Creating a baby registry can be extremely overwhelming. When I was putting mine together a lot of the websites would just recommend adding a ton of items, half of them I didn’t even know what they were for, and half of what we got we haven’t used in the first month. So with this in mind as a new mom I wanted to share some of the top items that have actually come in handy in the first month with our little man and items that I would definitely include on your baby registry if you are doing one.
I am not going to include stroller/car seat/crib and other necessary items since we decided to buy those on our own since of the price – but here are some more affordable items to add to your registry that have proved to be extremely helpful during these early days.
1 .Change pad covers
It is amazing how many change pad sheets we go through in just a day – having a boy especially there are numerous pee accidents. Originally the ones we got were cute and soft material, but we were pretty much needing to wash it after a single use. We then came across some plastic wipeable ones at walmart and that was a game changer. We can just wipe up any accidents and don’t have to wash them as often. You can find them here.
2. A nursing pillow
Figuring out nursing was one of the hardest things to do postpartum – in fact we are still trying to figure it out fully, but having a comfortable nursing pillow has made a big difference. It helps prop up Max so that he is in a more comfortable position and it also helps bring him closer to me so I can have a decent posture while feeding. Trust me this will save your back, which you will be extremely thankful for especially if you are like me and have a 10 pound newborn. Here is the one I use and love.
3. Diaper bag with storage space
It is amazing how much harder it becomes to leave the house. Do you have diapers? wipes? extra clothes? A portable change pad? The list goes on and so it has been so helpful to have a diaper bag with storage space and different pockets so that everything is in the bag and ready to go before you leave the house. I also think the one I put on the registry was stylish and I love carrying it around.
4. White noise machine
There is a lot of noise in the womb and so a white noise machine is a great addition to a nursery to help calm a baby down. I use mine to help sooth Max when it is nap time and also bring it out with us for changing on the road.
5. Swaddles and blankets
Max doesn’t love being swaddled because he likes to have his hands free but many babies love being swaddled – it keeps them nice and cozy like they were in the womb. We use blankets a ton since Max was born in December and we need to keep him warm. I also use blankets as a cover when nursing.
6. Infant swing
When I am struggling to get Max to go to bed I will sometimes throw him in his swing. It is battery operated and will rock and play music to help sooth him. This is the one I got and love it.
7. A baby play gym or play mat
I didn’t realize how early you start tummy time and so having a play gym or mat on hand is important. Max loves his play gym, it also has lots of toys attached to keep him entertained when he is a little older. Max seems to prefer his playgym right now. This is the one that we got for him.
8. Clothes
We were gifted some adorable clothes, but most of them were 3-6 months and 6-9. As lots of people say, they grow out of clothes so fast and this is true but you definitely need some newborn sizes and 0-3 for the early days. Even though Max was close to 10 pounds at birth he fit into newborn sizes for the first couple of weeks.
9. Contrast cards and toys
In the early days babies can’t really see or focus on too much but one thing they can see is high contrast shapes in black and white. We love playing with our animal cards.
10. Snuggle me or other baby lounger
As a newborn they spend a lot of their time sleeping (over 17 hours a day) and so it is nice to have the lounger for Max to relax in during the day when I am doing chores around the house
11. Ergobaby carrier
A lot of my mommy friends recommended the ergobaby carrier. With all the snow we had this year in particular it was difficult to take Max out in a stroller so we used our carrier a ton for family walks
12. A breast pump
This one can be tough to put on the registry since they are quite expensive but it has been very helpful early on especially to make sure I keep my milk supply up. However an easier item to add to the registry is a haaka pump. I have the medela pump and love it
13. A nightlight
When it is 1am in the morning and you are waking up to feed the last thing you want to do is turn the bedroom light on. Also when you are sleep training you want to try and keep the lights dim for those late and super early feeds so there isn’t day and night confusion. Nightlights have been a huge help.
14. Soothers
After doing some research it turns out you can start using soothers from day one. We held out for a few weeks but Max loves his soother and it really helps calm him down when he is irritated.
15. Changing caddy
When it is 2 in the morning and you have a poo explosion the last thing you want to be doing is struggling to find wipes. I found a few affordable baskets that have different compartments so you can have a section for diapers, wipes, rash cream and everything else you need for change time. We still have some poo explosions but they are a little more contained.
16. Bottle set
Breastfeeding is challenging and demanding to say the least and you never know what your experience is going to be like. Some of my friends have had to rely on a bottle pretty early one and so it is great to have a set on hand in case they are needed and eventually you may want to start bottle training so that you could have a few hours to yourself. This is the gift set I got.
17. Baby bathtub
We ended up adding an adjustable tub to our registry so that it can grow with baby. You can use it from infant to toddler. While we have also been enjoying taking baths with the little man sometimes it is nice to have this as an option
18. Bath towels
Newborns have a tough time regulating their body temperature so having some receiving blankets or cute newborn towels is important. I love the little hooded ones. So cute and functional
19. Baby first aid kit
Unfortunately babies are going to get sick. We were back at the hospital on day 2 due to an eye infection. It is important to have some first aid items on hand. You want to make sure you have a thermometer that can be used under the armpit (easiest for babies). Baby ibuprofen is also important and make sure you have nail clippers (or at least a file for the early days.
20. Diaper genies
They aren’t glamorous that is for sure but you need somewhere to put all those dirty diapers and the diaper genie makes it so easy. We actually bought two so we could have one on both floors of the house.
21. Diapers
Again, definitely not a glamorous gift for the little one but potentially the most important. You are going to go through a LOT of diapers – in fact usually after every feed – you are going to need an endless supply of diapers so it is great to have them on the registry.
22. Burp cloths
The spit up is real and so it is nice to have some burp clothes on hand for those feeds. I have had to do plenty of laundry because I have forgotten to bring the cloth along.
