Baby registry advice :)

Parentberries
1

I haven’t been on Nameberry too much recently, because I’ve been a little preoccupied with some pretty big life changes: we’re moving out of state in a week, aaand I just found out I’m pregnant! To make a long story short, I found out at about 2:30 [name_f]Wednesday[/name_f] morning when I took a pregnancy test and it came back positive. :slight_smile:

So because I am both very excited and a perfectionist, I have already begun working on a registry list. I know that baby showers are somewhat debated on here, but at this point I mostly view it as my shopping checklist for things we’ll need.

The past couple years, my husband and I have been trying to adopt a minimalist philosophy, especially when it comes to our possessions, so I’ve been kind of overwhelmed with the volume of things that people say you need for a baby. I would like to keep our new baby items as streamlined as possible, but I also don’t want to overlook or cut out anything that I might regret later. So that’s where all you lovely readers come in! I’m really not looking for specific brand recommendations or anything like that, because I like to do the research on those things myself, but I’m hoping that people more experienced than myself at this will be able to spot both things that I should add and things that I might be able to remove from my list. We’re a little crunchier than the average couple, so please bear with me!

Diapering:
Snappis (diaper fasteners)
Cloth diapers, newborn and small sizes
Diaper covers, newborn and small sizes
Cloth diaper wipes
Diaper sprayer
Wet bag
Changing mat (for top of dresser)
Travel changing mat (for other rooms/diaper bag)

Eating:
Nursing pillow
Nursing pads
Nursing cover
Burp cloths
Bibs
Bottles

Furniture/travel gear:
Crib/crib mattress
Highchair
Bouncy seat
[name_u]Baby[/name_u] wearer
Car seat
Stroller
Diaper bag

Hygiene/misc:
Bathtub
Humidifier
Video monitor
Nail scissors
Hairbrush
Thermometer
Teether
Receiving blanket
Swaddling blankets
Pacifier
[name_f]Sun[/name_f] shades (for car windows)
Outlet plugs

Indulgences:
Stuffed animal
Blocks
Kiddy plates and silverware
Classical music CD

Sorry for the novel! (Can you tell I’m excited/freaking out?) Anyway, I would love any opinions anyone could give me!

2

I think that if you are trying to be a minimalist you can pace yourself with the baby things that you acquire. That way, you will only get what you end up needing as you need it instead of having a pile of things you never end up using. I wish I waited on getting a stroller really. I used a carrier for months and once I started with the stroller I realized that the one I had was all wrong for me! I also wish that instead of buying a crib I just got a co-sleeper, but I didn’t know that that was what was going to work out best for us at the time.

I did disposables so I have no diapering advice beyond this- if you do a changing pad get multiple covers and not in pale colors!

Eating:
If you’re nursing a boppy or whatnot is important for your comfort holding them for extended times. I never used a cover, but if you have large scarves or shawls already you probably don’t need anything extra. You could look for old sweater clips on etsy or ebay if you want something to keep a scarf in place. Instead of burp clothes or bibs I just used towels we already had. Bibs weren’t need until we started experimenting with solids.
For formula, the hospital sent us home with some pre-mixed formula in ready to serve 3 ounce bottles with vaccum sealed nipples. They sell these in stores as well. Since this was just a back up for us it worked well. If you’re planning on formula feeding more extensively or pumping you might want to look into getting a supply of bottles.

