I have several close friends who are pregnant right now, so I recently put together a registry checklist for one of them and thought I'd share it here for anyone who may be interested. Let me know your thoughts.
Carseats and strollers:
-Carseat/base/stroller: Graco Snugride- I got the sporty edition that has a 3 wheel jogging stroller with it. The carseat snaps into the stroller for when they are small, and then the stroller can also be used like normal when the baby is old enough to sit up. I would also recommend getting an extra base so your mom or husband will have one in their car too.
-Umbrella Stroller: I just got the Babies-R-Us brand for around $25. This is nice to have for shopping. The stroller that comes with the carseat is more for walking and jogging and is too large to weave through stores.
Baby carrier:
I used the Baby Bjorn. It’s easier to use than the Moby, but it doesn’t look as cool.
Baby Holders:
-Bouncer: We skipped this. I would say do either a bouncer or a swing, they take up a lot of room and do similar things.
-Swing: Ours was made by Graco, but I’m sure they are all good. We used it a ton the first 4 months. Elliott took almost all of his naps in the swing.
Bath Time:
-Infant tub: Any brand.
-Hooded towels: 8-10, any brand.
-Washcloths: 8-10, any brand.
-Baby wash: Burt’s Bees
-Lotion: Burt’s Bees
-Bath toys: Any brand.
-Bath toy holder: Boone frog. It attaches to the wall in the bathtub and holds all your bath toys.
-Bath mat: Any brand. For when they graduate from the infant tub and start sitting up in the bathtub.
-Faucet cover: Any brand.
Sleeping:
-Pack-and-Play: Ours is Graco, but I’m sure any brand is fine. Make sure it has a newborn napper attachment.
-Pack-and-Play sheet: 2, any brand.
-Nap Nanny: If you have a baby with reflux this is a must! Elliott refused to sleep flat on his back, and would only sleep in either the Nap Nanny or his swing where he was on an incline. We used it every night until he could roll over. If you don’t get it as a gift, I’d wait and buy it after your baby is born once you can see if it’s needed. You can also use it to sit the baby in while you get ready, until they can climb out.
-Crib: Any brand. Ours is Ouef. No drop side!
-Mattress: Any brand.
-Bumpers: I got mine custom made on babybedding.com, but they don’t recommend using them until your baby is a little older to reduce the chance of SIDS.
-Crib sheet: 2-3, any brand (again, mine are from babybedding.com).
-Swaddle blankets: 3-4 We loved these! Elliott refused to sleep unswaddled until he was 4 months old. We got the Summer SwaddleMe and the Miracle Blanket, but prefer the Miracle Blanket. It’s tricky to figure out, but it kept him put the best.
-Blankets: don’t bother registering for these, people love to give blankets and you’ll end up with way too many. Elliott likes the Aiden+Anais muslin blankets the best though.
-Waterproof mattress cover: We got several and have never used them. Most crib mattresses are already waterproof and this is just one more thing to do when you’re changing sheets in the middle of the night, so I’d say scratch it.
-Monitor: Angel Care- This monitor detects your baby’s breathing and alerts you if there is no movement for 10 seconds. Occasionally we get a false alarm if he moves too far off the sensor, but it’s worth it for the peace of mind. Ours does movement detection and sound, but they also have one that does movement, sound and video.
-Noise maker: Babies love white noise when they sleep, and it blocks out noise in the house while they sleep.
-Pacifers: I would register for several styles so you can see which one your baby likes best. Elliott prefers Nuk.
Diapering:
-Diapers: Register for 2 boxes of sizes 1-3, you can never have too many diapers. I’m a Pampers fan.
-Wipes: 3-4 boxes. Same as diapers, you can’t have too many. Again, we use Pampers.
-Wipe Warmer: Babies-R-Us brand- Some people think these are silly, but we still use ours. Elliott cries less with a warm wipe, so I say throw it on the registry.
-Powder: Johnsons
- Diaper Rash cream: 2, one for home and one for the diaper bag, Burt’s Bees.
- Changing Pad: Any brand, ours is the Babies-R-Us contoured changing pad.
