I'm starting to think about putting together a registry soon and have a few questions for STM as well as those who have already created their registry. Do you prefer to go with one store or multiple stores? I see that the Bump here has a registry that you can list a range of stores (and you register with each store individually). For my wedding, I used a universal registry where you could just add things from ANY store and people would just order everything online. I've also seen a baby registry for someone else where you could check off if you found it at another store for a cheaper price. I can't remember the name for that one but I'm sure I can find it if I search around. I just wanted to have an idea of what everyone else is doing.
Also, I remember @emsmama15 saying she had a list of essential items she made for a friend? Would you be willing to post this list? And I remember someone else saying to check out another list for key baby items but I can't remember that list either. I figured it might be helpful to have all these pointers in one thread so that we can all add to it and check back throughout our pregnancies.
Lastly, both DH and I like to live very simply and often buy most of our things used. What baby items are good to get second-hand? Obviously I know we need a new car seat and I'm going to add a new stroller to the list as well, but other than that can we try to encourage people to buy us second-hand (good quality) stuff? I've realized that although DH hates being in stores, he does a really good job at researching stuff online so if I tell him to find the best quality pack-n-play for the best price, he'll be all over that with Google. Then I can just list our preferred brand names for stuff and people can search for the best price, etc.
Re: Registry questions
Just get a case of nb diapers, you don't know how big your baby is, could already be bigger then you can exchange. I only registered at babies r us, I was over registering as I had gotten married a few months earlier so I pretty much copied my best friends essentials.
-we got a graco pnp with a bassinet and changer, son slept in our room for 6 months in pnp, and he was born 6lb9 so he slept in the bassinet part for 1-2 months. I knew people have opinions on pack and plays and what is necessary. We loved ours and will be using again for new baby as we live in a small space and she has no bedroom, pretty much buying her nothing new.
-Aden and anais blankets, no joke we have 12, and I used them for everything and still do, swaddling, blankets, burp cloths, cloths, put on the floor in strange places, love
-we got the snugride35 car seat and snap and go stroller that car seat can click right into and out of, it couldn't be easier. Will be using both again. Also got the BoB stroller with attachment (separate item) for the car seat. This was awesome as once baby is 5-6 months and if you like to workout, you can snap the car seat into the bob and go. You can def look for strollers second hand.
-one of the best pieces of advice I got was to register for the next level car seat, they're pricey, and we switched around 10 months, I was relived I didn't have to spend $300. We got the britax marathon, obsessed.
-we sucked at swaddling, and Wyatt hated to have his arms held in, this caused him to wake himself up every 1-2 hrs. A few friends swear by the www.lovetodream.com swaddle, new to me, check it out though. Once out of the nb stage we do sleep sacks, registering for those now is great, halo ones are perfect.
-toys, seriously you don't 'Need' any. I would suggest a floor play mat, fisher price has a great one, so you can put baby on the floor and h/she can see things above them, good for tummy time too. On that note: the boppy, great for breastfeeding as well as tummy time, or when baby is sitting up. A MUST was the boppy Lounger for us, it's a boppy bed sort of, baby slept there all the time, naps, motn when we moved to the couch.
if you're pumping I have opinions on that;) bottles, pacifiers, there's so many choices. And only your baby will know what h/she likes. Swings, rockers, again so many options. My kid didn't like any rockers or swings, so it's just hard to know unless you try. I always suggest to see if you could 'borrow' from a friend? See if your kid likes them before buying, and those you can def get second hand.
bath tub with mesh liner, I was terrified of the bath, my husband really stepped up, but fisher price has a little tub with a liner that's fool proof, you can't mess up.
oh and a video monitor, worth every.single.penny!! We have a content baby, who can play for hours in his crib, instead of going in every 5 minutes, we look at the monitor. And I look at it in the motn all the time to see if he's breathing;) we have the Motorola.
ok, there's a start, it's overwhelming, try not to let it be, a baby needs you, a place to sleep, food, something to poop in! And stores still exist after baby is born... Where gift cards come in!
I registered on Amazon, for simplicity with my Prime membership and the fact that almost everyone who may be buying me gifts is not local and will probably ship them. They seem to have the cheapest prices on most things too, and a nearly infinite selection.
