baby registry essentials.
It’s no new news that i’m simple and minimal in color, purchases and needs. I find that the less we have, the more content we really are. which is an opposite narrative of what you’ll be told when having babies. you truly don’t need ALL the things or even the newest on the market things. here’s a roundup of our tried and trues to help make your registering a little easier and more breathable!
NURSERY/SLEEP:
Crib: pick a style and design you love & pricetag doesn’t always mean better. a couple things to keep in mind while choosing your babes sleep quarters — basic is best, ensure it meets current safety requirements and consider whether you need it to be a convertible one as your babe grows or will it be passed down.
Crib Mattress: this is an area that I don’t skimp on. mattresses and bedding are something we use daily and should be toxic free. a couple things to keep in mind: a firmer mattress is best for babies and breathing, look for a mattress that’s made without materials like polyurethane foam, flame retardant chemicals, and vinyl. The best you can find is one that is Greenguard Gold Certified. I linked our favorite but here’s another we love.
Crib Sheets: softest, easiest to put on and great wear over time! made with 100% organic cotton, GOTS-approved, non-toxic and PVC, heavy metal and phthalate free dyes.
Mattress Protector: you are going to want this for those middle of the night wettings. pro tip: double layer this with a sheet set that way you don’t have to replace the entire mattress when you’re up at 3am exhausted…so mattress pad - sheet - mattress pad - sheet. when the time comes, just rip the wet set off and put baby right back down! here’s another more affordable option.
Rocker: this simply comes down to your personal preference and style! it’s so nice to have a place to sit in the nursery as the baby gets older.
Changing Pad: I HIGHLY recommend a changing pad that is wipeable, not washable. babies have blowouts and they are messy. you’re also changing no less than 8 diapers a day in those first few months. the less laundry you have to do, the better. I also love this keekaroo but went for a more affordable option.
Sound machine: this might be the loudest sound machine you’ve ever heard and we LOVE it. people always comment on it while here. when you have a dog that barks, you need a loud sound machine. we do not play with sleep over here.
Monitor: we started with an indoor Nest cam as our monitor since we could watch it through our phones but then heard about all the stories with people hacking wifi cameras and decided to switch to a more traditional one.
Swaddle: our little guy hated having his arms swaddled down so we loved this one because it kept his arms up which is how he always was in the womb. other options we have and know that others love are: ollie & mushie.
Sleepsac/gown: I sware by these over any zip or button footie, especially those first few weeks when you are waking every few hours in the night to feed and change diapers. it doesn’t jostle the baby around as much and makes things so much more simple. whoever invented button down onesies didn’t have a baby (haha).
Snuggle Me Organic Lounger: by far one of my favorite items! there are plenty of lounger options like the dockatot but I loved the organic quality of the snuggle me and the way that it truly ‘snuggled’ the baby. it’s amazing for floating around the house to lay baby wherever you are if aren’t wearing baby.
Bassinet/Moses Basket: if we weren’t cosleeping with our baby between us in the snuggle me, we used the bassinet those first few weeks before transferring to the crib. it’s a nice option to have so you can move baby around the house out of reach from animals or other little humans :) We have this amazing one scored from consignment by Serena and Lily but there are other amazing options.
FEEDING:
Breast Pump: apply for this through insurance for free! We used Medela and loved it.
Breast Milk Storage Bags: something to keep in mind: be sure that they are made with food grade plastic, just so theres no chemicals. reusable option here!
Nursing Pillow: we loved the original poppy and used it for every feed. in more recent years these crescent moon shaped nursing pillows have been more popular and recommended!
Haaka: a genius invention! If you have ever breastfed before you know that as soon as your baby starts feeding, your other breast starts leaking. This silicone holder attaches to that other breast and catches the let down excess because we know that milk is liquid gold to not be wasted!
Silverette Cups: ditch the nipple balm and use these! hassle free, no clean up or worry about baby getting any leftover balm at feedings. these are perfect to stuff into a bralette (also ditch the nursing bras and snag lots of these, no clip hassle and still keeps everything in place) post feed for healing, especially those first few weeks of nursing.
Bottles: this will be personal preference for your baby. we started with comotomo, moved to natursutten (love the glass option), and ended with munchkin latch because he preferred the stopper at the bottom that controlled milk flow.
Burp Cloths: muslin is the best of the best. these are long and incredibly absorbent. also doubles as great washcloths.
Highchair: this won’t come until about 6 months, but some like to register for it instead of purchasing later. we opted for quality that could pass down but this ikea one is super popular, affordable and compact.
TRAVEL:
Car Seat: we tested/held so many car seats and this won by a landslide. it is truly the lightest one on the market and a great quality to pass down. we purchased an extra base for our second car but it is one of our top favorite baby items for it's easy installation and carrying.
Stroller: we tested a ton of different strollers also and loved this one the most for it's ease of use + handling. we purchased the nuna carseat adapter while baby was still in the carseat and it worked perfectly.
Pack n Play: we have the Graco Jetsetter Lite and LOVE it for it’s portability + true lightweight-ness but they don’t sell them anymore. If I were to purchase another, it would be one of these two again for their portability + lightweight nature: 4 moms or babybjorn. I love this nuna one but for the price and size i’m not sure it would get the use it needs to match.
Car Mirror: not essential, but if you’re a first time mom this is a nice item to have for when you’re out and about and want to check in on baby.
Carriers: there are many options when it comes to carriers — ring slings, soft wraps, firm carriers or pouches. this will come down to your personal preference that I recommend you trying out before registering for a couple, but here are ones I love in all of those areas. ring sling. soft wrap. firm carrier. pouch.
Diaperbag: we always opted for a smaller bag or a leather bag we already had like this one. We had one like this for a while, but it didn’t hold up well. I didn’t mind because I knew I would most likely want something different for future babies. if you plan on using it for more than one baby, go with a more durable option like this. pro tip: get one that is a backpack. you’ll most likely be holding baby on one arm and you’ll want that weight better distributed than one arm being loaded down.
Other items you will want to consider registering for are: toys, books, pacis, diapers, wipes, bath wash, lotion, butt paste, and meds (gripe water, infant tylenol, nail clippers, thermometer, nose frida, saline spray).