Top 10 Baby Registry Must-Haves

With the due date of our third baby rapidly approaching (less than 5 weeks!) I have been nesting and getting our home ready for her arrival. After having two boys, we are being blessed with a baby girl, due November 21st, 2020. This past weekend we were graciously thrown a "sprinkle" to celebrate her arrival. It was small and intimate but beautiful and thoughtful nonetheless. I did enjoy making a registry for a few items we thought we needed, but this being the third time around, we were just as happy to receive little girly trinkets, clothes, and so on. We mostly just wanted a registry so that we could receive a discount on items to buy ourselves on the registry (Target and Amazon both offer this!), but we were thrilled to receive items from our guests from it as well. With the thousands of baby items out there, I thought it would be handy to give our top ten must-haves, some on our wishlist (some that we got!), and a few things to not add to your registry. 

1. Swaddles- We personally love the Halo SleepSack Swaddle. It is easy to use, is not easy to wriggle out of, and offered our babies the best sleep possible. Plus, it makes an easy transition to one arm out, and then both arms out with a sleep sack!  

2. Footed Sleep and Plays-- ONLY WITH ZIPPERS! Forget how cute all those little clothes are that require you to snap everything. While it's not a huge deal for bitty babies, try wrangling a 4-month-old into those PJs with snaps from neck to toe- it's like a cardio workout.  

3. Sound Machine-- Any sort of white noise machine is a great sleep aid and cue! We prefer the kind with a plug because batteries are a pain to replace. For our first two, we used Homedics Sound Spa, only on the white noise level. 

4. Boppy-- A perfect nursing pillow, arm support for cuddles, photo prop, and eventually, sit-assister, we love our Boppy. Don't forget the waterproof liner and covers.

5. Pack n Play-- While a bassinet is cute, a pack-n-play will offer you the most bang for your buck. Ours came with a change table which was a lifesaver when the baby was little, a vibration feature, and the ability to go from bassinet to crib. While we never used as a permanent crib for our littles, it is now a travel necessity.  

6. Changing mats-- No one ever mentioned how in addition to those cute minky covers for a change table, you should probably invest in some of these covers. You'd be surprised how many extra messes happen on the change table, especially in those first months. We were so much better off with these, although unsightly at the time, they kept our cute covers clean from accidents, diaper creams, and blow out messes.  

7. Hooded Towel and bathtub-- While we don't necessarily have a brand preference here, we do love these towels that will easily grow with your baby and are thick and warm compared to some of the "baby" ones we received. We started with a plain old infant bathtub but upon having a second child, we found this one awesome so that they could easily bath together without the bulk. We were fortunate to have very few, if any, big tub accidents while they were both in there and now they still love playing together in the bath. Saves us time, for sure.

8. Nose Frida and Saline Spray-- It sounds disgusting, but this snot sucker works magic on little stuffy noses. We've found it works best with saline spray first to help unstick some of those stubborn boogers. 

9.Nursing clothes/Robe-- Nursing bras for day and night are a necessity that has topped my personal list with each pregnancy. Eventually, you will find a style you prefer, but I tried a few different ones until I got there myself. Have at least 2 of each in case there are leaks (sidenote: breast pads are also something to stock up on, either disposable or washable, I use both!) My robe and nightgown were lifesavers from hospital to home and beyond, invest in a good one that makes you feel good and comfy. Make sure they are long enough so that you wouldn't be embarrassed to answer the door in them (we've all been there, right?!). 

10. Butt spatula-- You might laugh, but this thing is a diaper change hack at it's finest. Instead of getting goopy fingers while trying to maneuver your baby into a clean diaper while also trying to avoid getting peed on, this tool allows you to quickly smear diaper cream with no mess to yourself. It makes changes a breeze for everyone involved and has been our go-to gift for new parents since we were gifted one with our first.  

My wish list for future babies:

• Ollie Swaddle-- The price tag is the only thing that holds me back here, but I've heard this swaddle is THE BEST. Might be a good place to start for new parents. 
• Nested Bean Sleep Sack-- This slightly weighted sleep sack may help clingy babies sleep better, in the same way a weighted blanket helps older kids and adults. We did get a swaddle like this to try this time!
• Robo Vac-- Hear me out...the last thing a new parent needs to worry about is cleaning floors, especially once that baby starts spending more time on the floor on a playmat or otherwise. This would be a super helpful gift to take the stress out of one last chore. 
• Hatch nightlight-- A sound machine, nightlight, time to rise hybrid, the Hatch has been getting rave reviews from parents everywhere. We were gifted one this time around and I am already super impressed with the ease of use, the phone app, and the options available. Can't wait to try it out with our new baby!

Forget about it:

• Blankets-- You will receive many, homemade or boughten. Unless there is a specific one you'd like for your crib, I would leave it off your registry. 
• Clothes, specifically cute outfits-- With the exception of zippered sleep and plays, I would be hesitant with clothes for the same reason as blankets...you will be given so many sets and outfits from people and it may mean more if they are able to pick their own that reflects their personality or relationship to the parents/baby. 
• Skincare-- With so many options, it may be best to just test a few small sizes of soaps/lotions/bubble bath/creams/etc until you find one that works best for you and your family.