A Guide to A Complete Baby Registry – Essential Items You Must Have
, by Artorias Tse,
9 min reading time
Welcoming a baby to the family is surely exciting. It also requires you to start prepping for everything necessary. That's where a baby registry can help you enlist and organize all the items at once.
It's a polite, fun, and reasonable way to share your necessities with family and friends. The trend has become so popular that there are now variations available – online, financial, and in-store registries for babies.
Everything seems almost ready with the list. Your baby gets the gifts during childbirth or before the first baby shower. And you must know the why and what of a baby registry to get along with it.
Having a baby registry primarily comes down to personal preferences, not exactly a must-have. There are obvious reasons to make such a list for expectant parents, such as –
Planning: It covers everything right before, during, and after the childbirth.
Gift: It helps the family and friends know what items they should gift you.
Duplicate: It avoids receiving or buying the same gift(s) twice for the baby.
A registry is more like a simplified item tracker while preparing for childbirth. Anyone interested in getting you something useful can surely benefit from a well-laid registry.
When's the Time to Set Up Your Baby Registry?
Parents who are expecting a baby can set up the registry whenever they're ready. Most people reveal pregnancy to family and friends in the 12th week. You can start from there.
Please remember that considerable planning is necessary to decide on the items you want on a registry. Additionally, it often seems a somewhat ongoing process for first-time parents.
Parents may think of waiting for the anatomy scan in the 20th week to know the sex. It can heavily influence the choices. Although modern parents mostly stick to gender-neutral themes.
Baby Registry Essentials: How Many Items?
An infant, newborn, or baby needs lots of different items. It goes well beyond clothing, feeding, and caring needs. Taking every factor under consideration, you're likely to enlist 20+ items on a registry. Almost everything provides fundamental upbringing support.
It's no surprise that affordable parents include many more than all those, given their financial capability. And you should never hesitate on items like strollers or cribs. Let your family and friends know that you intend to provide the best living conditions for the baby.
Clothing
Items you must consider –
Bodysuit/onesies: 7 – 10 pieces
T-Shirts: 3 – 4 pieces
Side-Snap shirts: 3 – 4 pieces
Pants: 3 – 4 pairs
Zippered rompers: several
Pyjamas: 7 – 8 pairs
Sleeping gowns: 7 – 8 pieces
Sun hat: 3 – 5 pieces
Winter cardigan: several
Snowsuit: several
Socks: 6 – 8 pairs at least
Booties: several
Baby hangers: as needed
Side-snap shirts are a direct alternative to t-shirts for babies. You can avoid cardigans and/or snowsuits unless the temperature is freezing. Consider snap-crotch onesies/bodysuits for the baby.
Items you may add –
Several shirt-and-pant sets with matching design
Special outfits to bring the baby home
Swimsuits or rash guards to foresee pool or beach
Don't go for fancy little shoes right away, as must-have baby clothes cover them rather well. You better wait until the baby gets on his/her feet in the toddler years.
Nursery
Items you must consider –
Crib
Crib mattress
Please save secondhand or old cribs for the baby. Get yourself a new one.
Items you may add –
Hamper
Bassinet
Baby monitor
Dresser/chest
Changing table
Rocking chair or glider
Humidifier or vaporizer
Bassinet is safe to use when the baby is 3-6 months or 15 pounds. Meantime, you should have a monitor with a spacious/large house.
Baby Linens
Items you must consider –
A pair of well-fitted crib sheets
Cotton-made receiving blankets
Waterproof mattress protectors
Wearable sleep sack (swaddle)
Items you may add –
Crib skirt or matching quilt
The final item (= crib skirt) primarily serves decorative purposes. So you don't have to bother with it. Skip items like pillows, sleep positioners, loose bedding or blankets, mattress padding, and bumper pads.
Breast feeding
Items you must consider –
Nursing pillows
Chest/breast pumps
Nursing brasiers: 2 – 3 pairs
Reusable nursing pads: 2 – 3 boxes
Freezer-safe storage containers or bags
Parents should consider having an electric as well as a manual pump to confront any situation. Burp clothes are also part of breastfeeding as an optional gear.
Items you may add –
Silicone collectors for breast milk
Multiple bottles and/or nipples
Wearing silicone collectors on the opposite breast during feeding will catch all the drips and leaks. And nipples/bottles should help someone else to feed the baby.
Postpartum Care
Items you must consider –
Witch hazel padding
Peri bottle
Postpartum underwear
Cooling gel pads
Soothing nipple balm
Items you may add –
Nursing bras
Nursing gown
Diapers
Items you must consider –
Newborn diapers: 2 packs
Wipes
Diaper rash ointment
Diaper pail
Diaper pails act like trash cans and likewise, you better get one with a closing lid. Please note that cloth diapering is slightly different to standard diapering with the above gears.
