Your Baby Registry: Must Haves (registry series part 2 of 2)
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This post is the second in a two part series on creating your baby registry. In the first post, I covered why to create a baby registry, when to create it and where to create it. In this post I cover choosing some of the best and most important items for your registry. I'll first walk you through some big picture considerations and then through various categories of baby gear and gifts. My main focus is on must haves, but I do mention some related nice to haves.
Big Picture Considerations
Timing
Consider when you expect people to give you the gifts. If you will be having a baby shower months before your due date, you can include the items that you will need the day you get home from the hospital. If, based on your culture or personal situation, you don't expect to receive gifts until after baby's arrival, you may want to exclude those items from your registry and buy them on your own. Look out for my upcoming post on items to have on hand when for baby's arrival.
Your Gift Givers
Put some thought into what type of gifts your gift givers will want to give. Based on my history of giving and receiving, people like do give what I consider "giftable" items. By this I mean that most people prefer to give items that they think of as pretty and memorable rather than mundane items. For example, people are more likely to purchase an artfully arranged box or bag of lotions and soap from Honest or Mustella than they would individual bottles of the same items.
Price Points
Try to register for gifts in a variety of price ranges. Don't be afraid to register for a large item that you think is beyond anyone's budget as sometimes people give as a group. Revisit your registry every so often to make sure that there are still items left in the most popular price categories.
My Top Registry Picks
In this post, I'm listing my very top choices. If you poke around this site you will find very detailed lists in specific categories.
Bouncer Chair
My friend loaned me her BABYBJORN Bouncer Balance Soft and it has been a total lifesaver. I have used it almost every day since my son was 2.5 weeks. For months, I put him in it in the bathroom most every day while I showered. Even now at 10.5 months, when I'm in a rush I will put him in it to drink his bottle while I prepare his breakfast. This bouncer is amazing because it is really comfortable and ergonomic for baby, it adjust to multiple heights so it works for a range of stages, the part that touches the baby is entirely washable, and it folds flat like a mini ironing board when not in use.
I purchased the BABYBJORN Googly Eyes wooden toy toy to go with it. This toy isn't strictly necessary but is nice to have. My son was really into the toy for a couple of months. I recommend registering for both.
There is one alternative that may be worth researching:
Stokke has a new system called the Steps. You can buy it as a set that includes both the high chair and bouncer (see below for details on the high chair), or you can buy either piece separately. The bouncer can be used on the floor or atop the high chair so that even the smallest baby can join you at the table and be at eye level when you dine. I have and love the high chair but haven't seen the bouncer piece in person. Still, having the crib and high chair, I trust Stokke. If you are considering the high chair you might also consider this bouncer. One other nice thing about the bouncer is that it has a ring to which you can attach many different toys, which hopefully means that your baby enjoys being in the chair for a longer time.
Keekaroo Peanut Diaper Changing Pad
The Keekaroo Peanut is a total game changer. Unlike your conventional changing pad, you can simply wipe down the Keekaroo Peanut with a baby wipe or cleanser (I use Babyganics Toy and Highchair Cleaner). Conventional changing pads need to be covered with a sheet that needs to be changed every time a drop of pee or poo escapes on the changing table (i.e., very often). See my post on diapering essentials for other diapering products.
You can see most of the Keekaroo Peanut changing pad, as well as the wipes dispenser and One n Done, which I cover in my post on diapering essentials.
Somewhere for your baby to sleep
There are a lot of options for this…. you can use your crib from day one or start out in a bassinet.
Stroller and/or Stroller Accessories
Whether or not you want to include your stroller on your registry will depend on when you expect to receive your gifts and whether you think people will spend that amount on a gift. Even if you decide not to put a stroller on your registry, consider including the accessories. I got the Bugaboo Chameleon stroller and the accessories are really expensive (see my preceding post to learn why I bought it off of my own registry). I put the cup holder, snack tray and summer canopy on my registry. You might also consider putting things like your diaper bag, stroller hooks, a winter bunting (see my post on surviving winter with a newborn), and warmmuffs to keep your hands warm.
