When my sister was preparing to have her first child, she asked me for a list of suggested items to include on her registry. I sat down and made my list. This is what I sent:
Before you even look at the suggestions, know that every single child and parent are different. I am even different as a parent from one child to another. There’s no way around it. We all change, and we all react to things differently. With your second child, or more for those that choose to be fruitful, you have more experience. Like the old commercial said, “You Live, You Learn, and then you get Luvs.” I don’t even know if Luvs are in business anymore, and if they are I don’t buy them, but the point is this: These are the products that have been tried and true through my two kiddos… Take it for what it’s worth :).
You will need:
– A play yard. I have a Pack n’ Play, but there are ones by Chicco and other companies that look nice too. You will need a sheet for the floor of this item. They are sold by the item itself. That way, if they spit up you can just change the sheet. You will need this for travel, and restraint of motion once your child becomes mobile.
– Bucket carrier and latch for car. You can get these as part of a travel system if you wish. I haven’t used the carriage from my travel system twice since I had Boy. I would get the bucket and the latch, and then register for a Snap and Go stroller (one that you can put the carrier on top and just go) or a Bob Revolution stroller. A BOB will hold a “bucket”, but it can be a running or walking stroller, and it can grow better with the kiddo. Then you don’t have to store a bunch of different strollers. We have a Chicco Key Fit and love it. I was told it’s the best for the widest variety of weights (premie to the bigguns like I had…)
– Kel-gar swivelers stroller hooks – regardless of the stroller you get, having a place to hang bags/your purse is a must. (This may be a safety violation (cause of a carriage flip) if you carry significant weight in your bags. In this case, make sure that you have a good sized basket beneath the stroller you choose. I don’t, so the swivel works for me.)
– An Ergo Baby Carrier. Not a bjorn. This is a baby carrier that grows with the baby to become a hip holder or a back holder, holds them up to 40 lbs, and puts the weight on your hips instead of your back. Every single person that I have ever known to own one thinks it’s the best thing ever. See an entire post I have dedicated to the love of this product!
– A JJ Cole Bundle Me bucket cover/one like it (mine is an imitation). This covers the baby carrier with fabric to keep the baby warm at winter time. Mine is so warm, I often don’t put a coat on Boy or he’d sweat his brains out. It’s a lifesaver. I don’t know that you need the one with fuzzies in it unless you’re in a seriously cold climate.
– Protection for under the carseats so that your seats don’t get ruined by the constant in and out.
– A Bumbo and a playtray for it.
– A bouncer. They have ones with kick plates the kids can kick, and those ones add just a little to the experience. Boy’s doesn’t have it, and we don’t miss it too much. Definitely one with a vibration setting in it.
– A swing. Suggestion was made to get one that you can plug in to save yourself batteries. Mine is pure battery, but it works fine. Girl lived in it. Slept in it every night for over a month. Boy uses it often, but not quite as much.
– “Especially for Baby” formula and snack dispenser. Two or three.
– 2 waterproof crib pads.
– The Miracle Blanket. 2. They are AMAZING. These kept Boy snug and asleep longer than anything else. Accept no substitute (snuggle sacks come undone and have Velcro. MBs don’t.).
– Adan and Anais swaddle wraps. They are THE BEST blankets to get. They are light, but huge, and can be doubled over on the baby. Boy still uses the two that I got from friends, as an active and large-sized seven month old. Better than any blankets other than maybe homemade or knit.
– Boppy changing pad and cover. I use mine spuratically, but it’s nice to have on your changing table/at your changing station especially at the beginning.
– Fisher Price whale tub. I tried a few different ones and this one I like best. If you choose another tub, I would strongly suggest not going with a hard plastic fold-able. It doesn’t hold the water. Friends of mine have done great with the blowup in-tub ducky one!
– Monitors. I don’t know what to tell you about these. I haven’t had great luck with our video one, but I use the audio one. It’s a Graco. I honestly don’t use monitors all that much. If you do get a video monitor, I would suggest the Summer Infant one. It’s reported to not interrupt your home wireless network (not ok in our house – and our system violates our interwebs connectivity… not good.), and people seem to really like it.
– Pacifiers– Every kid likes a different kind. Girl was Avents. Boy is Mums. The Sober’s son was Soothies. It just depends. I’d get a variety of them, and let the kid pick.
– An Itzbeen baby timer. You can track how long its been since you fed, diapered, or whatever. I don’t have one, but I’ve heard its extremely helpful. I have recently been informed that “there is an app for that”. Check for one, I bet it’s cheaper.
– A play gym and a tummy time mat. Necessary.
– Mylecon. It’s a gas drop – expensive – but required to help kiddo when they can’t help themselves. Why not register and get the hookup on this pricey lifesaver?!