Furniture/travel gear:
Crib/crib mattress- we got a mini crib to save on space. We barely used it as we ended up co-sleeping & later doing a floor bed for my daughter.
Highchair- not necessary for quite awhile. You might want a Bumbo or the like to start out.
Bouncy seat- It’s good to have someplace to put a baby down for a bit. We used a swing & loved it. It was best for us because we have a dog so I didn’t want my daughter low to the ground & stationary, the swing as a little higher & the movement kept my dog from investigating or licking the baby!
[name_u]Baby[/name_u] wearer- I preferred a carrier to a sling, but it wouldn’t hurt to try both. I’m petite & found some of the larger fabric thingies you have to tie up to be made for taller people. I suggest asking a friend with a similar body type to yours.
Car seat- essential
Stroller- like I said, I wish I had held off until baby was here & I understood my needs more. I guess just think about how often & where you will be taking it out. I feel like I got a once-a-week mall-visit kind of stroller when I needed a miles-a-day all-terrain kind of stroller! Storage is important too and the weight & size of the stroller if you will be lugging it up stairs & through narrow doorways!
Diaper bag- I opted to buy myself a cute oversize tote. I’m a minimalist when I’m out & about with my daughter.

Hygiene/misc:
Bathtub- I had one, but it’s not necessarily essential
Humidifier- didn’t have one
Video monitor- didn’t have a monitor because of how we set up our space & because we were fairly attached
Nail scissors- I used a regular nail scissors
Hairbrush- we were gifted one. I would get one
Thermometer- very important to have on hand
Teether- not really necessary especially for a newborn.
Receiving blanket- I bought one that was gorgeous cause I loved it, but really not essential. The crib is supposed to be bare and you really could use a towel or any old thing for tummy time or whatever
Swaddling blankets- I loved the velcro swaddlers
Pacifier- I think the hospital gave us one & she never took it. I just nursed.
[name_f]Sun[/name_f] shades- I guess it’s a good thing to get
Outlet plugs- won’t be needed for quite awhile

Indulgences:
I think , if you love something get it. I got a few children"s books, an overly expensive baby blanket & a stuffed animal while I was pregnant & it was really exciting to get those things!

I would suggest holding back on clothes & burp clothes/blankies/wash clothes as I think people tend to gift these little items without referring to a registry. I never had a Kangaroo Care shirt when my daughter was a baby, but I saw them a few weeks ago & think they’re such a great idea. It’s good to have some toiletries & meds like baby aspirin or baby benedryl, a nasal aspirator, rash cream, ect for a little stockpile, especially if you live somewhere that has no nearby 24hr drug store. I found things like baby shoes & headbands to be cute but useless for an infant. You’ll probably still get stuff like this, but there’s no reason to register for them unless they make you swoon of course!

Congrats!!

3

I’ve been doing quite a bit of research on cloth diapers myself. I would recommend getting TWO wet bags. That way when you’re doing a load of laundry you have a clean wet bag to use when baby inevitably needs a change while the washer’s still going. :slight_smile: Also, a travel wet bag might also come in handy.

4

Well first off, congrats! I’d say take it slow and give yourself time. Most women don’t have their baby shower til month 6, 7 or even 8. I had mine a little early at 6 months because I wanted to be able to enjoy it. But I posted a thread asking for help registering too so I thought I’d post the link for you, I got a lot of great advice. You can see what people posted when I asked here:

Good luck!

5

We use cloth diapers- definitely two wet bags and a travel wet bag, as northernlights mentioned above. We were also pretty minimalist about baby stuff. We actually had very little stuff when our son was born and found that it was not a big deal to just go pick things up as we needed them. We thought that we would need a monitor, for instance, but never did. We ended up keeping the baby in our room for the first six months and then even after we moved him to his own room, we could hear him no problem from anywhere in the house.

We also found that we didn’t need baby versions of things like nail clippers or thermometers or washcloths or anything. Grownup clippers, thermometers, etc worked just fine. We never used a baby bathtub, either. We bathed our son in the kitchen sink at first, and then in the regular bathtub. A nasal aspirator is nice, though.

Our son did not want to be put down at all, so I loved having a baby carrier from the beginning. I think that the Ergo or a similar one is the most versatile- we are still using it backpack style on hikes and our son is now two. I loved the [name_m]Moby[/name_m] wrap when he was really little, but the ring sling always made my arm go numb.

I agree with tararayaz about the stroller.

