The Baby Registry Thread

AB518 · May 2020

Here is a thread for all things related to your baby registry.

For STMs:
Do you have any recommendations on where to register?
What are your must haves?
Is there anything that you wish that you wouldn't have put on your registry?
What did you wish that you would have put on your registry but didn't realize it until later?

FTMs:
Do you have any questions?
Is there anything that you are really excited about putting on your registry?

Anyone:
How are the freebies this year?

profmcgonagall · May 2020

I registered on Amazon and Target but only shared my amazon registry. I did Target solely for the bag of freebies and completion discount.

I really liked Amazon because most everyone has prime these days and they can ship gifts for free. I live across the ocean from my family so that made it really easy for them. Amazon also gives you a discount on diapers if $500 is spent off your registry, as well as a good box of freebies and completion discount.

I don’t recommend adding clothes to the registry because people are will buy those anyway. But add socks because no one gifted us socks. We were also gifted a lot of swaddle blankets and had way too many.

If you register for toiletries such as bath wash and diaper cream, make sure you get smaller sizes just in case your baby has sensitive skin and can’t use it.

I think everyone should register for bottles even if you plan on breastfeeding. You never know if you will need them or not and it’s best to have them just in case so you’re not running to the store at 11pm.

I regret not registering for solid feeding items such as forks, spoons, sippy cups and plates.

baseballismyfavoriteseason · May 2020

Agree with not registering for clothes. I also wished I would have registered for toddler eating supplies!

Definitely register, even if you’re not planning on a shower. You get a 15% off your purchase coupon when you get close to your due date (at least at Amazon, Buy Buy Baby, and Target.

I got the Amazon Welcome Box already for this year... I’ll try to find where I put it. It was in the boys’ bedroom but we emptied it this weekend to start “remodeling” so I’m not sure where it got to... when I find it I’ll take a photo.

baseballismyfavoriteseason · May 2020

Also, to @profmcgonagall’s point about the Amazon discount if you receive more than $500 worth of items from your registry, this counts for stuff you buy and gifts. So I have already added a few things and then bought them right away for the toddler to start working my way towards that. With my first I ended up not using the discount towards diapers, but towards the Amazon brand diaper genie refills, and I still have some left.

AB518 · May 2020

I remember looking at Lucie's List a lot during my first pregnancy to try to help with deciding which items to include on my registry.

For this pregnancy, I made a registry at Amazon and Target mainly as a personal shopping list and for the completion discounts later. For my first pregnancy, I registered at Amazon, Target, and Babies R Us. It makes me sad that Babies R Us isn't around anymore. I had gotten a couple of Babies R Us brand products that I had really liked.

I decided to not put any clothing on my registry the first time, and I am really glad that I didn't because so many people bought DS clothing plus I got a lot of hand me downs that looked brand new. He got so many clothes that he wasn't able to wear all of them before he outgrew them. Most people bought him newborn and 3 month sized clothing.

I had been told by multiple people that the Boppy Lounger was a waste of money, but I loved it! I got so much use out of it. I just wish that it had a removable cover. I made my own cover to keep it clean. I was also told that bottle warmers and sterilizers were a waste of money, but they were items that I used a lot. They aren't completely necessary, but they do provide convenience.

anitamargarita_82 · May 2020

I’d say have things at all price points on your registery as well. That way no one is left out. We’ve had several family members registered exclusively at Pottery Barn and wanted the most expensive stuff they could find. Add a couple of extra boppy pillow covers do you always have a fresh one Incase spit up ends up on one. Same with crib sheets. I have 4 for my DD and they’re very handy for when the kids are sick and you have to change sheets multiple times during the night. Also a waterproof mattress pad as well. I’d also say throw a can if basic formula on there too. Just Incase breast feeding isn’t working and it’s the middle of the night and you’re desperate. I’d also say at least 2 Nose Fridas as well. One for upstairs, one for down stairs or however your living situation is.

