Okay, can we talk about how overwhelming it is to put together a baby registry?! There’s just so much information out there and so many varying opinions on what’s necessary, what’s not necessary, what’s worth splurging on, etc.
I tried to start my registry one day after reading a few blog posts and watching some videos—but honestly, I walked away feeling even more confused. Thankfully, I already had a trip planned to visit my best childhood girlfriends, and we ended up dedicating an entire night to working on my registry together. I can’t even tell you how helpful that was. Between the three of them, they have seven kids total, so they had tons of experience and insight to share. And best of all, none of them are overly opinionated or pushy (which, to me, is very important 😅)
In addition to their generous help, I also asked my Instagram community to weigh in on items they considered “must-haves” on a baby registry, as well as any items they don’t find necessary. With all of this incredible feedback, I knew I needed to share the knowledge for anyone else in my shoes. At the bottom of this post, i’ll also share what I ended up putting on my own registry! I hope it’s helpful 🙂
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. This means, if you purchase something from a link I provided, I will receive a small commission. This is at no extra cost to you! Thank you so much for the support!
What Baby Registry Items Moms Loved Most
Keep in mind, this list is based on hundreds of responses. And as I’m sure you know, everyone’s pregnancy, baby, and postpartum experience is totally different. What one mom considers a “must-have,” another might have never used at all. That’s actually why you’ll see some items show up in both categories. Everything is listed in order, starting with the items that received the most responses.
- Sound Machine (Hatch most recommended)
- Portable sound machines- The hatch I linked has both and this one was also recommended
- Baby Bouncer (Baby Bjorn, Baby Delight, and Ergobaby)
- Baby Lounger (DocATot or SnuggleMe)
- Sadly, both of these were recently retired in the US (Here’s an article if you’re curious)
- Carrier (Mabe, Ergobaby 360, Wildbird, and Nest Blache as a Mabe dupe!)
- The Tushbaby was also recommended
- Baby Wrap (Solly was most recommended and Sleepy Wrap as a great budget option!)
- Bottle Washer (Baby Brezza and Momcozy highly recommended)
- Here’s a great article comparing these two!!
- If you plan to wash manually, make sure you get a bottle drying rack
- If you travel often, you may also want a travle bottle cleaning kit
- Electric Nasal Aspirator (Best: Dr. Noze Bot or Budget: Frida Baby)
- Burp Clothes (lots of muslin ones and someone mentioned this brand!)
- Nursing Pillow (This was a battle between the boppy and my brest friend)
- Wipeable Changing Mat (Peanut and SkipHop)
- Sleepers- specifically Zipper or Magnetic Me (basically no buttons or snaps)
- Monitor (Nanit was most recommended and this is a great budget option!)
- Owlet is a smart baby monitor with a sock that a few suggested as well
- Swing (most said any kind, but a couple mentioned this one specifically)
- Night Light (this was recommended and a few suggested a red light)
- Swaddles and Sleep Sacks (Halo, Love to Dream, SwaddleMe, Ollie, Zippadee Zip, and Kyte)
- Suggestions: Get a couple velcro swaddles, add sleep sacks in bigger sizes, and register for a few types to see what your baby likes
- Consider the temperature of your home (Read this to understand the TOG rating)
- Muslin swaddle blankets for all things (ex: spit up, baby blanket, nursing cover, etc.)
- Car Seat (Nuna, Chicco and Graco are popular brands for these)
- You can also add a convertible car seat for when your baby outgrows the infant one
- A car camera and car seat cocoon were also mentioned!
- A Quality Stroller (this is the one we went with after LOTS of research + a cyber Monday sale)
- Since we purchase our full-sized stroller ourselves, we put this travel system on our registry
- Quite a few also recommended the Doona Car Seat and Stroller
- High Chair (Tripp Trapp, Mockingbird, Abiie, and IKEA were all mentioned often)
- Travel Clip-On Chair (Inglesina or Lalo)
- Humidifier (No specific brands were mentioned)
- Bottle Warmer (Dr. Browns or Momcozy)
- Rocking chair/Glider/Recliner
- I’m still on the hunt for one, but many friends said a recliner isn’t necessary
- Several mentioned getting an exercise ball for bouncing to sleep!
- Breast Pump
- Before adding this to your registry try this website if you have insurance! The process is really quick and I got my pump within a few days. Apparently they’ll text you every couples months to see if you need any extra pump parts, milk bags, etc!
- This is the breast pump I went with based on a couple friend’s recommendations 🙂
- Note: You’ll also need this flange sizer kit to determine the size parts you need
- For wearable pumps, the Eufy and Momcozy were recommended. I have a couple friends with the elvie stride and they didn’t love it!
- Breast Feeding Supplies
- Breast milk collector (Haaka, Elvie Catch, and Boone Trove)
- Nipple cream or Silverette nursing cups
- Nursing bras and tank tops (Larken and Momcozy were recommended)
- Reusable nursing pads
- If you’re pumping on the go- Ceres Chiller, Momcozy cooler, and bottle bags
- Postpartum Recovery Kit
- Baby Bottles Sample Box– babies are particular about what they like!