A pack n’play type thing is nice to have if you plan to travel at all.

Any of this stuff that you can borrow from friends is great, too. You really don’t use most baby gear for very long, but it’s great to have when you need it. If you want to be minimalist about the car seat, you can get a convertible one that will work from 5lbs to 55lbs.

6

Congratulations! Such an exciting time for you. I’m having my 3rd baby and I know now that a lot of the essentials aren’t really that essential! I went though your list and wrote some notes next to the items :slight_smile:

Diapering:
Snappis (diaper fasteners) - See bellow
Cloth diapers, newborn and small sizes - If you’re going to use cloth diapers I would suggest trying modern cloth diapers, much easier to use and you can find some really funky designs.
Diaper covers, newborn and small sizes - If you use modern cloth diapers most don’t need covers.
Cloth diaper wipes - I made my own using bamboo face washers, super easy. There are lots of tutorials online
Diaper sprayer - Personally I think this is unnecessary, but it’s down to personal preference. If you use biodegradable/flushable or washable liners I think that’s enough.
Wet bag - I would buy 2, maybe even 3.
Changing mat (for top of dresser) - Great idea no to buy a full change table and just buy the mat! This is what we did. [name_m]Just[/name_m] make sure you get one with high side to stop baby rolling off.
Travel changing mat (for other rooms/diaper bag) - Most diaper bags come with a changing mat but if not make sure you buy one that’s big enough for an older baby. I have found by the time my girls were 6ish months old they were too long for the travel mat.

Eating:
Nursing pillow - I don’t think a nursing pillow is essential, but I like to use mine for tummy time so we loved it!
Nursing pads - You can buy bamboo reusable nursing pads. I have seen many other kinds too. If you’re cloth diapering using reusable nursing pads might be for you too :slight_smile:
Nursing cover - Before buying a cover (as they can be expensive) I would see how breastfeeding goes for you. Unfortunately after having my eldest I discovered that breastfeeding is not possible for me (as I have no breast tissue!) I had my heart set on breast feeding but my body had other ideas.
Burp cloths - I had burp cloths but I hardly ever used them! I would only buy a few
Bibs - I had a refluxy very drooly baby so we went though at least 5 bibs a day from birth, so I would have about that many on hand in the newborn stage. Most babies don’t really need them until they start teething (because of the drool) or solids though.
Bottles - If you plan on breast feeding only buy 1 or 2. You may never need them! I didn’t buy any when I was pregnant but it was really easy for someone to go to the store and buy some for me when we realized breastfeeding wasn’t going to happen for me.

Furniture/travel gear:
Crib/crib mattress
Highchair - You can wait to buy this as baby won’t need it in the first few months, but we did buy ours before our daughter was born.
Bouncy seat - I found a rocker better than a bouncy seat but maybe that’s just me!
[name_u]Baby[/name_u] wearer - If you plan on baby wearing have a look at wraps too! A moby wrap is a great wrap for a newborn.
Car seat -
Stroller - I regret the first stroller I bought. I looked great but in the end it was far to bulky and heavy for me. I wish I had looked more at practicality as far as car space etc. more rather than what was popular.
Diaper bag

Hygiene/misc:
Bathtub - I know many people say they aren’t essential but having a baby bath saved my back as our bathtub is really low to the ground and we don’t have a sink deep enough to bath a baby. We only paid $5 for it new though!
Humidifier - I don’t think this is essential
Video monitor - Only needed if you live in a large house. We have a baby monitor and I can count on one hand how many times we have used it for both our babies. By the time they moved into their own rooms they were old enought that we heard them when they woke.
Nail scissors
Hairbrush - We had one but both my girls had no hair until they were nearly 7/8 months old so I never really used it! By the time they were that age I just used a normal comb.
Thermometer - I would invest in a good inear thermometer. A sick baby at 3am with a fever it’s good to know that your thermometer is acurate! I spent $30 on a cheaper one and it stopped working. I now have one that cost me an arm and a leg but it is amazing, it’s the same one they use in the ER.
Teether - I would wait until baby is teething.
Receiving blanket
Swaddling blankets
Pacifier
[name_f]Sun[/name_f] shades (for car windows)
Outlet plugs - You can wait to buy these but if you want to be prepared you can buy them now.

