You’re having a baby! Congrats! I’ve done this 3 times. It is quite the wild ride, but in the best way possible. But I’m going to let you in on a little secret…you don’t need tons of stuff to have a baby. Let me help you figure out what you really need, and what you don’t. Plus, I will give you some tips on some items that you really don’t need, some that are worth splurging on, and some things that will benefit you for a long time.
I always knew I wanted multiple kids. I really thought we were done with 2, and then our third little girl came into the picture, after we had already gotten rid of all of our baby things. So I was starting over with an unexpected baby and almost nothing for her. I knew I wanted as few things as possible, so I set out to be as minimalist as possible.
When you are planning a baby registry I want you to think about a few things.
- Do you want multiple kids?
- What kind of lifestyle do you live?
- What is important to you?
Do you want multiple kids?
If the answer is yes, then I am going to tell you what a good friend and mentor told me. Don’t buy the cheap stuff. It won’t stand the test of time, and you will spend more money having to replace or repair it later. He told us it was important to look at our finances and go with the price point in the middle. For example: if you are looking at a baby monitor, the $20 monitor probably won’t last for the duration of your parenting small Houdinis phase. But the $500 one is probably over kill, and pointless. So you find the one in the middle, and you shop in the $100 range.
What kind of lifestyle do you live?
Do you like to travel? Are you outdoorsy? Sporty? Homebodies? Germaphobes? Extroverts? Introverts? All of this matters in what you should put on your registry. My family is very outdoorsy, extroverted, and we like to be on the go. So we invested in pieces that fit that lifestyle. We knew we needed a nice stroller. We knew that baby wearing would be a good fit for us. We knew that an outdoor play mat would be a good fit. We knew that we needed items to make it possible for us to still go out and do the things we loved, but with kids in tow.
What is important to you?
This questions goes a lot of different ways. First, is it important that you feel 100% prepared, and have EVERYTHING you could ever need when baby gets here? Or do you think you can survive for 2 days waiting on amazon prime, or a quick run to Walmart? Either option is okay! What else is important to you? Do you want to breastfed? Do you want to formula feed? Are you going to be the parent who follows the AAP like a Holy Book? Or are you going to be following your motherly instincts here? For me, I really wanted to be prepared, I wanted items that would last multiple kids, I wanted to breastfeed, and I wanted my kids to be as safe as possible all the time. Take that into account now, while you prepare.
So what should you put on your registry?
Let’s break down all the things you need into categories. First up lets look at what they NEED for basic survival. Feeding, sleeping, diapering, and a carseat.
Feeding
A baby has to eat. That is the very first thing you will do once they are earth side. Literally, baby will come out they will bring them to you, and say let’s eat. So you need to decide how you want to feed them. If you want to formula fed, you are in luck! You need some bottles, in various sizes, a good bottle brush, and you are pretty much good to go! If you are wanting to breastfeed the list is a little longer (I’ve breastfed 3 babies now) These are my favorites:
- Bottles, because you deserve to go out too.
- Haaka– This thing is worth its weight in gold.
- Nursing Bras
- Nursing Pillow
- A WATER BOTTLE (might be the most important thing, with a straw, and doesn’t leak)
- Nipple Care Items (Lanolin, Cooling pads, breast pads, Silverettes, Medihoney)
- Storage bags (some insurances cover these too)
- A cover if you think you would want that.
- Remember your pump and properly sized pump parts will come from insurance! You get one free pump per pregnancy, they have a year warranty, and they will most likely replace your parts monthly as well.
Those are the things that we NEEDED in the first year. Your baby can start solids too, but not until around 6 months. So you can also register for bibs, spoons, plates and bowls, and a high chair!
Sleeping
It’s recommended that you room share with your baby for the first few months of life. We usually shared a room for the first 4 months and then, everyone slept in their own rooms after that. When it comes to sleeping there is soooooo much noise in this space. But I have 2 items that I use for sleeping. A Pack n Play and a crib. That’s it. Anything else is truly just noise. Don’t over think sleep. They need to be somewhere safe, and you should invest in a piece that you can use long term. A Pack n Play can be used until baby is 3!! So really if you wanted to be even more minimalist you could use it instead of a crib. I like a pack n play over a bassinet because we can use it for travel. With a bassinet after they grow out of it, it’s useless. So I will always recommend a pack n play.
