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Building a baby registry is exciting, but it’s also easy to end up with too much of one thing and not enough of what you really need. After doing this twice, here’s what I’d tell any friend starting her first registry.
In this post:
- Register at One Online Store and One In-Person Store
- Consider Waiting Until After Your Shower to Find Out the Sex
- Go Light on Blankets and Towels
- Test Products Before You Add Them
- Don’t Stock Up on One Type of Bottle
- Be Careful With Aftermarket Car Seat Products
- Plan Past the Newborn Stage
1. Register at One Online Store and One In-Person Store
Some guests like to shop online. Others want to walk the aisles and see things in person. Covering both makes it easy for everyone.
I recommend Amazon for online and a store like Target for in-person shopping. Both offer a 15% completion discount on whatever is left on your registry, but the timing is tied to your due date, not your shower. Amazon’s runs from 60 days before your arrival date through 90 days after, and Target sends a 15% Target Circle offer about 8 weeks before your due date that is good for six months. The Amazon Baby Registry also lets you save on diapers and wipes with Subscribe & Save.
Registering at more places used to mean more completion discounts, but that is less true now. Walmart no longer offers one, and Babylist’s 15% only covers items it sells directly. For your invitation, list just two or three stores at most.
2. Consider Waiting Until After Your Shower to Find Out the Sex
When guests know the sex, many skip the registry and buy clothes instead. It’s a kind thought, but it often means:
- Clothes that may not match your style
- A drawer full of newborn to 3-month outfits and nothing bigger
- Fewer of the essentials you registered for
Even if you do find out early, choose gender-neutral colors for big items like the car seat, stroller and crib sheets. You’ll be glad you did if a second baby comes along.
3. Go Light on Blankets and Towels
Add the ones you love, but don’t overdo it. Blankets and towels are some of the most common gifts from outside the registry. Someone buying your infant bathtub may add a hooded towel. A family friend may knit a blanket. After the baby arrives, you may get personalized ones with the baby’s name. They add up fast.
4. Test Products Before You Add Them
A product can look great online and be frustrating in real life. Before you register:
- Strollers: Fold and unfold them yourself.
- Play yards: See how hard they are to set up.
- Carriers and wraps: Try them on. If you can, borrow a friend’s older baby to feel how it fits with 15+ pounds.
- Diaper pails: Check whether you can open one with a baby in your arms.
5. Don’t Stock Up on One Type of Bottle
Babies can be very picky. My daughter took any bottle, but we tried about a dozen before my son accepted one. Register for a few different types, then buy more once you know what works. The same goes for pacifiers. For more, see my Baby Bottle Buying Guide.
6. Be Careful With Aftermarket Car Seat Products
Aftermarket products are add-ons sold separately from the car seat. Think inserts, padded covers and back seat mirrors.
Inserts and covers aren’t crash-tested with your seat and can affect how well it protects your baby. Mirrors and other hard items can become projectiles in a crash, and many car seat safety technicians advise against them. Use only what came with your seat, or check with a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) before adding anything. For more, read On the Go: Infant Car Seats.
7. Plan Past the Newborn Stage
The newborn phase goes fast. When you add clothes, toys and feeding supplies, include:
- Clothes in 6 to 12 months and up
- Toys for crawlers
- Sippy cups, bibs and placemats
Future you will be grateful you don’t have to buy all of it later.
Ready to start your list? See my Sample Amazon Baby Registry for the exact items I recommend, then check out Packing Your Hospital Bag for what comes next.
