The Registry Thread

crizz13 · May 2020

Here's a place to post what sites you're using to register with.
FTMs feel free to ask questions about all the things.
STMs what are some registry MUST HAVES? What will you be repurchasing this time around? Is there anything you WISH you had known about prior to having your babies? What was a waste of time?

***Disclaimer***
All babies are different. A product that worked great for one child will be completely useless for another.

Below are links to the product spotlight threads for more in depth information on certain topics:
Diapering
Baby Carriers
Breast Pumps and Accessories
Car Seats
Strollers

crizz13 · May 2020

I'm going to put a plug right here for Lucie's List (that link is by category) and I'm going to tell you to sign up for her newsletter. Not spammy at all and emails you magically at the exact right times in your pregnancy and after baby is born.

surlyjaneausten · May 2020

STMs what are some registry MUST HAVES? My son spent a lot of time in his Boppy lounger just for hanging around. Also this Fisher Price baby seat that I bought myself when he was a few months old. The kid liked to move and didn’t love the swing or jumper. Attempting to link the bouncer below.

Fisher-Price Baby's Bouncer Geo Meadow https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014D4HPXI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_0TFVEbJN8H884

Lots of waterproof changing pads, cloth diapers just for burping, spit ups, general messes. Lots of wash cloths because they come in handy too.

What will you be repurchasing this time around?

Kimono style shirts that don’t have to go over baby’s head. My kid has a huge head and shirts over the head still ruin his day and have since he was a newborn. Carters zip up jammies for every season.

Is there anything you WISH you had known about prior to having your babies? What was a waste of time?

I wish I’d known how excited I’d be to get rid of huge-ass baby products like the pack and play, swing, and baby zoo/jumper toy. Even though I knew I’d have another baby I didn’t want that stuff in my house anymore. The bassinet was generally a waste except for a middle of the night changing table.

Like it’s said above, every baby is different so my list won’t be as complete as someone else’s. My baby never took a pacifier or a bottle and never slept by himself. I didn’t plan to do any of this!

I also wanted to see if anyone has experience with a Dockatot. I’m seriously considering one this time around as another spot to put baby to hang out for a bit. They’re just so expensive!

crizz13 · May 2020

Some things that were life savers for us:
Arms Reach Cosleeper
Boppy Lounger
Fisher Price Sit Me Up Floor Seat
Nose Frida (which looks totally disgusting, but you must get it)
Angelcare Baby Bath support if you are planning on bathing the baby in a big tub, especially if you are going to attempt sibling baths (STMs)
Kellymom.com for all things breastfeeding

I will come back later with more.

crizz13 · May 2020

@surlyjaneausten I don't have any experience with the dockatot - I know some people swear by them, but knowing you're not actually supposed to use it for sleep makes me think we'll pass. Also, expensive.

name1109 · May 2020

Aside from stroller, carrier, bed of sorts (crib/pack-n-play/bassinet), clothes, swaddles, diapers etc.

I really like the Boppy, nose frida, bumbo, a baby bounce thing to secure babe in the bathroom while I shower, changing mats for mobile changing stations.

I’m on the fence on the Mom-a-roo. It gets the kid off the floor with dogs etc to me is good but baby isn’t supposed to sleep in it.

Products I’m really curious about:

- lightweight swaddles like the Woombie—it is nice?
- Dock-a-tot...what is this used for? How is this different than a boppy? I get co-sleeping (not recommended...) is it just put baby somewhere and no rolling? I’m mainly concerned with dogs and commotion it isn’t worth it for us but I’m not sure.

- baby monitor...I haven’t had one to this point. I’m really considering one.

- owlet sock thing...worth it?
- Soft tipped electronic snot sucker...worth it?
- play mats...I haven’t had one in the past but I’m thinking it might be worth it to have a small-toy free zone.

Our youngest two are 3 and 4...both were born overseas and I didn’t buy a lot of new products. The stuff I have is coming up on 8 yrs old. I’d like to try new things out for last babe if it makes our life easier.

windywoman · May 2020

STMs what are some registry MUST HAVES?
I think I used my Boppy more than any other thing for the first six months. I highly recommend bringing it to the hospital too! Cloth diapers for up up rags. Nose Frieda.