I also really like a few swaddles, and sleep sacks. This just gives me a peace of mind that my baby is warm and happy all night. I also love a glider. I think rocking a baby to sleep is a necessary, and will definitely be something you need for your nursery.
Diapering
Babies poop. A lot! So you have to figure out what you want to do here. If you want to cloth diaper, all the power to you, but I don’t have any advice. I wish I would have explored it with my kids, but I didn’t. We use conventional diapers, and wipes. Register for as many as you can! I really don’t prefer any brand over the other.
Carseat
My husband is a safety engineer. His whole job is to keep people safe. When I asked him about the safety ratings of carseats he said, “They all pass the same test. While some may be “safer” they are all tested to the same qualifications and are all deemed safe.” So get the carseat you can afford. the $600 seat passed the same tests as the $50 seat. They may have more safety ratings, or more bells and whistles, but they are all going to get the job done. I do like getting an infant seat and then a convertible seat later. I also like a mirror for the carseat too!
And there you go. That is all you need for a baby. Their basic needs have been met. Are they going to be thriving if this is all you get them? Probably not, but your basics are covered. Eatings, Sleeping, Pooping, and Car Safety. But here are a few more items I would register for.
Bathing
I love a simple baby bathtub. I love this bathtub that I can drop down into the bath with my other kids. Its simple, easy to clean and just works really great. You also need some soap for your baby. Adult soap is a little rough on their skin, and can hurt their eyes. But after that you don’t need anything else. You can use your towels, that you already own, you can use literally anything to pour water over your baby’s head, you don’t need a knee pad, it will get soaked! Bath toys get so gross, save your money. I promise a good seat is a must and some good soap.
Carriers
I love baby wearing. I love how they make life so much easier. I love how close it gets you to baby so you can snuggle on the go. Carrier naps are really great. I have three carrier brands that I really love. First is the Happy Baby Carrier. Gosh I love this carrier, I use the original version. Its so great and comfortable. I literally don’t even feel like I am carrying my baby with it. I also love a Wildbird ring sling. (MamaRoe10 will get you 10% off) Its not as supportive as the Happy Baby Carrier, but its super great too. I love it when baby is super tiny, and I love it when they get bigger and just need a little cuddle. Lastly, we like to hike so I really enjoy my Dueter carrier. I think it’s really comfortable. I bought it second hand and its been great. If you don’t hike, you won’t need this carrier, but if you do I like it a lot.
Toys
I am not the one to talk about toys. I love toys. But I will say I don’t get a ton of super tiny baby toys. I wait to really invest in toys when they get a little older. But I will say if you want to have multiple kids I recommend investing in some nice toys. Go for the good brand to make sure they last and hold up the test of time. I also really love the idea of heirloom toys so I try to buy things that I know I can save for my grandkids. I will also say, buy all the books. We love a good book, and I will never tell you not to buy a book.
Baby Contraptions
The best place for your baby is on the ground. I love a good quilt and some good high contrast books for baby to look at, and some good tummy time. So I will definitely recommend a good play mat for baby! But I also know that some baby’s don’t enjoy that. So I do like an exersaucer, a bouncy seat and high chair. I have never really had a swing that I loved, and I have never used a walker or a jumpy seat. I feel like I wouldn’t use an exersaucer if my older kids were crazy, and lacking in personal boundaries.
Stroller
This is a big one that I think is necessary, but also not a one size fits all answer. I love my BOB double stroller. Its so great and smooth. But its big and clunky when it gets put in the trunk. I also think its important the look at what kind of family you want. Do you want multiple kids? I think stacked strollers really stink when it comes to multiple kids. I like a side by side better. But those are just my opinions. Strollers are like buying a car. Every family will value something different.
This is what I would get for my minimal baby. This is what I would register for if I were newly pregnant again. There are lots of other things that I think you might need, but this is what I know I have used and would really need to get by with a new baby.
Babies are expensive, but they are great! Register for the things you really need, and enjoy your baby showers. I promise you will get everything you need and more!
Want to remember the tips from this post? Pin it to Pinterest!
Leave a Reply