What's On My Baby Registry: A Beginners Guide To Making Your First Baby Registry
Today’s video is something that SO many of y’all have requested! Making a baby registry for the first time can be so overwhelming. There is so much information (not to mention opinions) about items you NEED, items you should want, and baby items that are not worth the money. My hope in making this video is not to give you an exhaustive list of things you need to have, but more to give you a starting place if you are where I was 4 months ago putting together this list. I want to give a big thank you to my friends who went before me on this. I spent countless nights picking their brains, and I am grateful for their patience with me as we nailed down what types of things we wanted to register for.
When should I make my baby registry?
Let’s talk about timing—because it turns out, there’s really no “too early” when it comes to starting your baby registry! You can absolutely begin building your list as soon as you’re ready, even if you haven’t shared your big news with the world just yet. Many popular online retailers now offer a private or hidden setting, which is a lifesaver for anyone wanting to quietly curate their wish list in those early months.
Another thing I learned from my friends: You don’t have to stick to just one registry. In fact, signing up at a few different stores (think Target, Amazon, or Babylist) can score you a handful of fun welcome boxes and sample freebies—a tiny bonus during those months of endless decision-making.
One practical tip: If you’re planning to have a baby shower, try to have your registries ready before invitations go out. That gives your friends and family plenty of time to browse, and you can always tweak and update your lists as your due date gets closer.
What should I put on my baby registry?
A good starting place when considering what to put on your baby registry is to take a look at the things a baby (and you) will need to function. Below are 8 categories (not an exhaustive list) to help guide you on what types of things you should be thinking about for your baby.
1. Transport
2. Sleep
3. Feeding
4. Clothing ****
5. Play
7. Mom Care
After having 3 baby showers, my recommendation would be to first focus your baby registry on items that are more practical (they can still be cute of course). People are going to get you cute books, toys, and clothes no matter if you register for them or not, because these items are so fun to buy! Start with things you NEED to have to keep your child alive, and then add in the cute items from there until you have a nice healthy list.
What NOT to add to your baby registry
Sometimes, it’s just as helpful to know what you don’t need as what you do. Here are a few things I learned (thanks again to my wise mom-friends and a couple of, let’s call them, “learning experiences”):
Baby wipe warmer. Unless this is something you’re dying to try, it’s totally optional. A lot of parents (myself included) find they just take up precious space.
Crib bumpers, pillows, or stuffed animals for the crib. For safe sleep, stick to a fitted sheet only. I know the decor is tempting, but those Pinterest-worthy bumpers are a no-go!
Fancy, dressy baby clothes. Babies are adorable in everything, but those tiny tuxedos and lacy dresses usually end up covered in spit-up or never worn at all. Basics are best—unless you have a special event coming up.
Drop-down cribs. Double check if you’re accepting a secondhand crib—drop-down sides are a safety hazard and haven’t been made for years.
Mountains of toys. Babies will be perfectly happy with a few simple toys and (let’s be real) your face is all the entertainment they need in the early days. Don’t feel pressured to fill your nursery with every gadget.
Focus your energy (and registry space) on the basics and practical things you’ll use every day. The rest can wait—and trust me, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to add more as you go!
How many items should I register for for my baby?
We ended up with around 125 items on our baby registry. Anywhere from 100 - 125 should be plenty to cover your needs while ensuring you don’t have items you don’t end up using. You do want to make sure you have a few different options for things like bottles, pacifiers, and sleep sacks, as your everyone’s baby has different preferences on these items. Some may take to a certain type of bottle, while others simply won’t!
Where should I make me baby registry?
There are lots of good baby registry websites to choose from, all which offer different perks and benefits. My husband and I ended up using Babylist, which is a third party website that allows you to make a list of items, and then Babylist will cross shop those items on different retailers like Amazon, Target, Walmart + more. Babylist then will display the prices of each item you registered for at different retailers so that your family and friends know they are getting the best deal!
But what exactly is a baby registry? Essentially, it’s a curated list of items that parents-to-be would love to receive as gifts. Creating a registry ensures you get everything you truly need (and want!) to welcome your new addition, and it helps your friends and family easily see what’s most useful. Most registries are organized by store, but many now let you combine items from multiple retailers into one easy-to-shop list. You can set yours up online or in-store, depending on what feels most convenient.