I found Lucie's List registry basics really helpful. Also babygearlab.com for reviews for the bigger ticket items. I was totally overwhelmed at first but as soon as I broke it down I realized I wasn't registering for a lot. We only want the bare minimum, as we may be moving in the next 6-9 months.
My registry has:
infant car seat (Chicco Keyfit)
stroller (City Mini)
pack-n-play (with changing pad, bassinet, and portable lounger)
sheets for pack-n-play
video monitor
diaper genie w/ bag refills
portable diaper changing kit
carrier
boppy pillow
burp cloths
aiden and anais blankets
infant tub
washcloths
hooded towels
breastfeeding supplies (pump - though I may be getting that through insurance, bottles - just a starter kit knowing that babies are picky!, sterilization bags, milk storage bags, nursing pads)
pacifiers
nose frida
thermometer
That's it! I purposefully left off clothes, toys, and diapers because a) I already have a bunch of hand-me-down clothes, b) babies don't really need toys, and c) I have no idea what size he will be.
@Wyattnash00 Give me your breastfeeding/pumping opinions, please!
Married 5/30/15
TTC #1 June 2015
BFP #1 9/28/15, EDD 6/10/16. DS born 5/23/16!
TTC #2 May 2017
BFP #2 m/c 11/18/17 5w5d
BFP #3 12/17/17 EDD 8/25/18. It's a boy!
Married 5/30/15
TTC #1 June 2015
BFP #1 9/28/15, EDD 6/10/16. DS born 5/23/16!
TTC #2 May 2017
BFP #2 m/c 11/18/17 5w5d
BFP #3 12/17/17 EDD 8/25/18. It's a boy!
Also, check out https://babyli.st/. It's awesome. It allows you to register for stuff from any site. That's what I used last time and am doing the same this time. You can even make things up like "babysitting for 2 hours" or put requests for charitable donations. It really allows you to customize your registry.
I was definitely a minimalist. We didn't have a baby swing, or a snap and go, or a full sized high chair.
Here are brands and things that we loved.
Aden and Anais muslin blankets are all we ever used to swaddle. They are awesome. Also useful for being outside when it's warm.
We love our Citi Mini stroller, and love the Citi Mini GT side by side we got with our second.
For carseats we used Chico Keyfit 30 for babies. For our bigger kid we just recently got a Graco MySize, which so far is awesome. We also have a Britax Roundabout which we liked, but so far we like the MySize more.
For sleeping we used the Arms Reach Cosleeper, which was awesome. Our room isn't big enough to want a pack n play in it all the time, though we have one that we use for traveling and sleeping at Grandma's.
We have a Chicco 360 high chair that attaches to the table.
One of those small vibrating chairs with hanging toys was super useful to take baby into the kitchen or the bathroom or wherever when you need hands free.
I got my Ergo from my SIL as a hand me down and it's been awesome. We use the infant insert when they are tiny.
That's all I can think of off the top of my head.
BFP 3.8.16 EDD 11.20.16
I got a ton of stuff from a couple of friends so I got to play around with a few things. Someone gave me a Puj tub which is a piece of flexoble foam that folds up in a way to fit in the sink!
@Wyattnash00 and @redheadbride15 thanks for the pump sidebar; a friend gave me a mendla pump... not sure what kind as I didn't look to closely at it. I didn't realize the motors could burn out quickly!
Great thread with some awesome suggestions!
Here's the list I sent to my friends having babies after me. I apologize for the rambling nature, it was a bit stream of consciousness / new mom fogginess!
*** These are things that WE loved, take it with a grain of salt.***
Pack n’ Play – we have the Graco with separate “newborn napper” and changing table
Circo changing pads – these go over your nice changing pad cover to protect it from the poop-splosions, Boppy makes some, which I bought initially but they’re just TOO SMALL! We have a TON of the Circo pads and still run out if I wait more than a few days to do laundry.
Burp Cloths – whatever you choose to use (I use the pre-fold cloth diapers), get a bunch of those too if you’re planning to breast and bottle. See below, but Em is a messy bottler. I think she just has a strong latch and suck, so the bottling is a messy process usually.
