Registry Q for those who aren't a FTM :)

whitney812 · January 2016

Any advice from those who are already moms of items that people think they need and put on their registry that they just ended up never using or weren't as useful as they would have thought?

Another Q would be what did you find was most important to put on your registry (besides the obvious)? My best friend has told me nipple cream is her life saver haha...

Bookhousegirl · January 2016

Definitely nipple cream! Also, you can never have enough burp cloths/little washcloths. I got so many and thought they would sit in a drawer but I used them all. Also, white onsies, especially since it will be summer, it's probably the majority of what the baby will end up wearing and they get gross really quickly so it's good to have lots of backups.

In terms of what was a waste... The mamaroo, I should have just gotten a swing, but I think that's different for each baby - maybe our next one will like it. I also hated the baby bjorn, and am getting an ergo and a wrap this time.

whitney812 · January 2016

Thank you!

bearsandbeets7 · January 2016

I second the burp cloths. I like the ones that were more of a wash rag material than the cotton. Also socks, socks, and more socks. Extra crib sheets besides the cute crib set you will probably want.

Sonicstef · January 2016

I found the mamaroo to be not worth the money but I had friends whose babies loved it. So much depends on the preferences of your chlid. I found the boppy pillow to be a complete waste except for propping her up for photos. Maybe my body is not the right size but didn't help with bfing for me. Pretty much all the bottle doo dads were a waste of money. As were the typical diaper bags - I had to look a long time to find one that worked for me.

The one item that was an absolute life saver for me was the rock n play. I bought it a few weeks after my daughter was born b/c we were taking a trip and i needed something I could use as a portable crib. I had no idea it was the magic sleep box for my daughter. She went from zero to doing 4 hours as soon as we got it . SOOOO worth its weight in gold for us (and if you read the reviews you'll see we weren't the only one) https://amzn.to/1PDfh02

Another item I didn't register for but ended up getting was the bouncy seat. She really enjoyed that and its relatively inexpensive compared to the swing or mamaroo which was a bust.

texasmama2014 · January 2016

Don't: Wipe warmer, bottle warmer, baby tub
Do: Rock N Play!, several types of pacifier, diapers, all toiletries, wipes, hangers, extra sheets, bottle drying rack, hands free pumping bra, and basically anything you will need should go on at least before the completion coupon is used. The completion coupon can be used on anything as long as it is on the registry.

Everyone is different though, some people love their wipe warmers and bottle warmers, I just never saw a point.

1faceinacrowd · January 2016

I actually really liked my boppy pillow for breastfeeding! It all depends on preference though.

I agree that a big lifesaver is onesies! You seriously cannot have too many. Also, make sure you're registering for bigger sizes. Most babies are out of newborn stuff super fast, and some are born too big for newborn clothes at all, so make sure you register for plenty of 0-3 and 3-6 month stuff. Biggest waste for me was how much Newborn stuff I got; my daughter was out of NB and into 0-3 months within two weeks.

jamiesc58 · January 2016

I also feel the wipe and bottle warmers were a waste. I think I may have used them each once.

I absolutely loved my rock n play!

My suggestion is not something we had registered for but that we made. Tag blankets! Each of our kids have had one and loved them more than anything. Also, I got a lot of knitted blankets so that there are holes for the baby to breathe through. Our dd loves to cover her face at nap time so I don't have to freak out.

Pepper6 · January 2016

The things we used most as an infant was a bouncer, pack n play, onesies, swaddle me (we tried swaddling with muslin blankets and she always broke out of them, the swaddle me was sooo much easier). For burp cloths, I preferred the cloth diaper inserts because they are so absorbent. They aren't cute, but they work so much better than the printed burp cloths.

Some things that most lists tell you aren't necessary, but I loved is a wipe warmer. It was especially great during motn changes because she could sleep through them instead of being shocked awake by a cold wipe on her ass. She's almost 20 months old and we still use it.

Ceventa · January 2016

I can't specifically remember things not to get, mainly because I had two really good friends who have kids that went through my registry after I registered and basically took off whatever they said was a waste LOL There were like, yeah you're not going to need that, that's no good. So thankfully I can truly say that I have used everything, and the only think I got was an extra diaper genie to keep near his pack n'play for diaper changes.

