Meg's Baby Registry Recs

Recently I have had reason to think about what baby products I prefer and what I would recommend! I know this sounds nerdy, but I love baby/kid products and rejoice when I find something that is easy to use, practical, and makes my life as a mom easier. If it's pretty to look at, that's an added bonus! The only frustrating part is that I have had (until now) no one to share my recs with! God has blessed me with wonderful friends and if I can save them time in preparing for a baby and in trying to find great products, well by George, why not spend some time writing down my thoughts! Oh, and lists are so fun to make! Oh how I love lists...

I have separated my picks into three categories, Must Haves, Nice to Have, and Could Wait. In parenthesis I indicated the brand or type of product I prefer, but this is not to say that there aren't a million other wonderful brands/products out there. This list is not all-inclusive...there are plenty of things that are essential or could be useful that I have not thought of! I am also going to list some tips/advice I wish I had had before having my kids. 


But my first piece of advice is...take every piece of advice with a grain of salt! Do your own thing and don't feel bad about it! Embrace your role as a mom and the great gift you have been given to choose what you want to do with your children, whether it be which bouncer to buy or what type of routine you follow. Please comment if you think of something that you would recommend adding to the list! 

Must Haves

Care:

• Bath Tub (Eurobath Kit-When our kids were first born and they had to be sponge-bathed, we bought one of those sponges that they lay on and then transitioned to a bath tub once their belly button fell off. It seems like the little tubs that fit across a sink could be useful too when they are really little.)
• Body Wash (Try Aveeno or something for sensitive skin. We love Mustela Hair and Body Wash because its smells like a newborn to me, however it is expensive.)
• Washcloths
• Towel
• Lotion
• Diapers (Pampers Swaddler)
• Wipes (Huggies)
• Travel Wipes for Wipes Case for Diaper Bag
• Diaper Bag
• Diaper Cream (Dr. Smiths)
• Nasal Bulb Syringe
• Pacifiers (I like the greens ones that are like the ones you get in the hospital for when they are small or NUK silicon pacifiers)
• Pacifier Clips (Will need different type for each type of pacifier just FYI)
• Sassy Blue Bags (Use these for poopy diapers. This saves space and time so you don’t have to empty another trash can/diaper pail.)
• Diaper Storage Thingy for the nursery (I use a decorative box, but you can use whatever!)
• Stain stick (Oxyclean)
• Wet Ones Wipes (Avoid washing your hands a gazillion times…use Wet Ones to disinfect after diaper changing)
• Finger Nail Clippers (Safety First orange and white safety clippers)
• Hair Brush
• Swaddling Blankets (I really like the gauzy type by Swaddle Designs…they are large and breathable)
• Changing Pad
• Changing Pad Covers (I love the minky ones)
• Waterproof pads for changing table (Carters 18 x 27 inch-I buy the size that matches the size of the nursery changing pad and the pack and play changing pad. I find that having something absorbent under them when they are little is very very helpful!)
• Changing Pad for diaper bag

Gear:

• Pack and Play
• Pack and Play Mattress Pad/Quilted Sheet (I like this so you are not doing a pad and a sheet…easier to clean up when accidents happen)
• Everyday Stroller (baby Jogger City Mini with Car Seat Adaptor)
• Stroller Clips to hand diaper bag on stroller
• Car Seat and Base (Chicco)

Activity:

• Bouncer Seat (When buying a bouncer seat, consider the toys hanging above. We preferred one with toys that were interactive rather than just plush. Also consider the ease of moving it from room-to-room)
• Play Mat/Baby Gym (I like ones that have toys hanging that they can bat at)
• Rattles
• O-Ball Rattle

Feeding: (Depending on whether you breast of bottle feed, will be different)

• Burp Cloths (6-Ply)
• Nursing Pillow & Cover (Boppy or My Breast Friend)
• Nursing Stool
• Nursing Cover
• Pump
• Milk Storage Bags
• Bottles (BPA-Free Plastic-I prefer plastic bottles…when the baby is old enough to hold their own, plastic is better than glass! I learned this the hard way!)
• Bottle Drying Rack (Boon Grass Drying Rack)
• Sterilizer (I had Dr. Browns because I had this brand of bottles. I have also used Medela Bags to sterilize which work well and take up less space.)
• Bottle Brush
• Disposable Nursing Pads (Medela)
• Formula mixer

Health and Safety:

• Infant Tylenol
• Infant Motrin
• Monitor
• Mirror for Car
• Alcohol Swabs or Rubbing Alcohol with Cotton Balls for cleaning cord and tip of thermometer after use
• Ear Plugs for Mom or Dad to take a nap
• Noise Machine for baby if there is noise or for Mom/Dad to take a nap (Sharper Image Travel Sound Machine)
• Humidifier (Crane Ultrasonic Cool Mist Frog Humidifier...this one seems to work, but I am sure you could find other great ones!)