What will you be repurchasing this time around?
Bottles and new nipples. Probably another monitor so I can watch DS and the LO.

I know there is a bunch of stuff I ended up not using but, i can't think of any of them right now. i will think and come back.

laurenmicheley · May 2020

@surlyjaneausten I'm a FTM, BUT one thing I am definitely registering for is the Dock-A-Tot. My best friend had her baby in October 2019 and is still using it to secure her baby on the couch since the sides are high enough to prevent him from rolling. She said she especially couldn't have gotten through the early months without it. Also, I live in NYC where space is limited, so this will be a definite space saver for us when we are hanging out in the living room and baby wants to nap. I like the fact that the covers are washable and it seems really high quality. My other friend has a knock-off and to be honest, it's nowhere near as nice and she didn't use it half as much. I think between that and a swing, we'll be pretty set on resting places outside of the bedroom.

jaclyn0405 · May 2020

STMs what are some registry MUST HAVES? Boppy Newborn Lounger, Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment, Waterproof Changing Pad Liners, the little sponge that goes into the bath (we just used straight in the sink), Fisher Price Kick & Play Piano Mat, lots of receiving blankets and cloth diapers for burp rags, WHITE NOISE MACHINE (it is a non-negotiable), a rocking chair, Nose Frida and Derma Frida (for dry skin on the scalp), pacifiers (we did MAM), Sophie the Giraffe, BABY MERLIN'S MAGIC SLEEPSUIT (you will thank me at 4 months), GRIPE WATER (omg it saved us at Day 8), newborn gowns for diaper changes, Cloud 9 footie pjs from Target they zip from the bottom freakin' genius, Manhattan Toy Rattle & Sensory Toy, Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Travel Activity Car Seat Gallery (she was obsessed), Avent Manual Breast Pump, Sarah Wells Pumparoo Pumping Bag with Staging Mat, and Como Tomo bottles.

What will you be repurchasing this time around? I will be purchasing and re-purchasing items this time around. For purchases (so far): Halo Bassinet, Mamaroo, Hiccapop Daydreamer Baby Floor Seat, Hatch Baby (Noise and Night Light). Re-purchasing: (2) Haakas, Sponge for the bath, and probably more Como Tomo bottles. I am sure I will need restock on other items above.

Is there anything you WISH you had known about prior to having your babies? What was a waste of time? I never saw the need for a diaper changing pail (we just took the trash out when needed), wipe warmers are a waste, and we never used the diaper cream slather on thing (our fingers worked just fine).

Ecat504 · May 2020

Just echoing most of what others said.

Don’t waste time or money on wipe warmers or diaper pails.

You have to have a hoppy and stock in burp cloths.

I’ll also add we had a moderately priced swing that someone gifted us and a very expensive swing that we bought (because we obviously thought we knew what was best). Both older kids hated the really expensive one. So I’m team middle tier of everything now!

jaclyn0405 · May 2020

@Ecat504 I could not agree more! What swing did you have? I am still debating that versus the Mamaroo only because I hear that some kids hate them and that shizz is expensive!

magdaaaa · May 2020

@name1109 - as a 3TM and a nurse, I will tell you the Owlet is hands down my number one MUST HAVE baby item. peace of mind and decent sleep are priceless!

also, we love the dockatot. worth it.

more must have - several (2-3) waterproof crib mattress pads, the amazon cloud cam for a baby monitor, lots of cloth changing pads (basically pee pads for diaper changes and sleeping), spectra s2 breast pump

waste of time - wipe warmer, diaper pail (THEY SMELL F*CKING TERRIBLE), bottle warmer (just use a pot of hot water or a crockpot)

crizz13 · May 2020

Oh don't make a FTM mistake like me and buy a million of one type of bottle.

We went through The Great Bottle Battle of 2015 with DD1 and tried ELEVEN different types to get her to take something while I was at work.

crizz13 · May 2020

Also don't waste your money on a keekaroo.