Things I used non-stop:
1. Pack n' play with the attachable changing table
2. Mamaroo - this was amazing, used it all the time because he loved sleeping in it
3. Boppy pillow - both the lounger for when he was really tiny and the regular boppy when he started sitting up
4. Lots of light onsies, swaddle blankets, and burp cloths!
5. A nice bathtub and towels with the hood
6. Swaddling blankets are a must, however in the middle of the night if you don't want to have to think about swaddling, I loved the Sleepsac blankets. It's already done for you and you just baby into it, DS needed to be swaddled when he was tiny to sleep well.
7. Exersaucer - He LOVED this thing when he got big enough for it
8. Diaper genie and a waterproof cover for the changing pad (accidents will happen!)
9. A good diaper bag! DS will be two years old in March, and I still use his bag ALL THE TIME. It's always packed and ready to go out the door. I recommend investing in a good one, it will be with you always and it will get beat up.My aunt gave me this one and it has held up so well!
10. Baby carrier/sling. I ended up using the carrier more rather than the sling, it just never felt right. The carrier felt better on me. I will try again with the LO though.
11. Activity mat! Especially one with the gym that goes over it to keep them entertained. Great for keeping them busy and for doing tummy time.
12. Nail trimmers and file, saline nasal drops (life saver during cold season), bulb, and a big tub of vaseline (especially if you are having a boy and planning on circumcising).

That's all I can think of for now! Hope it helps!

Duffgurl · January 2016

For sure a bouncer. Also different types of pacifiers because every baby has his/her preference. Nice large baby blankets. Make sure to put larger size clothing items because you will get a boat load of newborn to 3month size clothing. Baby laundry detergent or the sensitive kind. Baby care kit.

Be sure to check which nipple cream works for you. I didn't know I was a allergic to wool which is in lansinoh. Medela nipple cream worked for me.

Also I love the RNP but don't let your LO always sleep in it because they will not want to lay in the crib and transitioning can be a pain.

Sonicstef · January 2016

One mistake I made last time that I wont repeat is that I didn't get any newborn clothing b/c so many people told me to just start with 0-3 months.

My daughter was tall and not especially small but she was still wayyy too small to fit into the 0-3 months clothes I had. So I had to run out and buy newborn clothes when we came home which was a pain. Even though they do grow out of them in a few weeks, you go through soooo many clothing changes with blowouts and spitup those first few weeks you really need at least some newborn onepieces to get you through. This time around I'll be ready.

texasmama2014 · January 2016

So many things are so personal... Everyone is saying nipple cream, but my pediatrician strongly advised against it due to the taste for some babies causing an aversion. He suggested just rubbing milk on them when you were done. I used my nipple cream maybe once. Some pediatricians/people/moms will tell you that if you plan to breastfeed don't use a pacifier, whereas my pediatrician told me that babies knew the difference and it wouldn't cause nipple confusion and that bottles are the culprit for nipple confusion/preference... Also, when you register for bottles (whether you plan to bf or not/pump whatever) keep in mind that babies can be really picky about which nipple/bottle they will even take, so buying a certain type and stocking up may not work in your favor...

DSMLove · January 2016

Must have:
Rock n play, burp rags (more than you think you'll need), diapers (plan to go through 10-12 a day for a little while), lots of basic onesies and light sleepers (you'll go through several a day), fragrance-free laundry detergent, thermometer (I liked the Exergen temporal one), Nose Frida, crib sheets, extra changing pad covers

Didn't need:
Any clothing that's complicated to put on/take off, wipe warmer, diaper genie, pretty hair bows, crib skirt and bumpers

Personal preference items (don't stock up or spend a lot until you know you or baby will like them):
Bottles, pacifiers, swaddlers, swing, bouncer, nursing pillow

I love the idea of borrowing a swing/bouncer and a nursing pillow. If it turns out you and baby like them, you can always buy it later.

smilormarie · January 2016

Edited to add: you need a lingerie zipper bag for the wash/dryer to keep all the little baby socks from getting lost AND anything with Velcro so it doesn't ruin baby clothes in the wash. And an exergen thermoscan thermometer and a nose Frida.

We still use our wipes warmer. You need a baby play mat/gym pretty earlier so baby can learn to play by themselves and do tummy time. Consider registering for the "my breast friend" nursing pillow for nursing and A boppy for helping baby sit up or prop them for a bottle.

Extra washcloths, socks in every size, white onesies in every size. Also, only newborn huggies actually have a belly button cut out. Pampers have to be folded down until the belly button falls off. So register for 1 case of newborn huggies. The rock n play was so nice! We used a microwave steam sterilizer (I think playtex brand). We used our doctor Browns bottle warmer when he was still getting pumped breastmilk. You need a small basket for the dishwasher to hold all those little parts and pieces and pacifiers. You also need a good bottle brush. (Run it through the dish washer once or twice a week.

