While I am eagerly, nervously (and excitedly) waiting for our son to arrive, I wanted to share a little bit about what I put on my baby registry. I got married nearly eight years ago, so it had been a while since I made any kind of registry, AND I must admit it was very different gear from my wedding registry. Ha. As a first time mom, I didn’t have much to start with (although I did have a couple hand-me-down things from a few sweet friends) and I was initially a little intimidated by a registry for baby gear, as there are so many options. And, how exactly am I suppose to know what I will and won’t need? It was my first initiation into the parent club, I suspect.
I was very excited to work with Buy Buy Baby and create my registry on their website. I had one family Zoom shower and one in-person (outdoors) shower, and for me having just one registry felt a little easier than spreading it across multiple places and possibly forgetting what I had already added on one site vs. another. I loved how easy the Buy Buy Baby online registry was to use and also to send to friends and family, not to mention the huge selection of items they offer. There were two features I particularly loved from their online registry, so I’ll share that along with some of the items I chose.
If you want to see my entire baby registry feel free, but PLEASE do not buy me anything from it. I’m sharing just in case other new moms want to see what I chose. I have been so incredibly blessed this season from family and friends helping me and cheering me on as I enter this new phase of life, I truly do not need more gifts. Believe me, you reading and caring about our blog is enough! I’ve already received sooo many kind messages, DMs, and emails from you all—my son and I feel very loved already. 🙂
One item I was so excited about was my stroller! I also got a few of the accessories like this cup holder and this ride-along board. The neighborhood I currently live in is ideal for walks and I have loved lugging my bump around the neighborhood (nearly daily), so of course I am excited for walks with my son this summer and beyond.
Here are some of the other items I added to my baby registry:
Items: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11
I love that this car seat can also clip onto our stroller. I do plan to breastfeed (although I’m not putting a ton of pressure on myself or my son), so I registered for this pillow which I still think will come in handy if we use bottles too or instead. We are planning to use cloth diapers the majority of the time, so I have a couple sets of these, plus more. And Elsie always recommends this sound machine, so I was excited to add it to my registry as well.
There was so much to choose from on Buy Buy Baby, including LOTS of cute clothes, sleep sacks, books, toys, and other smaller giftable items. Here is a look at one of the website features I loved:
As you fill out your registry in the right sidebar, there are different sections that list categories of items you might want to register for. Of course it’s still entirely up to you, as you may already have items or sections you don’t feel you need things from. But in addition to getting advice from my more experienced mom friends, I found this website tool really handy.
And here is a look at the second feature I liked:
For larger, more expensive items, there is a group gifting option. As you can see from the caption above, family and friends could choose to contribute toward a larger gift, but not have to pay for the entire item themselves. But if the item doesn’t end up getting fully paid for by you, the registree will still receive the gift as well as know who it was from.
Here are just a few of the items I’ve already received from sweet family and friends. Love the versatility of this car seat, this stylish docking station (makes me feel like a cool mom!), and our coral high chair, which is so cute I don’t mind it sitting out in the dining room all the time one bit. 🙂
Thanks for letting me share! And for any other new moms reading, I’d love to hear from you veteran parents what items you registered for that ended up being must-have necessities with your children? Leave me a comment below, as I am so curious to see what you all found the most beneficial. xo. Emma
P.S. Check out this post to see what I ended up loving after my baby was born!
I had my third baby 9 months ago and ai bought my first baby monitor. I waited a long time so I got a nice one- the Nanit. I LOVE IT. You buy a breathing wear piece for your baby to wear (they have pajamas or swaddles or just a band to go over jammies) and it tracks their breathing. I woke my older two kids up SO MUCH checking on them to make sure they were breathing, lol. It is so nice just to check from the app on my phone.
It has SO MANY other features that I like too.
-built in sound machine
-live viewing
1you can record growth
-you can record videos or pictures from the monitor while they happen
-you can track how much their sleeping (charts! Nightttime reports! Sleep tips! So much.) I am lucky to have very good sleepers anyway but I do think this feature has helped me to make sure I am keeping good sleep habits and this baby is my BEST SLEEPER YET.
