REGISTRY MUST HAVES!

karabearrr

First time mom here, and I'm going to start getting ready to get my registry together. Sorry if a similar thread has already been created, but what list of things would you guys suggest that are MUST HAVES for a registry, besides the obvious carseat, stroller, etc? 

I need suggestions on anything that I just might not think of!

JEM525

I just bought this for my brothers new baby it's so much better than our pack n play. 
Fisher-Price Ultra-Lite Day and Night Play Yard
Also Halo swaddle sleep sacks in all different sizes

dmontgo

Already changed the pack n play from our registry after reading about the Fisher Price Lite and the Guava @slartybartfast mentioned on another thread. So glad I changed it!

doodleoodle

I would definitely register for a swing. They are amazing at calming down a fussy baby. DD would just be all smiles in her swing. She has the My Little Lamb swing, but I wouldn't get that one because it doesn't seem to have very much power and couldn't start up on its own. 

I would also register for a stand alone jumper. They are so much fun! I just wouldn't get a doorway jumper because LO could bonk their head on the door frame. 

I wouldn't register for a ton of bottles because babies can be very picky about which bottle they will or will not accept.

Bibs with smooth Velcro or snaps. The rough Velcro can scratch their skin. The bandana style is the best IMO because it covers up to their neck.

Water proof pads for the car seat, changing table etc. because you will have a poopsplosion or a leak at 3 am and you will be a tired zombie.

The Nose Frida. The blue bulb syringe they give you at the hospital is useless.

cjt121413

I second the halo swaddle sleep sacks and/or SwaddleMes.

A white noise machine was very helpful for me when DS was a newborn.

beff12

I second the swing! It's kind of a gamble because some babies hate the swing (I hated it as a baby) but if we didn't have one, I don't think DD would have slept for the first few months of her life.

A waterproof mattress pad, or maybe two. And plenty of crib sheets!

I liked the muslin swaddle blankets (like Aden + Anais, but there are less expensive ones out there) over sleep sacks.

Definitely register for the big-ticket things, even if you plan on buying it yourself. You'll get it at a discounted price when you complete your registry and buy the leftover things!

sourlemon

This may be controversial...but a rock and play sleeper. DD was super reflux and only slept at a pretty good angle...the crib wedge didn't cut it. She was in the rock and play until 4 months old. 

slartybartfast

sourlemon said:

This may be controversial...but a rock and play sleeper. DD was super reflux and only slept at a pretty good angle...the crib wedge didn't cut it. She was in the rock and play until 4 months old. 

+1 for this. DS is now 14 months old and still likes to take an occasional nap in the rock-n-play.

DiFazette

slartybartfast said:

sourlemon said:

This may be controversial...but a rock and play sleeper. DD was super reflux and only slept at a pretty good angle...the crib wedge didn't cut it. She was in the rock and play until 4 months old. 

+1 for this. DS is now 14 months old and still likes to take an occasional nap in the rock-n-play.

+2 x 1000.  Why would a RNP be controversial?  Is there some type of hating on them I'm unaware of?  DS was a preemie and couldn't lay flat due to an immature digestion system.  It was amazing.  I buy one as a shower gift for every friend whether they're registered or not.  Each one has thanked me PROFUSELY.  

My advice OP - get an awesome rocker/glider.  We couldn't imagine spending $500 on one.  3 years later, I type this sitting in it and I hate the cheap ($170) chair.  We may blow it up or use it for target practice one day.  We're buying a big, badass rocker for the twins - but I also need room for nursing two at a time.  

slartybartfast

DiFazette said:

slartybartfast said:

sourlemon said:

This may be controversial...but a rock and play sleeper. DD was super reflux and only slept at a pretty good angle...the crib wedge didn't cut it. She was in the rock and play until 4 months old. 

+1 for this. DS is now 14 months old and still likes to take an occasional nap in the rock-n-play.

+2 x 1000.  Why would a RNP be controversial?  Is there some type of hating on them I'm unaware of?  DS was a preemie and couldn't lay flat due to an immature digestion system.  It was amazing.  I buy one as a shower gift for every friend whether they're registered or not.  Each one has thanked me PROFUSELY.  

My advice OP - get an awesome rocker/glider.  We couldn't imagine spending $500 on one.  3 years later, I type this sitting in it and I hate the cheap ($170) chair.  We may blow it up or use it for target practice one day.  We're buying a big, badass rocker for the twins - but I also need room for nursing two at a time.  

