Learn what you really need for a new baby (and what you don’t!) with my Ultimate Baby Registry List.
The thought of creating a baby registry list was one of the most stressful things about preparing for Lincoln’s arrival. I know that sounds crazy, but the thought of not having something he might need, when he needed it, tore me to shreds. Not to mention the big box baby stores are just about the most confusing places on earth if you don’t already have a child!
Luckily my super-mom, sis-in-law took me on a test run before Ben and I went to create our baby registry, and together we created the list below. Ben and I registered in about an hour with this list. Without it, I have no doubt we would have been there all day.
Before we dive in, here are some tips and notes!
- Register for a variety of items in different price tiers for baby shower purposes. Some people like to come to showers with lots of little things, while others like to bring one big item.
- Don’t worry if you think you forgot something when you register. Most places allow you to add/edit/delete online.
- Assess needs for items like Pack and Plays, bumbos, bassinets, etc. against this list. If you don’t think you’ll need them, don’t register for them!
- Register for more of items like diapers and wipes, as most retailers will send you a coupon after baby is born to purchase the remaining items on your registry at a discount.
- Don’t stress out too much like I did. Truly for the first few weeks all your baby really needs is a safe place to sleep, clothes, food, diapers, and of course, your love!
Edited 7/17 to add: I’ve added links to specific products we’ve loved for our two boys over the past four years!
For Baby
- Books
- Toys/rattles
- Teething rings
- Pacifiers
- Aden and Anais receiving blankets
- Burp cloths (the thick quilt-looking ones)
- SwaddleMe swaddles
- Carters Plain Onesies (3/6/9 month sizes)
- Pants
- Hats
- Socks
- Jackets/sweatshirts
- Zip up PJs (avoid buttons if possible!)
For Mom
- Nursing cover
- Nursing bras
- Diaper bag (Skip Hop and JuJuBee are popular)
- Breast pump (check with insurance first to see what they cover/provide)
- Hands-free pumping bra
- Extra pump parts
- Breast milk storage bags (stack better in freezer than bottles)
- Boppy or My Breast Friend nursing pillows + 1 extra cover for each
- Disposable nursing pads
- Washable nursing pads
- Nipple cream/balm
Out and About
- Solly Baby Wrap
- Baby K’Tan
- Ergo Baby Carrier
- Baby Bjorn Carrier
- Moby Wrap
- Shopping cart cover
Baby Health/Grooming
- Digital thermometer
- Nail clippers
- Emery boards
- Brush/comb
- Saline spray
- Gripe water
- Training tooth brush set
- Infant Tylenol
Diapers/Diaper Creams
- A&D Diaper Rash Cream
- Butt Paste
- Fragrance-free wipes
- Size #1, 2, 3 – Diapers
- Size #2 & 3 – Overnight diapers
- Diaper Champ Deluxe (can use any trash can liner)
Bath Time
- Bath supplies (shampoo, body wash, lotions – variety)
- Bath toys
- Wash cloths
- Hooded towel x2
- Toy scoop
- Spout cover
- Infant bathtub
For Nursery
- Coolmist humidifier
- Sound machine
- 4 waterproof mattress covers/pads
- 4 fitted crib sheets
- Changing pad
- 4 changing pad covers
- Hamper
- Organizers
- 2-3 sets hangers
Car Seats/Strollers
- Chicco travel system (car seat/stroller/base in one)
- Extra base
- Head rest mirror
- Bob Jogging Stroller
- Lightweight umbrella stroller
- Shopping seat cover
- Bundleme
Around the House
- Pack ‘n Play
- Rock ‘n’ Play Sleeper
- Bassinet
- Bumbo
- Swing
- Vibrating chair/Bouncer
- Jumper
- Floor Seat
- Exer-causer
- Play Mat
- High chair
- Booster Seat
- Diaper caddy
Safety
Eating/Snacking
- Silicone bibs
- Baby food maker
- Fresh Food Feeder (looks like a pacifier with a mesh bag attached)
- Tiny diner mat
- Munchkin Snack Traps
- Advent brand sippy cups with handles on both sides
- Variety of bowls/plates/utensils
- Bottles/Nipples (this is tough b/c different babies have different latching issues/preferences. Suggest getting basic bottles/nipples, and a wide variety of them, then return what baby doesn’t like.)
- Formula dispenser (circle container with 3 chambers)
- Munchkin brand cleaning brush
- Dishwasher basket
- Bottle warmer
- Drying rack
This looks like a great and comprehensive list. I don’t need this now but I’ll keep it bookmarked ;)
Great list!
And I hate to be the one to do this, but….
*AssesS That last “s” is important! ;)
This is a great list for those of us who don’t have kids yet. I will have to refer back this in the future.
SO glad you posted this!!!! My husband and I are about to register ourselves…and had no idea where to begin. Thank you for your comprehensive list!!