-a microphone so you can talk to them in their crib
Maybe best of all…you can pay for it with youe HSA! That was the straw that tipped me in favor of it iver owlet, although after checking out the website I was pretty sold too.
I’m also using a Gathre micro mat on the changing pad this go round and I’m equally obsessed with that. Holds ip much better than the washable pads and you just wipe it clean!
You look glowing and so happy in these pictures! And of course I love the darling gear you picked out.
I have an UppaBaby too and love it, but note when baby can sit up on his own, you might also want an inexpensive umbrella stroller you can pop up and tear down one-handed – especially if you fly anywhere. Much lighter/easier for travel, and not as big a deal if it gets damaged. But if you travel with the UppaBaby, it’s worth knowing that the back wheels pop off to fit through the TSA x-ray. Kind of like the difference between a full-sized sedan and a tuk tuk: different vehicles are better for different places You look AMAZING, and I wish you and your little family so much luck and love!
Congrats Emma! These are the things I used a lot and would buy again! Gerber cloth diapers for burp clothes, swaddle up, dock-a-tot, hatch rest sound machine (any sound machine but I liked that it had a light), comotomo bottles, some kind of baby carrier and a nursing pillow.
We LOVE using cloth nappies! The one thing I wished I’d found sooner was the website/FB page Clean Cloth Nappies. There’s sadly a lot of outdated washing advice hanging around, and I love that these guys are all science and evidence based in their recommendations 🙂
Emma, you look amazing! You cannot have too many: sheets, onesies, burp cloths, Halo sleep sack swaddles, sleep gowns. I wished I had 30 of each.
I bought some Target nightgowns that were empire waist and had spaghetti straps. Great for just sticking nursing pads into and not wearing a bra! I lived in those for about 6 months haha!
We got two car seats; one for each car. Car seat installation is THE WORST.
I was able to exclusively breastfeed for about 4 months. Then my baby started waking up all night again (she was a perfect angel baby sleeper before) and she stopped gaining weight. I supplemented with goat milk and she gained 3lbs within 10 days! She went from petite to absolute chonk. And she went back to sleeping all night again.
Nothing went according to my “plan” and it was all still a beautiful dream. Emergency c-section, couldn’t breastfeed past 6 months, and so on. None of it mattered. Just my sweet baby that I had waited so many years for!
You are in for so much joy!
You’re looking great. Thanks for sharing.
Curious what you would need a ride-along-board for though please?
I love baby gear. Legit have talked about trying to start a business by helping people research what they need. The last five years since I had my first has had amazing development in the baby gear world. I always love to read the new products that come out from the baby expo from all the companies. After three I always find some new things. This time I discovered the Love to Dream swaddle, I’ve used the Velcro and muslin but it is the best for natural sleep as my babies love having their arms up. I used a halo bassinet I got on clearance after my second which I loved and is now making its rounds through all my friends as they have babies. But because you will basically do anything for good sleep, I decided if my baby was a difficult sleeper I was going to rent the Snoo bassinet. It is outrageously expensive, but I thought it was really reasonable to rent and you can decide anytime you need it and it’s quick shipping. We didn’t end up needing it but it’s a modern marvel of baby science. Other products I love. I just got the Vava home night light for myself to use for night time feedings and now just keep it in the nursery, it is amazing!!! I also love (ha) every product from Lovery, but especially the play gym. My number one piece of parenting advice is to check out Can Do Kiddo. She is an pediatric occupational therapist and I found her to be incredibly helpful for tummy time and development. Ultimately limit the amount of baby gear time as it is not natural to baby’s development and growth. Baby wear often and do tummy time from day 1. Pediatric occupational therapy practices and pediatric physical therapy are exploding because of the amount of time babies spend in “gear”. Also love that stroller, we like having a jogger but otherwise would have gotten that one. And FYI that bassinet is certified for safe sleep so anytime you go to Elsie’s you can bring it for him to sleep. Oh and if you get the travel bag it is literal insurance for your stroller if it gets damage on an airplane. For a lightweight car stroller (or for travel) check out the Baby Jogger City Tour 2, the Mountain Buggy Nano, or the Yo-yo (expensive). I have multiple strollers as there really is one for every occasion, especially a small one ☺️
Stroller and car seats from 3 months to 3 years are the stuff that you really need. The stuff you bought will only work for the first three months (sorry!)
