I wanted to share my "must-have" newborn items and few of my favorites!
REGISTRY ITEMS: MUST-HAVE'S
- Diapers - For obvious reasons, diapers are super important however I wouldn't add them directly to the registry, instead, opt to have a diaper raffle where you request that guests bring one pack of diapers to enter to win a gift. You could also ask for this in-lieu of a card: "instead of a card, kindly bring a small pack of diapers."
- Bath-tub - I always ask for the blooming flower because it's honestly the easiest option. With both of our boys and our daughter, we use the blooming flower because it easily fits into most sinks and then, as baby grows, you can simply place the flower in the bottom of the tub and lay baby down. Of course you could opt for one of the actual tubs as well.
- Towels - I typically ask for wash cloths and baby towels; these are normally inexpensive but are great for long-term use. Plus they aren't as harsh on the baby's skin as other towels. We love Muslin towels, wash cloths, and blankets.
- Diaper bag - Invest in a good quality, long-lasting diaper bag because this will be your best friend for at least 3 years.
- Clothes - Honestly, I don't put clothes on my registry simply because I would rather people choose what they want to buy clothing-wise. I think people have more fund choosing the clothes themselves.
- Baby Monitor - This is a must! Even if baby co-sleeps with you, you will need a monitor. It's impossible to survive without one. I love the Summer Infant 2.0 cameras. We have two - one in our boy's room and one in our daughters room. The Summer Infant 2.0 let's you connect up to 4 cameras and you can easily put it on "scan" mode to scan through the connected cameras at 8-seconds per camera. It's wonderful!
- Car Seat and Stroller - Car seats are definitely a must, you if you find one you love, toss it on your registry. We have the Graco carseat and all three of my children use it. We just kept it and used it as a hand-me-down. I prefer the strollers that allow me to easily connect the carseat without the seat. The Graco stroller that we have gives you the option to remove the seat portion while the carseat is being used which is amazing because it helps make the base of the stroller so light-weight. We do have another stroller which is a triple stroller for when we are with all three kids, but if one of us has to run out for a minute with the baby while the other stays with the boys, then we just grab the simple base and it allows us to easily go without bulk or hassle.
- Swaddles and Blankets - I highly, highly recommend you put swaddles on your list. They are lifesavers! Babies love to feel cozy, like they're in the womb, and swaddles are the easiest way to mimic that. Yes, you could easily swaddle with a blanket but sometimes that makes them all bulky or they blanket eventually loosens and then you end up having to re-wrap it about 10 times a day. Instead grab a swaddle that zips or velcros. I promise, you'll be glad you added this. Of course you'll want to have extra blankets. I keep a blanket in each room - our room, baby's room, and the livingroom/main area. You never know when you're going to need one and having one or two is great but it becomes a hassle - if they get dirty, then you end up having to do laundry all the time. Instead, ask for 4-5 blankets in addition to the swaddle, this way you have plenty available.
- Baby Carrier/Sling - While I don't use mine that often, these can be huge lifesavers as well. Especially if you like to keep baby close by. I'll be honest, with my first baby, I used this a lot more, but now I find myself bending over and moving all too much to keep a baby strapped to me. I worry I'd cause her more injury trying to wear her while doing all my activities, then to just put her down somewhere safe like her crib or swing for the few minutes I'm busy. On the flip-side, I do think these are so important for when you are out and about like at events or places where you'll be walking for extended periods of time - like grocery shopping! Instead of having to put the whole carseat in a basket, just take baby out and wear them in the carrier/sling. I recommend investing in two - one that is an actual sling that is more comfy and kangaroo-style and then the other which is more carrier style where their legs and arms are free because you can easily use the sling until they're about 3-4 months but then after that, the carrier will be the best option. I know the slings have the capability to convert to carrier style, but for me it's about the added support of the actual carrier.
REGISTRY ITEMS: NICE-TO-HAVE-EXTRAS
- Pacifiers and Bottles - These are things that are typically inexpensive so you could easily just purchase these yourself, but if you want to add them just in case, it never hurts.
- Baby Food Processor - With my first baby, I asked for a Baby Bullet but then I realized that it was kind of pointless. It's small and while it works, I wasn't able to make large amounts of food like I could with an actual processor or even a Nutibullet style blender. You can certainly put it on your list, but you could also just put a Blender/Food Processor on your registry which makes larger portions and can be used once baby is out of the baby food stage. That was another thing, it seemed silly to spend $80 on a Baby Bullet when our babies only eat baby food for about 6 months. As soon as they are able to eat table food, we switch which is typically around 8/9months. So that means from about 4 months to 8 months, they are eating baby food - doesn't seem like that is long enough for me to think $80 is reasonable.
- Toys - I'll be honest, we never put toys on our registry. Newborns don't need toys, and by the time they are able to play with toys, we just run out and buy a few. I wouldn't clog up the registry with toys, instead pick a play mat to add which can be used at about 3 weeks old when baby can start tummy time but they can grow with the baby as most play mats have toy attachments.
- Boppy - I know some people who use these religiously, I however never did. Yes, they are nice to have for the occasional times but overall, I felt like I didn't really use it much. For feedings, I always held baby. I never put baby on the Boppy to feed. The only other time I could see this being nice to have is when baby starts to sit up, but normally I just help support baby rather than use the Boppy. To each their own, but I would personally add something more important to the list than the Boppy.
- Scrub Brushes/Baby Shampoo & Conditioners/Etc - Truthfully, these are all inexpensive things that again you can easily grab.
My thought is, if it's something simple, don't clog the registry because 1) there are far more important things and 2) how exciting is it to get any of the inexpensive stuff during your shower? On the same note, don't put too many items over $60 on your registry. Guests have their own expenses in life, they can't always afford to pay $60+ for a baby shower gift. Save the big stuff for your parents or close family - like strollers, swings, etc. Putting items $60 and under gives you a much better chance of getting what you need and getting more. If there are items on your list that you just absolutely love but you know you can find them a little cheaper, do that! For example, don't put a $50 blanket on your list when you could easily find a $10-15 one that works just the same. If you absolutely must-have that $50 blanket, then again, save it for family or buy it yourself because the odds of a guest spending that kind of money on one blanket is unlikely.
Keep in mind, guests want to feel like they are buying you things you really need. They want to feel like they are providing something for the baby, and that's amazing! So instead of putting one-off, inexpensive things, let your guests feel like they are helping and put some other items on there that are must-have's.
Anything that is given to you is a blessing, but hopefully this helps guide you when creating your baby registry.