Baby Registry 101

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Congratulations! You're Having a Baby!

So, what now? Someone wants to throw you a baby shower, or someone is asking where you have your baby registry and what you have on it. What do you want to have to help welcome your new bundle of joy?

"To tell you the truth... I haven't even thought that far ahead"

Well, start planning because 9 months goes by fast!

Where do you begin? 

IdeasThe first thing to figure out is what you will need to get for your baby, and secondly you will need to decide what specific items you want. It is a good idea to read reviews and recommendations of other moms to help you with your decisions. And lastly you will need to decide where you want to register for these items. Being a first time mom can be overwhelming, and there are so many things to think about - from diapers to cribs. To help with this you need a good checklist and a list of stores with baby registries.

Getting a Good Checklist 

CheckmarkGetting a checklist can be one of the first and most important things you can do. Regardless of where you decide to have your baby registry or registries, a checklist is a must because it gives you a great starting point as to the items you will need to welcome your baby.

Here's a sampling of a few checklists to get you started:
Babies "R" Us Baby Registry Checklist
Babies "R" Us is one of the most popular places to have a baby registry. They have a great checklist which you can use for planning your baby registry even if you decide not to have it at Babies "R" Us.
Nursery Necessities Checklist
The Expectant Mother's Guide has a very comprehensive "Buying for Baby" checklist which can help you plan your baby registry.
ModernMom Baby Registry Checklist
ModernMom gives you a two page checklist in Adobe Acrobat format for you to print out and use when planning your baby registry.

What Do Other Moms Recommend 

Reading about the recommendations of other moms can be invaluable to help you choose specific items which are endorsed or recommended based on their experience.

The Wise Mommy

The Wise Mommy - Reviews of Everything for Baby and Mom
The Wise Mommy is a product review and resource website which has new reviews posted several times a week. The reviews are of products that have been tried and tested by everyday moms.

Tell Us About Your Baby Registry 

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Infant Car Seats 

Your first priority should be the infant car seat - You cannot leave the hospital without one!

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all infants should ride rear-facing starting with their first ride home from the hospital until they have reached at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. It is even better for them to ride rear-facing until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat's manufacturer. Many of the "infant only" car seats have weight limits up to 22-30 pounds.

 

Also don't forget, if you have more than one vehicle it might be a good idea to register for an extra car seat base.

Evenflo Embrace Infant Car Seat Base Taupe

Amazon Price: $34.89 (as of 12/27/2009) Buy Now

Strollers 

Strollers come in many variety of styles, sizes, and patterns, and the types range from baby strollers, double strollers, jogging strollers to umbrella strollers.

It's a good idea to go to a store and try out a variety of strollers to choose which ones feel comfortable, maneuverable and portable enough for your needs.

Travel Systems 

Combining car seats with strollers

Ideally you want your infant car seat to be compatible with your stroller. It makes things so much easier, allowing you to keep your baby in the seat as you transfer back and forth from car to stroller.

Travel systems are an easy (and overall less expensive) alternative to registering separately for a car seat and stroller.

Orbit Infant System - Black

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Baby Gear 

Baby gear runs the gamut from carriers to swings and bouncers. A lot of these items can come in handy as a second pair of hands to help you care for and entertain your baby.

By far the most used baby gear items in my home are:

Bumbo Baby Seat



The Boppy Pillow - I used this from day one at the hospital, all the way until my children weaned from the breast and bottle. This is definitely one of the best items I had on my registry.

The Bumbo Baby Seat - Another fantastic item which came in useful once my children had good head and trunk control but weren't yet able to sit independently.

Other great baby gear items include:

Nursery Furniture 

Crib with beddingMost people look for a crib and changing table to put in their nursery. It truly depends on how big your nursery is as to how extravagant you can get.

Many cribs today are the convertible kind, where they grow with your child - going from crib to day bed to toddler bed. They are often referred to as 4-in-1 or 5-in-1 cribs.

Second only to the crib, my Shermag Glider was one of the best items I got off my registry. I still to this day use my glider, whereas the changing table was maybe used for about a month.

Nursery Decor 

Many people like to choose a "theme" or color for their nursery decor. A lot of companies make matching sets of items, such as matching bedding, lamps, rugs, etc.

Here are a sampling of items you would see if looking for a Jungle themed nursery.

Nojo Jungle Babies 6 Piece Crib Bedding Set

Amazon Price: $142.36 (as of 12/27/2009) Buy Now

NoJo Jungle Babies Lamp and Shade

Amazon Price: $37.36 (as of 12/27/2009) Buy Now

Breastfeeding Supplies 

If you decide you want to breastfeed your baby, you may find some of these products useful to have on your registry.

Bottle Feeding Supplies 

Whether you are breastfeeding or formula feeding, these are some items you may want to have on hand if you would like to bottle feed at any point.

Diapering Supplies 

Newborn babies go through 8-10 diapers a day, which is approximately 300 diapers during the first month! If you decide to go the disposable diaper route then these are some of the items you might consider putting on your registry.

The Cloth Diapering Alternative

Fitted DiaperCloth Diapering Your Baby is a great resource if this is something you are considering.

 

Bathing Supplies 

I am a big fan of the Primo EuroBath. My tub served me well for the last three years with two children. This tub is largest baby tub available, which was perfect for my big boys.

PRIMO EuroBath Pearl White

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Layette Items 

A few layette items are nice to have on your registry. However, it really isn't necessary to register for onesies and clothes as people usually get these items anyway in addition to your registry. Plus it can sometimes be hard for someone to find that exact outfit you are looking for.

Safety Items 

Safety 1st Safe-Glow Nursery Monitor 2 Receiver Set

Amazon Price: $49.99 (as of 12/27/2009) Buy Now

Carbon Monoxide Alarm / Hardwire

Amazon Price: (as of 12/27/2009) Buy Now

Items You Will Need Later On 

There is a whole host of items you will eventually need that are not necessary to have right in the beginning. However, you could always put them on your registry and just hang onto them until the time comes to use them.

Full-Size Car Seat and Booster


Stationary Entertainers and Jumpers


Highchairs and Booster Seats


Solid Feeding Accessories


Potty Training Items


Baby Proofing Items

Let Me Know What You Think! 

I worked really hard on this lens, so please leave a comment if you like it and click on the "5 star" rating at the top if you really found it useful. Thanks!

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by MamaWise

Author of the baby product review site The Wise Mommy.

I am a 31 year old SAHM to two boys. I work some weekends as a physical therapist, and also ho... (more)

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