I still recommend all the items I listed in my original post, but I've expanded the list to be more of a complete suggested registry. What makes my suggested list different from some of the other registries out there? Well, for one, it's my own take on "needs" and include only items we've found to be helpful, and two, I have a fairly minimalist approach to baby "stuff" so it's probably a bit shorter than most lists. Additionally, I have marked the items I think should be purchased second hand (I use craigslist because the DC area has a great CL community, but ebay and Facebook are also good options). Look for the asterisks. Also, note that I have only included items that will be useful for the first 6 months of life, mainly because thereafter the toys get a bit more engaging and they start eating food. I'll update my suggestions for that period in life when Kaiya reaches that point. At this time, I don't have an opinion on those items:)
*Clothing: Let's start with the stuff people like to get the most. I personally think all clothes should come second hand, but I'm not above buying a few cute items new. I mean seriously, you're having a baby and it's impossible to pass by those little baby sections without walking away with at least one new outfit. My advice: if you're buying, make it special occasion outfits. Things they'll wear to weddings, for photo shoots, etc. These are the items where color, style, fit, etc. will matter the most.
It'll feel like people give you a million onesies and then they'll tell you that you'll need them. You won't. My personal opinion? You'll need (and can really only use) about 10 in every size, assuming you do laundry more than once a week. Here is the breakdown I recommend:
Newborn size:
*Keep in mind that if you have a big baby or you cloth diaper, you may need to skip the newborn size altogether and just apply all these recommendations to 0-3 size.
- 5 white short sleeve onesies
- 3 white long sleeve onesies (they come in packs of 3). I specify white because in the cooler months they'll mostly go under other things.
- 2+ "fun" onesies to wear under sweaters/hoodies, etc. for when you're showing off your cutie to friends and family.
- 5 ZIP-up pajamas (I call them "sleepers") or gowns. Those buttons are a huge pain in the butt at 2am when you're changing diapers blurry-eyed and can never seem to line them up properly the first time around. Stick to the zip. My favorite ones are the terry-cloth ones, but they're harder to find. We had a number of gowns but didn't really use them. Some people love them, I preferred the sleepers. If you do use gowns, be sure to pair them with socks.
- 3+ pair of newborn socks. Even though sleepers have feet in them, I sometimes felt like she needed extra warmth on her extremities.
- 1-2 "outfits." It's SO easy to want to buy all the cute little newborn size outfits. They're tiny, and adorable. And if people buy them for you, awesome, but honestly in the newborn stage, you generally won't want your little one in buttons and frills, you'll want her/him in something comfy. Not to mention that as soon as you get her/him in that adorable little outfit you want the world to see her/him in you'll end up having to change her/him due to a blowout, leaking diaper or spit-up incident anyways.
- 1-2 swaddlers (these are one size). This one is totally optional because you can use blankets to swaddle, but our little Houdini could wiggle her way out of any blanket swaddle and we needed to bring in reinforcements. The SwaddleMe swaddlers were awesome, easy to use at 3am, and super handy for the dads and grandpa's that weren't well versed in the swaddle techniques.
- 1+ hat. You really only need one, but they generally come in packs of multiples. The hospital usually give you one too, so you may not need to buy any.
- 2-3 sets baby scratch mittens. These are a MUST for those outfits that don't have hand covering flaps. Baby nails are like razor blades and the last thing you want to see are scratches on their perfect skin from their own flailing about.
- 5-10 bibs (again, these are generally one size, so they work for all ages). My sister didn't really use bibs, but I used them religiously. They were great just to flip up over your shoulder and use as a burp cloth and saved me from constantly having to search for one. Again, my favorite were the terry cloth.
Note: I didn't put a jacket or sweater on here because I don't think for a newborn they're necessary. They're actually NOT recommended for when baby is in the car seat so think blankets, sleepers, etc when taking baby out in the cold.
For each additional size (0-3, 3-6, etc):
- 5 white short sleeve onesies (they'll still mostly go under things) and 5 "fun" onesies to pair with pants/shorts/skirts or just a pair of socks. Kaiya pretty much lives in just onesies here in the DC warmer months. We didn't use long sleeve onesies at all after the first few weeks (once she was able to better regulate her own temperature).
- 2+ pairs pants/shorts/skirts to put over onesies
- 5 zip-up pajamas or gowns.
- 3-5 outfits. As they get older and you take them out more, you want more outfits. Depending on the month that your baby reaches this size, you'll want either pants or shorts/dress outfits.
- 5 pair socks
- Shoes, in necessary size, once they start walking.
Bathing and Skin Care
Again, minimalist here.
- 2 towels-but they don't even have to be baby towels, adult towels you already own are fine as long as you wash them with the same dye free, scent free detergent that you wash the baby stuff in.
- 4 washclothes. Same rules as above apply. I use two per bathing session. One to wash her, and the other to place over her belly to keep her warm.
- *Baby tub. You don't need one. I thought you did and registered for one but the sink is fine. Once she was able to be fully submersed in water, I just took her in the bath with me. If you don't get a tub, you might want to get one of these just so you don't need two people to bath the baby.