They aren't actually cleared for use as a sleeper. But, for us, we saw our healthy baby sleep in it and saw no risk. He took his morning nap in it today even. He can climb out but doesn't because he is just so comfy.

I think I may 2nd the nice rocker/glider. And get something that you can forsee putting in another room once the nursery becomes a kids room.
We went with a cheaper rocker/recliner. I think we should have ponied up for something a little better but we are making due with it.

SmashJam

I agree with halo sleep sack/swaddle combo, nose Frieda(not as gross as it seems!) And the swing-i was so sad when DS outgrew the swing! He slept in it for 2 months bc of reflux! We had a Gracious something that cost like $90 but it was a registry item.

yellingbanana

Good advice on here! I agree with the must haves listed: swing, waterproof change pads for poopsplosions, and swaddle-wrap things. 
I had a Graco swing each time because they hold up to like 35/40 lbs! Which means your LO can nap in there until at least 1yr old. My 4 year old still swings in the one at my moms house and it's held up well. 
Add to that: a small variety of bottles and binkies because you have no idea which one your baby will be down with. Receiving blankets were my go to for DD #2, she spit up everywhere and those flimsy "burp cloth" were way too small to catch her mess. 
If you plan on breastfeeding and this is your first child: NIPPLE BUTTER!!! This saved my life when I had my first child, I had tried 3 other lanolin products that hardly made a difference. It's WAY better than lanolin and you don't feel gross about it ( Lanolin also called wool wax or wool grease, is a wax secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals.) yuk! I eat meat, but rubbing wax secretions from sheep or llamas on my nipples for my newborn to injest is not my thing. 

Registry Do Nots, IMO a waste of money and space: wipe warmer (the wipe is room temp by the time it reaches their butt), bottle sanitizer tray (boil a pot of water, or use the dishwasher, they both sanitize and don't take up extra space), bottle drying rack (you have a regular drying rack, or a clean towel? Works the same). If it's a questionable purchase, you can always go back and buy it after you have the baby if you feel you need it. Register for important stuff! 

slartybartfast

The Aden and Anais Muslin swaddle blankets are also awesome. They are the best blankets.
We'll probably get another pack for this one. I like having them everywhere.

1982Babies

DD used the RNP sleeper until she was around 10 weeks.  Probably one of my best purchases.  I actually got both of mine secondhand.  Nose Frieda is so nasty, but so worth it.  My kid hated her swing, swaddles, and pretty much everything else.

dmontgo

I was browsing Pinterest, and I saw a really cool suggestion: Add a "After Baby Spa Day" to your registry. If I had seen this on other people's registry, I would have contributed because I think it's such a thoughtful gift for a tired mama. Has anyone else ever seen this or done this? 

jennbaylor12

Ditto the Swaddle sacks - amazing! We got a wonderful swing and DS hated it :-( Definitely waterproof crib mattress covers, crib sheets. The 'old fashioned' cloth diapers make the Best burp cloths! We love the Wubanubs, really great. The RNP was a lifesaver!

sourlemon

I caught a lot of flack from people and the doctor about DD sleeping in the rock and play. It's not technically cleared for sleeping and some people say it causes flat heads. But if its the only way to keep milk down and keep the baby relatively comfy (from a reflux viewpoint),I felt it was worth it. DD slept all night in it but never used it during the day. No flat head. It's one of those choices that people either love or hate...i loved it. 

3littleCoconuts

Rock n play for sure, and this time around I'm really wanting an Arms Reach Co Sleeper. It sucks having to get up when you BF and move baby over to their crib, so hopefully we can avoid that with this little one. I also really love the lansinoh momma bottles.

sonomama14

Sound machine & Vicks Vaporizer! 

doodleoodle

I third getting a nice rocker/glider. I think ours was about $600 and it seems like a waste but it really isn't. Think of all the time you're going to spend in it nursing (newborns can nurse up to 45 minutes per feeding and eat every 2 hours or so) and rocking your baby to sleep. We put the expensive one in the nursery and a cheap one that was loaned to us in the family room. We ended up never using the cheap one because it made too much noise so LO couldn't fall asleep in it and it was just so uncomfortable. We actually got out glider when I was in my third trimester and kept it downstairs until the baby arrived because it was the only chair that I could get out of on my own. Lol

I think it's important to let yourself splurge wherever you think it's necessary. This glider is expensive, but the crib we got was $100 from IKEA. Sure, it can only transition into a toddler bed, but is your teenager really going to want to sleep in a bed with their baby teeth marks all over it? 