Clothing:

• Socks (Ankle socks stay on better)
• Sleep Sacks (HALO-I like the fleece ones to use over cotton jammies)
• Swaddlers (HALO and Summer Infant-When looking for a swaddler, get stretchy material.)
• One Piece Footed-Jammies (prefer ones with zippers for changing frequently. Snaps get really tricky in the middle of the night. I learned the hard way not to get too complicated with outfits when they are really little.)
• Onesies (Depending on the weather...usually in TX if its hot, I would keep them in short sleeves, but for cooler weather, the one-pieces work really well when they are young.)
• Hangers

Nice to Have

Care:

• Wipes Warmer
• Calendula Cream (This really helped with Audrey’s cradle-cap which was actually on her cheeks and forehead.)
• Basket to keep diapers and wipe in for changing diapers in another part of your house or downstairs
• Wubba Nub Pacifier (Love the striped kitty cat one-This was great for when they are little and you don’t want the paci to fall out. I never let Audrey sleep with it though when I wasn’t watching her though…it has a stuffed animal on the end.)
• Diaper Pail (I tried using one, but did not like it. However, I hear good things about the Diaper Champ which uses kitchen bags instead of expensive refills!)

Gear:

• Swing (Look for a swing with a small footprint or a travel swing to avoid taking up a lot of space.)
• Extra Carseat Base (This is helpful if you plan to use both of your cars or switch cars.)
• Sling
• Baby Carrier (I love Ergobaby for a baby carrier in terms of comfort for Mom/Dad. It is a little tricky to use when they are really small though. I like the Bjorn and a sling better for when they are really little. However, the classic Bjorn carrier does tend to hurt after a while. Look for a carrier that has some lower back support.)
• Jogging Stroller (Double BOB, expensive, but the ultimate jogging stroller. This can be used for an everyday stroller as well and has a car seat adaptor)
• Car Seat Cover that goes over the cover that comes on your car seat (I love Itsy Ritzy that I ordered online but they have amazing covers now in the stores.
• Shopping Cart Cover (Again, Itsy Ritzy but they now have them in the stores that even come in a carrying bag!)

Activity:

• Mirror Toy
• Rattles/Small Toys/Books
• Mobile for Crib

Feeding:

• Formula (if breastfeeding…take the pressure off yourself and let dad help in the middle of the night or if your milk is slow to come in

Health and Safety:

• Video Monitor (Mobi Cam-instead of just noise)
• Forehead thermometer (Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer-this is the one my friends swear by)

Clothing:

• Closet Dividers for Clothing Sizes

Could Wait:

Care:

• Crib (Jenny Lind Spindle Crib)
• Mattress (Would buy Sealy, Serta or Simmons Firm Mattress-consider reviews)
• Crib Sheets
• Waterproof Crib Mattress Pad

Gear:

Activity:

• Exersaucer
• Jumper
• Teething Toys

Feeding:

• Height Chair or Booster Seat with Tray (Love the Boon High Chair, but having the Booster is nice when we go to someone's house for dinner. The only downside is that a booster takes up one of your seats.)
• Bowls/Spoons/Sippies

Health and Safety:

• Baby Proofing Equipment

Clothing:

Other Tips/Advice:

• Consider borrowing things from people. I love to loan my stuff out! There are some things that you might just want to buy new…we are all sentimental! But from my experience, I wish I would have borrowed more items rather than having to store them after using them for only a short time!
• Ask for help or take people up on their offers! Let them bring you meal or watch the baby while you take a nap.
• After going to the store to register, go back to your registry online. I have only used Babies R Us, but you can look through each category of baby items and read reviews which are what I would recommend using when choosing an item. Plus, you have so many more options online. You may also consider doing an Amazon Wish List or Baby Registry so that you can register for things from multiple websites. It's very convenient! 
• Be cautious when considering which books to read. I read several books that took advantage of my OCD personality and my need for perfectionism. I spent a lot of time stressing over the fact that my child did not fit into the routine that was recommended or that I didn't have the time/energy to make all my baby food from scratch! 
• A dear friend of mine, Mary Beth, made a great suggestion for a gift for grandma! If you live in the same town as grandparents, give them a little "care package" with all the essentials like diapers, wipes, ointment, etc. so that mom won't have to bring all of it each time they visit or babysit! 
• When creating your registry, consider how many people might be buying for you. If you know you will have more than 1 shower, you may choose to register for more things, such as toys, clothes, etc. If you will only have 1 shower, register for what you really want RIGHT NOW! People will buy things that you may not use for months. Also include in the note part of the registry that you like gift cards!