Adan & Anais swaddle blankets – They get better (ie. Softer) with every wash, but they are the BOMB! We actually really don’t use our receiving blankets much (just to add an extra layer at night).
Clothes: Sleepers that have a zipper!! Make sure to get some Newborn sized stuff. And make sure to get a Newborn size going home outfit (probably get a 0-3 month too, but Em’s 0-3 outfit was a bit big – no biggie, but just annoying). ** my daughter was 8 lbs 1 oz and she was in newborn clothes and diapers WAY longer than I thought she would be!
Bring something cute for hospital pics if you want to do them.
We also brought a few onesies to the hospital, which I was happy about because Em got all rashy from the hospital linen. She’s a bit sensitive. So, we put her in our stuff starting on day two with the hospital sleep sack, which didn’t seem to bother her as much.
Onesies: I bought the cheaper Gerber onesies at Target. People complain that they’re not as nice as Carters, so I went and bought some Carters, but truthfully, I’ll probably throw them all away after Emmy outgrows them because she gets poop and pee (and blood from her umbilical cord stump) on them every single time she wears them!! Make sure you get some of the long-sleeve onesies with the mitten option on the arms – Em scratches herself so much!!!
Bottles and Pacis: We bought several different types of bottles and pacis. We ended up on Tommee Tippee bottles and the Soothie pacis. People who breastfeed seem to like Avent, but I found the flow to be way too fast for Em. The TT bottles are the only ones she isn’t super messy with. We have three 5 oz bottles and one 9 oz bottle currently.
*** They did NOT offer us a paci in the hospital, but we’d brought our own, so if you want to offer one, bring your own just in case.
Oh, the Tommee Tippee bib is AWESOME when you’re bottling. It has a thick neck on it that keeps all the milk from collecting in her neck.
Diaper rash cream: TRIPLE PASTE is magical! She’s had a horrible diaper rash from my antibiotics and triple paste cleared it up. Oh, and I bought a pack of Monistat and put the Miconazole ointment on her bum as well when it was pin-pointy. That cleared up the yeasty looking stuff, but the Triple Paste helped the raw rashy stuff.
** Side note, I now make my own diaper rash cream if anyone wants the recipe.
Breastfeeding stuff: I love my boppy pillow – I never knew how attached I’d get to that thing. At night, I actually use my pregnancy pillow (have the boppy version of that) to position her for breastfeeding, so that’s nice. I don’t have to bring the boppy upstairs.
Hydrogel pads: Ask for them at the hospital, they feel AMAZING on sore nipples. I didn’t use them IN the hospital but dug them out when I was at home.
Pumping band: Also ask for one of the bands they use to keep the fetal monitors in place to cut holes in to hold your breast pump in place so you can pump hands-free. Mine is getting stretched out so I might get one of those bras for hands-free pumping (or I’ll just steal another band somewhere!)
Breast pads: I like the Lansinoh brand, I’ve tried Medela (sample) and Nuk (from sister-in-law) as well and I think the Lansinoh is best – I bought the economy pack. J
You can buy those steamer bags that we give out to parents (Medela brand) at Target (5 pack). So nice to sterilize them this way – I don’t have time to boil shit!
Carseat: We got the Chicco car seat and travel system. Having had a c-section, I think the travel system is indispensible. I can take her places and just take her seat out of the base and snap it into the stroller and away we go. Carrying her just in her car seat is awkward and tweaks my incision (more so earlier on). We got an extra base at Buy Buy Baby, but they also have on Amazon.
I would add my vote for the Medela Pump In Style and for a nipple cream, the Earth Mama, Angel Baby nipple cream is amazing and is all natural so you don't have to clean off your nipples every time you feed the baby. My first nipple cream wasn't and it hurt to clean them off each time almost as much as it did to just have nothing on them!!
I also agree on a video camera. My nephew is a tech geek and he bought us a DropCam. It's wonderful. I also checked often in the middle of the night to make sure she was breathing.
Sorry for the novel!