- Baby soap. We use burts bees on her now because we it's gentle and we registered for it, but looking back, I probably wouldn't have registered for it and would have just used Dr. Bonners castile soap. It lasts forever, is relatively inexpensive, is super gentle and all natural. Wins all around.
- Moisturizer. They told us in "baby class" not to use anything on baby until 6 months because they wouldn't need it. They lied, or maybe Kaiya was drier than most. She definitely needed it, so after her baths, we we oil her down with almond oil. Burts Bee's makes a nice one, but regular almond oil works too.
- Sunscreen. Honestly, I haven't found a great one. I have California Baby's sunscreen which is highly rated, all natural and gentle, but it's so thick you have to really smear it on and she hates that process. Also, if you're on the beach with sand, it's like a magnet and not only attracts it, but it's so thick and sticky you can't get the sand off.
- Diaper Rash Treatment/Prevention. I love love love the California baby Diaper Wash. I apply a few sprays to her butt after wiping and before putting a clean diaper on her and we haven't had an issue with diaper rash since.
Baby "Stuff"
- Pacifiers. Kaiya started our loving the mam pacifiers, but when her mouth got a bit bigger, she loved the soothies, which led to our love affair with the wubbanub. Looking through our photo's you'll quickly see our giraffe and cow wubba. People who have had the wubba will volunteer their love for the wubba too. We even had a relative tell us that they had 4 and they were placed in convinient locations to ensure they were never without. They are machine washable and worth every penny. I recommend at least 2 pacifiers of your choice.
- Lovies. Kaiya is still too little to really appreciate these, but she was given about 7 of them. Reading reviews online indicate that "more than a couple" is about what people think you should have so I'm including these here as a necessity based on what appears to be consistent advice.
- *Bottles. Every baby will have a favorite, so I guess it's worth getting one of a couple different types and finding which one they like. I suggest a slow-flow nipple. I wanted glass bottles and fell in love with the Lifefactory bottles. The nanny seems to prefer to use the Madela bottles that came with my pump. I honestly can't tell if Kaiya has a preference. How many should you have? My sister had exactly 2 bottles and just washed as she went. We have 3 lifefactory and about 4 other random ones that were given to us and I feel like we have too many. Probably 5 be perfect. Note that I don't store my milk in bottles, I store them in bags but if you did store in bottles, you'd need more.
- Milk Storage Bags. I've tried about 4 different brands, they are all pretty much the same but I tend to prefer the Lansinoh bags. I've found their measuring lines on the side to be the most accurate.
- Nursing Pads. While we're on the boob train, let me recommend some of these. I made some and tried a couple disposable types. If you know me, you know I try and reduce the disposables in my life whenever possible. I buy these disposable. I tried a couple patterns to make and I could never get them thin enough to not show through my bra without being totally non-absorbent and useless. My favorite brand of disposables are the Lansinoh. They are thin, absorbent and large enough to cover enough area where it doesn't show through the bra. Stick a couple boxes on your registry.
- *Diapers. We cloth diaper, and if you want to know more about my system you can visit my post about it here. In short, I've come to appreciate AIO's when I leave Kaiya with the nanny but if I were to do it all over again and if I knew then what I know now, I would have just invested in this cloth diaper system. Did I really asterisk this?! Yep. I'm a big believer in second-hand cloth diapers.
- *Blankets. Let's be frugal here. These are an easy gift so you'll probably get a bunch of these but you won't need them all. You WILL need a 3-4 pack of the Aden & Anais Muslin swaddle blankets. They're expensive but totally worth it. They are great for light blankets, nursing covers, swaddling the baby at night, burp cloths, laying baby on the floor and probably about 5-10 other things. Put this on your registry. You will also want about 5 flannel receiving blankets. If you get more than you need, cut the extras up and make them into flannel wipes. You'll also want 1-2 heavier blankets made of something soft like velor or minky. Make them or stick them on your registry and let your friends/family buy them.
- *Nursing Cover. This is not a luxury item. Much like the Aden & Anais swaddlers, these things are super versatile. I've used them as light blankets, as a sunscreen when thrown over the carseat or the Ergo carrier (since their arms and legs stick out), a burp cloth, etc. I was given one, and made another. They're mostly all the same so don't feel like you need to spend a ton on one. You'll want at least 1.
- *Burp Cloths. You can probably live without these, especially if you use bibs and receiving blankets like I do, but if you want to stick them on your registry, I got a pack of the Bummis premie pre-folds as an extra soaker for Kiaya's diapers at night and found the more you wash them, the softer and fluffier they get and they are super absorbant, organic and just awesome.
- *Changing pad covers. You'll want 2. One on the pad and one in the wash.
- *Sheets for crib. You want at least 2, but 3 wouldn't hurt. I heard once that you want to put a waterproof crib pad then a sheet, then another waterproof crib pad then another sheet. That way if they wet the bed at night you just peel off the first two layers and you can just stick them back in bed without a big upheaval in the middle of the night.
Baby Equipment
Here is where I get really picky. I never wanted my house riddled with baby stuff she'll only use for a couple months, but I found out that those couple of months are important to baby's development and having those things are better for learning than NOT having those things. They key is to get them used because they are generally still in perfect condition and much cheaper. Then you can sell them off again, or keep them stored for the next baby (if there are next babies). The following are the items I thought were important enough to register for or buy.
