Fear of the baby registry vent

DR1819 · October 2011

Am I the only one fearing the entire baby registry process? With all the baby showers I have been to, I have never bought a thing off someones registry (Horrible, I know) They scare the bejesus out of me.

Today at work I decided to lurk on some websites who offer baby registries, 5 pages of bottles and nipples? What the heck is the difference between a Sleeper and a Sleep N' Play? Boucers vs swings vs vibrating chairs????? I should have started this week 4. Help....

lindslalala · October 2011

You will be fine. Take a deep breath and just tackle one thing at a time! There's still plenty of time left. That being said, that's exactly why I started working on my registry almost immediately

Texas77again · October 2011

breathe. don't let it overwhelm you. it's just a baby, they need a few things, the rest of the crap is just cute/handy/luxury. i started one with the hopes of getting the discount off of whatever is left.

i just went in and scanned the stuff i wanted. it's not that big of a deal, really.

ashleybt · October 2011

You're definitely not alone!! Every time I start looking at baby stuff for the registry, I get overwhelmed. I'm eventually going to have to suck it up and put it together, but yeah...it's all a bit "much" right now.

jenny_seitz · October 2011

Have you gone into a store at all? I think it would be a lot easier to register for a large chunk of stuff in the store where you can see it/hold it/touch it. That's my plan.

MTAtlanta · October 2011

Yep - I get it. And we are team green, so it seems even more confusing for some items.

We went into BRU and got started but kept it private. That way there isn't 'pressure' (which I know sounds stupid) of anyone peeking at the registry and making comments about what we have so far. I plan to use the private registry so far just to keep track of my thoughts sort of to get started, and use that as a springboard to look at other sites to compare reviews, ask my one and only friend who has a kid (he is 1 so it's still fresh in her memory!) and go from there.

Once I have a better feel for what's practical from my mom friend and online reviews, I'll finalize the official registry and make it public.

I know that sounds crazy, but I've already been overwhelmed more so by people saying, "Oh, you HAVE to one of those!" or "Well, back in MY day..." I'd rather at least have an idea of what the options are before weighing so many opinions.

We'll all make it! Worse case, exchange policies are in place, and there is always a Target or Wal-Mart to run to if needed.

betsy1486 · October 2011

If you go on the Babies R Us website they have a registry checklist to look at. You don't even need to register with them, but it'll give you an idea of what you might need. Then you can investigate the items and go through and find what you might actually need. I'm sure you could just google it too. I also asked my sisters to throw together a list for me on exactly how many bottles, nipples, bibs, packs of diapers, etc would be a good amount to register for to start with. Maybe ask friends or family that have recently had babies to find out what you absolutely need. That will make it easier to differentiate the necessary items from the frivolous stuff. If you start slowly it won't seem as overwhelming. I was really overwhelmed by everything until I did some of the things I mentioned above. Hopefully some of this helps you!

countrygrl5533 · October 2011

I worked with infants for a number of years so have an advantage. I already know which bottles tend to leak and which ones are a PITA to clean, what swings work better then others, etc. So the registry wasn't hard for me.

That being said, start with the big stuff you know you will need. Crib, stroller, car seat. None of those need to be the most expensive either. Find ones you like the look and feel of then check the reviews. Then add some diapers. I prefer the Pampers Swaddlers so made so those got added so people know. Not going to turn down any diapers we are given but prefer them. Since we are doing cloth, I don't need too many disposables to didn't add too many to the registry.

Do you have a friend to help you or a sister? My bff had a baby in May and used me as a resource for what to get, what brands, etc. She has thanked me so many times because she still ended up with a couple of the brands of bottles that are a pain and is so glad she listened and got some other ones too. I'm sure if you don't have a IRLfriend that has already had a baby, some of the ladies on here would be glad to help.

BOTB2011 · October 2011

There are some really good "baby checklists" out there that will help you narrow things down. I thought this link regarding registries was interesting: https://www.rookiemoms.com/shopping-registry/

We are starting the process today and have no idea what we are doing... BUT will use a similar checklist to make sure that we get the main things decided.

If you have questions on something you could always ask this board, too. Some items are a personal preference and/or not necessarily a necessity for every momma.

beth2882 · October 2011

We feel overwhelmed as well. I made my DH go through the baby stuff at Target last night just to see all the options out there. We printed a baby registry check list from Toys R Us and tonight my friend and her husband are coming over to school us in the differences between strollers, car seats, etc. Too many choices!!

jkjohnsonwedding · October 2011

I have almost finished my registry without leaving the house. I've actually been looking up my old registries of friends who have recently had baby boys. When I am finished with my registry, I'm going to have a few of them go through and tell me what to delete and what to add. You'd be surprised how many things you will completely forget to add until you look through someone else's registry.

Irisheyes1247 · October 2011

I hear ya OP! When I had DD last year, she was the first baby in our family in 11 years, and I was the first of my friends with a child, so I had no one to ask questions to. But it all turned out ok - we muddled through it, registered and got stuff we thought we would need, returned a few things it ended up we didnt, and bought a few things as the issues came up. It is super overwhelming to start, but you will figure it out. Start with one of the checklists, like at BRU. Begin with the basics. You will need someplace for baby to sleep, some way for baby to eat, something for baby to wear. Toys at this point at silly - they can hardly see anything to begin with. Someplace to put baby down is nice - swing, bouncy seat, PnP, but you really just need one. Once you get the basics, then start looking at the fancier things.

l&s&baby · October 2011

Aw, calm down, you're gonna be fine! I'd recommend doing as much as you can online because it's way less stressful and overwhelming than going into the store. I'm using MyRegistry.com and it's great because you can add from any store from the comfort of your couch! They have a really helpful checklist and I try to just cross a few things off each day. And any time I feel frustrated I can just take a break, have one tiny sip of my husband's wine (ha!) and go back to it when I feel ready. You're gonna be fine!!

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