Baby Registry “Must Haves” & Advice for New Moms in the Early Days

Registering for a new baby can be so overwhelming! I asked a few seasoned moms their must haves before we registered for the first time with Jase & it was so helpful. Here is my personal opinion on the “must-haves” now that I’ve had two sweet babies and have #3 coming soon.

• diaper bag (we prefer a bookbag style because it’s easier to carry when you have your hands full with a baby & it doesn’t fall off your shoulder if you bend down. Plus, Jonathan thinks it looks more manly. Ha!)
• Angel Care monitor (this doubles as our video monitor, but love the extra peace of mind)
• AND a Snuza (I think the brand might be Levana now?) for when we travel or if they're at someone else's house. You won’t want to hook the Angel Care monitor up multiple places, so this is a great solution. I’ve also heard of people loving the Owlet. I’m sure either would be great, we’ve just used the Snuza & it has worked for us You clip it right onto their diaper.
• Definitely a wrap or baby carrier of some sort so you can be hands free. (Ergo, Moby, & Boba are the three we’ve had. Liked them at different phases.)
• Swaddles. (We used a few different ones- Swaddle Me, Woombie, &the one they gave us in the hospital- Miracle Blanket I think? Again, we needed different ones for different phases, so I recommend getting a few sizes.)
• Sound machine & blackout curtains. Non-negotiables for getting that baby on a good schedule and sleeping through the night!
• Activity mat
• Humidifier
• Boppy & 2 covers
• extra Pack n play sheets
• Changing pads
• Organic (firm) crib mattress & extra crib sheets
• Bouncie chair
• Baby bath tub
• Mirror for the car so you can see him/her in the rearview
• Nursing stuff (pump, storage bags, breast pads), but don’t open it till you’re certain you’re going to use it
• Bottles/nipples/drying rack (Lots of people are picky about bottles. We have always used Medela because that’s what came with my breast pump. Just make sure you get a few different size nipples & you’re using the right ones at the correct ages.)
• All the big stuff- car seat (& extra base), stroller, high chair, swing, pack n play (lots of people love the Rock N Play but we’ve never had one), glider or rocker
• Diapers in different sizes. They’re out of the newborn ones super quick. (when they start peeing through them often, that probably means it’s time to move up a size!) I think 3-4 are the ones I’d stock up on the most, but the good news is most stores are really good about letting you exchange them as long as they’re unopened. (So if you have too many of a certain size and they move up, you can go trade out the unopened boxes.)We preferred Pampers when they were really new because they have a blue line that tells you when they’re wet. We typically switch to Huggies or Kirkland’s (both are cheaper per unit at Costco) or you can enroll in the Amazon deal to save and have them delivered straight to you.  I recommend buying a pack or so every week during pregnancy so you have plenty. I’m tossing around the idea of cloth diapering this go round.
• Books! Lots of books! I don’t think you register for them, but maybe someone throwing you a shower can request for books instead of cards.
• People will buy clothes (buying baby clothes is way fun for people!) so you don’t even have to register for that. Avoid the temptation to wash everything before the baby comes when you’re nesting though, because they grow SO fast and won’t even have time to wear everything! If you still have tags on the clothes, you can exchange them for a bigger size.
• All the fun baby goodies like baby wash/lotion (avoid the popular commercial brands & go for something more natural/organic), nail clippers, nose sucker, wash clothes, hooded towels, pacifiers, butt paste, Infant Tylenol. And again, try not to open every single thing at first.
• In my opinion, you don’t really need a wipes warmer or diaper genie…but some people swear by both.

Remember, every baby is different. And every family is different. You’ll have different preferences than your best friend, sister, neighbor, etc. It’ll probably take a little time to figure out what you love, need, & what works for you.

SOME TIPS FOR NEW MAMAS:

In the early days, your goal is to simply bond with your baby. Spend as much time skin-to-skin as possible! One of my friends told me that my only job for the first three weeks was to sleep when the baby slept, feed the baby often to establish a good nursing connection/milk supply, and snuggle. And y’all, that took so much pressure off! No need for a schedule, to feel pressure to do too much of anything around your house, etc. Just rest, recover, and enjoy them being so tiny & new! There will be plenty of time for all that other stuff later.

Also, recruit some help if it’s available to you. You do not have to be supermom with a newborn! Ask your mom, mother-in-law, grandma, neighbor, friend from church, or friends/siblings with older kids (who may be in school) if you need help with something. Jonathan went back to work pretty quickly after I had Jase, so I was so thankful for the extra set of hands as I was recovering. (If they have small kids too, they probably won’t be able to help as much as they’d like to.) People are usually SO glad to help, but just don’t want to overstep any boundaries, so let them know what you need when/if they ask. Even if it’s to come watch the baby for an hour or two so you can get a good nap or just take a hot shower, let them do it. If it’s help with some laundry, or maybe a meal, I wouldn’t refuse the help. (Especially when people offer to bring dinner! It is SO nice not having to worry about it!) Don’t feel the need to entertain when people do come to visit. Keep hand sanitizer out in the open so people have clean hands before holding the baby. And if you prefer NOT to have guests/visitors, that’s totally okay too. Be sure you’re drinking plenty of water & getting enough to eat, and don’t forget to keep taking your prenatals even after the baby comes. Track feedings/poops & pees for the first couple of weeks (I just do it on a notepad, but there are several apps if you prefer) because your pediatrician will ask (& you want to make sure they’re getting enough to eat, which you can tell through the diapers). Take LOTS of pictures (you won’t need the reminder) & soak it up. Jot down notes in a journal- maybe even write notes to your baby. It flies by! And it’s totally okay to be emotional. I think we learned in birthing class that like 80% of moms have the baby blues afterwards? Most of them time it’s just your body adjusting to all the hormonal changes, but if something feels off, don’t feel too ashamed to tell somebody. Talk to your doctor ASAP to make sure everything’s okay. Oh, and did I mention to SLEEP while the baby SLEEPS?

**These are two of the best posts when it comes to helping your little one sleep & worth the read.

Newborn Sleep Guide

Infant Sleep Guide

Hope that helps!

Mama friends, if there is anything you would add to that registry list that I forgot, or some advice for a brand new mom, I would love for you to pass it along in the comments!