Other places like Target offer a special gift bag (worth $100+) of different trial size baby items if you make a registry through their website. Simply go into the store and show the customer service team you made a registry, and they will give you a gift bag! Pro Tip: You can do this even if you don’t end up using Target as your primary registry, and your registry does not have to be complete. It’s a great way to get your hands on a bunch of different baby products as you are putting your registry together!
Of course, Amazon, Walmart, Pottery Barn Kids, and many other retailers have baby registries you can create. One nice thing about making a registry is that most of these websites will give you 15% off any un-purchased items on your registry as your due date approaches. On Babylist, this was around 30 days out from our due date! I know Amazon and Target does this as well, which is so nice because y’all there is so much to get to make sure you are prepared to take care of this little life!
Popular Baby Registry Options & Their Perks
Here’s a quick rundown of some of the most popular baby registry options, along with a few standout perks each one offers:
Amazon Baby Registry: Amazon pretty much has everything under the sun, so you can add all sorts of items (big and small) to your list. They offer a 15% completion discount on remaining registry items and a free welcome box for Prime members after a qualifying purchase. Plus, the universal registry button lets you add items from other stores if you spot something unique elsewhere!
Babylist: As I mentioned above, Babylist lets you pull items from just about anywhere on the internet—big retailers and small shops alike. They also offer a one-time 15% discount on items left in your registry and send a box of sample goodies after your first $10 purchase from your list.
Target: Target makes it super easy to add items and track your registry both online and in-store. Their welcome bag is packed with samples and coupons, and you get a 15% off coupon for anything left on your list. Returns and exchanges are a breeze for up to a year, which is SO helpful for those duplicate onesies.
Walmart: Walmart’s registry is all about saving money, and they back it up with their price-match guarantee. You get a free welcome box when you register and a year-long return window, so there’s plenty of flexibility if you change your mind (or if your baby suddenly hates the bottle you picked).
Pottery Barn Kids: If you’re dreaming of a seriously cute nursery, Pottery Barn Kids has high-quality furniture and décor. You’ll get a 15% completion discount and up to 90 days for returns or exchanges. They even let you add items from their other family brands (hello, West Elm).
Costco (via MyRegistry.com): If you’re looking to stock up on bulk items like diapers and wipes, Costco is a great choice. By using MyRegistry.com, you can add items from pretty much anywhere, not just Costco.
Crate & Barrel: Known for stylish, quality gear, Crate & Barrel’s registry helps you keep track of gifts and makes group gifting for big-ticket items super easy. You’ll also get a 15% discount on any leftovers and an easy-to-use app for updates on purchases.
IKEA (via MyRegistry.com): For modern and budget-friendly nursery finds, IKEA can be added to your registry through MyRegistry.com. They also offer up to one year for returns and free nursery design advice if you want a little extra help pulling your space together.
No matter where you create your registry, take a little time to explore what each retailer offers—some perks might make a big difference, especially if you’re looking to save or want some fun freebies to try out! And if you’re like me, don’t be afraid to mix and match—sometimes the best setup is a combo of a few different registries to cover all your needs.
Why Set Up More Than One Baby Registry?
Let’s talk about the perks of having multiple baby registries—because yes, you absolutely can! One major bonus of setting up a few registries (even if you have a “main” one) is the swag. Most stores offer welcome boxes or gift bags filled with samples, coupons, and baby goodies just for signing up, so if you register at a few different places, you’ll collect a ton of freebies. And let’s be real, when you’re prepping for a baby, those extra bottles, lotions, and pacifiers are super handy.
Another advantage? Flexibility. Not all friends and family shop at the same stores—having a couple of registries lets your loved ones pick what’s easiest and most affordable for them. Plus, you get access to more completion discounts and post-registry perks, so you can scoop up anything still on your list at a better price. Setting up more than one registry doesn’t mean more work—it just means more savings, samples, and convenience for everyone involved!
If you choose to click on the images or links below, I do receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Doing so helps me continue to makes these types of videos for you guys, and helps support our growing family.