Make sure that the stroller seat can be turned to you and then turned forward (when your boy wants to look at the world). And I guess you don’t have the problem with fitting in into a tram so no worries there 🙂 but make sure that it can be folded easily and in a way that fits your car and doesn’t eat up all the space.
Anyhoooo Car seats. Same thing. Make sure it can be mounted backwards first and then be turned forwards. So you can use it for the recommended 4 years. Or you will end up buying a lot of different car seats and for kids with motion sickness that might be a good but a bit more expensive option 🙂
And your diaper bag will be your handbag for the next 3 years. Make sure it looks the part and can be attached to the stroller in a good way.
Love all of the items in your registry! ❤️ We love BBB. Something I didn’t see was a way for you to carry your baby. They love being on you during the 4th trimester. I like the Moby during the newborn stage and more structured carriers once they start moving their heads. I found that the best thing was going to our Buy Buy Baby and looking at everything and trying some on AFTER I had the baby (that way my belly wasn’t as big). Some models are better for moms and some better for dads (think about the shoulders and how they feel around your breasts). You can also join your local FB baby wearing club or local La Leche League chapter and try out their carriers before buying.
You and Trey should also download the Wonder Weeks app as it’ll help you know where your baby boy is developmentally and help with coparenting during their “stormy weeks.” My husband and I both got it and it helps with communication when your not functioning at your best.
Lastly, the website Kelly Mom has answers to basically anything baby and new mama related. Stay away from Google in the early morning hours! ?
Hi Emma!
Congrats on your soon arriving baby boy. I had my second boy in November and this is my second time cloth diapering. If you end up liking cloth I highly suggest Grovia cloth diapers, they are the absolute best! Don’t try to over complicate it either, any disposable you can save from the landfill is a win. Plus cloth can be passed on for another baby to use after you are done.
Also my favorite item this time around, and my splurge item, has been the Lovevery play gym. It’s great from day one till at least a year. It comes with a guide that gives you tons of ideas of how to play with your baby. This was super helpful for me cause I’m home with my boys now instead of working, so I worried a lot about making sure baby 2 got the right kind of play time in. Lovevery also has an awesome subscription service that you should check out. The toys are pretty and you get a box every two months.
Best wishes on motherhood <3!
I found it helpful to have a second diaper changing station in our living room, since we hung out there a lot during the day with our newborn and traveling all the way to his nursery for every diaper change seemed like such a trek. We used ay Design Dua changing basket on a low bookshelf but a pack n play with the top insert would work just as well.
Best of luck on your new adventure!
Hi Emma! As someone who also struggled with infertility, I am beyond excited for you to finally experience motherhood and meet your precious boy so soon! My son is 6 months and I just adore being his mama but there are just a few things that have made my life easier and so I would love to share those with you!
– goumi brand booties and mittens (the only ones that didnt ever slip off my babies feet or hands)
– Tubbytodd All Over Ointment and in general ALL their products ( best for baby acne, sensitive skin, eczema, & cradle cap)
– travel sound machine made by Pure Enrichment (loops onto the stroller or carseat and great for keeping baby asleep on the go, in the car, etc!)
– the elvie handsfree pump (its expensive, but so helpful! this mama didnt have time to sit and pump once baby got older So it was such a relief to multitask – feed yourself while pumping, change a diaper while pumping, wash dishes, the list goes on!)
looking forward to watching you bring your son into the world!! xoxo- Jayda
Congratulations, Emma! So happy for you. One thing I couldn’t get enough of during the newborn haze, err days, was sleep. Planning ahead is key. Make ahead and freeze meals to reheat as needed. As Hannah mentioned, plan ahead for help and self care. Do as much as possible ahead of time, ’cause once he’s here there is no time, nor as many brain cells to get things done. Sleep when the baby sleeps. Best wishes!