We didn’t use our bottle sanitizer at all and it was a waste of 80 bucks. We just ran everything through the dish washer.

carrotsandpeas3 · May 2020

I registered on Amazon and at Target. I registered on Amazon again this time, just for myself to get the completion discount! Agree with most things said. I have always been thrifty, so had trouble with the large number of baby contraptions that seemed necessary, but we used them all a ton. Only clothing items I found us buying more of than expected that I would say I would have added is drool bibs. Otherwise, agree with not putting clothing or swaddles on the list.

Must have items for me were Nose Frida, baby carrier, and hakaa pump.

Pricey item I bought later was the circle of neglect activity center. Didn't use until 5ish months but used a ton after that. Could have registered for one probably.

While I agree with getting some bottles, know that breastfed babies can be tricky with taking a bottle, so don't buy a ton of one kind until you know they will take it. We tried 4 different kinds before we found one my daughter would latch onto (and even then she hated it but tolerated when necessary).

Also, ended up with plenty of formula samples from different places, so didn't feel the need to buy any as I at least had sample containers in case of emergency. They are sitting expired in a cabinet now. Should probably clean that out.

MJDsquared · May 2020

Honestly I didn't need a lot of big stuff with my first because we got some hand me downs or bought some things secondhand. I started a registry on Amazon last night and have added two convertible car seats (one for each car), another baby monitor camera to connect to my current screen, mirrors for the car (3 because we have 1 right now for DD in 1 car)... I think that's all for now. I don't plan on sharing it with anyone but I assume my mom/MIL will probably buy something from it for us.

I just wanted to make sure to have one for the completion discount and diaper discount. I don't remember this being the case with DD, but Amazon gives the option of setting a dollar amount to allow group gifts. So if an item is above $X, people can just contribute a portion, which is nice.

ccstlln1 · May 2020

FTM, I’m a little unsure if I should add an activity center to my registry. I’ve read mixed stuff on whether they’re beneficial or not and I’ve also had some friends say that they’re great and others who’ve said to stay clear of them.

baseballismyfavoriteseason · May 2020

@ccstlln1 Ehhhh... you could go either way. We waited and bought one from a kids consignment sale when our little guy was ready, because we didn’t have room to store larger toys in our apartment at the time.

Rather than registering for formula you may or may not use, you can sign up for free samples from a formula company. We did this and received three full-size cans. I can’t remember the brand—Enfamil maybe? It was three different varieties, we opened one and used it once, and I donated the other two cans.

Bottle warmer and sterilizer were a waste of money for us. The bottle warmer took too long; we ended up running milk bags under hot tap water and it was much faster. I used the sterilizer until I was told my our pediatrician, a PICU nurse friend, and a lactation consultant that we didn’t need to sanitize after every use, just when they first come into the house or first out of the package.

carrotsandpeas3 · May 2020

@ccstlln1 agree with @baseballismyfavoriteseason. I definitely loved our activity center, but since you won't use it for the first few months, it's up to you whether to put it on your registry/have to store it for a while.

Also, @baseballismyfavoriteseason agree 100% about formula samples and sterilizing!

AB518 · May 2020

@ccstlln1 I didn't put any activity centers on my registry because I don't like items that take up a lot of space unless it's an essential item. However, my mother kept telling me that DS needed an activity center. I gave in and let her buy one for DS. He loved it! He got an exersaucer. He enjoyed bouncing up and down in it along with spinning around to play with all of the different toys. It did free up my hands to be able to get stuff done. It is one of those items that is nice to have if you have the room for it, but it isn't absolutely necessary.

MJDsquared · May 2020

@ccstlln1 We bought a Fisher Price jumparoo second hand and it was great! She loved bouncing in it. And I feel like this time trying to deal with a toddler and baby at the same time I'll use it just as much if not more.

westslopemama · May 2020

I made an amazon registry. I mainly created it for myself so I could keep track of items that I needed. I bought the majority of stuff secondhand so it was helpful to have a list of things to look for when shopping in baby thrift stores or when searching online.

I added bottles to my registry, but never used the ones I received because my son had horrible reflux and needed a different type of bottle. We didn’t start him on a bottle until around 12 weeks and by the time I remembered to look into returning the bottles it was too late.