S in the Bugaboo Chameleon stroller with the peek-a-boo summer canopy
If you get a luxury (or large) stroller, you may also want a lightweight stroller that you can use with your car seat and easily get in and out of the car. I bought a Snap N Go style one. If I was doing it over, I would have bought my travel/umbrella/lightweight stroller to have one day one. The one that I have is called the GB Qbit and it suits my needs perfectly as a travel/lightweight stroller. It also comes with adapters that allow you to attach certain car seats (including Cybex Aton, which I have) to be able to use it as a travel system. Take a look at my review of the QBit, which also details other travel strollers that I considered.
Baby Carrier
I tried so many and it was turning into a sad story til I found and fell in love with the Catbird Pikkalo primarily because it doesn't require an infant insert, it isn't bulky, doesn't make you hot in the summer and clasps easily on your side (the Ergo and most other structured carriers clasp awkwardly behind you). If you want to learn more about the Catbird Pikkalo and some carriers that I tried, please read my review on baby carriers, wraps and what to take along when carryig your baby.
Travel Crib
I can't say enough good things about the Guava Lotus Travel Crib and Portable Baby Playard, but I will try:
It folds up really compactly into a bag that is wearable as a backpack.
It is extremely easy to set up and break down -- I was able to figure it out without reading any instructions.
One of the mesh sides has a "zip up side door" -- this allows you to slide the baby in and out and will totally save your back when it is time to lift the baby out of the crib.
The Fun Shade (sold separately) keeps light out, which is really convenient if your baby is accustomed to blackout shades and you are staying in a bright room. I also find it convenient when I share a room with my baby, so the shade obscurea his view of me when I needed to be in the room and keeps me from distracting him from sleep.
The only negative that I can think of is that you need to buy their sheets. But if you buy click through this link to buy, you get a free sheet.
My runner up choice was the BabyBjorn Travel Crib. A few of my friends have this crib and love it. The backpack and zip up side door features tilted the scales for me in favor of the Guava Lotus Travel Crib and Portable Baby Playard.
I live in a two bedroom apartment in Manhattan, so I've used this crib when traveling and when we give the nursery to guests and have my son sleep in our room.
High Chair
You won't need a high chair until your baby is at least 4-6 months. Still, most are expensive, so you might as well put in on your registry. I have and love the Stokke Steps chair. See above to learn about the Stokke Steps bouncer that can be attached to the high chair.
Here is S going to town in his high chair. For details on the silicone bib, sippy cup or leash, see my post on starting solids.
See my thorough review of the Stokke Steps and other (less pricey) chairs to consider. I even provide information on space saver and Bumbo style chairs.
Books
You can never have enough baby books and someone might want to give you a headstart on your baby's library. I wrote a post on my favorite books for the first year and beyond. The standouts that the tiniest of babies would appreciate because of the black and white illustrations are I Kissed the Baby and the books in the "Noodle Loves" series.
Activity Gym/Mat
Pediatricians recommend that you start tummy time while you are still counting your baby's age in days. I started putting S on his activity gym when he was about 10 days old (with a burp cloth under him) and he got countless hours of use on it. See my post on activity mats for others worth considering.
Here is S at just under six weeks on his on his activity gym mat. This was a major spit up phase so he is wearing both a muslin bib and is on a burp cloth
That is it for my registry must haves! I'm sure that some of you will comment that I left out major items like a crib, linen, bathtub, bath toys, clothes, toys and lots of other items. I tried to be selective and choose the items that I thought were most important and least dependent on taste and the configuration of your home. Feel free to poke around the rest of this site for inspiration for other registry items and reach out to me with any questions! You might especially like my posts on bottle feeding essentials, pumping, nursing bras, nursing pillow and nursing cover up, and the perfect alternative to the stinky diaper pail.