Indulgences:
Stuffed animal
Blocks
Kiddy plates and silverware - You will need childrens plates/bowls and cuttlery as when they are feeding themselves you don’t want them breaking your crockery, which could lead to them hurting themselves.
Classical music CD

I would add to your list:
Diaper pail - you need somewhere to keep them while they are waiting to be washed. Unless you plan on using wet bags at home (which I would find a hassle)
Children’s Books! - [name_m]Reading[/name_m] to your baby is a wonderful bonding and learning experience. We have read to both our children from birth and will read to this baby from birth too :slight_smile:

7

Thanks everyone for the great advice so far! (And cvdutch for posting that link! I haven’t had time to go through it yet, but I definitely will.)

So far, this is what it seems would work well for us.

Remove: diaper sprayer

Remove until later, or to wait and see: stroller, teether, monitor, bibs, highchair, humidifier

[name_m]Add[/name_m]: nasal aspirator (after checking with hospital), infant first aid items, children’s books, travel wet bag, spatula

Thanks again! This is all super helpful for someone who hasn’t told, and so can’t ask, family and friends yet!

8

I’m also a bit of a minimalist, and was extremely stressed and overwhelmed by the amount of baby stuff we needed. Here’s a few things I used, didn’t use, etc.

From your list: I have never used a diaper sprayer, but my daughter hasn’t started solids yet. From what I know, it’s pretty unnecessary. I also didn’t use the nursing pillow at all. I found it extremely awkward, and my lactation consultant said it was useless. The only mom I know who used hers for nursing had very small breasts. Use regular pillows. I don’t have a video monitor, either, the audio one is fine for us.

After she was born, we ran out to get her some swaddlers, the little baby sacks that fold their arms in. She really needed it to sleep more than 20 minutes, and still does.

I was pressured into getting a rocking chair - which I did use quite a bit, but don’t use much anymore, and she’s only four months. But I guess when you’re tired/weak after giving birth, it’s easier than walking around with the baby for extended periods of time to get them to sleep.

A bassinet or co-sleeper is definitely necessary during the first few months…I wasn’t comfortable bed sharing until she was almost 2 months old.

I also got pressured into getting her a big fancy swing. She used it ALL the time during the first few weeks, and won’t go in it at all anymore. I’m not sure if it was worth getting…it was really, really useful for about 2 months.

As far as a wrap, I’d get two - a sling style, and another one (either mai tai, moby, soft structured). She slept in her sling SO often as a newborn.

A humidifier may be necessary, depending on how your house is heated and where you live. We have forced air heating in our northern US home, so it’s pretty needed. Especially if baby is sick or something.

My daughter is 4+ months and we still don’t have a high chair, but will get one soon.

She also really enjoys her activity mat (and has since 2 weeks old) and having a mobile above her crib.

ETA: I used her stroller since she was a few days old! Wore her mostly when shopping and stuff, but I still took her for lots of stroller walks. And sometimes if I’m going out and wearing her, I still bring the stroller to put the diaper bag, etc. on.

9

Oh- for your cloth diaper research, there are a couple of threads on here about that. We do use prefolds and covers (Thirsties snaps) which it sounds like you are planning to do. We started out with the more modern kind and prefer the prefolds and covers. We do have a diaper sprayer for solids. We do not use liners. If you have a low-flow toilet, this is helpful b.c the flush of the new toilets are not powerful enough to get the solids off via the old dunk and flush method. I have a friend who just uses an old spatula, that works, too.

