@pirateduck I wouldn't register for any clothes! I feel like a lot of people get outfits anyways along with gifts or if they get outfits they would rather pick something out they think is cute. I didn't register for a single clothing item and still got TONS of clothes at my shower! I also had my shower pretty early - I feel like most people wait until 35-36 weeks but I had mine at 28 weeks because it was a holiday weekend and we also had a lot of people traveling so it just made it easier and I'm seriously so glad I did! It gave us so much more time to figure out what we still needed and a lot of time to exchange things if needed.
STM+, whats your experience with people mailing gifts ahead of the shower? We’re using Babylist for the registry and the shower invites went out today. The shower is March 7th but the RSVP deadline is Feb 15. I’m just curious if we’ll get an influx of gifts at the shower or should I expect to start getting some gifts trickling in.
@drkoyya I don't recall getting much by mail. Most of my guests brought gifts to the shower. I would guess that you'll probably get some early from people who can't attend.
I only had a shower for my first, but any am I glad I did it at 30 weeks. I was in nearly continuous contractions from there on out, plus super hard to move around OR sit still. Then baby came at 35+5 anyway!
+1 to having shower before 34 weeks, and not registering for any clothes. I got more clothes and towel/washcloth sets than anything else.
_______________________________________________
Me: 33 DH: 32 Married 7/18/15 1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16 Team green turned BLUE! 2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18 Team green turned PINK! Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
Things to expect as gifts: clothes, all the blankets, the baskets of baby wash/diaper cream/etc and a baby bathtub (or 3).
Most showers I’ve been to I usually see 1-3 big ticket items gifted that are usually cost shared and those are pack and plays, car seats and strollers.
I would plan to have to buy nursery decor, extra bedding (for real, buy 4-5 crib sheets), and maybe 1-3 big ticket items depending on how much gear you’ve registered for.
@catem07 I have three storage bins of boy blankets in my garage. I bought exactly NONE of them. I haven’t bought a single girl blanket because I can’t justify any more blankets!
I am a FTM and this is the first baby shower I have attended. Most of my college girlfriends have not had babies yet (even though we're all early 30s) and most of my local friends are actually a little older and already have children when I met them.
Anyway, I am reading through about things to add/not add to the registry. I have put a few sets of onesies like a superhero one I thought was super cute and a set of 3 PJs. I hope by having a few I don't deter them if they want to get something outside of that. We are actually hesitant to post anything too expensive on the registry and I think the most expensive stuff I have put was an activity gym ($80), and the diaper bin ($70).
A few quick questions!
Is there some general consensus on how many items you should ask for based on how many people you invite? I sent my mom a list of invitees and we're having a co-ed shower. I expect somewhere between 20-30 people just depends on if some of the couples can make it. We have maybe 50 items between the two registries ranging from $5-$80 (most around $20-$30).
Did you announce your shower anywhere else to people you haven't invited? I wasn't sure if it was something I should put on FB or just let people find if they know I am pregnant and want to get something? Not sure proper etiquette here.
Is it worth combining your shower with work "friends". I am pretty new to my current job but someone mentioned throwing a shower. My dept only has 6-8 people depending on how you count it. I don't want them to feel super pressured to throw an event or something. Is it worth just telling those who are interested they can come to the regular shower? I am not sure how to approach it because I don't want them to think I just want two gifts or something but thought it would be easier if they want to do something to just come to the shower?
@doctorcrime - I would definitely add bigger ticket items to your registry - some people might want to pool together to get a larger item (I feel like this is pretty common if workplace does access your registry) also you get a registry completion discount at most places, so if you have the larger items on there you can use the discount to purchase them. I would also try and get more items - especially if you have a lot of lower priced things, several people might purchase 2-3 lower priced items.
I was thrown a shower at work - but I had been working there for 4 years and we were all a super family like environment - it was great! A few of my coworkers were invited to my shower, but they were considered friends and I regularly hung out with them outside of work - but I still told them that I did not expect a gift because they had already gifted something at my work shower.
@doctorcrime I had the same question about work. I’ve only been at my department for 6 months (started a week before I found out I was pregnant). They’re all extremely excited for me and I live rig he next to the University so it may be convenient for most of them. I wanted to invite my department (10 people) because as the newbie I want to be welcoming but after thinking about it, I don’t know if I want to mix friends/family and work friends just yet. However, if I invite them to mine then they won’t feel pressured to throw a shower for the new girl.
