If you have been wondering what to put on your baby registry, you have come to the right place! Here are all my favorite baby registry must haves, including a few nice-to-haves that I have included at the end. When compiling this list, I surveyed hundreds of other moms and included all the top mentioned products. Lucky for you, so many great products have been invented in the last several years, that even if this is your 3rd baby, you might still consider creating a baby registry so that you can include some of these baby registry must haves and get a discount on them!
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All the Best Baby Registry Must Haves
- Baby Wraps. They can run expensive, but this particular one typically runs around $20 and has just as many rave reviews.They are lifesavers for carrying baby around so your hands can be free. Also great for wearing anytime you go out, since newborns sleep a lot in the first few months. I liked wearing one to church so that baby would sleep longer. The wraps give them a comforting “womb” feeling, as they get to be close to your heartbeat again.
- 4-in-1 Nursing Covers. These things are hands-down one of my most favorite products and a very top recommendation for baby registry must haves (if you are going to nurse). They didn't exist with babies 1 & 2, and were such a game changer with baby #3. Finally a nursing cover with so many options, and actually provides the coverage and breathability that moms need. No more flashing my naked back and love handles to everyone around me. The other good news is that when these first came out, they were upwards of $40 (ouch). Now years later, the one I have pictured above is only 1/4 of the cost.
- The Bumbo. Oh the blessed Bumbo. Helps your baby learn to sit unassisted, and is a life-saver for carrying from room to room, so baby can be a part of whatever mom is doing! Once again, you have lucked out with the years that have passed. My first Bumbo had no buckles or extra features and I still loved it. But now it's extra safe and has a bunch of extra features that I would have loved to have had with my first.
- Butt Paste. My older siblings all told me this was the best brand of diaper rash cream, and a definite item for the baby registry must haves lists, but that didn't keep me from trying a bunch of other brands. After 3 babies, I'm humbled to say that they were right: It really is the best. Don't waste your money on anything else.
- The Nose Frida. Another genius invention and stress-saver for moms nationwide, the Nose Frida offers a more quick and sufficient way to eliminate snot from your little newborn…something that seems to bring anxiety to the best of us. Because those bulb syringes they give you at the hospital or horrible to work with.
- Mesh Baby Feeders. Thanks to the invention of the mesh baby feeder, baby can try a larger variety of new foods with a much-reduced chance of choking. Also great for teething babies. Put something cold in there for them to much on and let them go at it!
- Sound Machine. If you are reading baby books, you've likely read about making all those “shusshing” noises to try and calm your crying baby back to sleep. The key to is mimic sounds from the womb to help comfort baby. The problem is, you need sleep too. Hence why a Sound machine comes in handy and should for sure make it in the line up of baby registry must haves. Not only has ours helped calm all 3 of our babies, but it also keeps us from hushing all of our house guests when baby is sleeping. Because of the white noise, our babies have been able to sleep through outside noises. Sound machines are also great for vacations and times when you might be taking baby into a new environment overnight. They may not be in their crib anymore, but the sound machine gives them something familiar to soothe to.
- Newborn Sleep Gowns. These are absolutely necessary in the first month if you want to keep your sanity, and here's why: Newborns poop A LOT. Like an insane amount. You will be changing many diapers in the night and when you are absolutely sleep deprived. You do not want to have to mess with a lot of layers, or with taking on and off pants or onsies. You will also need something that doesn't irritate the umbilical cord until it comes off, which sleep gowns work very nicely for.
- Snuza Hero Baby Movement Monitor. I have not actually used one of these myself, but have heard good things about it. It's a movement monitor that attaches to baby's diaper and alerts you if abdominal movements become weak, or less than 8 movements a minute.
- Rock N Play. Okay, this one is on my list of top 5 baby registry must haves. No joke, I have purchased this for many friends because of how much of a life saver it has been for me. There have been several sleep-deprived moms that I have 2-day shipped this thing to because they were stressed and couldn't figure out how to get their baby to sleep. Or because their baby had reflux like mine and would drown in spit up if they were to lay their baby flat. This thing rocks in so many ways (lol, good pun?). I love how portable it is, and the design of the incline. I owned one of these before it had the vibrate feature and still fell in love with it.
- Aden + Anais Swaddling blankets. I don't know how this brand consistently makes the very best swaddling blankets, but there's a reason they are so well-known. I'm glad they come in a pack, because every new mom needs to own several of them. They are so great for swaddling, and yet they breathe really easy so they work great for lightweight summertime blankets. Also great for nursing for that exact same reason.