If you are exclusively breastfeeding, you won’t need to scrape/spray the solids off until the baby starts eating food other than breastmilk. So you can just throw the poopy diapers straight in the wash for the first six months or so and the breastmilk poop will just dissolve away. So sort of gross, but really convenient.

There are some really cute kiddie plates and silverware sets out there! If you are striving for minimalism, though, we have always just used our regular dishes for our son. He seems to manage better with regular forks and spoons, too- the plastic ones are hard to pick up food with. He has never broken anything, and he is hardly a calm child. We do give him sippie cups, though, since he likes to dump water everywhere.

The other thing that I thought of that we loved is one of those grass-mat bottle drying racks. [name_m]Boon[/name_m] makes them. I know you didn’t want specific brands, but I loved that this thing continues to be useful for drying small things, long after we retired the bottles.

10
  • I started using my stroller the week after my daughter was born. I felt cooped up, we needed to take walks! I know not everyone is the same, but for me it was a necessity. [name_m]Just[/name_m] think about your lifestyle before you cross it off the list.
  • We also used our high chair months before my daughter started eating solids. I would strap her in there when I was doing chores in the kitchen so she could still see me and put toys on the tray for her to play with.
  • A humidifier is a necessity for some people, it depends on the climate where you live. You don’t have to get one right away, but you may end up running out to buy one when you’re baby gets sick and congested.
  • A video monitor isn’t really necessary, we don’t have any kind of monitor. But, if it gives you peace of mind, I’m sure it’s worth it. It’s your call.
  • We cloth diaper and don’t use a diaper sprayer. I think it mostly just sprays poop water all over your bathroom. Breastfed baby poop doesn’t need to be rinsed and once they’re eating solid food and their poop becomes more solid and you can just dump it off the diaper. There is a stage in between where it may be stickier, but you can just use flushable liners or scrape it off or let the diaper sit so it can dry out a bit and then it will be plop-able.
  • I use a large hanging wet bag, no diaper pail. It works just fine. We definitely want 2, so you have one to use when the other is in the wash.
  • I loved my Boppy! It’s not really necessary, I suppose, but it’s so cute and versatile. I bought mine used in excellent condition at a consignment store with 2 covers for a fraction of the price of a new one. My 16-month-old still uses it, I keep it on the floor by her bookcase and she sits in it when she’s looking at books.
  • Definitely buy books! Sturdy board ones and fabric ones are best, since babies don’t know how to be gentle. It’s so important to read to babies for their language development. Looking at the pictures helps develop their vision. Holding them and turning the pages develops fine motor skills. Books are the best <3
  • The hospital sent us home with a thermometer, a nasal asperator bulb, 2 different kinds of pacifiers, and a baby comb, so you may not need to buy that stuff. Find out what your hospital provides.
  • We used our bouncy seat, but mot our swing. All babies have different preferences, though. If you can, borrow from a friend to try before you buy.
  • Those tiny flannel receiving blankets are pointless. Buy some nice big swaddling blankets, like those muslin Aden & Anais ones, and they can be used multi-purpose as swaddlers, burp clothes, blankets, car seat covers, nursing covers, liners when you have to change a diaper on a gross public changing station and they don’t have any paper ones, etc.
  • We never used an infant tub. I laid her on a folded up towel in the bathtub with an inch or two of water to sponge bathe her until she was big enough to sit up in the tub by herself. Just wring it out and throw it in the dryer when you’re done.
  • I don’t use a diaper bag either. I just have a really big purse/tote.
  • We have a changing mat, but we don’t use it anymore. It’s just easier yo change her in a towel in the bathroom so I can deal with the diaper and wash my hands right there.
  • I didn’t buy kid plates and bowls right away, but you’ll need spoons after a short while. I like the ones that change color if the food is too hot, so helpful!
  • If you’re planning on pumping, make sure you choose bottles that are compatible with your pump. I didn’t and it was a pain in the butt pumping into different containers and then pouring it into bottles and having all kinds of extra stuff to clean.
  • I didn’t use an infant carrier with this baby, but I definitely will with the next one! I wanted to, but couldn’t decide what kind. Some stores let you try them out before you buy them, so look into that!
11

Thanks again for all of the great advice! I’ve updated my previous comment with my list. :slight_smile:

12

Congratulations [name_f]Leah[/name_f], so pleased for you!

