bunch of outfits, feel free to go ham! Here are my basic recommendations.

– Short Sleeve and Long Sleeve Gerber onesies in sizes NB + 0-3

Definitely worth having a bunch of these. Jack lived in them and they were so easy to wash, too. Also, made it especially easy to switch into new ones after “wardrobe malfunctions.

– Kimono shirts in sizes NB + 0-3

For the first few months of Jack’s life, I would put him to sleep in one of these kimono style shirts under a swaddle with no pants. It felt like the mom hack of the year since I could quickly unswaddle, change his diaper, and reswaddle for the middle of the night feeds! HIGHLY recommend.

– Kyte Zipper Footie Pajamas Zipper Pajamas

Our favorite pajamas for Jack once he was out of the swaddle. So cozy and they fit for a while.

– Patagonia Bunting

Ending with a personal fave… The Patagonia Bunting. Ugh. My heart. I love seeing Jack’s big cheeks in the baby bunting! It’s just so good and can’t be beat. Should have definitely registered for this in a few age-appropriate sizes for winter.

FEEDING

– High Chair

We absolutely love this high chair. It’s incredibly lightweight but sturdy. It also pulls up to the perfect height for our dining room table. I also like how simple it is and how easy it is to clean. It doesn’t take up a lot of space in our dining room and it doesn’t “scream” high chair!!!!

– Portable Seat

Both grandmas have this chair now for Jack. It is a great little booster chair and has a built in tray, too.

– Bottle Starter Kits

This is a very personal thing, but babies are going to like different types of bottles. For registering purposes, I would try to do a sample set if possible. (My baby never took a bottle, so unfortunately I can’t recommend anything super specific!)

– Baby Utensils

I got this on a whim in a local store and I’m so glad I did. I had longer baby spoons that are pretty popular, but they were so long that it required me to feed Jack and he much prefers to feed himself. These little utensils are the perfect size and weight.

– Bibs

These bibs are genius!! How did moms do it before silicone bibs that rinses off in the sink? The little pocket really does a great job at catching food falling too.

– Smock Bibs

Definitely recommend registering for at least one of these so you have them on hand when you start doing solids!

– Straw Sippy Cup

These are great for when your baby is ready to transition to a straw.

BATHING

– Sink Bath Tub

I registered for a bigger tub, but this is the one that ended up working better for us. It fit in our kitchen sink and worked in our regular bath tub too. I also liked the smaller footprint.

– Baby Towels

These are our favorite towels for baby, and they’re so cute. They wash beautifully and it’s so nice to wrap up baby after a bath in a fluffy and cozy towel.

– Baby Grooming Kit

This is a great kit to start off with for all baby grooming needs.

DIAPERING

– Diapers

Babies are all so different when it comes to diapering needs. It might be worth registering for a few sets of size one diapers so you can experiment with brands, but otherwise, I wouldn’t register beyond that. (If you feel comfortable, maybe you could register for gift cards to cover the cost of diapers down the road.) You don’t want to be stuck with a bunch of diapers that don’t fit your baby or irritate his or her skin.

– Burp Cloths

Absolutely register for a few sets of these! They have become one of my go-to gifts for new moms, in fact. These come in handy in a very, very big way. I have a few in every room, my car, the stroller, and my diaper bag. I bought these from Amazon and have found them to be incredibly soft and absorbent. They do shrink a bit the first time you wash them, but the size they end up is perfect. I constantly have a pile fresh out of the laundry because we got through them so much. (Bonus, lol, they are great for wiping away postpartum hormonal tears, too .)

NURSERY FURNITURE

– Crib

There are so many great crib options out there and you can find the right style for your nursery. I personally picked out a crib that could be converted into a toddler bed down the road.

– Newton Mattress

This mattress is so genius because you can rinse the whole thing off in the bathtub!

– Nanit Baby Monitor

I love the Nanit baby monitor. I like being able to see him on my phone, get sound/motion alerts on my phone, and even turn on/off white noise through it. It’s also crystal clear, even at night.

– Halo Bassinet

This is the bassinet we used in our bedroom for the early months! It swivels over the bed for safe sleep.

– Glider Chair

A glider is key for a nursery!! Mine was on backorder for awhile and I started to think I didn’t need one, until it came. And then I realized just how much I was missing!!

GEAR

– Stroller

Best. Stroller. Seriously, we love it so much. It drives so smoothly. It’s definitely “the” stroller of choice in our area because I see it everywhere. It can grow with our family, too, which was a huge selling point (and made the price point even more worth it). Another great thing about this stroller is that it comes with a bassinet that is approved for safe sleep.