I didn’t use an activity center with my son, but he loved his activity mat. We picked one up from a friend when he was about 3 months old and he really enjoyed looking at and grabbing the toys on it. It’s small and easy to store so it might be a nice item to register for.

babyodo · May 2020

We're registered on BabyList, which is kinda like a Pinterest registration since you can link items from pretty much anywhere into one centralized list. They also had a welcome box they sent me for ten bucks and it was cool to see all the samples of stuff.

I was nervous about putting big-ticket items on it (nursery furniture, travel system, etc) but I know many folks will go in on a gift together, so I don't feel so bad. And even if they don't get those things for us, I have no problem buying them ourselves, so it's good to have it saved to a centralized location.

I have a couple questions:

1) Is a wipe warmer worth it? I've read mixed reviews, some saying it's good for nighttime changes since the baby is less likely to wake up due to cold wipes on their bums, and others have said it's a waste of money and nursery space.

2) How soon should we begin sharing registry info? Our shower is tentatively scheduled for Labor Day weekend, but we also have a lot of out of town family & friends that won't be able to come to the shower, so I wasn't sure when we should provide them with that info.

anitamargarita_82 · May 2020

I just found this online. Now I’m thinking about selling my Halo Bassinet and getting this!

https://www.4moms.com/products/mamaroo-sleep-bassinet?utm_source=facebook-ad&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sleep-upper-no-targ

carrotsandpeas3 · May 2020

@babyodo I never had a wipe warmer and had no trouble. My vote is unnecessary. As far as sharing registry info, I never shared outside of my shower invite unless someone asked for it. It's super easy to look someone up online without asking too if necessary, so I know some people did that. My parents and ILs also knew where we were registered if people asked them.

baseballismyfavoriteseason · May 2020

@babyodo Agree with @carrotsandpeas3 re the wipe warmer. Our first was born the beginning of December and had almost no fat on him, so for the first 4-6 weeks we just kept the heat cranked in his bedroom, where we did diaper changes. Wipe warmers can also cause your wipes to dry out or go moldy—I’ve heard of both. Drying out is more of a nuisance than a real problem, but moldy wipes?? 🤢 Also agree about registry. Only gave it out on request.

babycakesday · May 2020

I registered the first time at babies r us 😭 and it’s made me so sad this time around that it’s closed. We also registered on amazon and loved the completion discount to get some of the higher priced items people couldn’t afford to get us. I did amazon this year mostly for us. I don’t plan on a shower even though everyone keeps telling us we need one to celebrate our baby and it being four years later.

Things I registered and loved: our jogging stroller, boppy lounger, glass bottles, reusable diapers, nose frida, baby activity center

things I didn’t really use: all the baby blankets, baby food blender

things I wish I had registered: solid eating supplies, high chair, mamaroo

This time I have my own list on amazon and I’ve also been checking resale sites to see if I get it any cheaper.

anitamargarita_82 · May 2020

@babyodo I’m for the wipe warmer. My daughter was 9 weeks premature. She’d cry every diaper change in the nicu until I brought a wipe warmer to the hospital. Then she had zero issues. We still use it to this day and have never had wipes mold or dry out. We’ll continue to use it for our son as well.

coldbrew · May 2020

We never had any type of warmer and no issues. I’m a fan of less is more.

kboydbowman · May 2020

So what's the etiquette on when to send out registry information?

baseballismyfavoriteseason · May 2020

@kboydbowman I don’t know that there’s any real “etiquette” anymore... I personally only told people if they asked, like in the case of my SIL planning my shower. I feel uncomfortable handing out that information willy-nilly because I don’t want anyone to feel pressured to give me a gift. Plenty of people still gave me gifts and it’s easy enough to look up the info online. On the other hand, I’ve seen people post their registry info on Facebook. They probably received more gifts than I did. 🤣 As far as timing, which is ACTUALLY your question (sorry!), it seems pretty common to do around months 7-8?

anitamargarita_82 · May 2020

I know a girl who posted her baby registry about once a week to FB. With something like “Incase anyone wants to send us something.” It was her second child. Granted it was a girl and her first was a boy but I definitely came across as greedy.