I’m still back and forth on it.
In terms of how many gifts, I’m interested to see what other moms have to say. We registered for 140 gifts but invited about 80 people to the shower. Since money is tight, we’re waiting to see what may be gifted before we spend our money on things. Most of the items are practical things that we need, not many clothes/blankets. We also have our wanted nursery furniture up there too because we know a some close family members will get a few big ticket items.
@doctorcrime Yes definitely register for more items and more expensive items. Buy Buy Baby has a guide of how many items you should register for in each price range. That being said, only register for stuff you actually want, not things just to satisfy a quota. Pack and plays, high chairs, car seats and strollers are all usually over the $100 mark. My sisters and I always like to go in on a bigger ticket item for cousins. You never know what people are wanting to spend. Also, if you have an Amazon registry you can enable group gifting and people can contribute to more expensive items. You set the starting price for allowing group gifting. I set mine for all items over $100.
As for the work shower, it’s been my experience that if your coworkers WANT to throw you a shower, they will, whether you ask or not (don’t ask). I think for most people it’s a nice surprise and probably an abundant source of blanket and diaper cream baskets 😂. If you consider a work friend a friend outside of work, then invite them to your shower. I’ve added 3 work friends to my shower list because I do see and talk with them outside of work. I feel like people won’t be offended if they are not invited, but might feel like you’re just looking for gifts if they are invited and not particularly close. Like I said, if a work colleague wants to get you a gift, they will, regardless of shower invite status.
This discussion on work vs other shower is helpful. I generally keep my work life and personal life separate, but do spend 40 hours a week at work so certainly see these people most often and consider a few friends.
I don’t think my husband wants to be involved in the shower or wants to invite any of his friends. It’s a little disappointing but it’s totally his choice. I feel like making a guest list is awkward in general because we don’t have a group of friends. None of my friends know each other or hang out with each other. No one will really know anyone there other than me! It’s all good though. Talked to my sister about it a little today and she asked how involved I want to be (or not) in planning. I said I care about the guest list and will get her some mailing addresses and I care about the date and it has to happen before April. My mom seems to think the shower should be 2 weeks before the baby is due. No. The baby could be born 2 weeks before the baby is due. I could be huge and feel like crap or be on bed rest. I will not be able to plan for anything that is still needed and allow time for it to ship to my house (I live in a rural area, no baby stores at all). I will be more worried about giving birth than anything else and doing anything at all that close to when baby is due sounds stressful. Where is everyone else at with timing of shower vs due date?
@pirateduck I'm having one shower at 29 weeks and one at 33 weeks. At first I thought this was a little early but after reading through comments here I'm glad I'm doing it so early so I can have a good idea of what we still need before we get into crunch time.
I posted this in the FTM thread but for everyone else: I'm having two showers to please my mom and so my MIL will show up to one (she refused to travel for the bridal shower, MH was pretty upset with her). I'm not excited to have to travel twice (one in NorCal and one in SoCal, I am in WA), but it will be nice to celebrate with everyone as more people are likely to come to the one close to them.
ETA I wish I could have the second one earlier but another family member and I are pregnant at the same time and are having showers the same weekend on different days.
@pirateduck My first came at 38 weeks and my second came at 36 weeks. I will tell you weeks 34+ are pretty darn miserable for most people. You’ll have Braxton Hicks, your breathing will be severely limited, swelling will make you feel like a beluga, and putting on clothes and shoes will be an entire event. With my first MH’s company threw us a small shower around 30 weeks and it was fun. MIL attempted a shower around 32 weeks and it was okay. I was miserable anyways because I was on pelvic rest and anticipating an early baby anyways.
As for registries, put what you need and what you want. Don’t worry about costs and don’t worry about what people will and won’t buy. You’ll have some that will go big and some that will go off the wall and buy what they want. You’ll get plenty of the little stuff that they tell you to register for (wash cloths, towels, creams, soaps, etc) and you might be surprised by a few bigger ticket items. As mentioned before, the registries offer discount coupons at the end that you can use towards what you don’t get. And you’ll have an ongoing list of what you need for the first year so you can buy as you get to milestones. For example, I have sippy cups, utensils, small toys, etc that we won’t buy right away, but I will buy over the course of the year.
Baby showers are really like any other gift giving event, you can’t really anticipate or dictate what people buy, you just have to go with the flow.