Christinaruth74

RnP for sure. My pedi warned me about the flat head issue and suggested we tuck a folded up receiving blanket underneath the head portion. We never had any issues and she slept in it next to the bed with us for about 4/5 months before I transitioned her to the PnP. The pedi suggested getting her acclimated to sleeping flat before transitioning her to the crib at night. Thankfully she transitioned well!

definitely register for an activity mat for floor/tummy time. We loved the kick and play piano!
Bumbo seats are great.
Space Saver high chairs are really helpful when you have to go somewhere and you're not sure if a high chair will be available (i.e. A friend or family members house)
stretchy wraps like a Moby or Ktan are great for the newborn stage. Sometimes it was just to just wrap her up while we were both shirtless for some skin time. Plus... Newborn snugs❤️
A+A makes these little lovies called "issies". They are small Muslin squares with a silky trim. When my DD was around 3m i started noticing she was feeling around for soft things for comfort.. Namely she would run her little fingers through a soft tuft of hair on the nape of her neck. I offered her an issie for nap/bed times because it was small and thin and I felt comfortable letting her sleep with it. She still LOVES her issie and they are small enough that they're not obnoxious to travel with. 
Keep an open mind when registering for bath products. My pedi said Johnsons products were terrible on an infants skin (DD started having bad reactions to them) so we switched to baby Aveeno and haven't looked back. There are loads of natural options, though. 

Hmmm... I'll come back if I think of more...

Toller

@3littleCoconuts - We used the arms reach co-sleeper last time- was AWESOME!!! I love love loved having her right there- hardly any movement necessary from mom (not to mention checking for breathing and everything is easy too) I was originally going to get a RnP, but our bed is really high and this adjusted to the same height, so that was really nice. I got mine second hand and washed it and just bought my own sheets.

penelope4612

Do people have both a RNP and a swing?  

Christinaruth74

@penelope4612 I did! My daughter didn't love the swing, so we didn't use it as often. I was really glad I had both options! However, we didn't do a bouncer seat and a swing. It seemed excessive and no regrets here 

yellingbanana

Co-sleeper bassinet. It's really hard to put your newborn baby to sleep in a giant crib, in another room. Both of my girls slept in a bassinet in my room until about 6 months. Plus sometimes they'd wake up, and I would just put my hand in the bassinet and they'd go back to sleep. They just wanted to make sure I was stil there  

ea301

Edited because my words got eaten by my image...?? I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone for weighing in on this. I've had the hardest time building my registry and this is incredibly helpful.

SchruteBucks

Nose Frida

Sharkey

It's so dependent on the child. I'm pretty minimalist and love multi purpose baby gear. My swing also had a locking option to make it a seat/bouncer chair. We never used it, though. Hah! 

I don't really think you need pnp unless you plan on staying over at other peoples houses/traveling. There's no sense in having a bassinet, pnp, crib, and multiple other nap devices. 

brittnic86

I don't even know if we're going to do a registry...is that crazy? My SIL and another friend who's about to have baby #3 said no one looks at them anymore. We're having twins...so I feel like having to register for two of everything is too much. Our parents have said they will purchase the big items; cribs, mattresses, and car seats. I have absolutely no issue getting used things. My SIL has already gotten us 2 pack n plays, 2 high chairs, a swing, and some other random items for free.

Christinaruth74

@brittnic86 it's worth registering just for the discounts you get! Even if you don't share it with anyone, you can still create one and add whatever to it and they will let you purchase things off your registry at a discount later on. 

brittnic86

@Christinaruth74 oh I didn't know that! thanks for the tip

SarahF8611

This isn't really what you asked but, we used the list that Babies R Us gave us and it worked GREAT! I loved it because I didn't drive myself crazy trying to look at all the lists out there and pick and choose stuff. Then, I had a friend look at my registry and give some feedback. I would also reccomend waiting a while before registering because stock will change A LOT between now and December. Good Luck!!

SarahF8611

I LOVE our $100 Ikea Crib! We splurged on other stuff. 

DiFazette

@brittnic86 - I'm surprised to hear this from people of 'our' age group.  I'd expect it from a grandmother who thinks registries are tacky, but I've always thought my friends/groups of colleagues/whomever use the registry as their first resource for picking out a shower item.  Curious if anyone else has heard this?