Thank you so much! We are expecting out first child next spring and are clueless when it comes to babies (terrible to admit!) This will really come in handy. You’re the best :-)
Thanks so much for this; my bf’s sister is expecting in January and her shower is this weekend! Very timely and needed advice!!
Thank you for posting this! We are soon to be new parents in late December and have started our registry, so this is perfect timing to post this. Much appreciated!!
Thanks for the list! We are expecting our first baby the end of November! I’ve heard people talk about buying extra parts for the breast pump – what parts would you suggest? I’m totally lost and overwhelmed when I get to that section in the store :)
One thing I got was the extra white rubber pieces- I think they are called flanges? Sorry its been awhile- I have 2 kids but they are 3 and 6. Anyway they sell them in a little baggie. I know I lost a few down the sink so it is nice to have extras.
this is amazing! we are starting to try for a baby, and so i’ve slowly but surely started to bookmark things like this. thank you!
Lists like these are why people become overwhelmed with registering. Most of these items are not needed, or you will find you use once and baby hates. Also, head rest mirrors (so you can see baby in the rear view mirros) are extremely dangerous. Keep your baby safe and pay attention to the road.
I think its more overwhelming to stand in front of a wall of baby items at Babies R Us and have no clue what to buy. I have 2 kids and I used the majority of the items listed. Sure you don’t “have” to have them but they definitely make life easier. If you are having a baby shower or showers it’s nice to receive useful items other than 100 outfits.
I used the white rubber pieces & got another set of the breast shields & connector parts (this was for a Medela). Not a pump part, but I found the Medela steam bags really useful when I needed to quickly clean & we had a thrush problem soon after my daughter was born so they were a lifesaver & saved me a ton of time deep cleaning the pump parts after every use.
Oops! That was a reply to Laura C’s post!
Yes those steam bags are awesome! I used those a lot.
This will be so helpful for when we {hopefully} get around to baking a bun in the oven! ;)
I’ve shopped for friends and family in Babies R’ Us and it is super intimidating. I wouldn’t even know where to begin so thanks!
We’re reaaaally limited for space, so I registered mostly for what I thought we would need in the first few months. It’s so hard to guess when you’re a first time mom, isn’t it?
Just wanted to add that for baby registry items that were not bought you can get a discount to buy those items. I know they do this at Babies R Us, not sure about other places. I’m pretty sure you get the discount voucher after your “event date” or 6 weeks before your due date, I don’t remember. This was helpful for me because I didn’t receive a lot from my registry, people bought a lot of clothes, sleepers, fuzzy blankets, towels & receiving blankets.
I second the recommendation of checking with insurance for the breast pump. I got mine from the hospital the day I was discharged and my insurance covered it for me since my deductible was met.
Which model Motorola Video Monitor do you recommend?
We have the Motorola Digital Video Baby Monitor with 3.5 Inch Color LCD Screen!
Great list, I laughed when reading it, can’t believe I ended up with all this stuff for my now 7 month old…it sure was overwhelming and this list will help others!
If you don’t want to buy a travel stroller and a jogging stroller. You can buy an adapter that fits the BOB jogging stroller for you infant car seat. I know they have the adapter for chicco car seat and a few other brands. We loved this! Saved us room in the garage and money!
I’m working on baby 3, and am surprised to hear you used so much of this stuff already. As a heads up to any expectant moms reading this, my babes wouldn’t nurse if I used lanolin, so maybe don’t buy many breastfeeding supplies until you get home and try all the samples they give you at the hospital and get a feel for it. I also never used the nursing pads, the baby carrier, the car seat cover (some will actually void your car seats warranty, so its best to just put a blanket over baby), shopping cart or booster cover, emery board, you’ll probably want to wait and see your baby’s hair type before you buy a comb, boogie wipes didn’t work for me, fresh food feeder never appealed to my kids, I never needed gripe water, I used a mobile instead of a sound machine for visual stimulus and (timed) music so baby could learn to sleep on thier own, neither kid enjoyed swinging, and my pack and play also had a bassinet but both kids preferred their cribs at 4 weeks old. So be careful when buying all this stuff- you never know what your child will prefer!
No I haven’t used all this stuff, as I mentioned it’s a collection of all the things my sister in law, friends, and I have used basically for baby’s 1st year!
I think it’s a comprehensive list. It seems a little on the expensive side, but one should remember that not everything is needed right away, and some things aren’t necessary at all, depending on your preferences. I didn’t have a hands free nursing bra, for example, but research the “rubber band trick” and you don’t need one. That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be nice to have one. Also, we preferred our own homemade wipes to the store bought, and I have friends who used a washcloth instead–just personal preferences. We had friends who used cloth diapers and covers. I think it’s a good idea to check baby consignment to see the true worth of some things, like a baby bathtub. I’d leave something off my registry that can be bought for cents on the dollar secondhand.