I’ll be 30+5 on my shower day, which is great I think. Seeing everyone’s comments about the tiredness factor definitely influenced my time preference. I also like having more time to get everything organized/set up for baby. Plus then you don’t have to worry if baby comes a little early. I would NOT want a shower past 34 weeks. It seems like that would be pushing it too late time wise. Even a shower in the late 20s-early 30 weeks is never guaranteed to be best timing. I know a girl who went into labor on the weekend of her shower at 28 weeks. You just never know, but best to hedge your bets with an earlier shower rather than wait til week 37!
Shower at 30 weeks was perfect. I was big enough for people to feel baby and see baby move and make it feel legit, but I was way less uncomfortable than I could have been. And then by 32 weeks we bought everything else we needed and was able to get everything ready by 35 weeks. Which was super important, lol.
We put everything on registry, from $1.50 nipple brush to our expensive stroller, our car seat, crib, and glider. We had people go in on a couple of big things, and overly generous first time grandparents get other ones. So car seat, stroller, crib, and glider all purchased. My husband's grandfather has no other great grandchildren and rather than leaving inheritance for people, likes to buy gifts. Which is amazing, and of course unnecessary.
But, you can add everything, even if only for your own purchasing with discount, and to keep a list of what you still need, lol.
_______________________________________________
Me: 33 DH: 32 Married 7/18/15 1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16 Team green turned BLUE! 2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18 Team green turned PINK! Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
I had my shower at 28 weeks, it was the end of August and we knew it would be at my home and wanted it to still be warm enough to use the garage and outside for the party. To me it was perfect timing, I didn't feel too huge and uncomfortable and I still had time after to get everything else we needed. For me, 37-40 weeks was the worst, I was so done.
As for what to put on your registry, I agree with @pourmeanothermocktail and put everything you need on it as well as some wants. The registry is not only for a gift guide for your shower, but it is a list for you to keep track of what you need and/or want to get still. As others say, at the end you can do one large purchase and use the completion discount which is usually 10-15% off of the entire purchase. It is good to have a huge variety of items and price range. Some people will do baskets of a bunch of cheaper/smaller items. For example they may do a bath time basket or bath tub with towels, wash cloths, bath toys, lotion, shampoo, body wash, etc in it. Someone may do a diapering theme with all the creams/ointments, diapers, diaper pail, changing pad/covers, wipes, etc. Other people will go for the mid-range gifts $20-$30 and some will shell out for a large gift. Then there may be people who go in together to get the more expensive items. I agree with others and not registering for clothes, you can put a few on there to give people and idea on what you like, but most people will buy what they like when it comes to clothes. I do suggest putting the plain white onesies on the registry though.
Hi Ladies. Thanks for the responses. I have tried to increase the items on the registry and also put a few bigger items. We added the car seat on there. I purchased a car seat/stroller combo but the seat with the combo is only for infants so I assume we would later need to get another seat for when she is a bit older? So, we went ahead and put the next stage seat on.
What do you guys put on for meal prep/food/diapers? I am a FTM and am totally overwhelmed when looking at that kind of think. I can practically realize some of the furniture, safety stuff but food and diapers-- nope. I have no idea which brand, how much I should registry for, which items are really necessary and which aren't, etc. Do I need to buy utensils/bowls things for her or is that so far down the road that it isn't worth it? Help!
I would register for some utensils, bowls, or anything that is feeding related, but skip registering for actual food. You will probably start doing solids around 6 months so it is somewhat needed. But you can get more down the road too. If you have a preference of diapers/wipes register for a few packs, just to show people what brand you want to use, but beyond that people will buy whatever brand diaper or wipes they want. I would register for diapering accessories though, like butt cream, the pail and liners if you want that, the changing pad and multiple covers, etc.
ETA: Carseats. You can actually skip the infant bucket seat and go right to the convertible seat if it has a low enough weight limit. Some go as low as 4 or 5 lbs. But yes at some point you will need the convertible seat as the baby will* outgrow the bucket seat (*unless they are in the low percentage of everything, then they will not outgrow it quickly). I switched DD to the convertible seat around 7 months because it was warm out and it was easier to take her in and out of the convertible seat over the bucket seat and I got sick of carrying the whole seat. She had not outgrown the bucket seat yet. With this one being born in the spring, I may keep him in the bucket seat through winter if I can.