Emma, so thrilled for you! I rarely comment, but have been following you all since discovering you on stumbleupon back when that was a thing people used. Thanks for sharing this season of your life with us.
I have 2 kiddos. The 2 things I wish I had discovered earlier were the Haakaa pump (it just suctions right on and collects milk without you actually having to do anything. You can use it solo, or while nursing to catch your letdown from the other side.) and the Boba wrap. Wearing my second kiddo in a wrap has made life so much easier. I had a different baby carrier with my first that wasn’t a wrap, and it just did not work for us. Maybe I didn’t give it enough of a try, but I love how secure and close my babe feels in the wrap.
You are such a thoughtful and awesome mama and I am so so happy for you!
My son is about to turn a year and I’ve definitely had time to reflect on my most useful items.
Swaddles that velcro! We used the halo sleep sack swaddle which ended up being the only one we could use for our large baby. I was terrible with the regular swaddles and trying to reswaddle him the middle of the night was awful. Black out curtains were a must for our baby. Our Hatch sound machine! It’s programmable and so useful. My baby hates bouncers and swings so he chilled out in a boppy lounge pillow when we weren’t holding him. When we were done with swaddles we transitioned to the Zippadee zip. My son loves them. We EFF so no breastfeeding advice but we didn’t realize that there were different nipple sizes on bottles and that sizing up would sometimes solve our feeding issues. If you decide to go to only formula feeding the Baby Brezza is amazing. I love my Freshly Picked diaper bag. I love having a diaper bag that doesn’t look like a diaper bag.
In terms of post partum, grab any extras from the hospital you can. I ended up switching from the mesh underwear to depends. It’s sounds gnarly but they were so much easier. Tucks pads, dermoplast and peri bottles are so necessary for vaginal births. They were my best friends. I know you aren’t really asking for advice but don’t be like me and ignore your post partum depression. While initially it can just be baby blues but if it sticks around its ppd. I kept convincing myself I didn’t have a problem and did not seek help. I had issues bonding with my baby, had terrible anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, extreme anger issues, the whole works. Do not be ashamed to seek help of you need it. If I had, I could have enjoyed my son’s first year so much more. Also don’t be ashamed for not enjoying every minute. Parenthood is full of the highest highs and lowest lows. It’s ok to feel all the feelings and there’s no shame in it. ☺️
I’m a long time reader but I hardly comment though I really enjoy your posts, especially the podcasts. Congratulations! I’m a parent aswell and the best thing to get for me was all the food my friends brought me, that I froze! We didn’t cook for like 6 months, which was fantastic… For the rest, your baby doesn’t need a thing and you’ll figure out along the way (the breastfeeding cusgion is great, even if you don’t breast feed. My husban still uses it ahaha our son is 7.). A birth makes every body happy, you will received lots of love.
Emma, motherhood looks so beautiful on you! The baby gear is SO overwhelming for first-time moms (pretty sure I cried when I started filling out my registry – and they were NOT tears of joy).
My oldest is 3, and baby #2 is on the way. Here are three things I found extremely helpful with my first:
1. Keekaroo diaper changing pad – you just wipe it clean, and it’s nice to not have more laundry to add to the pile (versus traditional changing pads that have a liner and cloth cover)
2. Muslin burp cloths – skip the cute ones and go for muslin, which are super absorbent. Also, buy like 30 of them, I’m not kidding. My mom saw I had a pack of five on my registry, and politely suggested I might need a litttttle more. Oh boy, was she right – I went through at least five A DAY, if not more.
3. SwaddleMe velcro swaddles – these make swaddling a cinch for you and it’s much harder for them to bust out. My scrambled postpartum brain COULD NOT figure out how to swaddle with the blankets, no matter how many times the sweet nurses taught me (and despite all the videos I watched before he was born). These are super easy, you can do them in the middle of the night on zero sleep, and they stay put. They also have a newborn version that zips up which is even easier.