-Changing Pad Cover: 2-3, any brand, ours are Carter’s.
-Waterproof Liners: 1-2 3 packs, Boppy brand. Keeps you from staining the changing pad covers.
-Diaper Pail: Diaper Genie, also register for several packs of the bags that go inside the pail.
-Disposable bags: Arm and Hammer- these are great to have in your diaper bag for dirty diapers or dirty clothes.
-Changing Mat: Skip Hop- great for when you need to change the baby in the car or on a changing station in a dirty bathroom. Most diaper bags come with one, but they aren’t very nice.
-Diaper Bag: Mine is Skip Hop.
-Safety 1st Kit: includes nail clippers, bulb syringe, brush, comb, thermometer, etc.
Feeding:
-Bottles: You’ll want lots. We registered for Born Free, Dr. Brown’s and Playtex Drop-Ins, since I didn’t know what kind he would like. We used them all, but mostly used the Medela bottles since they attach to my pump. If you’re breastfeeding, I would register for extra 5oz Medela bottles (the pump comes with 4 I think, but you’ll want at least 8), and 6 of the 8oz Dr. Brown bottles for when the baby starts eating more.
-Nipples: Make sure to check if the bottles you register for come with nipples or not. If not, register for the type that matches the brand of bottle and register for as many nipples as you have bottles. Register for slow, medium and fast flow for each type of bottle as well, as your baby will want a faster flow the older he gets.
-Bottle Brush- Any brand.
-Drying Rack: Boone grass rack.
-Formula: 1 canister, Earth’s Best Organic. Even if you are breastfeeding you’ll want to have a little formula on hand in case you need to supplement.
-Burp Rags and Bibs: You can’t have too many! Any brand will do.
-Sippy cups: 1 two pack, Elliott does best with the Nuby.
-Bowls with lids: 2-3 packages, we like the xyo or Munchkin bowls.
-Spoons: You’ll want a couple of different packs. I’d register for a pack of the Nuk spoons, they are flat and work best when they first start trying runny solids, and a pack of the Munchkin spoons for when they get a little more comfortable with solids.
-Dishwasher baskets: 2, for washing bottle parts. I wash most of mine by hand, but they are good to have.
-Highchair: Any brand, ours is Graco.
Breastfeeding Supplies:
-Pump: Medela Pump in Style.
-Pillow: We got the Boppy and My Brest Friend. I’d register for both, but I used the Boppy more.
-Nursing Bras and Tanks: I got mine from Target. 4 bras, 4 tanks.
-Nursing pads: Johnson’s were the cheapest I think. You’ll want lots.
-Lanolin: For sore nipples, any brand.
-Soothies: Gel pads you can put in the refrigerator for sore nipples.
-Medela steam clean bags: For sanitizing pump parts.
-Disposable Storage bags: Medela.
-Nursing cover: Baby Au Lait.
Clothing:
*I wouldn’t register for many clothes. People love to pick out their own clothing gifts and don’t really follow the registry. You’ll get lots of things and what you don’t get, you can go pick what you like using your gift cards. Here are a few practical things you might want to add:
-Scratch Mittens: 3 pack, any brand.
-Socks: 10-12 pairs, newborn, any brand.
-Hats: If it’s cold, maybe 3, any brand. We didn’t use ours much.
-Newborn and 0-3 month onesies: Any brand, you can’t have too many.
-Newborn and 0-3 month footed jammies: Any brand, you can’t have too many. The ones with the zippers are best for diaper changes in the middle of the night.
-Newborn and 0-3 month lounge pants: Any brand, you can’t have too many.
Playing:
*People love to give their favorite toys and books, so you’ll get lots of things you don’t even register for, and they won’t really play with many toys before 6 months.
-Play mat: Any brand.
-Exersaucer: Any brand, but you won’t need it until they are about 5 months.
-Carseat toys: Any brand.
-Teether: 1-2, any brand.
-Bumbo and Tray
Medicine to have on hand:
-Tylenol
-Ibuprofin- for 6 months and up
-Gas drops
-Gripe Water
-Humidifier