@doctorcrime it depends what you want to do for diapers. I think it would be good to at least let people know if you plan on cloth vs. disposables for diapers and wipes. I did a bunch of research and picked the cloth diaper liners and covers I think I want, but did not select sizes beyond newborn in case something doesn't work as well as hoped I can switch brands later. I also registered for cloth wipes, the ingredients to make my own wipe spray, as well as wet/dry bags for the home diaper pail and for travel. Wet/dry bags are good for if you are out and about and baby has a blow out and needs a change of clothes as well, or trips to the pool/beach. I also registered for cloth diaper safe diaper rash cream. To go with diapering I have a changing pad to go on top of a changing table or dresser as well as 3-5 washable covers for it. Oh and a sprayer and shield as well as baby friendly/mild laundry detergent (which is a good add whether you are just using it for clothes or bedding or diapers).
@doctorcrime I would definitely register for feeding stuff - utensils, plates, high chair, bibs, etc. as far as diaper I registered for a few different brands/sizes newborn-2. Also you might want to register for a few different types of bottles as a lot of babies are picky about bottle and also different nipple sizes. The good thing about registries is you can always return something if it’s on your registry! Also I’ve never had any issue with returning diapers at target or Walmart if you want a different brand/size. When I made my registry the advice was to think about things you would need in the first year.
@doctorcrime A few of the baby spoons, a few options for sippy cups and maybe a few of the snack containers with the flexible lids are my personal picks for food. We don’t do much as far as purées other than yogurt and oatmeal, so we don’t need anything as far as food prep. If you want to make your own purées blenders and steamers, the baby ones don’t work as well, IMO. Other than that bibs and a high chair are really the only necessities.
As for diapers register for a range of brands. Huggies, Pampers and maybe a natural brand like honest or seventh generation. What works for one baby might not work for another or you might find that you have a preference. Most people will bring a range of sizes and brands along with wipes and diaper creams. There’s tons of charts online that will tell you how many diapers you need per size.
@doctorcrime This may be a UO, but if you're going to register for diapers, I would register for small packs. You really won't know what you like until you're using them. I HATED Huggies. We had a huge Costco box and using it was torture. For diapers, as with feeding/utensils, IMO it's trial and error. With some things, you're going to have to figure out what you like as you go along.
I do highly recommend registering for Triple Paste diaper cream because its awesome and it's not cheap. Same with some baby shampoos. We love California Baby products, and they're not cheap, either. Putting a few bottles on a registry would be smart.
@ruby696 and anyone else, you can return basically anything to Costco. So for the case of the diapers, you could have returned them as long as at least half of them were left.
This probably goes in the diapering thread, but I wanted to chime in regardless because I feel passionately about them. For wipes, I HIGHLY recommend Amazon Elements wipes! They were by far the best wipes we tried, and they're so much cheaper than buying wipes in store if you do Subscribe and Save. I loved that I didn't even have to think about it. They just showed up at the frequency I needed them at. We used the sensitive ones, and they also have unscented. The texture on them wiped away the sticky poops SO much better than the other brands!
**TW**
Me: 35 | H: 40 Married Sept. 2013 DS1: Nov 11, 2016 MMC: 11/16/18 (9w6d) CP: 2/3/19 (5w3d) BFP! 8/24/19 DS2: May 10, 2020
@m6agua Ha! Isn't that funny how different we all are? I hope @shamrocandroll has similar tastes to me because I already made a note to order Amazon Element wipes....
Omg. Wipes. I HATE target brand, huggies and pampers brand. I like the amazon brand too, @shamrocandroll. And they’re so cost effective. The Walmart brand are okay, but I tend to use more of them than I do with the amazon brand. And if it’s a horrible diaper sometimes I just grab a baby wash cloth and wet it down because why aren’t wipes industrial strength?!
Is there such a thing as a fun baby shower game or activity or are they all just cheesy and awkward? If you have anything you have done at a shower that people actually enjoyed, please share!
Here are two I have done at past showers...
people can decorate a onesie with fabric markers/paint for baby, host to provide a bunch of solid colored onesies and supplies
each person was assigned a letter of the alphabet and got a sheet of paper to illustrate the letter, then all are collected to make an ABC book for baby.
@pirateduck I personally like when they do Baby Bingo for the gift opening, mainly because it keeps people a bit more quiet so I can hear the mom and not everyones dumb conversations.