We have two children that are older and when I was pregnant with my first, we went completely overboard with things that we thought we would need. Unfortunately, I gave away or sold all of our stuff so now I'm starting from scratch. What we did and what I see many people do is put sooooo much stuff on their registries, that you end up not getting the things that you truly need. For instance, I would not put clothes on a registry again. People will overgift you clothes all on their own because, well, it's more fun to shop for baby clothes than nipple pads. (-: I also would try to leave items off of the registry that you won't need for a long time, but could get for holiday gifts after the baby is born. For instance, we registered for a potty chair and spoons and plates....things we had to store for almost two years, but we could have asked for on behalf of the kids at Christmas. Finally, I would leave off small, inexpensive items that you don't mind running out to get on your own if you need them. I think we registered for 30 pairs of baby socks and mittens and never used any of them. Based on what we used the most, here are the things that I have gotten or will be trying to replace:
Infant car seats: Some people like to go straight to convertible car seats, but both of my babies were small, so I felt much more secure having them in an infant carrier. Plus, I loved being able to pop them out of their infant carrier and put attach them to the stroller (or carry them somewhere) while they were still asleep. I bought new Graco Snugride 35s for these babies. Even with an infant carrier, however, the head rests that came with the seats were both too big for my babies so we got adjustable sized ones from Eddie Bauer and the smallest ones fit their heads securely.
Stroller: We had a travel system before and will be looking for a stroller that accommodates two infant seats because it's just so convenient to be able to load babies into the stroller and get moving.
Video Monitor: We had a Summer Infant monitor when video monitors really first became available and I could never go without one again. We have researched and while there are a lot of people who are scared about the security of these, the companies seem to have responded and put in safeguards. We will definitely be getting one with two cameras for the twins.
Diaper bag: This is really a personal preference as to how big, how many pockets, styling, etc. The one piece of advice that I would give is to remember that your hubby will be carrying it sometimes, too, so the big, pink flowers might not go over so well. (-;
Pump: Even if you're nursing, most people need a pump. I was able to build up a crazy freezer stash right away when my daughter was eating very little, but I was pumping to build my supply and stash for when I went back to work. I cannot say enough good things about my Medela Pump in Style. I used it many, many times a day. When the motor gave out 7-8 months in, I called and the company sent me a brand new pump, no questions asked. As a tip: if you ask to pump in the hospital, the hospital may give you a full set of accessories (because it's unsanitary to share, so they're not reused). So we were able to take home an extra set of horns, tubes, etc. to have on hand with the ones that came with my pump. They were all Medela brand. We also used the Medela milk storage bags for freezing and the steamer bags for emergency cleaning of the parts.
Bottles: We used Dr. Browns and will again. I know some people don't like all of the parts, but my son had horrible reflux and the Dr. Browns helped eliminate some issues. To me, if you have to wash nipples in a separate basket anyway, it was no big deal to throw in a tube. That being said, I know babies can be picky about what they will take and it might be useful to have a few different brands on hand just in case. For storing milk in the fridge, I used the 8 oz. Medela storage containers and then would transfer to a freezer bag if that milk didn't get used.
Pack N Play: This one is iffy. We did not use one very much when we lived in a one level home and all of the grandparents had bought cribs and set up nurseries in their own homes (for when we visit). This time around, we have a multi-level house and I plan on putting it downstairs for diaper changes, naps, etc. Plus, the grandparents no longer have cribs (they thought we were done having babies) so we will need to take one with us when we visit. If you aren't sure about whether you would use one, it may be one of those things you can wait on and see if you find yourself saying, "I wish I had a pack n play." I know that in my area, you can find used ones all the time on the swap shop sites.
Blankets: We used Swaddle Mes for bedtime and both of my kids slept sooo much better and longer when they were swaddled. I will definitely get a few for these babies, but am anxious to try out the Aden & Anais blankets, too (they weren't really a thing when I had my older kids). We rarely used the small receiving blankets that we got in the Gerber multi-packs, but we did use bigger stroller blankets, especially in the winter when we could throw them over a car seat to run inside somewhere.
Bath stuff: I will get a baby bath tub because they are cheap and the sling is really nice when the baby is brand new. The first time around, we got all of the matching washcloths and hooded towels and whatnot. But if you're trying to reduce your registry or go minimalist, regular washcloths and towels work just fine.