aefsparrow · May 2020

I think it also depends on what your familial and friend situation is. My family is ALL super far away and have been asking for a registry for the last month. As for timing I think it depends on you, I'm a person who likes to have a bit of a plan to it. I'm hoping to get ours out in the next month or so. We will probably post to Facebook casually, and email to relatives who have asked.

kboydbowman · May 2020

@aefsparrow I'm the only one on the West coast, everyone else is NC/SC/IN/FL/ME/TN.

babyodo · May 2020

@kboydbowman So, that's something we're facing, as well. It doesn't help that MH was in a pretty popular band in this area for over a decade, so he has a bajillion friends on FB and they all are super duper excited for him since for the longest time he was a serial bachelor who said he never wanted kids. Then I came along 8 years ago and changed all that, lol. That being said, we've already received novelty gifts (onesies, blankets, etc) that are so not our taste, so I'm hoping that by sharing our registry information that we'll be able to curb that. Also, though, I know that it's still super early, but since people are already buying us stuff it's just like, "Please don't." But I don't want to be rude or seem ungrateful, either.

We ran across this when we were wedding planning too. We got a lot of wedding gifts for things we never used and things we didn't register for, and that was because our registry info was only listed on our wedding website which we only shared that link in our invitations (versus on social media). So, lesson learned.

peanutorcookie · May 2020

@anitamargarita_82 I had a friend do that too for her 2nd! She was having a boy, first was a girl. I don't think I'll be posting our link on Facebook like that, but maaaaybe just to a limited audience (family and close friends) since our family is very spread out.

baseballismyfavoriteseason · May 2020

I didn’t know whether to post this to this thread or randoms, but Target (at least here in the US, sorry!) has a couple offers right now that could be cool if combined: 20% off a crib mattress when you buy select nursery furniture (includes cribs, bassinets, gliders, and more), and get a $40 gift card when you spend more than $250 on select nursery furniture. I’m still trying to figure out if you can combine offers (edit: you can combine!), but if so I think you can work out the math to make this a better deal than the 15% off registry completion deal. ETA: both offers expire 5/25.

anitamargarita_82 · May 2020

Target has also been having gift cards with purchase of various baby things. So I’ve been stocking up on diapers and an up to about 100 bucks in free gift cards so far.

mamahosch · May 2020

@baseballismyfavoriteseason I’m so mad I bought the dresser and bassinet when I did! I should have waited a week and got a gift card 😂

coldbrew · May 2020

Regarding registry info, I would only send it out in a shower invite. Otherwise people can easily find them (most people do amazon and target anyway) or will ask if they want it.

baseballismyfavoriteseason · May 2020

@mamahosch awww shoot!! I placed my crib mattress + glider order this morning and I’m pretty psyched. 😁

morethanamama · May 2020

LONG POST AHEAD! I Love registries so much

100% agree with the different price points. We had expensive things for family and then a variety of things for the shower guests. Some random stuff for us too, basically as a shopping list. We made a note in the registry description so people knew they could do as they pleased.

I seem to remember our shower invitations were via evite, so we explained that for clothes we appreciated larger sizes. I think it's so good to have things for past the 12m mark! Otherwise you end up with a ton of NB/0-3 mo (which is also tricky because of baby size) and then nothing for later on. I was lucky to have a million hand me downs which I am sure saved me a ton of money.

I am a YES to the activity table. We did not like exersaucers so we got a SkipHop and it was grand. It converts into a table, so you can use it for a long time! We still use it as a table now and we will re-covert it for baby girl. My son loved it and it was good because there was no jumping involved which I preferred. If you know a lot of people and are expecting many gifts, I say go for it. For the high chair, I think I mentioned elsewhere we did not register for it since we had a lot of stuff in our apartment and no garage for storage so we held off. We LOVED the Ikea chair (minus the awful table - but there are hacks) and we will use it again for this baby. We have a Stokke now for my son but I think (as I might have mentioned already) it is awful for the baby stage. A great investment though for toddlerhood (18m+) and beyond.