– A glider. We have a dutalier and I sit in it constantly. Girl calls it “my seat”.
– Registering for clothes can give people an idea of your style, but they are going to give you clothes anyway. It’s fun to buy clothes for babies, and people will buy what they’re going to buy. All of it is cute, lets be real.
– A doorway jumper. Boy loves his. We have the Evenflow Jump and Go from Target.
– For an Exersauser/Entertainer – I love LOVE our little stars one. It’s the Bright Stars around we go – and I’ve only seen it at Target (online only). It is part entertainer, part walker, and fully fantastic. Both of my kids LOVED it, and so have any other children that ever have used it in my presence. It was genius. It gives them the chance to learn to walk and be mobile without going EVERYWHERE. The Little Einsteins one is popular too. I wouldn’t get the one with the dishy looking thing underneath it. We had one and Girl wasn’t impressed. We sold it.
– Sheets (you only really need 3 or so)
– Humidifier/Vaporizer – We have 2 Cranes. The elephant and the frog. I think they’re cute – and they do the job. I don’t know if they’re fantastic, but we’re humid enough for our liking.
– Thermometer – A TEMPORAL ONE. I’m telling you right now, best thing EVER. We have had several ear ones and tongue ones – but no. The temporal one is the one we like the best, is most accurate, and easiest to get the kids to do.
– High Chair – We have a Tripp Trapp from Stokke and a Graco. Boy is currently headed into the Graco (easy to wipe down), but will grow into the Tripp Trapp, where he will stay for years. They have other ones that are five step ones that go on chairs and can grow into boosters. We love ours. Mom’s cooshee is awesome for a booster, but you won’t need that for a while either. Boy’s 7 months and still is just into the high chair. The only caveat to the Tripp Trapp is if you have a really tall dining room table. Our table is a standard height and the TrippTrapp fits perfectly, but I am not as positive about the fit if the table were taller.
– Burp Cloths, Towels, and Toiletries: You need about three sets of whatever you plan to use. For burp cloths, we ended up going with dish towels because Boy was too good at it to catch him with a burp cloth. The towels we have sport a cute hood at the top that makes it easier to dry them while getting them out of the tub. You may need to try more than one wash for your baby’s skin if they end up having sensitive skin, so you may want to try the most mild first. We like Boudreaux Butt Paste better than the other diaper creams.
If Breastfeeding:
– You may want to get a small handful of bottles to have on hand in the event you decide to pump and feed, or in the event you need to supplement. I used Playtex ones with the plastic baggies in them.
– My Breast Friend nursing pillow. Instead of boppy. Friends report it’s amazingly easier and better to use. I nursed Girl for a year, and used the boppy only a handful of times. I used it a bunch with Boy, but would have done better with the alternative.
– A pump. I had a Medela Swing, and was fine. If you work, I would suggest getting a two-cup/breast pump.
If Bottlefeeding:
– Munchkin Dishwasher Baskets – TWO if you’re using bottles. This will help you to rotate them and always have something clean.
– Bottles. 9 at a minimum. We just put Boyon them, and we needed more. We use Dr Browns because they reduce colic and gas.
– Nipples in variety of flows 1-3. Get enough for all of your bottles. Watch out for sets that include them automatically, and make sure that you get them in all sizes.
– Bottle brush for cleaning them.
– I am loving my Munchkin bottle stirrer. It sounds silly, but it really does do a better job than shaking the bottle or mixing it with a spoon. It’s an inexpensive way to prevent baby from getting lots of air.
If Cloth Diapering:
– Register for wipes and diapers. I have friends that have not had to purchase either for months! I am new to the Cloth Diapering scene, but I love our Flips and FuzziBunz. He uses two FLIP shells, six inserts, three FuzziBuns (with inserts), and two hemp doublers. Check an upcoming post (this week) on why I decide to make a Changing of the Guard!
If Disposable Diapering:
– Register for wipes and diapers. I have friends that have not had to purchase either for months! I use pampers for both.
Unnecessary:
– I do NOT have a bottle warmer, and don’t see the need for one.
– I have a warmer for wipes and do NOT use it. I never did with Girl either.
– I wouldn’t get a diaper genie or a diaper champ. They never really block the smell. You can put them in your trash and take them out. Save yourself the $.
Brands I Love:
Adan and anais
Baby Bjorn (other than carrier)
Ergo
Graco
Bob
Melissa and Doug
Pampers
Fisher Price
Chicco (except the carrier)
Munchkin
FuzziBunz
Flip
Stokke
So what did I miss lady and gentleman readers?! I know you’ll remember something that I didn’t. I realize that there is a difference of opinion out there on some of the items that I chose. Feel free to respectfully voice your opinion.
Actual Post Date: 5/16/2011.