Items you may add –
Changing table pad
Changing table pad covers
Rectangular or square pads
Baby cream or coconut oil
The first three items become necessary with a changing table for the baby. Choose cotton or terry clothes for pad covers. And you're to put a towel as an alternative to pads under the baby's bottom.
Bathing and Grooming
Items you must consider –
Hooded towels: 2 pieces
Washcloths: 4 pieces
Infant tub
Bath seat or inflatable tub
Baby bath wash
Baby comb and brush set
Baby shampoo
Nail scissors/clippers/file set
A rinse cup
Inflating tubs or bath seats are suitable for babies older than 6 months. You can get an electric nail trimmer to avoid the risk of cut injuries.
Items you may add –
Bath toys
Mesh bags
Thermometer
Faucet guard
Formula Feeding
Items you must consider –
Cotton bibs: 6 – 8 pieces
Burp clothes: 6 – 8 pieces
Insulated carrier/cooler for outings
Bottles with newborn nipples: 8 – 10 pieces
A dishwasher basket or bottle-cleaning brush
Enough baby formula to support several weeks
You can skip burp clothes by implementing blankets and/or cloth diapers properly. Also, parents should try multiple brands to find the preferable newborn nipple bottles.
Items you may add –
Bottle-drying rack
Bottle sterilizer
There's no need for items like bottle warmers, holders, or proppers. Heating (or boiling) certain items in warm water is more than enough.
Solid Food Feeding
Items you must consider –
High chairs
Bibs
Feeding silverware
Infant bowls
Items you may add –
Cleaning mat
Baby food mill
The mat placed under the high chair will collect all the residuals and messes to ease the cleaning. You can even consider a plastic shower curtain for convenience. Meanwhile, the food mill comes in handy when you're about to puree the baby food.
Travel Gear
Items you must consider –
A stroller to accommodate an infant
A suitable-sized convertible car seat
Baby carrier suitable for a newborn
Diaper bag to store diapering gears
Are you interested in an all-in-one stroller for a reasonable price? Look no further than one of Mamazing's best travel stroller. The faithful gear is equipped with everything you can ask for – comfort, strength, compactness, space, and safety. It's everything to become a smart parent's ultimate choice.
Items you may add –
Base for the baby car seat
Sling or wrap for lightweight infants
Hiking backpack for babies (for after 6 months)
Stroller to fit into the car seat
Sunshades for the car windows
Rain covers for the stroller
Warm blanket for winter strolls
Large diaper bag for overnight trips
Don't go for anything secondhand, as safety concerns are high with used ones. Also, avoid metals or glass directly exposed within the reach of the baby.
Baby Care
Items you must consider –
Petroleum jelly
Several pacifiers
Thermometer
Snotsucker (nasal aspirators)
Infant pain reliever
Saline nose drops
Electrolyte drink
Items you may add –
Vapour bath
Teether
Gripe water
Baby Seats
Items you must consider –
Bouncer seat
Stationary activity center
Playmats
You can let the baby utilize the activity centre when he/she is 4 months old. It's a direct and safer alternative to a jumper/walker.
Items you may add –
Swing
Moses basket
Portable play yard
Babyproofing
Items you must consider –
Security Gates
Cabinet Latches
Furniture Anchors
Drawer Latches
Outlet Covers
Items you may add –
Door Locks
Corner Guards
Fireplace Bumper
Almost all the gears mentioned above are mandatory when your little one reaches 4 months. You must ensure everything is in optimum protective condition so that no inhaling, swallowing, or inserting is possible.
Baby Toys
Toys aren't exactly any must-have for a newborn or baby. But many still prefer to get some on the list.
Items you may add –
Soft books
Board books
Rattles
Soft blocks
Activity gym
Playmat
Attachable toys
Hanging toys
Plush-able toys
Multiple baskets
No need to overwhelm yourself with all the choices. You can save them once your little one becomes a toddler. Avoid car seat toy bars as they can add up the overall risks during an accident.
Items to Avoid or Discard from Registry
There are several dangerous, ineffective, and unnecessary items you won't need. It includes –
Teething gels
Baby walkers
Crib bumpers
Bottle warmers
Secondhand gears
Formula dispensers
Also, you better put away anything that may put your little one in danger in adverse conditions.
Wrapping Up
Heartiest congratulations on having a baby from our side. Creating the checklist should become fun, easy, and simple with the guidelines. It should give an idea about the necessities and all avoidable to secure a happy upbringing.