I did register for feeding things and I strongly recommend it. Ezpz tiny cup, Munchkin straw cups, replay dishes, and OXO sticky dishes (I feel for EZPZ but they don't fit the Stokke and they don't stick well! A waste of $15-20). GrabEase utensils too. For my son now I like the Gerber forks a lot, or the Cloud Island silverware. Crocodile Creek bibs are awesome for on the go. For home, I recommend the silicone bibs because they catch stuff and are a breeze to clean, plus a few Bumkins little aprons which are good for art stuff too. One thing to note is that we did Baby Led Weaning and no spoon feeding. If you plan on baby food, then spoons and bibs are all you need.

Other Must-have things IMO: baby carrier, stroller, bassinet (we got one from H's company so we didn't need it), brib, crib mattress, mattress protector, sheets (get 4-5 sets, they are so nice to have and not wash all the time), bassinet sheets, monitor, car seat, car seat base(s), bouncer, 2 small sets of bottles (so you can try and see if baby likes one of them - we did MAM and Comotomo), bottle warmer, diaper cream (small containers, to try them out), pack and play, sunscreen, diaper bag, diaper caddy, portable changing pad, changing pad (we did a foam skip hop - no covers to wash!), ALLLL the burp cloths, sound machine, a couple of different swaddles (again, trial and error), my brestfriend pillow, boppy lounger if that's your thing, some teething toys, a swing, and activity mat, a bottle drying rack. Diapers and wipes.

Things I did not use or I didn't think were important to have in a registry: postpartum things for mom (I used a lot of hospital provided stuff and just bought witch hazel and aloe for relief), nipple cream (I barely used it, but I did try a few and used Earth Mama for a few weeks int he beginning), books (unless you have favorites, people will always buy you some), toys, people will always give you some and you won't want to take over your house with toys. When they are so little they really don't do much for a few months!

wineren · May 2020

I so agree with @morethanamama about bigger kid clothes. My friend gave me a ton of clothes 12m-4T that we're still using. I certainly bought more (because kid clothes shopping is more fun than adult clothes shopping lol) but it made a huge financial difference. I don't think DS even wore everything we had in small sizes.

carrotsandpeas3 · May 2020

I think asking for bigger sizes is tricky if you live somewhere with seasons. It's really hard to guess super far in advance how big your kid is going to be. I got a bunch of summer stuff in 18 mo from my brother as a baby gift and she just grew out of it all right before it got warm here. 🤦

baseballismyfavoriteseason · May 2020

Yes @carrotsandpeas3! We actually didn’t receive any thing smaller than 12m clothes as gifts (although didn’t register for any clothes at all) but some of the gifts we did receive, we could never use because they didn’t work for the season.

If you have sewers in your life, I don’t think there’s a need to register for burp cloths. I received a TON of homemade burp cloths without registering for any.

AB518 · May 2020

I agree that asking for bigger sizes is a good idea, but it is tough if you live somewhere with a wide range of temperature changes throughout the year and it is tough to predict how fast your little one is going to grow. DS grew quickly. He was wearing 12 month sizes when he was 6 months old, and he ended up wearing 24 month/2T sizes when he was a year old.

wineren · May 2020

We have seasons where I live (90s and 100s in the summer to teens and below with feet of snow in the winter), but most of what we got is jeans or joggers and t-shirts so we just layered in the winter.

ETA: but that is a good point, especially for super season specific things like bathing suits or snowsuita. I bought several baby snowsuits at a consignment sale that DS was too big for by the time winter happened. I forgot about that.

morethanamama · May 2020

It's true, I live in California so it's a little harder to guess. I think it depends if people are smart buyers and think of seasons a bit. Also true that it depends on how fast baby grows, mine was a peanut and grew slow and steady until 12m then kid of grew into regular sizing. For us, tshirts are fine all year round as well as sweatshirts and probably leggings. Shorts and swim stuff is tricky here too.

babycakesday · May 2020

@baseballismyfavoriteseason I agree if you know anyone who sews they’ll will give you burpcloths. I always make a set as a gift and matching bibs. I started making crib sheet recently and those have been a huge hit.

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