Burp Cloths, bibs, etc.: This is probably an unpopular opinion, but we got so many adorable, custom sewn burp cloths and bibs and at the end of the day, I didn't really like them because you want something that will actually absorb the milk (or spit up). I ended up loving plain, ol, terry cloth bibs and burp cloths.
Boppy/Feeding Pillow: To me, this is a necessity, whether you are breastfeeding or formula feeding. It is so nice to be able to position the baby comfortably and not have to hold all of their weight with your arms. Even an 8-pound baby can get heavy.
Diaper pail: We had a Diaper Champ because it did not take special liners (you could use scented trash bags). Based on the number of diapers twins produce, I calculated that if we got a Diaper Genie, we could easily be spending $30 a month on liners, which seems kind of nuts to me. I wouldn't call a diaper pail a necessity because you could just take them to your other trash cans, but based on the set up of the house, it might be nice to have.
Bouncer/Rock N Play: I know that every baby is different, but both of my kids loved the bouncer when they were brand new. In fact, my DD would only sleep in one for the first 5 days she was home, until we could get her used to her crib. It's very nice to be able to have a place to put the baby down, even if yours doesn't love the bouncer or spend a ton of time in it.
Swings: We got Fisher Price swings that plug into the wall (not solely battery operated) and could switch seat positions from cradle to swing. When they were a few months old, we could use the cradle setting on slow speed and they liked it. As they got older, they preferred the swinging motion.
Other items that you might consider registering for are a bottle warmer, changing pads for the changing area, a wrap or baby carrier, grooming kit (we rarely used ours), etc. Our kids loved their exersaucer and jumparoo, but you can't really use those until they can sit up, so we'll have an extra six months to get those, again, maybe for a holiday gift.
(Sorry this is so insanely long)
NTNP since 11/12, actively trying since 8/14
11/15: Letrozole, Ovidrel, TI = BFP!!!
Beta #1(14dpo)=349, Beta #2(18dpo)=2,805
12/17/15: Got to see the heartbeat (105bpm)!
1/25/16: NT scan = normal (HB=163bpm)
EDD: 8/10/16
8/8/16: Baby boy born @ 12:25am, 8lbs, 20.5 inches
5/18/17: BFP!!! (11dpo)
Beta #1(12dpo)=176.4, Beta #2(15dpo)=607.1
NoseFrieda
Born Free Bottles (i just purchased the new redesigned version)
Rock N Play ( the only thing DS would sleep in, LIFESAVER)
Swing
swaddles
bouncer
pack n play
Pacifiers
Breast Pump
exersaucer
bumbo
some kind of noise machine, we had/have the lamb
a great stroller (I love our Bugaboo but i know the price tag scares some, worth every penny for us)
a car seat that works with stroller
A few additions.
Sleeved bibs, silicone squeeze packs, cutlery, baby dishes. The infant stage passes quickly and I was so glad to have these items, they were used for almost two years.
Nice phthalate, sulphate free baby wash, diaper cream, baby safe sunscreen, and other consumables... If you are fussy about more green products then register for them because people buy baby lotions/wash as part of gifts And there is no sense getting things you won't use.
A thermometer, and some Tempra, we got a themed gift full of items like this for when baby was sick, and it was so nice not to have to rush out to the drugstore the first time in the night when ds had a fever.
Change pads, my kids peed all-over the changes table and it was nice not be changing the fitted sheet thing that covers it always, we just kept a stack of the flat water proof change pads and peeled down the layers as the day wore on.
A combo swing/bouncer...Baby stuff takes so much room up, so it's nice to have one that functions as both.
A travel bed for baby, we had a Kushies one, Phil and Ted's makes one too, ours has a thin mattress folds flat, and has a uv mesh cover you can put over the top, great for traveling/the beach or even just to be able to easily take to lay baby anywhere you are in the house.
It gets cold where I live and paidrag slippers were all mine wore except on long out door winter excursions until they were old enough to walk outside.
I got it through medeladelivers.com. (The Florida Blue website referred me to a Care Centrix #, which sent me to that website.) I had to call my dr to find out his NPI# because it didn't come up when I searched him, but other than that, it was super easy! I paid a co-pay for the Medela Pump In Style double electric since you guys recommended it. (And others on my bmb did.) There was a cheaper version for free, but I'm sure I'll appreciate having a faster, better one when I'm exhausted and my boobs hurt.