We still use those aden&anais Muslim swaddled blankets. You also need 2-3, maybe more, of sheets and mattress protectors. Layer them so when the baby leaks through, you can just pull off the wet sheet and mattress cover and there is a clean set ready for baby right away.

Good luck!

ThisisNumber3 · January 2016

Things to focus on:
-Car Seat and Stroller (do lots of research, dont just go in store because most dont offer a good in store selection)
- Crib and furniture (we went cheap and replaced when they are older)
- Swing (after using both FP and the MommaRoo, I think I'm going back to FP).
- Bouncy Seat and/or Rock and Play
- Play mat (basically make sure you have a safe place to set the baby down in each room)
- Hamper for dirty clothes
- Nursing/feeding pillow (after using both the boppy and my breast friend, I prefer the back support of the MBF)
- Humidifier
- Monitor
- Medicine kit (nail clippers, thermometer, nose bulb, etc)
- Bath (decide where you will bathe baby (tub, sink, counter) and where you will store the crazy large plastic tub)

From there, little things like towels, wash cloths, bibs, burp cloths, swaddle blankets, etc, you need about 1 weeks worth.

Things to not worry about:
- Clothes - people will buy what they want to buy. Plan on having to go back to stock up on basics that no one wants to buy like socks, basic onesies, basic sleepers etc. Those cute outfits aren't practical until 6 months + (ok, maybe have one cute outfit but thats it)
- Bottles/Pacifiers - again, maybe have one or two on hand, but you'll have to wait and see what the baby likes/needs
-

haboobjob · January 2016

I still love my wipe warmer. I lose thermometers like crazy so I have a ton of them throughout the house. I had a reflux baby so those white cloth diaper burp cloth things were a lifesaver. The cute ones are never absorbent enough. It's like the puke just rolls off of it (and onto your clothes).

I didn't have a whole lot of wasted items. I splurged on an expensive diaper bag and literally used it for the first two months and now it sits in the closet. I use a backpack that I bought from Target instead. I also never used my bottle sterilizer. Or the lawn drying rack.

SheHulk723 · January 2016

Babywearing is a lifesaver for me. I recommend a ring sling or wrap, like a moby or woven for the first few months and a SSC, like an ergo, lille or tula, for when they're bigger. I also recommend a white noise maker (although you can just get an app on your phone for it) and a bottle warmer makes life easier if you plan on bottle feeding.

We found our bassinet to be pretty much useless as our DD refused to sleep in it. The crib on the highest setting was much better. We never bothered with a wipes warmer. I highly recommend not buying a lot of diapers, bottles or pacifiers in one brand because you'll have to find out what works for your baby.

jamiesc58 · January 2016

Oh,I totally forgot the Jumperoo! My 9 month old still absolutely loves it!!!

PeachGal23 · January 2016

must-haves for us: Graco little lamb rocker (like the rock 'n play but can recline flat); 4moms Rockaroo (cheaper and seems to be liked more than the Mamaroo); lots of burp cloths and onesies; diaper clutches (things that have a diaper pad and pockets for diapers/wipes that rolls up nicely for on the go)

didn't use: Bumbo seat; wipe warmer and bottle warmer; sterilizer (though I do love the sterilizing bags that are used in the microwave)

SkiChic626 · January 2016

Things I Used All the Time:
-burp cloths
-bibs
-onesies, not just white ones
-muslin swaddle blankets
-bottle warmer
-humidifier
-monitor
-stroller/car seat/etc. - but we bought these ourselves
-waterproof pads for the changing table - I like the Boppy ones
-My Breastfriend (I preferred this over the Boppy, much more supportive and stays in place)
-dishwasher basket for little bottle parts
-grass or some kind of bottle/part drying rack - still use this at 19 mos for sippy cups
-steam clean bags for bottle/pump parts
-small cheap bouncer that's easily portable around the house - great for taking a shower! We got a fancy expensive one but it was too big to bring in the bathroom and around so DH went and got a $20 cheapy one and it ended up being DD's favorite thing, she practically lived it in when I needed a break or was showering and stuff.
-plastic bath tub - still using it at 19 mos
-sleep sacks
-Gripe Water and Gas Drops - these will save your sanity when you least expect it
-play mat with jungle gym
-diaper genie and refills

Things I Didn't Get But Plan to This Time:
-Bassinet
-Car seat cover for the winter
-Exergen Temporal Thermometer