Only other piece of advice is to get a name and phone number for a trusted lactation consultant BEFORE you give birth. I had trouble breastfeeding and it turned out he had a tongue and lip tie, which caused a bunch of issues (including the fact that he wasn’t getting enough milk). I had heard of these before, so I even asked the lactation consultant at the hospital to check him for it just in case, and she said he was fine (he was not). When we realized he wasn’t gaining enough weight, my pediatrician recommended a lactation consultant who was INCREDIBLE. She referred us to a dentist to correct the ties, and she worked with me for a few days to help my son and I get back on the right track. I’m all about “fed is best” and strongly believe there should be ZERO shame or guilt about formula feeding. But since it sounds like you want to give breastfeeding a try, I recommend you know in advance who to call just in case you do need some help. Your pediatrician or doula (if you have one), should be able to give you a great referral.
So excited for you to begin this wonderful journey!
I swear by the nose frida, which is gross but does the job really well! For yourself, make sure you have a giant water bottle and a lot of giant pads, though the hospital loaded me up with a lot before I left the hospital. Also, my children (6 and 3) still love Sandra Boynton books, and the going to bed book is often requested. She’s really great.
I bought and am going to try out those period underwear too just after birth (in addition to disposable / whatever pads the hospital provides). A friend uses them, just for her period, and said she had other friends also use them after birth so seemed like a good time to try those out anyway and see what I think as I’d been wanting to try something for my period, once it returns, but I am scared of the cup. 😉
Oooh, speaking of the Frida products and postpartum supplies, Frida just came out with a postpartum recovery line that’s worth checking out. I used their upside down peri bottle which was awesome, and they have those ice pads they give you at the hospital too, which are a lifesaver. I saw they have disposable underwear too for when you run out of mesh underwear from the hospital!
https://frida.com/collections/frida-mom
That is such a good idea. I wore Depends for a few weeks postpartum and it just doesn’t make you feel good about yourself! Modibodi period underwear are reasonably priced and actually more comfortable than my regular underwear.
On the underwear front, if breastfeeding works out for you, I really liked Kindred Bravely nursing bras for hands-free pumping at work. They are comfy and look normal enough to wear all day.
The thing I gift to every new mom is a salt lamp. You don’t realize how BRIGHT even a little table lamp can be until you’re trying to change or feed a sleepy newborn and bam, he’s suddenly wide awake (which, depending on how sleep-deprived you are, can feel like the absolute end of the world). The flashlight on a cell phone is equally jarring. Salt lamps are so gentle and can be adjusted to very low light. They are a godsend for new parents!
This is great to hear! I love my salt lamp in my bedroom so I got a second for the baby’s room! I’m 27 weeks and loving reading about Emma’s motherhood journey but also loving all these helpful comments!!
Yay Emma! I’m a long-time reader, first-time commenter, and new mama too. I LOVED the frida icey pads and went through like 3 boxes. They were a lifesaver. Definitely plan to take everything they give you at the hospital too (and ask for more!). There’s nothing less glamorous than wearing the hospital-grade oversized pads and mesh undies for a week, but I was so thankful I grabbed them. And, I felt similarly as you do to BFing… Definitely get some Lanolin cream and some comfy nursing tanks. The first six weeks are THE WORST but then babies start get quicker and more fun. Sidenote: Most insurance companies will give you a brand new pump, if you want your own. I’d also recommend preparing to battle PPD by pre-planning for help and self-care. New mommying is no joke and PPD is so common. I got it bad, but just remember that things get better in 2 week increments, and there’s a world of help out there rooting for you! All that said, whatever you decide for birthing, feeding, diapering, etc., you will do great! HMU if you want any other advice or encouragement – us new mommies have to stick together. You can do it!
This comment. This comment. This comment. I feel like doctors don’t really prepare you enough for taking care of yourself. You (and everyone else) is focused (mostly rightly) on taking care of the baby, but you will have just endured a major event that rocks (and not in a Justin Timberlake sorta way) your body. Take care of yourself and put on your own facemask here. Buy a ton of overnight pads (or, if you’re savvy and don’t care about optics, buy Depends) because you will need them. I just had my son in February and stopped using overnight pads 6 weeks later. The Frida icepacks are great and they have nice big undies too. But definitely take the stuff from the hospital. It’s gamechanging.