Its definitely the ultimate list! I love that you included toys and books! That is probably the most overlooked thing, but is more important than most of the parenting gadgets in those big box stores. As you can tell, many of those gadgets don’t seem to work for my kids, so I like to warn others before they register so they can focus on the stuff they will for sure use. Congratulations on your new little one!
Thanks for this! Hubby and I are just starting the registry and research process for our February baby and its definitely overwhelming. This is one of the best lists I’ve seen yet!
I love that you have four baby carriers listed! They are so very handy throughout babyhood and into the toddler years! Three of the carriers listed (K’tan, Bjorn and Moby)are not very comfortable for the caregiver after about 15-16 lbs. I like to spend money on carriers that will last a bit longer than that. The Ergo is great! And there are also others like the Boba, a nice Mei Tai like a Babyhawk, or our own local maker, Wallypop. Ring slings are my absolute favorite for infants through toddlers, and nothing compares to a woven wrap! I still wear my 35lb toddler in our Bamberoo! When you have your little one, please check out our local Babywearing group (Des Moines Babywearing) and we can help out with the learning curve!
Gotta ask…how do I NOT get the baby channel. I’m signed up for IGE and get those emails but I’m also getting the “family channel”. Does every IGE subscriber also get the family channel ? No offense, but I’m not really interested in baby stuff.
this is so helpful, thanks for taking the time to put this together.
I would suggest registering for a 1 and ONLY 1 of a few different types of pacifiers. You never know what baby will like, and it would suck (no pun intended)to have a ton of pacifiers your baby won’t use. (My first son would only use a single type of paci. My second refused them and would only use a single different type of paci!). I would also caution against registering for wipes in bulk, as some babies will have really sensitive skin and react to different wipes. Know what your baby wants and tolerates before stocking up.
I couldn’t live without my Bob Stroller! Definitely helps with getting out of the house and exercising. Starting at 5 months, my son and I have spent many, many, many hours running! When he was really little, it was the best way to get him to take a “long nap” (for him!) of about 45 minutes! He is 4 and a half and his favorite “Mom and Jacob” activity is still to go for a run. Now he is big enough that he can get out at different points and jog along side me. So_much_fun!
Just a heads up, I found this info on the Bundle Me when I was searching for one online the other day… http://thecarseatlady.wordpress.com/2011/01/06/aftermarket/
You CAN alter them to make them safe, so it’s not a total waste if you already bought one! We want Lincoln snug and safe!!
I have 4 boys and I want to share my favorite secret to all the new moms: buy Target brand diapers!! I was a Pampers mom, but once our twins were born, a dear friend told me about how awesome Target diapers were! They are half the price, but they work just as well as Pampers! Even overnight!
The only piece of advice I ever give people when it comes to registering is to make sure that most of your items are available IN THE STORE – not just on the website! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve run to Babies-R-Us the day before a shower, printed off the registry list and saw that 90% of the items were “online only”. It’s not like weddings where guests buy gifts way in advance and have them shipped. People like to buy & wrap baby gifts in person, and it’s often last minute!
Thank you so much for this. This is a fabulous list! I added several things to my registry. :-)
Thanks for taking the time to create this list! We just started trying for our first baby (yeep!) and hopefully this list will come in handy soon :)
As a working/pumping mama, the one thing I wish I would have gotten is a 2nd hand-operated pump to keep in the car for “emergencies.”
I can’t tell you how many times I accidentally left a vital piece to the pump at home and had to drive all the way back just to pump! If you are missing the tubes, flanges or breast shields the pump is useless, and I never could get the hang of hand expressing.
I LOVE the family channel…aka, the BABY channel!! I would love to read more posts about baby! Like, what your days look like, nursing, what you did during pregnancy to get your body ready, etc?
Such lovely gifts. I have bought some gifts a month ago from Ginger Kids for the birthday of my niece. I bought some bibs, baby thermometer and baby backseat mirror. Do you think this presents are the best?
I kept this list in the back of my head because I knew I would need it someday. Yep sure enough here we are 2 years and I am 20 weeks pregnant with my first baby. My husband and I went to Buy Buy Baby yesterday to just get a feel of the big ticket stuff we might need (strollers, car seats, cribs) man oh man was it overwhelming! I’m so glad to have this list just so I can get the basics. :)
Congratulations on the new baby – so exciting! So glad to hear the list was helpful too – I remember that overwhelmed feeling well!
I just went through my baby registry again and added almost everything you recommended! Thank you so much! It made it soo much easier..you thought of things I had no idea existed!
I just wanted to share that I bookmarked this list years ago (longtime reader and fan!) and just used it this past weekend to register for our first. This list was IMMENSELY helpful and I’m so very grateful to you! Thanks Kristin!