Things That Were a Waste:
-pack n play - it turned into a dumping ground full of toys and crap, she never used it, and it's way too short to be a changing table which I've heard some people use it for, I tried but it killed my back
-the swing - our daughter just wasn't a fan of it
-lotion/bath products - I found my own brands that I liked
-wipe warmer
-formulaPro - this got returned
-4moms bathtub - piece of junk
-any more than 2 sets of sheets
-baby shoes
-pajamas with snaps - stick with zippers
-anything newborn size, including diapers - my daughter was almost 10lbs so she was immediately in size 1 diapers and 3mo clothing. the clothes were a little big but newborn sizes wouldn't have stood a chance
-bottles - you just don't know what your LO is going to end up taking and many people have to go thru trial and error

As far as anything related to breastfeeding goes, I honestly wouldn't bother registering for it. No one EVER buys that stuff and you end up getting it for yourself. It's obviously some of the most necessary items, but seriously no one is going to buy it, especially nipple cream lol. I would never buy nipple cream for someone HAHAHA!

ginger819 · January 2016

Things we didn't use:
1. We never used our bottle warmer, but DD was perfectly happy with cold milk. We also never got a wipe warmer and she's never seemed to mind the "cold" wipes.
2. My mom made me a homemade Boppy. I never used it for breastfeeding but we did use it until we got a wonderseat to practice sitting up, but the seat of course worked much better. I think this is a personal peferance though and you might not know if it's helpful until you try it.
3. Newborn clothes. We had two super easy snap up rompers in newborn that she wore quite a bit, but they were bigger than most of the newborn clothes we got. We had newborn onesies and pajamas that never even fit and DD was a pretty normal size baby (8 pounds and 20 inches).
4. Thin baby towels. We ended up preferring ultra soft regular towels. Trust me those thin ones don't absorb anything when baby decides to pee on you or the counter.

Things we couldn't have lived without:
1. The swing. We have a FP one and DD still takes naps in it at 8 months when she's super cranky and refuses to sleep.
2. Our pack and play. We actually had my parents one too for a while. DD slept in our room in one for 3 months and we had one set up downstairs too so we could easily put her down when she was taking a nap every couple of hours. We got one with a changing table attachment which came in handy for quick diaper changes downstairs. Now it's a life saver when we travel.
3. Lots of burp clothes. We got some really nice muslin ones that we loved. They were big enough to use to cover the car seat when walking out in the sun, worked wonderful for a light blanket and of course as a normal burp cloth. We got some flannel ones and regular cloth ones, but the muslin ones were our favorite.
4. The swaddlemes and sleepsacks. Our DD would slip out of any blankets we used to swaddle. She refused to keep her arms in even with these swaddles, but they kept her warm on cool nights and she liked being wrapped snug. I don't think DH would have been able to make it without the easy velcro and zippers of the swaddles.

jmw386 · January 2016

My sister-in-law recommended baby nail clippers with a light at the end of them. It sounds so simple, but that ended up being one of my favorite recommended items. They are slightly rounded and make it so much easier to see what you are doing when trimming tiny baby nails. My son is 3 and I still prefer them to the generic nail clippers that came as part of a grooming/care kit.

I agree with all of the comments recommending lots of onesies. They're a staple in the early months and unless you're going to be doing laundry constantly, it is nice to have a large stash. Burp cloths and receiving blankets were also go-to baby supplies for us. For burp cloths, we tended to prefer the plain white cloths actually labeled as cloth diapers. We preferred receiving blankets for swaddling.

I'm probably in the minority on this one, but if you are going to use disposable diapers, I would not recommend stocking up on too many diapers ahead of time OR if you do stock up, make sure you know where to return them. With our first, the only disposable diapers that worked (i.e. that didn't result in poop all over everything) were Pampers. Every single time we tried Huggies or something else, they leaked. I guess they didn't fit him correctly. We ended up returning unopened boxes and giving opened boxes away because we couldn't use them. Make sure they're going to work for you before investing in huge boxes of a certain brand.

Other must haves for us:

bouncer;
pack n' play (allowed us to have a changing/napping station downstairs rather than always taking him upstairs to his room);
Snap 'n Go stroller** (depending on your car seat, you might need a different brand, but this thing was awesome for quick trips to the store, doctor, etc.);
Triple Paste (the only diaper rash cream that ever worked for my son)

** Edit - I just looked it up, and I think ours was actually a Chicco KeyFit, basically just a stroller frame that you can snap your car seat into. It is a much lighter and easier option for the early days if the baby is going to be in the car seat.