Transport & Sleep
Transport is one of the biggest spends you will have for your baby. There seem to be an endless amount of strollers (and accessories) out there. For us, we narrowed our search down to 2 strollers, one primary stroller, and the Doona car seat stroller. For our primary stroller, we went with the Uppababy Vista V2 in Theo, which is a dreamy brown color (are you even surprised). We were drawn to this stroller not only because it is stunning, but also because it includes a bassinet, which we will be using in the first few weeks of life for night time sleep before transitioning to the crib. Uppababy has a cute stand attachment you can use to clip your bassinet into in your bedroom if you chose to have your child bedside in the early days. Afterwards it can be a laundry hamper!
Crib Mattress Must-Knows
Choosing the right crib mattress is a biggie—not just for sleep, but for safety. When browsing options, look for one that’s firm and perfectly snug within the crib (pro tip: if you can squeeze more than two fingers between the edge and the mattress, it’s not a safe fit). Steer clear of hand-me-downs and opt for a fresh mattress for each new baby; it’s a simple step that keeps things extra clean and safe.
One last thing: breathability matters. I love a mattress that offers good airflow, like the Pottery Barn Kids Lullaby Earth Breathe Safe Crib Mattress—it’s peace of mind for those sleepy nights.
FEeding
The next important thing to think about with your baby is how you are going to feed them. If you are planning on breast feeding, there are a number of breastfeeding related items you will want to think about adding to your registry. The first is a breast pump. I ended up going with the Spectra S1 Plus because some friends of mine had a good experience with it, and because it is portable in the sense that you don’t have to plug the machine into the wall. I ended up buying mine breast pump because my insurance covered a portion of the pump. You can go to this website to find out if your insurance will cover all or a portion of the pump!
Clothing
Let’s be honest, clothing is the best part of making a baby registry. All the hoods with ears, and onesies, the matching sets - it’s too much! There are so many cute baby clothes out there and so little time where your child will actually fit in them, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying this part of making a registry. As you can see, my child will most likely be the cliche “Beige Baby” and I am not mad about it.
Tip: make sure to think about what season it will be when your baby is 3,6, or 9 months old and register accordingly!
PLay & Development
Toys are another part that can be so fun (and cute) about making a baby registry. It’s definitely important to have some toys on your list, but remember that it will be months until your child is able to play with them, let alone sit up by themselves. With this in mind, we tried to keep this area of a registry lighter knowing that we would need to store a lot of these items until our baby girl is old enough to enjoy them!
Health & Hygiene
Health & Hygiene is one of the most important areas to make sure your registry is complete in. This is your chance to get everybody in your life to buy you items like a rectal thermometer and electric nail trimmer. These things are not sexy, but oh so important to keeping your child healthy and happy. One item in this section I am particularly excited about is the Keekaroo Peanut Changer in Vanilla. This is a wipeable changing pad that I think illustrates well how something can be extremely functional AND cute.
Mom care
Let’s take a moment to remember that it takes 2 to birth a baby, and I don’t mean your husband. It’s easy to get caught up filling your registry with cute (and hopefully functional) items for your child, while forgetting that you are going to have some very real and very unique needs in postpartum. From creams to help fight irritation related to feeding, to pads to give you a knees a break when bathing, postpartum care is real and something that you should take as seriously as you take your baby. You can’t care for your baby well if you are well!
Nursery essentials
The last category is what I’m calling nursery essentials. This is sort of a catch all of items for around the house like the baby bjorn bouncer, baby monitor & pacifier clips. For our baby monitor, we wanted to find something that had a dedicated device for monitoring, since my husband and I don’t like to always have our phones on us. The Infant Optics DXR-8 Pro is a bluetooth camera that only connects to the included monitor, not to wifi or your phone. Some friends of ours had a good experience with it, so we are going to give it a try!
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Finding activewear that actually fits when you're petite is tricky, but luckily Lululemon seems to always have what I need! This haul has the perfect summer pieces for exercising or just running errands - petite approved (I’m 5’2). Plus this butter yellow color might be one of the best colors to wear in the summer!