Baby Registry Must Haves

 

 

Bobby and I started our registry right as NY was shutting down in March of 2020. We rushed out to one of the only baby stores left in our county, Buy Buy Baby, which ended up being completely overwhelming. For your first child trying to figure out what you and baby will need can be a daunting task. We found it best to ask and search for other people's registries to find ideas.

Of my closest friends, we were the first to have a baby and I did a lot of my research from Amazon suggestions, Pinterest, and a few podcasts that I listened to. When we headed to the store, we didn't even really look at anything. I kept telling Bobby that I wanted to go to the store so I could see what I was looking at online. He wasn't thrilled with the idea and we bickered A LOT. We did find in-person shopping most useful for finding the right car seat and stroller for us.

 

Everything else that I had on our registry I shopped for online. Amazon ended up being my best option at the time because we were changing our shower to a drive-by and many people were not going to be able to make it. This way they could have the items sent directly to us.

Our top favorite things:
1. Diaper Genie
2. Baby Carriers (wraps & backpack styles)
3. Tabletop Highchair
4. Co-sleeper mattress
5. Kiinde breastfeeding kit

There were definitely a lot of things that we had to buy after our shower, and not just items that were still on the registry that we wanted, but that we didn't know we needed or wanted.

 

I regret not adding a doula to my registry (birth or postpartum). I was urged to do this by a close friend of mine, but Bobby and my family assured me that I didn't need one and that we could handle this on our own. I think if having that extra support person with more birth knowledge with me in labor and delivery I would have had a better experience (I know that I don't know that for sure, but believe it could have made a difference). Unfortunately, being that one support person was only just being allowed in at the time I delivered my son, I would have regretting hiring a doula if I could only video chatted with her during everything.

I was also afraid that we couldn't afford a doula. Little did I know that I had options for assistance with that. First, I could have created a registry that allowed for services to be added. Such as Be Her Village & MyRegistry.com. Second, where we live there is a doula association that actually assists families with hardships in accessing doulas and other birth care and postpartum providers with discounted prices or full services donated.

 

Both Bobby and I wish we had known this when we started planning because we would have taken advantage of these services. But we know for next time if there is one. I highly recommend researching the items that you request for your baby and using one of these custom registry services. My list and the registries are all linked (go back and click on them to check them out! I do not have any affiliations with these) and we hope these will help you in planning your registry!