1MommyRunner · May 2020

STMs what are some registry MUST HAVES?

Swaddleme wraps! Both of my babies began sleeping through the night the first time we used them. It was a total game changer! Boppy and white noise/sound machine round out my top 3!

What was a waste of time?
We never did a wipes warmer, bottle warmer or sterilizer. (It was just as efficient to hold a wipe in my hand for 10 seconds)

KateBee · May 2020

My twins are four but I feel like I’ve been out of the game forever. We couldn’t have survived without our Rock N Plays and they’re blacklisted, so praying we don’t have another baby with reflux. Any recommendations for something similar?

Must-have:
Pajamas with zippers. No buttons. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
SwaddleMe Velcro swaddles
White noise machine
NoseFrida
Butt Paste
Snuza for peace of mind (but maybe the Owlet is the new Snuza?)

What was a waste of time?

Diaper pail
Changing pad (when you have three kids under 18 months anywhere will do)
Beautiful swaddle blankets not made out of Velcro
Diaper bag (I just used a big purse or a backpack)
Anything with buttons.

I also really recommend watching the Happiest Baby on the Block with your SO right before your baby arrives. So many good tips that we wouldn’t have thought of.

name1109 · May 2020

@magdaaaa what do you like about the spectra 2? I’ve had the double electric avent and medela pumps. I usually pump twice a day during my work day. It looks like we will get a dock-a-tot and owlet. Thank you.

@jaclyn0405 I thought I’d share my two cents on the mamaroo. It does look nice. I did use it for the last two babies. I found the motions to be slightly jerky. I liked that it was narrow and in small spaces that was useful. I’ll use it for this babe but necessary? No. A swing with music in the background is just as adequate I think.

@KateBee I feel the same. Our youngest will be 3. I didn’t buy a lot of products with her. I swear so much changes!

Ecat504 · May 2020

@jaclyn0405

I had one similar to this one but not exactly, this one is the one I’ll be purchasing this time.

mimser · May 2020

I started building a registry on Babylist. After attending several baby showers, this was my favorite one and I like that you can add the product from several vendors.

laurenmicheley · May 2020

@magdaaaa I have a friend who can give me the Owlet (she doesn't use it anymore) and I was thinking about taking that, However, I was interested in the Nanit. Any idea how comparable they are?

magdaaaa · May 2020

@name1109 I loved the customization of the s2 and I got the best output of any pump I’ve ever tried. I used the Medela pulp in style advance for when I was at work bc it’s portability is ideal.

@laurenmicheley i haven’t looked into the Nanit so I can’t say, but I know the owlet was gold for us. I’ll check out the nanit!

magdaaaa · May 2020

@laurenmicheley ok I just looked at the Nanit is a completely different product. The owlet is just a small little neoprene like soft sock that goes on baby’s foot. They can wear it any time, not just when sleeping. It constantly monitors their o2 and heart rate and sends alerts to any phone linked to the owlet, the docking station, Mars, etc if anything gets dicey. The nanit looks like a whole camera setup with a. Swaddle they have to wear and another piece so it would only work for sleeping. And in my opinion that’s an awful lot of money to spend based on the assumption your baby even tolerates that particular/any swaddle and to only be useful when asleep. But that’s just me! None of my kids have ever tolerated swaddling and we liked the owlet for longer car rides when LO is rear facing, nap time, overnight, etc.

Also, the nurse in me loves the constant monitoring and tracking.... but that’s just old habits.

hope that helps!

hedgepig · May 2020

STMs what are some registry MUST HAVES? White noise, velcro swaddles, carseat mirror, baby carrier, sleep sacks, IKEA high chair.
I resisted getting a swing, and then someone gave me one and it ended up being amazing!

What will you be repurchasing this time around? A new baby carrier.

What was a waste of time? We never used a boppy for a place to put baby, as I see lots of people doing - we just put him on a blanket on the floor if we needed to set him down (like when I was showering), but we don't have dogs, so that might be a big difference. We also hardly used the baby bathtub - I just got in the tub with him instead. I think we might get more use this time because of sibling baths.

