I'll be honest - when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter I QUICKLY got started my Baby Registry. The last thing I wanted to do was forget something... so I went to work as soon as I could. I'm definitely a planner, so the undertaking of a small human entering my daily life helped expedite my list-building. I sourced from probably a dozen different lists and asked my other mom-friends for help... so I hope this can be a one-stop spot for you to compile your whole list!
For this post, I want to include all of the necessary (and unnecessary but helpful!) things you'll want to have when you find out a little one is on their way. This will include items for feeding, diapering, toys, clothing, and more. I understand some things can be absolute MUST-HAVES for some while excessive for others... so please use your discretion for what works best for you and your family.
As for what's included in this versus what is not - I am only able to speak for what my family used or a close and trusted friend used and found beneficial. I won't be able to include every brand... but these are the items that worked wonders for us!
If you see that I'm missing anything (or you have items that you LOVED and somehow I managed to forget) PLEASE let me know. This will likely continue to be a work in progress and I welcome any and all assistance in gathering the best of the best!
Just so you know - this post may contain affiliate links for which I would receive a small commission if you make a purchase (but at no additional cost to you).
Baby Registries
If you haven't started a registry, I'd absolutely recommend an Amazon Baby Registry. They have the largest selection on pretty much everything - things for moms/parents, baby items, and household items and more. They offer free returns, a 15% completion discount for anything that wasn't purchased on your registry, Prime Shipping, and a bunch of other perks.
If you're like me and want to be able to shop online as well as go into a physical store, I'd suggest creating a Target Baby Registry, as well. I find myself at Target regularly so it's somewhere I know I'll be visiting over and over. They also offer free returns and a 15% discount off your registry, on top of a Welcome Kit with goodies for you and your little one. They even allow you to add items from other websites to host one Universal Registry - which comes in SUPER handy if, on the off-chance, you find something elsewhere that Target doesn't have.
Also! Don't forget about buybuyBaby! There are so many perks to building a registry through them, including a registry expert, a 15% completion discount and a price match guarantee.
When it comes to my baby sleeping, my biggest goal is and always has been for my little one to get the best and most comfortable sleep possible. With the Burt's Bees Wearable Sleep Blankets I knew she was warm and safe. They have different sizes and weights, so they're nice and versatile year-round and last a long time. Plus - they have a bunch of designs so there are sure to be multiple you love for your own little one!
I can't speak highly enough of our Graco Pack n' Play. This Graco Pack 'n Play FoldLite Playard is a little different than the one we bought a few years ago... but this is a nice, lightweight option that folds up really compact. This would be SO helpful for traveling - which we did quite often with our little one. This Pack n' Play is a bassinet, lounger/seat, play area, and changing table all in one. Our daughter used ours until we transitioned her to her crib around 6 months... and we have still use it as a travel crib (she's 2 1/2 now)!
As simple as it seems- this carrier was the BEST. We didn't embrace carriers early on... so when her neck strength was good we started to use the Infantino Flip Advanced 4-in-1 Carrier and it was a GAME-CHANGER. I used it around the house a bit and when I went to the store... but walking around the airport and theme parks were the biggest difference for me! What I really loved about this one was that i didn't have to think about the snugness/looseness like some other wrap carriers (we had one we didn't really use since we found this one!) and I didn't have to have my husband help me put it on. And, as a plus size woman, I really liked that this had a nice long and easily adjustable waistband... it was comfortable and easy to use - which I was SO grateful for!
As a new mom, I was (and still am, honestly) kind of a nervous-nelly... so anything that made my daily routine a little easier while being complementary to my life was worth spending a few bucks on. The Shynerk Baby Car Mirror was so great that once my husband saw how helpful it was to be able to see our daughter reverse in the back seat while driving we ended up buying an additional one for his car. This mirror is wide, shatterproof, and SUPER easily adjustable. It installs quickly and doesn't require much effort at all. I even packed this into our checked suitcase when traveling and it was perfect (I wrapped it in an article of clothing just to be extra safe)! Shynerk has also come out with one that is Night Vision camera version... so this one may be worth checking out if you're often driving at night!
In case it isn't obvious - a lot of my early-parenting was trying to make life as seamless as possible. As a new mom I wanted to enjoy my daughter's growth and development without it being a HUGE shock (ha. if only) to myself and my husband. One of the developments that made a BIG difference to my everyday life was when my daughter could sit up on her own. It was wonderful to be able to go to the store and use a cart without the car seat taking up 70% of the basket. So! When she could sit on her own we bought this Boppy Shopping Cart and High Chair Cover and we LOVED it. It's easy to clean, easy to store and carry and is extremely soft - plus it kept any gross stuff off my baby. It was a very worthwhile expense in my book!
I’ll be adding MUCH more soon… but, especially now, this is a work in progress!
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