I'm so weirdly excited about this! One big step toward being prepared!!!
BFP 2/19/15 • MMC found at 9 wks • D&E at 11 wks (age 36)
BFP 8/29/15 • CP (age 37)
TTC#2 since May 2017
BFP 10/18/17 • MMC found at 8 wks • Misoprostal at 10.5 wks (age 39)
BFP 2/16/18 • CP (age 39)
BFP 4/13/18 • CP (age 39)
BFP 5/07/18 • MMC found at 10.5 wks • D&E at 11.5 wks • Testing showed it was a girl with Trisomy 22. (age 39/40)
9/5/18 Diagnosed with diminished ovarian reserve (4-5 follicles, one ovary had none and was very atrophied)
RE says the low egg count is likely causing my recurrent pregnancy loss. Less eggs results in more aneuploidy.
BFP 9/24/18 • CP (age 40)
NTNP since 11/12, actively trying since 8/14
11/15: Letrozole, Ovidrel, TI = BFP!!!
Beta #1(14dpo)=349, Beta #2(18dpo)=2,805
12/17/15: Got to see the heartbeat (105bpm)!
1/25/16: NT scan = normal (HB=163bpm)
EDD: 8/10/16
8/8/16: Baby boy born @ 12:25am, 8lbs, 20.5 inches
5/18/17: BFP!!! (11dpo)
Beta #1(12dpo)=176.4, Beta #2(15dpo)=607.1
https://www.target.com/p/2pk-bassinet-changing-table-pad-white-circo/-/A-11777702
Too bad we don't live in Finland where they give mothers a box full of stuff for the baby and then the baby can actually sleep in the box!
BFP 2/19/15 • MMC found at 9 wks • D&E at 11 wks (age 36)
BFP 8/29/15 • CP (age 37)
TTC#2 since May 2017
BFP 10/18/17 • MMC found at 8 wks • Misoprostal at 10.5 wks (age 39)
BFP 2/16/18 • CP (age 39)
BFP 4/13/18 • CP (age 39)
BFP 5/07/18 • MMC found at 10.5 wks • D&E at 11.5 wks • Testing showed it was a girl with Trisomy 22. (age 39/40)
9/5/18 Diagnosed with diminished ovarian reserve (4-5 follicles, one ovary had none and was very atrophied)
RE says the low egg count is likely causing my recurrent pregnancy loss. Less eggs results in more aneuploidy.
BFP 9/24/18 • CP (age 40)
Thanks for sending this link! I figured if you had a ton of them they couldn't be $25 each. How many of these do you recommend registering for?
NTNP since 11/12, actively trying since 8/14
11/15: Letrozole, Ovidrel, TI = BFP!!!
Beta #1(14dpo)=349, Beta #2(18dpo)=2,805
12/17/15: Got to see the heartbeat (105bpm)!
1/25/16: NT scan = normal (HB=163bpm)
EDD: 8/10/16
8/8/16: Baby boy born @ 12:25am, 8lbs, 20.5 inches
5/18/17: BFP!!! (11dpo)
Beta #1(12dpo)=176.4, Beta #2(15dpo)=607.1
NTNP since 11/12, actively trying since 8/14
11/15: Letrozole, Ovidrel, TI = BFP!!!
Beta #1(14dpo)=349, Beta #2(18dpo)=2,805
12/17/15: Got to see the heartbeat (105bpm)!
1/25/16: NT scan = normal (HB=163bpm)
EDD: 8/10/16
8/8/16: Baby boy born @ 12:25am, 8lbs, 20.5 inches
5/18/17: BFP!!! (11dpo)
Beta #1(12dpo)=176.4, Beta #2(15dpo)=607.1
Married 5/30/15
TTC #1 June 2015
BFP #1 9/28/15, EDD 6/10/16. DS born 5/23/16!
TTC #2 May 2017
BFP #2 m/c 11/18/17 5w5d
BFP #3 12/17/17 EDD 8/25/18. It's a boy!