I don't have a horse in the race since we aren't having another shower.  I made one for the coupons and completion discount at 2 stores though.  Got to be thrifty with twins coming, right?!

sourlemon

First time around almost no one exception my family bought stuff off the registry. Everyone wants to buy the cute clothes and towels and toys. But that wouldn't stop me from registering if I was having a shower! Some people will look and buy, others may look for a theme, and others won't look at all. But the discounts are great. 

I registered this time around too, but they are private as I'm not having a shower. I just want the discount! It all adds up so 10-20% off helps a lot. 

Also,  I had the RNP, a swing, PNP with napper, and bouncy chair. I have no regrets. They all got used daily in my house. If I was tight on space, I'd have a difficult time choosing which to eliminate. The bouncy chair is great to move into the bathroom during those first months if you want to shower when no one is home and don't want to leave baby out in the "wild" (house...if have 3 dogs lol). That also helps clear out baby congestion! 

Morgan400

Another tip, if you are making a registery just for the completion discount you might want to put the due date in as a month or two earlier. I think for some stores the coupon does not come until after the due date 

ashleaf2018

These are such great tips! Wondering if any STMs have any input on things that are okay to get used and what things really need to be bought new? Obviously crib, car seat, and stroller will be new just to ensure that they meet safety guidelines and that the carseat hasn't been in an accident and won't expire, just wanted to see if y'all recommend getting anything else new rather than used.

slartybartfast

We got crib, carseat, and stroller used from friends. We know the carseat has not been in an accident. We got essentially everything used. Why not? There's soooo much stuff out there and so much of it is lightly used.

maamawaabangi

My top 5 favorite things... As a mama of (soon to be) 7...

1. A quality pack n play... Get one with the infant insert and changing area. But don't feel like you have to pay a ton for a fancy one either. 

2. An ergo baby carrier... Or beco. One that allows you to back carry. This is my most favorite, most used baby item!  Ever. Along these lines I also love my ring sling. I've only ever made mine. It's super easy! My most recent one looks like a Sakura bloom one, but cost a faction of the price. And also research how to use it properly... So may new mamas don't wear them safely. Just google "safe baby wearing". 

3. Muslin swaddle blankets. Great for swaddling, nursing and using as a jumbo burp cloth. I never leave home with out one. 

4. A simple umbrella stroller... With storage basket. I like the Chicco brand. Really the whole big stroller trend is over rated unless you live in a big city or go to a mall a lot. But I'm sort of a minimalist and like to conserve car cargo space. So you might do better with something else.

5. Oxo foldable bib and spoon... My latest find! LOVE this bib! Cleans up easy and is comfy for baby. Stash it in your diaper bag or purse. 

One more...
A chair booster style high chair... Ours is 11 years old and going strong! I think it cost $15-20 and it's nice that it's easy to store and doesn't take up room and is easy to clean. 


Things I opt out of...
- traditional diaper bags... They look to "mommy" to me. I just get a bigger purse. 

- swings... None of mine liked them and the one I had (while nice) got little use. We have used our bjorn bouncer for all our kids ... I'll keep it for grand kid! Love it. 

- big strollers... I've owed them all... Jogger, pram, sit and stand... They all frustrated me.

Just my mileage. Yours may vary. And really, different babies (and mamas) need different things. Have fun! 

maamawaabangi

One more... If you plan on nursing get yourself some "soothies" they are gel pads for your nipples and they are a must have! Even after 6 (well, 4, accounting for adoption) I will get two packs for beginning nursing again. 

Also someone asked about shampoos... 
I love Shea Moisture brand baby shampoo and the "head to toe ointment" (didn't favor the cream). The smell is nice and it's very natural. 

princesslockness

ashleaf2018 said:

These are such great tips! Wondering if any STMs have any input on things that are okay to get used and what things really need to be bought new? Obviously crib, car seat, and stroller will be new just to ensure that they meet safety guidelines and that the carseat hasn't been in an accident and won't expire, just wanted to see if y'all recommend getting anything else new rather than used.

We bought everything, except our car seat, used. Bleach and a nice long soak takes out most things that you want removed. Our crib, changing table, and rocker were a group at a yard sale- $100. Our swing, rnp, and pnp were only $10 each. Then we have picked up a doorway bouncer as a 'Christmas present' for L. If you don't mind getting it early and cleaning it most things I have found are nice to get used.