- *Bassinet or Moses Basket. I went with a bassinet with a removable basket. Used is preferable. We got ours from pottery barn because I wanted something well built that we could pass down, but that was ridiculously sentimental of me and hindsight tells me that a moses basket would have sufficed. Don't forget to get sheets (2 sets) for whatever you choose.
- *Floor gym. Baby can start using it after only a couple weeks. It's visually stimulating, and as they get older it helps with hand-eye coordination. Some are cheaper than others. I'm a big fan of the fisher-price musical one because it rewards baby with music and lights when they grab it.
- *Jumperoo. She was ready for this thing at about 3.5 months. We got it finally just before she turned 4 months and she loves it (for short periods of time). Well worth the $50 we spent on craigslist.
- *Stroller. The Bob! We got the Bob 2011 Revolution and it's a dream. It's heavier than most and larger than most (and super wide), but it is a smooth ride, easy to set up and breakdown and I just love it. Don't forget to get the chicco adapter if you use a chicco car seat, it's worth every penny. Skip the cup holders. They're nice to have but they are poorly made and mine was falling apart with the first use :/ I've heard the City Selects are awesome too. Whatever you do, refrain from buying these new. Get them used.
- Car seat. I love love the chicco keyfit 30. It's SO easy to snap in and out of the base and it works awesome with our Bob stroller (with the attachment). Splurge on the extra base if you have multiple cars or someone else who might need to take her somewhere (like the nanny or grandparent). I'm supposed to tell you here not to get these used. I say use your judgement but don't trust anyone you don't know. I would probably not be averse to buying extra bases second hand, but it's probably just safer to get these new too.
- *Bouncy chair. It's the only way I got anything done! She loves to sit in here and watch John cook or me clean.
- *Co-sleeper. Again, optional. If you choose to co-sleep, do yourself a favor and use a co-sleeper for baby's protection. Instead of buying one of these, we used one of these. No joke. She loved it, it was cheaper, and I felt better that neither John nor I were going to roll over on her.
- *Baby Carrier. There are a number of good ones out there, and I know that most moms are fierce advocates of whatever they have. I have (and love) the Ergo carrier. I've also heard great things about the Boba carrier, and that one doesn't need an infant insert to use it with new babies. I've read certain reviews/studies that recommend against from using the Baby Bjorn claiming it can cause hip dysplasia, but it generally gets awesome reviews, so use your best judgement there.
- Pack and Play. If you plan to travel with baby, these are a must. My mother-in-law got us the 4moms Breeze Playard, and it's awesome. It's heavier than most but it's super easy to set up. I'm sure the Graco ones are equally as sufficient.
- Car Mirror. Do yourself a favor and get one for each of your vehicles. You're literally blind without one.
*Toys
Kaiya is just now starting to grasp at things to the point where toys are worth anything but based on what I've heard you're safe getting anything from Melissa & Doug or Baby Einstein. Being that she's teething, the things she loves most right now are:
- Sophie the Giraffe
- Sassy Teethers
- Under the Nile vegetable plush toys\
- Her Very Hungry Caterpillar
*Books
You don't need my help here. As far as I'm concerned, as long as books are a part of the list, you can choose whichever ones you want. We were gifted a couple highly liberal and feminist books, as well as a children's Bible, and some classics like the The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Where the Wild Things Are. She'll be well rounded.
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| Nice, cheery, gender neutral nursery isn't it?? |
Nursery Furniture
Do yourself a favor and get these things used. As long as the cribs were built in the last couple years they're up to date with safety regulations, and you can get a much better quality crib for the price if you get them used. Our crib & changing table is from pottery barn but we got it from a family off craigslist for a little more than we could have gotten a crib at Walmart. The only flaw was a little scratch on the headboard that you can only see in certain light. We did draw the line at a used mattress, but we got one for like $40 at IKEA, which interestingly enough builds their mattresses to surpass the country with the strictest safety standards, which isn't even the US. Remember to buy a firm mattress for baby, they don't need that super-soft down mattress just yet ;)
- *Crib. You can go uber high-end here and buy from Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, or some other designer, or you can go with IKEA, Walmart, Costco, etc. Look at reviews and search for recalls. Style may matter but safety is paramount.
- Crib Mattress.
- *Changing Table (totally optional but we use ours all the time). Same recommendations here as for the crib
- *Rocking Chair. I wanted a glider so I got one from Target on craigslist but the options are endless here.
- Dresser. We didn't get a dresser. We decided that with the size of her closet we could get away with hanging her clothes and then using baskets on the shelves to hold what couldn't be hung. If you don't have a large closet, however, a dresser might be necessary.
So, ladies and gentlemen, these are my suggestions for a very basic baby registry. Note again that my suggestions really only cover 0-6 months, which from what I've seen covers the majority of items in a registry, but if you want to know what I would add to your registry to cover the second half of baby's first year, you'll have to stay tuned; Kaiya isn't there yet so I don't have any recommendations ;)
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