When I was pregnant, my favorite hobby was to research items and add them to my baby registry. Building your baby registry is a must-do IMO, because otherwise you’ll end up with a bunch of stuff that you don’t know what to do with, and also end up spending money on the actual items you do want.
If you haven’t already, get an Amazon Prime membership. That way, you can build a registry before baby arrives, and share it with friends and family. For any items on the registry that haven’t been bought yet, you can buy it yourself with a 10% discount. Plus, Amazon Prime has a monthly subscription service, where you can select items you would like to receive every month (like diapers, wipes, formula, food pouches, even household items), and you’ll get a discount of 15% to 20% on all items. Not a bad deal!
Here is my ultimate registry checklist, improved over time with suggestions from friends! I’ve actually looked back at the last few years and compiled this list of items I’ve actually ended up using.
- Basic Clothes
- Onesies: You can never have enough of these. Baby goes through at least 4 a day (more onesies).
- Long sleeve onesies (with mitten cuffs): Gloves just don’t stay on those tiny hands
- Zip up body suits: One piece sleep suits are great for nighttime wear, and easy to put on and off!
- Socks
- Hats
- Easy dresses for baby girl or dress up clothes for baby boy (for when someone visits your baby, or the one time you take baby out and decide never to do it again)
- Burp cloths: Multi-purpose soft cotton cloths, for when baby spits up (which happens a lot).
- You can never have too many clothes…
- Sun hat: If you plan on taking baby out in the sun
- Winter hat and gloves
- Bathtime
- Puj tub for bathing baby in the sink: This is one of the best inventions ever!
- Washcloths
- Tubside seat: I’ve found this useful for when baby graduates to bathing in the tub (after 4 months)
- Bathtub for when baby graduates from the sink tub
- Head to toe wash: No tears formula that you can use as soap, bodywash, and shampoo on the baby (don’t use regular soap on baby!)
- Towels: Yes, you can use regular towels, but these are much softer and come with a hood
- Baby lotion: If your baby has extra dry skin like mine, I’ve found this one to work well
- Baby oil: Because babies love massages, especially before a warm bath
- Sleep time
- Blankets: Not for when baby is sleeping, but to wrap baby in when you’re holding it
- Swaddle blankets: Super soft and breathable blankets to swaddle baby
- SwaddleMe: Velcro swaddlers that wrap baby up, so you don’t have to struggle with swaddling blankets. I actually double-wrapped baby – first in the swaddling blanket, and then the SwaddleMe. You’d probably swaddle the baby for the first few weeks, and then move onto the Sleep Sack.
- Co-sleeper: If you want baby next to you, but are nervous about rolling over them. I found this useful to lay baby on the floor as well.
- Sleep sack: Covering baby in loose blankets is dangerous because they can suffocate. You can keep them warm with this wearable blanket. You can find full sleeve versions, or lighter summer versions of this blanket as well.
- Pack ‘n Play: Foldable compact crib is great for the first few months with baby, until you transition to a wooden one. These are also great to keep on hand when traveling, especially to the grandparents house.
- Mattress for mini-crib
- Fitted sheet for mini-crib
- Wooden crib (convertible to toddler bed): After the first few months, baby might be ready for a real crib
- Mattress for crib
- Fitted sheet for crib
- Mattress protector (for family bed): If you’re going to have baby in your bed, then, it’s best to put this waterproof protector under the sheets, so that you protect your mattress from accidents
- Diapering
- Diapers: I’ve tried a couple of brands, and found Pampers to be the best
- Wipes
- Diaper rash cream
- Diaper pail: After trying the plastic ones first, you realize they absorb the stink and the whole bathroom starts smelling after some months. The metal one is much better.
- Odor removing packs to keep around the diaper pail: Absorbs funky smell
- Diaper pail bags: You can technically use any 4 gallon garbage bag
- Disposable changing pads: Because you don’t want to be dealing with cleaning a plastic one every day. Very useful to stock in the diaper bag too, because you don’t want to have a reusable pad touching public changing tables.
- Disposable diaper sacks: Scented plastic bags for disposing diapers. Great for stocking in the diaper bag.
- Diaper bag: To carry supplies when you go out. You can also just use a regular backpack. I like this one because you can hang it off a stroller’s handlebars.
- Travel
- Car seat and stroller: The click and go system was very useful, especially when traveling. You can also buy the car seat or stroller separately.
- Back seat mirror: Because you cannot see the baby while driving (they’re facing the other way)
- Baby carrier: Useful inside and out of the house, when baby prefers clinging to you. We used the Beco Gemini for almost 2 years, and it served us well. It is very comfortable for a newborn, while being sturdy enough for a 2 year old.
- Baby on board sticker
- Car seat liner (waterproof): If your baby likes throwing up, like mine did, on cars and planes
- Travel high chair pad: When baby is sitting up and eating (around 6 months)
- Feeding
- Breast pump: You should be able to get this for free with your health insurance
- Hands free breast pump bra: Because you don’t want to be getting hand cramps holding up the pump for 20 minutes
- Lanolin nipple cream
- Nipple shield: I had a bit of a problem having my baby latch on, and these helped a lot with breastfeeding
- Disposable nursing pads: To absorb leaks
- Bottle warmer: Because you’re not supposed to microwave milk, these will steam the bottles for you
- Travel bottle warmer: This is basically a thermos that holds hot water, but has a wide mouth that fits in bottles to heat them
- Bibs
- Disposable bibs: Good for stocking in the diaper bag
- Nursing cover: For nursing in public
- Baby formula (powder): If you need to supplement
- High Chair and Infant spoons: For when baby is ready to start eating solids (around 6 months)
- Extra nipples for bottles: I found that my daughter preferred soft silicone nipples to the plastic ones, so it was useful to buy a lot of these
- Formula dispensers: When you want to take formula along on a trip, but don’t want to carry the entire box
- Ready to use formula: If you need to supplement. These come in ready to feed 2oz bottles, that don’t require any water to mix. Pretty useful when traveling with a newborn.
- Formula packets: Great for on the go, and you want to only mix a 4 oz bottle
- Bottle drying rack
- Health
- Nasal aspirator: One of the most useful things you can have! From when baby spits up (and it goes up their nose), to when they have trouble breathing, this is a MUST-HAVE! I’m still using this on my 2.5 year toddler.
- Baby sunscreen
- Antibacterial wipes: Good to stock in diaper bag, especially after a throwing up episode
- Tweezers: For cleaning their nose
- Nail scissors: Because those cute hands become claws once a week
- Laundry detergent: Usable for both adult and baby clothes; Dye and scent free, good for baby’s sensitive skin
- Around the house
- Newborn sleeper/rocker: Useful for taking naps, or leaving baby on while you watch TV
- Doorway jumper: Our little monkey LOVED this jumper. She played in it everyday for almost a year. Start using around 6 months…
- Swing: Also useful for getting baby to sleep
- Humidifier for baby bedroom: Useful especially in the winter, or when baby gets a cold
- Baby monitor: There are video versions as well, but I found the audio one to be sufficient
- Play mat and gym: For when baby starts looking around and kicking (around 3 months)
- Baby’s First Book: My daughter loved this one
You’d think that you can get most of these once baby has arrived, but I would advice that you be as prepared as you can before baby comes. Buy most items you think you’ll need for the first 3 months and set up the nursery or your bedroom with them. You’ll be a zombie for the first month after baby comes, and after that settles in, there will always be tons of chores to do. The last thing you’ll want to do is shop.