– Car Seat

I spent an insane amount of time researching car seats and I’m happy to report I think we made the right decision. Jack loves it and I rest easy knowing he’s super safe in there. And it’s filled with great features including a built in “dream drape” canopy with built in UPF protection. It was also a breeze to install in my car. (if you get the Uppababy Stroller, you’ll need this simple ring attachment.)

– Convertible Car Seat

I wish I had thought ahead and registered for the convertible car seat! After baby outgrows the infant carrier, it’s so nice to already have the convertible seat ready to go. (You can actually use this one from newborn through booster seat with children up to 120 pounds.)

– Stroller Fan

A stroller fan is a nice-to-have, especially if you’re in a warmer climate. This one grips right onto the stroller and can be adjusted to hit the baby just right. It also has multiple speeds which I appreciate.

– Stroller Gloves

Definitely worth having on hand, no pun intended, if you live somewhere with colder weather!

– Solly Wrap

This is one of my new go-to gifts for new moms. I personally purchased one and it was a game changer during the early months! So cozy!

– Baby Bjorn

We also use the Baby Bjorn a lot. It is a great option for dads and can go from the newborn days all the way until the baby is 33 pounds!

– Bouncer

A must-have!! This bouncer is such a great tool for keeping baby entertained and happy. Also recommend registering for the toy bar.

MEDICAL MUST HAVES

– Infant Benadryl, Tylenol, and Motrin

Not fun things to think about, but nice to have in the medicine cabinet without needing to run out to the pharmacy in the middle of the night. (We’ve been there.)

– Nose bulb

We ended up using this nose bulb all the time! Especially during cold/flu season and once Jack started day care. Made for better nights!

– Thermometer

I didn’t have a thermometer on hand and regretted it. Would be an easy thing to add to a registry.

– Sick Day Prep Kit

Definitely recommend having something like this on hand for inevitable sick days.

PLAYTIME

– Skip Hop Activity Center

I had actually registered for this and Jack is obsessed. OBSESSED with it. It grows with baby (all the way to a little table) and is worth every penny!!!

– Chew Animals

This set was a Christmas gift from one of Jack’s aunts… immediately Jack fell in love with them, especially the giraffe. I like that these are flat and can easily be washed and won’t collect mold inside. Another item that has become a go-to gift for first time moms for me.

– Books

A kind of self-explanatory one, but books! Our favorite right now (aka the one I enjoy reading the most is Good Night, Little Blue Truck. I have it memorized at this point. Here are Jack’s favorite books.

– Play Gym

Okay, Jack is obsessed with the play gym. I think it’s all part of the normal development, but wow. He loves it. (And this mom loves it because he can entertain himself!) I registered for an “aesthetic” one and ended up being gifted this more advanced colorful one. The pretty one was good for about a month before Jack outgrew it. Should have gone with the colorful one with all the bells and whistles from the start!

– Trifold Tummy Time

You’ll get so much use out of this while encouraging baby for tummy time!

– Learning Farm Walker

Another item for down the road! Jack loves this so, so much.

TRAVEL MUST HAVES

– Travel Stroller

With our first big flying trip during this time frame, we used (and loved) a travel stroller. Totally obsessed with it. You can see my review of it here!

– Travel Crib

We also used a travel crib multiple times. This one folds up so incredibly tiny and is super easy to set up and break down. My only caveat is that Jack definitely didn’t like the mattress. We borrowed mini mattresses twice for it and I think I’ll end up buying a separate one at some point. (It’s on my to-do list….)

– Travel High Chair

Cutest baby chair ever and so good for traveling or eating on the go. It works as a stand alone or you can clip it to a seat like a booster. It folds up and stores in a little bag.

– Travel Crib Sheets

I didn’t realize at first that you need different sized sheets for travel cribs!

– Slumberpod

We didn’t register for this, but I strongly wish we had. We have been on a number of trips where we share a room with Jack and having a slumberpod would make getting good naps and overnight sleep so much easier.

– Zip Top Boat and Tote

I looooove LL Bean’s Boat and Tote bags. I have a large one for Jack with long handles and a zippered top and it is such a good baby bag. The zippered top is key. I use it for overnights, his swim lessons, etc.

– Travel Monitor

For traveling, I really like having a separate non-wifi monitor that isn’t connected to my phone, too. The no need for wifi part is crucial because we’ve gone to numerous places where the Wifi wasn’t strong enough or there was only a public wifi that wasn’t secure.

– Portable Sound Machine

This little guy is great for traveling– or even just using for napping on the go in a car or stroller. It’s small but mighty!

SHOP THE POST