13

Diapering:
Snappis (diaper fasteners)
Cloth diapers, newborn and small sizes-I know you said you didn’t want brands but I love [name_u]Green[/name_u] Mountain Diapers for prefolds.
Diaper covers, newborn and small sizes-If you do Thirsties duo covers then you can just get size 1 and 2 and be good through potty training. The duo size 1s snap small enough for a newborn and the size 2 will start working around 12 lbs. The size 1s do stop working before their advertised 18 lbs or whatever. You also could probably just do size 1s and a one size option.
Cloth diaper wipes-If you’re looking to save money then these can be made on your own or buy baby wash cloths at yards sales for super cheap and use them.
Diaper sprayer-I know several people said it’s not necessary but I honestly wouldn’t have continued cloth diapering if I hadn’t had one. I’ve cloth diapered two kids (on through potty training and the other is 16 months now) and I [name_f]LOVE[/name_f] my sprayer. However you don’t need it until you start doing solid foods so you can wait a little while to buy one. I found the liners bunched up and didn’t cover everything and my kids don’t always have plopable poop especially my son.
Wet bag-Get a bunch! I have three pail liners that we use for in the bedroom, a wet bag for the basement and a bunch for going out. You can also use plastic bags for while you’re out if you don’t want to buy too many wet bags.
Changing mat (for top of dresser)- Get at least two covers or more if you’re having a boy.
Travel changing mat (for other rooms/diaper bag)

Eating:
Nursing pillow
Nursing pads
Nursing cover-I strongly recommend one that has a metal part that causes it to stick out a bit and goes around your neck. Really helpful at first when you’re just learning how to use one.
Burp cloths
Bibs
Bottles

Furniture/travel gear:
Crib/crib mattress
Highchair-You can’t use it with a little baby but I recommend the [name_f]IKEA[/name_f] one. Super easy to clean.
Bouncy seat
[name_u]Baby[/name_u] wearer
Car seat
Stroller
Diaper bag-I’ve found a backpack to work best for this since it’s easier to walk around with it on and my husband is happy to carry it. Cloth diapers take up a lot more space so it helps to fit everything in without having to haul around a giant bag.

Hygiene/misc:
Bathtub
Humidifier
Video monitor-These regularly appear on baby deal sites like woot! kids.
Nail scissors
Hairbrush
Thermometer
Teether
Receiving blanket
Swaddling blankets
Pacifier
[name_f]Sun[/name_f] shades (for car windows)
Outlet plugs

Indulgences:
Stuffed animal
Blocks
Kiddy plates and silverware-[name_f]Ikea[/name_f] has these for really cheap.
Classical music CD

14

@juicyorange: Thanks! :slight_smile:

@feberin: Thanks for the suggestions! The [name_u]Green[/name_u] Mountain prefolds are actually what I was looking at.

15

I purchased one dozen orange edge prefolds and two dozen yellows edge prefolds when I was pregnant with my son. I also got like a dozen of the kissaluvs size 0s that I picked up super cheap as seconds but if I didn’t get that deal I would probably do some of the [name_u]Green[/name_u] Mountain workhorse diapers. However since newborns go through a lot of diapers and I hate constantly having to wash and prefer two days minimum between washing I bought a second dozen orange edge when I had my daughter. That amount of 3 dozen newborn sized diapers was perfect if you can afford the extra ones. They do grow out of them really quickly though and I managed fine with only 2 dozen with my son just it always seemed like I was washing diapers.