Things we didn't use or didn't like:

Bumbo (borrowed - never used),
swing (borrowed - my son hated it),
fancy diaper bag (we ended up buying a backpack diaper bag that we loved)

whitney812 · January 2016

Wow, lots of great advice - thank you!

carstekj · January 2016

I know there has already been a lot of input and I'll reiterate a lot of the products... but here's my list!
- A&A Swaddle blankets - loved how light they are and used them for multiple purposes. *This is my "go to" gift for new parents
-Sleep Sack - My SIL called it a baby straight jacket (the newborn one). We're from MN, so we utilized these a lot
- Sound machine/white noise
- Besides the nipple cream (I preferred Medela brand), breast feeding gel pads/soothies were a blessing that I didn't find until my 2nd was born - they're expensive, so hopefully someone else will buy them!
- Pumping bra!! This was a lifesaver when I went back to work
- Play mat
- Rock n Play
- zip up sleep-n-play (clothes)
- Breathable bumper
- Robeez soft sole shoes

WildWhat · January 2016

Jumping in here to ask: where is the best place to register to stock up on baby clothes? Things that are simple, soft but not too crazy expensive? Also, any recommendations of how much in what sizes to ask for? I feel like everything else has been easy to research but the clothes are overwhelming! (Oh, and we are team green, so has to be gender neutral.)

ThisisNumber3 · January 2016

@WildWhat - Honestly I would look at just registering for a few things in the NB and 0-3month sizes in neutral colors. People will buy clothes and typically want to pick it out themselves. But registering for a few basic sleepers, some cotton onesies and pants, socks, etc would be good (if nothing else as a check list and completion discount for you). I love Target for some Carters basics. BRU seems to be really high priced unless you figure out how to finagle a sale.

We were team green for our first. Don't worry about getting too many clothes past that 0-3m size. Once baby is here you and everyone else will be excited to shop and pick out some new outfits so baby will have lots of blue/pink once they are here. Just have enough to get you through the first few weeks.

ThisisNumber3 · January 2016

For infant clothing basics here is what we used (even in hot FL we were indoors in the A/C so I liked my babies to be covered. It also protects them from detergents that other people might have on their clothes when holding them).

- 7-10 PJ type sleepers. Gowns are great (for boys and girls) and a couple of zip style ones. Enough to go a full week.
- 4-6 One piece outfits (again long sleeve) for if you go out during the day
- 4-6 onesie outfits (with soft cotton pants)
- a few extra basic onesies
- Coming home from hospital outfit
- One other special occasion but comfortable outfit

amandazap · January 2016

texasmama2014 said:

Don't: Wipe warmer, bottle warmer, baby tub
Do: Rock N Play!, several types of pacifier, diapers, all toiletries, wipes, hangers, extra sheets, bottle drying rack, hands free pumping bra, and basically anything you will need should go on at least before the completion coupon is used. The completion coupon can be used on anything as long as it is on the registry.

Everyone is different though, some people love their wipe warmers and bottle warmers, I just never saw a point.

I still use that bottle warmer and DS is 1 lol. My MIL tried to fight me though on the wipe warmer. I told her absolutely not and she thought I was "mean" for giving DS cold wipes.

echurley · January 2016

So much I agree with. My one add would be if you plan to formula feed, the bottles with liners were amazing. My mom bought them for me and I thought they were ridiculous, but ended up exclusively using them from the end of month one on. They save so much time!

Stephanie7693 · January 2016

Things I learned after kid 1:
Don't bother with bumpers for the crib, actually, skip the cute bed set in a bag. You won't be able to use the blanket until they are about 1, and by then they will have a favorite blankey. Stock up on crib sheets and changing pad covers, 2 or 3 of each for when you can't seem to keep up on laundry.
Lots of sleepers, maybe 5 in newborn size, and more in bigger sizes. Only bother with one newborn outfit, it will be a pain to dress baby in anything that doesn't button or zip all the way. Button down on onsies are awesome too, but can be hard to find. Long sleeve onsies with hand covers are awesome for newborn and 0 to 3 months.
Swing, bouncy chair, and jumper are great.
Pack n play is a must.
Consider putting a TV in baby's room for the first year, or wherever you plan on doing night feedings. I had my hubby put one in out sons room after the first couple weeks, and it was the only thing that kept me awake during those long nights. We took it out of his room as soon as he started sleeping through the night.
Sleep sacks were something we couldn't have enough of, but I didn't like the straight jacket looking ones, I likes the ones that had arms and just zipped all the way up. I can't seem to find them at target now, so I may have to order them online.
Nursing pads and bras are a must, even if you don't plan to breastfeeding feed. Buy them before baby comes becaus one day you just wake up in a puddle of milk. And it's painful, hence the nursing bras.
Blankets, you only need a couple. Don't give in to the cuteness and buy any, because people love to gift those and you won't know where to put them all.
Don't buy baby shoes
Get as many hats and blankets as you can from the hospital. Chances are you will love them for the first couple months

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