Anyone have recommendations for video monitors? We have an audio only, and I didn't even use it much when DS was tiny, but now, with two, I think it might be handy to have video.

mimser · May 2020

Has anyone compared the Snuggle Me and the DockATot?

ksd20 · May 2020

STM here. I really liked the Haakaa, velcro swaddles and nice swaddle blankets (DH preferred the blanket), sleep sacks in various sizes and materials, Nose frida, sound machine, humidifier, bassinet (halo swivel sleeper), pack and play with changing table and elevated sleep area, butt spatula (DS had a super sensitive butt and we were slathering him in cream 24/7), baby wraps/slings/carriers.

We bought a swing and high chair second hand from friends. The swing was used briefly, could probably have done without it. Other friends gave us a jumper which he loved and used for a while and a bouncer seat which we kept in our room/ bathroom.

I'm not a big fan of baby containers in general which is why the swing and bouncer seat didn't get a lot of use. We put him on a blanket on the floor - the dog got used to him quickly, held or carried him a lot.

I wish I would have put more toddler things on the registry like utensils, cups, suction plates/bowls, larger size sleep sacks.

I also didn't register for towels, receiving blankets, bath soap/ lotions, etc and people bought a ton of things in styles/ brands we don't prefer. So I now recommend putting 1 set of the brand/ style so it doesn't happen to you.

hedgepig · May 2020

Here's a knit wool blanket that I got for my son when he got old enough to need a blanket in his crib. It's sooooo soft and beautiful and he really loves it (calls it his "special blanket"). This time I am going to get one right away for this November baby. I highly recommend them - perfect size for wrapping a baby, or in a carseat, or to fit over a sleeping toddler.

https://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/collections/accessories/products/disana-merino-wool-blanket

reirei84 · May 2020

Any recommendations of WHERE to register at? Are you registering at just one place or more than one?

I live away from my side of the family, so I want to make it easy for any gift givers.

jaclyn0405 · May 2020

@reirei84 with my first I registered at BuyBuyBaby and Pottery Barn Kids. This time around I won't have a shower, but I needed a place to store things that I do need to buy and I decided to go with Babylist. It gives multiple store options for purchase and who has the cheaper deal. I like that it doesn't lock you into one specific store.

crizz13 · May 2020

@reirei84 My first is old enough that we registered at Babies R Us (it was pretty much the only baby place back then) and Pottery Barn Kids. For #2 we did everything on Amazon (didn't have a shower) and just used it for the completion discount for the stuff we needed to restock. This time around, we're doing the same...but since he's a boy, I'm gathering up everything I like in terms of decor and clothing, etc. that's "boy specific" and putting it all on Babylist so I have a common place for everything. I'll comb through it when we actually start purchasing things.

1MommyRunner · May 2020

To spin off of @crizz13 post, the completion discount on amazon is amazing. I totally added DS’s Christmas toys to DD’s baby registry since she was born in December...and got his presents with the completion discount! 🥳 We totally worked that system. 🙌🏻

acdc1109 · May 2020

@1MommyRunner that is BRILLIANT!!! I will so be doing that this year even though I wasn't even planning to make a registry.

laurenmicheley · May 2020

I started a registry at BuyBuyBaby, but am now thinking about moving it over to amazon, totally. Where am I better off? Also, how does Babylist work? Is it a simple aggregator?

crystalmir91385 · May 2020

Wait....we need to buy stuff?

Just kidding.
But in all seriousness, this is number 3 for us, and sooo many things get over hyped.

Don't get a wipe warmer or diaper pail. We put a tiny garbage in the nursery with an arm n hammer diaper bag, and changed it daily.
We had a boppy in the nursery, but if I was downstairs, I just grabbed a throw pillow and propped up my arm.
Swaddle blankets gave me nothing but headaches. Get something with a zipper or velcro.

hedgepig · May 2020

Last time I had an Amazon registry and a Target registry. No one bought anything from Target, but I did get gift cards which I used in conjunction with my completion discount to get my Tula. You can also pick up a little goodie bag at Target, although it wasn't anything special. Amazon is easy and has everything, and a nice welcome box. I was also given a lot of Amazon gift cards, so that was helpful.