At my shower my friend got some cheap picture frames with glass, put some nice paper in them and had people write messages on them for me/baby and made sure I had my picture with everyone. I'll attach photos for example.
We also played 'tinkle in the pot'. We did it at my friends shower (she was insistent) and it actually was way more of a hit than I thought it would be. We ended up doing it at mine as well and it was also a hit. Basically you put a balloon under your shirt, hold a ping pong ball between your legs and need to walk a bit and drop it into a large mason jar. We had about 4 or 5 'stations' and did teams, whichever team got done first won. The first person would go and if they dropped it the next person would go, and repeat. Once a team member made it in they did not have to go anymore. If you google the game there is all the info you need.
@pirateduck I am not a fan of shower games, and asked not to play any at my shower, but they didn't listen and did baby bingo anyway. I actually have been to a couple of "green" showers in the last couple of years and really liked those over traditional showers. You bring your gift unwrapped and they provide you with a recycled paper tag that you can write your name on and attach to your gift. Then they leave all the gifts out on a big display table so people can go look at them if they want, but the party is focused more on socializing instead of gifts, which I like way more. I like the showers where people can decorate onesies and bibs, because those are useful to the mom-to-be. I also hosted a sprinkle for a friend once and we played The Price is Right, which people had a lot of fun with. I went out and got a bunch of baby essentials and wrote down the price of each item, and then at the shower I did a show and tell of each item, and people wrote down their guess on the price and wrote it down on their game sheet. At the end, the person closest to the total price without going over won a prize. One of the attendees liked it so much that she asked me if I could facilitate the same game at her shower next month. So I guess that makes my gift for her easy, haha! But as far as games go, that one was one of the more fun ones. I've also been to one where they play "don't say baby" and that one was kind of funny too.
**TW**
Me: 35 | H: 40 Married Sept. 2013 DS1: Nov 11, 2016 MMC: 11/16/18 (9w6d) CP: 2/3/19 (5w3d) BFP! 8/24/19 DS2: May 10, 2020
This may be an UO, but I do NOT like the decorate onesies activity and I am glad we didn't do it. It isn't my style to have writing or whatever on the clothing so I would have never put my kid in the onesies. I liked just having plain white onesies for under sleepers and such.
ETA: Another UO, I actually like going to showers, giving a gift and watching the gift opening.
I remembered I went to one where you got a paper plate and had to put it on your head and draw a baby with a pencil. You got X amount of time and the mom to be picked the best drawing for a prize.
I’ve been to 6 showers in the last 3 years and feel like I’ve played every baby shower game in the book. I’m actually happy with that, I love games and the cornier the better 🤷🏾♀️
One game that I ran which was a fan favorite was a “Relay game”. It was a combination of diapering a stuffed animal while blindfolded, finding matching baby socks, picking up a pacifier without your hands (chopstick in mouth), and drinking out of a baby bottle. We made teams of 4 and the team with the best relay time won.
Another one that I found fun was getting pictures of mom and dad and cutting them in pieces with just the forehead, eyes, nose, and mouth. Then guests put the pictures back together based on whose features they think the baby will get.
We do the don't say baby game (and add their name if we know it) it becomes so funny to watch everyone going for the clothespins. Another game I think is gross but funny is where they melt the candy into diapers and you have to guess what candy bar it is, some look horrible but it is funny.
@mamaj1220 I also enjoyed the melted candy in diaper game, but my sisters think it’s gross!
I’m loving all these game ideas. I happen to ABSOLUTELY LOVE games and I’ve stipulated that there MUST be games. My sister who’s doing most of the planning hates games, so I’m sure she doesn’t appreciate my requirements 😂 I second Bingo as a great option, it keeps the guests engaged, because most people don’t like to pay attention to the gift opening. We’ve done it for bridal showers and it’s been a hit. I did The Price is Right at my sister’s shower 5 years ago and people were mostly older and were way off on the prices but I think they enjoyed it. At my bridal shower they played a game that’s the bridal shower equivalent of “don’t say baby” and it was pretty amusing, we have quite a few competitive aunts on my husband’s side. It might have gotten a little too competitive because people were going a bit extreme to get the rings! My friend’s shower we did one where everyone cut a length of crepe paper streamer to how big they thought the belly circumference was and then everyone took turns wrapping it around mom to see who was the closest. I do NOT recommend that game, it seems rude and kind of invasive. I also do not recommend having everyone guess what day they think baby will arrive and then send a prize in the mail to the one who guesses the right day (or closest). That was kind of annoying to have to follow up on. If there’s no prize involved and people just guessed, that would be cute.