- Breastfeeding Pillow. I do not love the famous Boppy for breastfeeding. It feels to large and cumbersome and when I put it around my stomach area, it doesn't hold baby high enough to feed so it feels pointless to me. I do however, love this pillow since it rests on your arm. I use it on my arm during the first few days of getting the hand of breastfeeding and then I rest it under my arm as support after that. I actually sleep with it every night now because I hate nursing without it.
- The Zippity-Zip. The Zippity-Zip might just make it on my list of top 5 baby registry must haves because my baby used it for so long. We definitely got our money's worth. I bought it a little big so that we could get extra use of it, and then bought the bigger size a year later. My son used this thing until he was almost two. We own several of them. Not only are they fantastic for them to sleep in at night, but I also took them on plane rides and everyone at the airport always wanted to know what it was called. It's like a wearable blanket, but still allows baby enough freedom to stretch their arms. It's the perfect swaddle-transition blanket for when baby is old enough to stop swaddling, at about 3 months.
- Ergobaby Carrier. The Ergobaby is award-winning, and no doubt for its functional design, comfort and durability. It's a little bit of a splurge, but raved about by everyone who is lucky enough to buy or borrow one. It does have a higher price tag which is why it's on the list of baby registry must haves: Some Ergobaby enthusiest is bound to get it for you, or maybe some friends will split the cost between them.
- The Woombie. The woombie is a great swaddling blanket that mimics the womb in an attempt to get baby to sleep longer at night. They are also stretchy and have a vented option, which is a must. My baby grew out of this at about 3 months and started using the Zippity-Zip, which we used until he was almost 2.
- Car Seat/Stroller Combo. For your first baby, you are going to want a car seat/stroller combo so that your car seat can connect directly into your stroller. The strollers with one wheel in front are much easier to maneuver than the others. If you want to line your car seat with a soft bunting or cover, get a code for a free one from our post websites every pregnant woman should know about.
- Convertible crib. Don't waste too much stress on picking out your crib. All that really matters is that it's convertible, and has good reviews. The color you choose will depend on the theme of your nursery.
- Humidifier. Having a humidifier is a must when your baby gets his/her first cold. Otherwise they get too stuffed up and you worry about them breathing at night. Humidifiers help break up all the mucus.
- Nursing Cups. When you are nursing on one side, the other side leaks. These nursing cups collect the milk that leaks on the other side so that you can save it. I have a friend that uses these religiously and has been able to freeze so much extra milk!
- Reusable Nursing Pads. These are so much better (and more affordable) that the disposable ones. If you plan to nurse your baby, nursing pads are for sure on the list of baby registry must haves! You can score some free ones here with code MN10FREEPADS (just pay shipping).
- Rocking Recliner. After spending hours and hours reading reviews on Amazon, I finally decided to purchase this rocking recliner for the nursery. We have had it for over 2 years now and I still rock my 2-year old in it every night. It's comfortable, but not overly large (made it through the doorway just fine) and has the swivel/rock motion along with the foot rest.
- Utility Cart. This isn't entirely a must-have, but I recommend either a utility cart stuffed with all the diaper changing and baby supplies you will need those first few months, or several diaper stations throughout the house. You will be doing a LOT of this.
Nice-to-Have Items:
The following items aren't necessarily “baby registry must haves,” but they are products many moms love and find useful:
- A Swing or Bouncer. Especially if you aren't getting a rock n play, you are going to want either a swing or bouncer. This swing tends to be the most popular style due to all the different ways that it can swing.
- An Activity Gym is great for the recommended tummy time, and to help baby develop the movement and strength needed in the limbs and neck muscles to crawl, sit up, etc.
- A Jumparoo is great for play, but also for strengthening leg muscles and getting baby ready to put weight on the legs and later begin to walk.
- These baby turban hats are not necessary, but super cute if you are having a baby girl. Amazon is also one of the cheapest places to find baby bows and headbands.
- Wubbanub. The Wubbanub is great for keeping binky close to baby's mouth when it falls out (rather than having to fish for it every time baby of it). Also makes a great comfort item. They come attached to the same style of pacifier that is given to you at the hospital.
- Baby moccasins. I have never seen baby moccasins for as cheap as I have found them on Amazon and they have held up great for my babies. I have found them starting in the $3 range.
- Full-Coverage Bibs. Full coverage bibs are the only bibs I will buy because they are the only ones that will contain the mess. You will soon discover that regular baby bibs are good for nothing more than baby drool. When it comes to feeding, you need something that covers their arms, clear down to their waist.
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