This time, even though we won't have a shower or anything, I have Amazon and BabyList registries, just to keep things organized, and for welcome boxes and completion discounts. Also, I suspect that some family members might want to buy us stuff. I did the Amazon one by default, but honestly, I am trying really hard to avoid giving Jeff Bezos any more of my money, so I did a BabyList one too. I do like that BabyList lets you add items from anywhere, since I was able to put my preferred cloth diapers, stuff from Etsy and the Happy Baby carrier I want - all of which isn't available on Amazon.

On that note - has anyone gotten a BabyList welcome box? Is it any good? I just want to have a sense of it, since you do have to pay shipping.

doublestroller · May 2020

We did Amazon, BuyBuyBaby, and Pottery Barn Kids. Amazon does allow you to link items from other websites, which I’m guessing is the point of Babylist. I added a couple items from Etsy and my Sarah Wells pump bag and people could view them and mark as complete.

And yes, we transitioned our toy wish list for DD to the baby registry, and you get two different completion discount purchases so we might do our first in time for her birthday and then make the final purchase in time for Christmas!

jaclyn0405 · May 2020

@hedgepig I got one! It is okay I would say. Honestly I got it so long ago, let me look at it tonight and let you know what was in there again LOL!

mimser · May 2020

Well I might get to cross a bunch of items off my registry. Looks like my mom is spreading the word to the rest of the family and hand me downs are coming my way!

I would get the halo bassinet, the Babybjorn bouncer, an uppa vista v2 stroller with the infant attachment, a bath support... everything looks brand new...

They're also offering the Uppa Mesa infant car seat which I don't think I would accept for security reasons, as well as the Medela® Freestyle Flex™ Portable Double Electric Breast Pump used 4 times which I'm unsure about too.

Their last baby is 7 months old now and also a boy so I should also get a lot of clothes.

Anyway, it's over $1,000 I might get to save and that would really be welcome. I finished my first "draft" for my registry yesterday and I felt a little overwhelmed.

name1109 · May 2020

@mimser I’d take the pump and see how it all connects. You can usually buy new flanges and stuff. The pump is separate anything that touches breastmilk — from what I’ve seen. Pretty much anything that touches you and breastmilk can be repurchased.

laurenmicheley · May 2020

@jaclyn0405 I'm also wondering if it's worth my $10 to ship it.

potofgolden · May 2020

Soo I went a little overboard with the spoiler hahah. It’s a copy of DD amazon registry of purchased items. I kept it up until she was one, and asked family to purchase gifts for Christmas and 1st Birthday off of it. Some items were bought from other places, and I would add it to my Amazon registry and mark as purchased so we didn’t end up with duplicates. A lot of these items I did purchase myself as well. If you have any questions about any of the products let me know.

Non registry items that I found super helpful... no joke.. Apple Watch, I used and still do the light on it all the time to navigate through the dark. A single tub sink in the kitchen for washing baby. If you own your own house and want to do a little upgrade, do your sink and faucet, it was helpful and pretty!

Some items I don’t think are listed that are musts for me were Halo Sleep
Sacks, Zipper Footie PJs, this walker https://www.buybuybaby.com/store/product/chicco-reg-walky-talky-walker/5403856 A must!

Items purchased that I wouldn’t buy again... hand mittens, (use socks instead), I never used the sanitizer, the high chair was pricey and it’s a pain to clean, shoes are for photo ops..waste of money until they are older then buy stride rite brand!

^older toys

surlyjaneausten · May 2020

I got my amazon baby box yesterday after buying something off my registry and thought I’d share what was in it. I got a Carter’s onesie, a gerber cotton swaddling blanket, two brands of bottles, a pack of wipes, and samples of baby wash, detergent, and aquaphor.

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