I say if you enjoy games, have them. If you groan at the games part of showers, then skip the games. Unless you really know all your guest’s game preferences, they are probably evenly split but everyone will participate with a smile (and maybe a hidden eye-roll). I’ve learned that most of my in-laws love the games as much as I do, so that’s nice.
Re: Baby Shower/Sprinkle
FTM
BFP 08/25/19, EDD 05/04/20
+1 to having shower before 34 weeks, and not registering for any clothes. I got more clothes and towel/washcloth sets than anything else.
DH: 32
Married 7/18/15
1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16
Team green turned BLUE!
2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18
Team green turned PINK!
Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
DD #2: May 2020
Baby #3: EDD May 2023; MC October 2022
Most showers I’ve been to I usually see 1-3 big ticket items gifted that are usually cost shared and those are pack and plays, car seats and strollers.
I would plan to have to buy nursery decor, extra bedding (for real, buy 4-5 crib sheets), and maybe 1-3 big ticket items depending on how much gear you’ve registered for.
DD #2: May 2020
Baby #3: EDD May 2023; MC October 2022
Anyway, I am reading through about things to add/not add to the registry. I have put a few sets of onesies like a superhero one I thought was super cute and a set of 3 PJs. I hope by having a few I don't deter them if they want to get something outside of that. We are actually hesitant to post anything too expensive on the registry and I think the most expensive stuff I have put was an activity gym ($80), and the diaper bin ($70).
A few quick questions!
Is there some general consensus on how many items you should ask for based on how many people you invite? I sent my mom a list of invitees and we're having a co-ed shower. I expect somewhere between 20-30 people just depends on if some of the couples can make it. We have maybe 50 items between the two registries ranging from $5-$80 (most around $20-$30).
Did you announce your shower anywhere else to people you haven't invited? I wasn't sure if it was something I should put on FB or just let people find if they know I am pregnant and want to get something? Not sure proper etiquette here.
Is it worth combining your shower with work "friends". I am pretty new to my current job but someone mentioned throwing a shower. My dept only has 6-8 people depending on how you count it. I don't want them to feel super pressured to throw an event or something. Is it worth just telling those who are interested they can come to the regular shower? I am not sure how to approach it because I don't want them to think I just want two gifts or something but thought it would be easier if they want to do something to just come to the shower?
I was thrown a shower at work - but I had been working there for 4 years and we were all a super family like environment - it was great! A few of my coworkers were invited to my shower, but they were considered friends and I regularly hung out with them outside of work - but I still told them that I did not expect a gift because they had already gifted something at my work shower.
FTM
BFP 08/25/19, EDD 05/04/20
I posted this in the FTM thread but for everyone else: I'm having two showers to please my mom and so my MIL will show up to one (she refused to travel for the bridal shower, MH was pretty upset with her). I'm not excited to have to travel twice (one in NorCal and one in SoCal, I am in WA), but it will be nice to celebrate with everyone as more people are likely to come to the one close to them.
ETA I wish I could have the second one earlier but another family member and I are pregnant at the same time and are having showers the same weekend on different days.
FTM
BFP: 9/5/19 ~ EDD 5/15/20
We put everything on registry, from $1.50 nipple brush to our expensive stroller, our car seat, crib, and glider. We had people go in on a couple of big things, and overly generous first time grandparents get other ones. So car seat, stroller, crib, and glider all purchased. My husband's grandfather has no other great grandchildren and rather than leaving inheritance for people, likes to buy gifts. Which is amazing, and of course unnecessary.
But, you can add everything, even if only for your own purchasing with discount, and to keep a list of what you still need, lol.
DH: 32
Married 7/18/15
1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16
Team green turned BLUE!
2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18
Team green turned PINK!
Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
As for what to put on your registry, I agree with @pourmeanothermocktail and put everything you need on it as well as some wants. The registry is not only for a gift guide for your shower, but it is a list for you to keep track of what you need and/or want to get still. As others say, at the end you can do one large purchase and use the completion discount which is usually 10-15% off of the entire purchase. It is good to have a huge variety of items and price range. Some people will do baskets of a bunch of cheaper/smaller items. For example they may do a bath time basket or bath tub with towels, wash cloths, bath toys, lotion, shampoo, body wash, etc in it. Someone may do a diapering theme with all the creams/ointments, diapers, diaper pail, changing pad/covers, wipes, etc. Other people will go for the mid-range gifts $20-$30 and some will shell out for a large gift. Then there may be people who go in together to get the more expensive items. I agree with others and not registering for clothes, you can put a few on there to give people and idea on what you like, but most people will buy what they like when it comes to clothes. I do suggest putting the plain white onesies on the registry though.
