Baby Registry Must-Haves: Newborn and Beyond

There’s a 90% chance you’re either here because you’re expecting (congratulations!) or you know someone who is expecting. Now you need to know what baby registry items are must-haves.

First things first, decide where you want to register. Even if you plan to buy all the items yourself, at least take advantage of the discounts offered by stores when you create a registry. There are many websites that offer a central location for multiple registries such as Babylist or The Bump.

We are two months into the journey with our first child, Quinnlyn. It’s true what most people say, time goes so quickly! Now that we’re finding our groove, I’ve given some thought as to what baby registry items have been a life saver for us and have had their fair share of use. These items are what has worked well for us, but of course every baby is different.

These are our MUST-HAVE baby registry items:

On-the-Go

1. Bob Stroller and Car Seat Attachment – In my opinion, this is a luxury purchase, but this has been worth every penny for us. I really wanted a nice, smooth stroller that could easily be used as Quinn gets older. We both like to go running and this seemed to be a good fit since we can use it as a jogging stroller. It was important to me to have a stroller that I would want to get out on walks with from day one.
2. Boppy Carrier – There are so many different brands of carriers on the market. It’s exhausting to try to research them all! We actually have 3 different carriers. The Boppy carrier has been my go-to while Quinn is still so young. The fabric is really stretchy and has a nice feel to it. I find it very easy to put on and get her situated in. When I’m in a hurry I’ve had no doubts about using this. It’s almost a guarantee when she is in it that she’ll fall asleep. Win Win!
3. Fisher-Price On-the-Go Baby Dome – If you have dogs (specifically smaller dogs), this item is a must. We have two medium/small sized dogs. Our Aussie, Derby, has no regards for personal space and would lick Quinn’s face all day long if we let him. We use this in our living space so Quinn can easily relax with us and even take supervised naps.
4. Multi-Use Covers – These double as a car seat cover and a nursing cover. They vary based on the season, but so far we have used a lighter, stretchy material grey cover from Baby Design Co. It has come in handy for naps on the go or to keep wind, rain, or sunlight out of her car seat.

Sleep

1. Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine – This gets used EVERY day! We have been primarily following the Taking Cara Babies method for consistent sleep routines. This includes using a white noise machine for all naps and overnight sleeping. The Hatch Baby Rest has been perfect for Quinn’s nursery and we can easily control it with an app from our phones. There are multiple settings and the use of different colored light settings is supposed to be a helpful sleep tool for toddlers too. This is now my go-to baby registry gift to buy other mamas.
2. Marpac Hushh Portable White Noise Machine – We’ve loved this from the beginning! It’s currently clipped onto her car seat but it can travel nearly anywhere. The volume is easily adjustable and there are a few different noise options to select from. It’s USB rechargeable and the battery lasts for a very long time. It’s helped us out during countless car rides.
3. Snuggle Me Organic – I’ll be the first to admit that I thought this could potentially be a waste of money, and I didn’t think I would get much use out of this because Quinn happily sleeps in her crib.
4. Swaddle – We have a few different types that she has used as she grows. In the beginning we primarily used the ones provided by the hospital. We also use some lightweight ones from SwaddleMe that vary in size. As she gets bigger we’ll probably use a Halo Sleepsack.
5. Infant Optics Baby Monitor – I’m not completely sold on the baby monitor we have, but it gets the job done. We appreciate being able to have audio and video, and we didn’t necessarily want the monitor system to connect to wifi. It does have a tendency to briefly go out of range and lose signal in our house.

Hygiene and Health

1. Hatch Baby Grow Smart Changing Pad and Scale – This changing pad that also doubles as a scale is obviously a luxury item. I specifically wanted this item for peace of mind when attempting breast feeding. We utilize the Hatch Baby Grow with Me app that I log all of my feedings with. Conveniently, we can log Quinn’s weight in the app as well and look back to make sure she is gradually gaining. One of my favorite things about the changing pad is that it is SO easy to clean. With a non-cloth surface, we can easily wipe up any messes we may encounter (and believe me, we have encountered some BIG ones).
2. Babyganics Alcohol-Free Foaming Hand Sanitizer – We bought a three pack to have in different areas of our house. We have one at the changing pad station in the nursery. It gets used practically every time we change her.
3. Digital Thermometer– You never know when you’ll need to check your baby’s temp, so make sure this is on your baby registry.
4. Blooming Bath Lotus – Quinn seems to like it and finds it comfortable! It fits in any sink, and we easily hang it in our shower to dry after a bath.
5. Baby Nail File Electric Trimmer – We use this nail file about twice a week while she’s sleeping. It quiet and less intrusive than cutting a baby’s nails. The best part is how it smooths out the nails so nicely! This is now another go-to baby registry item we gift other mamas.
6. Craddle Cap Brush – We purchased the Frida Baby Basic Kit and have been using the craddle cap brush from it. Usually we use it during bath time or when we apply coconut oil to help it.
7. Lotion – Quinn has really dry skin, so we have found Aquaphor has been working the best for her.
8. Oogiebear – We just recently started getting use out of this item. We also have the Frida Baby Nose Sucker, but that tends to be for a runny nose which we have yet to encounter. The Oogiebear works on more compact boogers, and it also has a function to clean out ears. The plastic bear is a safety feature that prevents you from going too far into the ears or nose.

Feeding

1. Recliner/Glider – If you have the space for a comfy chair/recliner/glider, I would highly recommend investing in one. I spend a lot of my time in the evening and overnight in this chair for feedings. Comfort has been important so that my focus can be on my daughter.
2. Boppy/My Brest Friend – I have one of each and they each have their benefits. It has been nice to keep one in each room for convenience. Lately, I’ve been leaning towards preferring the Boppy pillow. It is often easier for me to position since it just goes around the front. My Brest Friend pillow doesn’t seem to fit me the best. The buckle does not go all the way around in the position I prefer, and the back of the pillow doesn’t feel the most comfortable when I am sitting back in my chair.
3. Bottles – Dr. Browns – We have honestly been fairly lucky in the fact that she has not been picky about her bottle yet. We tend to like the Dr. Browns bottles because she seems to get less air in when sucking. The different flow for the nipples also helps a lot since she likes to guzzle so quickly. We found with some other bottles that she would drink them too quickly.
4. Burp Clothes – So. Many. Burp. Clothes. We went through so many of these on a regular basis.
5. Haakaa – This was especially helpful in the beginning of my breastfeeding journey. It helped me establish a little bit of a freezer stash which put my mind at ease when going back to work.

Activities and Learning

1. Tummy Time Mat – We try to do as much tummy time as we can. We bought a little mat with a pillow to prop her up when she was very little.
2. Hanging Toys – These can be useful from the very beginning until they grow out of their carseat. We ended up buying this set and she loved her little puppy!
3. Books – Books have been one of our favorite activities to do with her. It’s fun to see her reaction to all the different stories.

Extras

1. Ubbi Trash Pail – This has truly contained all the smells. We don’t feel the need to take out the trash after every dirty diaper, so it’s been worth it for us.
2. Closet Clothes Size Organizers – These have helped keep Quinnlyn’s clothes organized. Before she was even born we could get a good idea of what clothes were still needed for the seasons. Still helpful to this day when putting laundry away.
3. Noise Canceling Headphones – Her headphones stay in the diaper bag in case a situation arises for them. We have primarily used these for church services.
4. Receiving Blankets – Repeat what I said above about burp cloths!
5. Bows – Had to have some cute lil’ bows for my baby girl 🙂 These weren’t officially on our registry, but a great idea!

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. The products linked are ones I use personally recommend. Thank you for your continued support!