Too soon to start registering?

Cosmolove

I know I am going to be having a couple baby showers due to hubby being in the military and us being away from our families. Both families will end up having a baby shower (which I'm not complaining at all about lol we have nothing!) 

So I'm wondering how soon I should start registering. I just remember how much of a pain it was to register for my wedding and how much time it took and I'm trying to plan it out since I know I can't do the whole shopping all day thing anymore. 

I know one of my showers will be in April but I have no idea about the other. 

nunzchucks

Just have it done before your shower. You can edit your registry online at most places so you could even start today if you wanted.

supgabs

I've already started mine.

wtfisup

If you look up previous threads on this topic, many of us began way early. Lots before 20 weeks. I made a private registry and began at ... 7 weeks. But that was just for me: I was excited and I like planning, so I wanted to have a sense of what we needed and wanted, cost, etc. As we've received hand me downs, I've taken things off. I read reviews and so on in those early months when no one knew and I couldn't do much else to be pumped.

lellymine

I just finished mine family members were asking for it to me to get it done. It took me a few weeks of doing it here and there.

curlylocks3

Start whenever works for you. I second @emilyH107 to do some research. I know at least Buy Buy Baby and Amazon have checklists of what to register for, I'm sure almost every where makes their own. I also found some blogs of how much you really need of each item. I found the book Baby Bargains and the website Lucie's List to be helpful in doing ours. We did a lot online but you'll want to do some in person to feel the sheets/towels and see colors. Some places give out coupon and sample bags I think- I know the one from BBB came with a Shutterfly coupon I'm hoping to use for our birth announcements. 

dragonfly711

I started registering a few weeks ago.  It takes awhile and can be a bit overwhelming.  You might want to start now. lol

I keep going back changing things, adding things.  I have two one at babies r us and one on Amazon.

crhein26

Who wants to tell me their names so I can just copy your registry???  This is probably the least exciting thing I'm loooking forward to....next to dirty diapers when LO comes.

mattscountrygirl

Many have began and finished their registry. Just make sure when your shower does get close and when invited go out that the products you registered for did not get discontinued. That's probably the only downfall registering early. Do some research as others have said. When I registered for my first it took 2 hours at least!

Cstarks2013

I started mine yesterday bc my SIL told me my shower would be May 3rd. Knowing the date of the shower kinda pushed me to start. I think it would be good to start now so you can change or add things later.

lola4411

i went in with my mom and dh a couple of weeks ago and found it very overwhelming.  my shower isnt until late april, and i am glad that we started in jan so now i have time to do some research and ask for advice.  start sooner rather than later!

Luna C

I started mine as soon as I hit 12 weeks -- and that was only due to superstition. I use it as more of a reference at this point. For example, I have four car seats on there because we narrowed it down, but haven't settled on one. 

It's easy as pie to add/delete stuff online, so if I see something interesting, I add it and then look up reviews, etc. later. That way you can do it more manageable chunks too. I usually use one of my lunch hours each week to modify it. 

I still have them set to private on the off chance someone starts shopping early and thinks I've lost my mind that I need three cribs.  

ETA: As for the in-store portion, we spent about an hour in BRU looking at stuff and added anything we thought we might want. And that covered everything except for bottles (still researching) and decor items (hadn't had our u/s yet.)

The rest of it I think we can do online. 

ELC252011

I agree with pp, do some research before you go in. It can be very overw.

lscal20

I've started mine online. My a/s is on Feb 10 so I plan to go into the stores later that week with hubby and work on it

hubbs173

We went a couple of weeks ago to BRU with my bro and sil who helped us register. We were there for about an hour. I started a smaller registry at Target online also. You can always change or add things online, but I found it easier to start in the store first. And take someone with you that has a baby, it really helps!!

MrsRage

I haven't started at all! I should probably get in it soon. I'll face to check out that list from Amazon.

BruiserB

We started to register just after 20 weeks, and it's still a work in progress.  I've got one at both BRU and Target.  We've done mostly research online at this point, but did go to BRU yesterday to play with strollers and other bigger items, and started adding more things to the registry while in store.  My shower is not until April (at least the only one I know of at this point), so I've got some time to finish up...

deepoceanmama

@emotionlotion and @crhein26, check out lucie's list! I was so overwhelmed and NOT excited about registering (left BRU almost in tears the first time we tried) and it helped me a LOT.

Edit: tagging fail

beaarthur4

Mine's pretty much done. I started at 19 weeks. Initially it was fun and then it seemed like too much. Luckily BRU has a nice selection of comfy chairs.

colllydon

I think you can start it anytime you feel comfortable. After the AS scan seems to be the theme. I'm not doing mine until 27 weeks but that's only because DH won't be home until then and he really wants to pick things out with me.

lucreciac

Def get the baby bargains book. And start now - you may end up doing it in a few trips bc it's just overwhelming (I did with my first)

stephpaez

I started mine a few weeks ago at BRU and PB. I've made quite a few changes since then but I'm glad I started it so I don't have to go back into the stores if I feel like adding/deleting/altering am item. The lady that helped me at BRU had a list of recommended items to put on the registry which I felt really came in handy when choosing.

Carriebear22

I've established mine and added a few things that I've decided on, but mostly for now doing the research on what to get and from where. We will probably finish registering at the end of this month with our showers being May 10th and 17th, giving family and friends 2 months to shop.

nikki0808

Hubby and I went to BRU and did ours in store just before New Year's. He works M-F normally and our closest BRU is 1 hour away (but I love the store and wanted to really be able to handle and touch all the big items). He had several days off so we went up early and did our entire registry there -- took us a few hours but we did it. I had started researching online prior to that and had some ideas what I liked and I had been up into the store a couple times. I just wanted his final approval and him to be involved (which he enjoyed as well). We added duplicates for boy/girl specific items until we found out what we are having. Now that we found out that we're having a boy, I went back online and whittled it down to the boy specific items. Also, we've changed a couple things since.

The only thing we didn't put on the registry yet is any clothing because it is so seasonal and changes so fast. We'll probably make a trip up later and add some stuff (or do it online) but I figured most people will buy what they want clothing-wise anyway.