- BFP: 3/10/16 — Baby Girl born 11/20/16
TTC#2 April 2019What do you guys put on for meal prep/food/diapers? I am a FTM and am totally overwhelmed when looking at that kind of think. I can practically realize some of the furniture, safety stuff but food and diapers-- nope. I have no idea which brand, how much I should registry for, which items are really necessary and which aren't, etc. Do I need to buy utensils/bowls things for her or is that so far down the road that it isn't worth it? Help!
ETA: Carseats. You can actually skip the infant bucket seat and go right to the convertible seat if it has a low enough weight limit. Some go as low as 4 or 5 lbs. But yes at some point you will need the convertible seat as the baby will* outgrow the bucket seat (*unless they are in the low percentage of everything, then they will not outgrow it quickly). I switched DD to the convertible seat around 7 months because it was warm out and it was easier to take her in and out of the convertible seat over the bucket seat and I got sick of carrying the whole seat. She had not outgrown the bucket seat yet. With this one being born in the spring, I may keep him in the bucket seat through winter if I can.
- BFP: 3/10/16 — Baby Girl born 11/20/16
TTC#2 April 2019the advice was to think about things you would need in the first year.
As for diapers register for a range of brands. Huggies, Pampers and maybe a natural brand like honest or seventh generation. What works for one baby might not work for another or you might find that you have a preference. Most people will bring a range of sizes and brands along with wipes and diaper creams. There’s tons of charts online that will tell you how many diapers you need per size.
I do highly recommend registering for Triple Paste diaper cream because its awesome and it's not cheap. Same with some baby shampoos. We love California Baby products, and they're not cheap, either. Putting a few bottles on a registry would be smart.
- BFP: 3/10/16 — Baby Girl born 11/20/16
TTC#2 April 2019Married Sept. 2013
DS1: Nov 11, 2016
MMC: 11/16/18 (9w6d)
CP: 2/3/19 (5w3d)
BFP! 8/24/19
DS2: May 10, 2020
- BFP: 3/10/16 — Baby Girl born 11/20/16
TTC#2 April 2019Married Sept. 2013
DS1: Nov 11, 2016
MMC: 11/16/18 (9w6d)
CP: 2/3/19 (5w3d)
BFP! 8/24/19
DS2: May 10, 2020
Here are two I have done at past showers...
people can decorate a onesie with fabric markers/paint for baby, host to provide a bunch of solid colored onesies and supplies
each person was assigned a letter of the alphabet and got a sheet of paper to illustrate the letter, then all are collected to make an ABC book for baby.
At my shower my friend got some cheap picture frames with glass, put some nice paper in them and had people write messages on them for me/baby and made sure I had my picture with everyone. I'll attach photos for example.
We also played 'tinkle in the pot'. We did it at my friends shower (she was insistent) and it actually was way more of a hit than I thought it would be. We ended up doing it at mine as well and it was also a hit. Basically you put a balloon under your shirt, hold a ping pong ball between your legs and need to walk a bit and drop it into a large mason jar. We had about 4 or 5 'stations' and did teams, whichever team got done first won. The first person would go and if they dropped it the next person would go, and repeat. Once a team member made it in they did not have to go anymore. If you google the game there is all the info you need.
- BFP: 3/10/16 — Baby Girl born 11/20/16
TTC#2 April 2019Married Sept. 2013
DS1: Nov 11, 2016
MMC: 11/16/18 (9w6d)
CP: 2/3/19 (5w3d)
BFP! 8/24/19
DS2: May 10, 2020
ETA: Another UO, I actually like going to showers, giving a gift and watching the gift opening.
I remembered I went to one where you got a paper plate and had to put it on your head and draw a baby with a pencil. You got X amount of time and the mom to be picked the best drawing for a prize.
- BFP: 3/10/16 — Baby Girl born 11/20/16
TTC#2 April 2019FTM
BFP 08/25/19, EDD 05/04/20