- I also put this glass bottle box on mine
- Pacifier Sample Box– just like with bottles, you’ll want to find what your baby likes best
- Pack and Play- one with a changing table was suggested as well as this brand
- Crib & Crib Accessories
- Mattress (Graco and Newton Baby)
- Sheets (My friends love these ones)
- Slumberpod was very recommended!
- Bassinet (Baby Delight, Newton, Halo, and Snoo)
- Diaper Bag (someone mentioned this one!!)
- My friend loves this one, so that’s what I put on our registry!
- Diaper Pail (Ubbi and Diaper Genie)
- A couple noted to use your own garbage bags with the diaper genie- apparently their bags smell weird!
- Diaper Cream Spatula
- Tubby Todd Ointment
- Electric Nail Trimmer
- First Aid Type Items- gas drops, saline nose drops, bulb syringe, boogie wipes, spray diaper rash cream, Frida nose/ear picker, and a wound care nurse recommended calmoseptine/aquaphor for butt rashes
- Wipe Warmer
- Weighted Wipe Dispenser
- Eating Needs- Bibs that catch food, spoons, plates, cups, etc.
- Skip Hop Activity Center
- Playmat (Fisher Price and Love Every)
- Teether (Haaka and Sophie the Giraffe)
- Nursery Needs- blackout curtains, mobile, small hangers, etc.
What Moms Didn’t Really Need
Once again, i’ll list these from most responses to least! (The second half of the list were only mentioned once)
- Wipe Warmer (this was the overwhelming most popular response!!)
- Clothes (especially newborn and under 6 months because people end up them anyway!)
- Toys
- Bottle Warmer
- Diapers/Wipes (because you have to trial them and find your preference)
- Fancy Diaper Pails
- Swing (Mamaroo was mentioned a couple times)
- Baby Bath
- Button or Snap Clothing
- Onesies (get sleepers instead)
- Diaper Rash Spatula
- Bassinet (or specifically an expensive bassinet)
- Blankets
- Boppy Pillow
- Bottle Sanitizer
- Bumbo Seat
- Baby Bottles
- Baby Gates
- Bibs
- Black & White Cards
- Bouncers
- Loungers
- Bath Robe
- Baby Jumper
- Changing Table Pad
- Baby Food Maker
- Baby Shoes
- Play Pen
- Fisher Price Play Mat
- Expensive Stroller
What We Put on Our Registry
We used babylist for our registry, so i’m just listing what we have under each category. Certain items we purchased/plan to purchase ourselves (like our full-size stroller, crib, etc.)!
Feeding
- Momcozy Bottle Washer (I really didn’t think i’d put a bottle washer on my registry, but my friends practically bullyed me into it LOL. But the more I started the research, the more I’m excited about it!)
- High Chair
- Bottle Box
- Glass Bottle Box
- Larken Nursing Tank (I already ordered one to make sure I know my size- I love it!)
- My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow
- Milk Collectors
- Nursing Cover
- Smock Bib
- Silicone Suction Plates (2x)
- Hook-On High Chair
- Bibs
- Baby Spoons
- 6-Pack Muslin Burp Clothes
- 3-Pack Muslin Burp Clothes
- Organic Cotton Burp Clothes
- Nursery Night Light
Sleeping
- Baby Monitor
- Muslin Crib Sheets (3x)
- Crib Mattress
- Sound Machines
- Set of 3 Swaddles
- Halo Sleepsack Swaddle
- Muslin Swaddle Blankets
- Sleep Bag (6-18 months & 18-36 months)
Diapering
Baby Gear
- Nuna Travel System
- Car Mirror
- Baby Carrier
- Baby Wrap
- Pacifier Clip (2x)
- Pacifier Box
- Car Seat Toy
- Teether
Health & Safety
- New Baby Essentials Kit
- Travel First Aid Kit
- Electric Nasal Aspirator
- LifeVac Travel Kit
- Pulse Oximeter
- Thermometer
- Rectal Thermometer
- Nose and Ear Picker
- Nail Clippers
- Electric Nail Trimmer
Bathing
Nursery & Decor
Clothing
For the Parents
Playing
At the end of the day, there’s no such thing as a perfect baby registry! You have to find out what works best for you, your lifestyle, and your baby. Nevertheless, it was so helpful hearing firsthand from other moms. Some of these items felt like no-brainers, others I added because they’ll make our lives a little easier (or bring us joy), and a few were things I decided to skip altogether.
I hope that hearing both the crowd-sourced feedback and what I personally chose helps take some of the overwhelm out of the process and gives you a solid starting point. Use what makes sense for you, leave what doesn’t, and trust that you’ll figure out the rest as you go 🤍
Best of luck and thanks for being here!!
Elisha
