How to Build a Baby Registry
I did a deep dive into “best _____ of 2022” for basically everything I wanted on my baby registry. After all, we all want the best for our babes, right? Especially when they’re so little, we want to know we’re buying (or receiving as gifts) the safest products possible.
I care a lot about the ingredients in the products I use personally and have around my home. I don’t like strong smells, and I’m wary around products with long ingredient lists I can’t pronounce. I also love doing research, so I took the liberty to dive down the rabbit hole on behalf of all of us and find some of the best products to include on a registry, and I couldn’t wait to share them with you!
How I did it
I prioritized items that met the following conditions:
Greenguard Gold Certified, GOTS certified, or other applicable certification for low chemical toxicity standards
wooden toys over plastic, more imaginative toys over things with all the “bells and whistles” that are overstimulating
generally middle-of-the-road prices so I could select quality pieces without breaking the bank
high customer reviews
high safety ratings
100% cotton, preferably organic, or bamboo for most clothing since it’s gentlest
things I thought would last the longest/get the most use/grow with the baby and our family
From there I tried to pick clothing items that could be mixed and matched well enough, nursery items that would loosely fit a grey-and-sage woodland theme without being over-the-top, and things that fit in our space.
I focused primarily on Amazon because they have such a wide selection, but Babylist was an invaluable resource in searching product guides for recommendations.
Registry Q & A
Do you need a registry?
Registries are helpful for a few reasons.
One, babies need a lot of stuff, and the price adds up. It’s incredibly helpful to let your loved ones support you and your family by helping you gather the necessary items to prepare!
Two, people want to give you gifts, and including items on a registry increases the chances that you’ll get items you want and will use. Ever heard of someone getting 6 diaper pails and no high chair? It might be because they didn’t have a registry set up for people to shop from.
Finally, many registry providers also include a completion discount, meaning you can buy any remaining products for a discounted price after a certain date. This is extremely helpful if you don’t receive everything on your registry and are looking to buy some of the items yourself— saving money is always a good thing, and this is an easy way to do it!
What should you put on a registry?
Ultimately, the answer is whatever you want. However, there are some tips I’d like to give you as you consider what to add and what to skip.
What price point are most people in your circles looking for? Are there items that are unlikely to be purchased, even by a group? For instance, I chose to take off the crib and car seat/stroller combo I had because they were on the more expensive end of items on my list, and I wanted to make sure I got them, so I bought them myself.
Are there items you want sooner rather than later? Depending on when you have your shower(s), you might not get items much in advance of your due date, and perhaps that could give you pause. I knew I wanted the nursery pretty well set up well in advance of delivery, so I decided to get most of the furniture myself instead of waiting until my baby showers to find out if I would receive furniture as a gift.
Are there items you won’t use right away but will need in the first couple of years? Feel free to include them! Things like babyproofing materials, baby gates, and more might not come out of storage right away since children have to grow into them, but how nice would it be to have them already? On the other hand, if you get too many of these items, they could become more difficult to store, so consider your space, too.
Do you need more than one set of certain items to leave at daycare or with grandparents? I checked with my mom to see what items, if any, she wanted me to include for us to leave at her house. Assuming you and your baby won’t be at your house 100% of the time, you might want to consider duplicates of things that are inconvenient to transport (large toys, portable cribs, high chairs/boosters, etc.).
How often do you plan to do laundry? This will affect how many articles of clothing and other linens you’ll need. Keep in mind that kids are messy, and between diaper blowouts, spit up, and throwing/spilling food, they’ll need things changed pretty often. If you’re not planning to do laundry every few days, it might be a good idea to ask for extra sets of things.
A variety of options in any given category can be helpful, as you don’t know what baby will like. I chose a few different types of infant swaddles, a few different kinds of cloth diapers, a couple different types of bottles, a couple different sets of pacifiers, and even different diaper creams. It will be so much easier to switch to a new type of product if it’s already in our house instead of scrambling to find a different bottle in the middle of the night and hoping it will ship to us soon.
When and how do I set up a registry?
It’s helpful to have your registry complete before invitations for baby showers go out. Showers are typically held toward the beginning of the third trimester, when you’re very clearly pregnant and beginning to nest, but before you could potentially go into labor. Of course, take into consideration other factors like working around holidays or family trips. When in doubt, put the registry together earlier and keep it private until you’re ready to share it. That’s what I did, and it gave me the freedom to research products and change the registry as much as I wanted in the early days without worrying about confusing people or getting products I no longer wanted. You can also start with a simple wishlist or list on your personal account and move items over to an official registry when you’re ready. You can finish it in a few quick steps:
Add your message to friends and family with any fun notes (we included that we’re keeping things gender-neutral since we’re choosing to wait and be surprised instead of finding out the gender early).
Add your due date. This is typically required information when setting up the registry.
Add a ship to address so items can ship to you if people won’t be attending a shower.
Add the items you want.
Mark important items as must-have so you’re more likely to get them.
Consider enabling group gifting for higher-price items.
Send the link to people who ask and/or people coordinating your baby shower(s).
Should I create multiple registries with different stores?
I personally found it easiest to limit the stores I shopped at so I could see the full registry in fewer steps (i.e. not having to visit multiple websites to piece my whole registry together), but if you have specific items that are only available from select stores, don’t let that stop you! I would encourage you to link them all together in one convenient place so that people shopping for you don’t have to hunt around on several stores’ websites to find your lists, though. I connected my Amazon list to my Babylist account so that I could just share the Babylist link with friends and family, and it’s working great!
What to include on a baby registry
Here are my recommendations based on what I anticipate needing, what others have said, and my own personal family situation. Feel free to change, adapt, add, or delete as you see fit!
Clothing
Onesies - at least 10 total, some short-sleeved and some long-sleeved, in various sizes since you don’t know what size baby will fit into (and sizes can vary from brand to brand). I added these and these side-snap ones because I heard they’re gentler while the umbilical cord is still healing. I added these and these for short-sleeved options.
Sleepers - 3-4 like these and these so you can use them for a couple nights and wash them fairly frequently in the event of diaper blowouts or other messes.
Pants/shorts - depending on the season you’re having a baby in, you might lean more toward one type of bottoms than another, but either way, you want enough to cover wardrobe changes, so at least 5. I added these, these, and these for pants for a winter baby.
Sweaters/sweatshirts - so important if you’re having a winter baby, but also for any baby during colder mornings or evenings to layer. I added two — this one and this one.
Socks - at least 6 pairs, and simple colors are easier to match, like these.
Hat, mittens for a winter baby - I added these to my list.
Swaddles - they come in so many styles! For variety, I added these swaddle blankets, these transition swaddles I know some older kids like, and these infant swaddle sleep sacks. I’m sure we’ll find something that works!
Booties - in addition to socks, it’s helpful to make sure those baby toes stay warm! And since babies don’t need real shoes until they’re walking, booties are a great answer!
Sun hat - gotta keep the sun out of baby’s eyes and protect them from UV rays!
Feeding
Bottles - there is a WIDE variety of bottles out there, so consider what might work best for your family, but it can be helpful to select at least a couple different options since you don’t know what baby’s going to like. Because I hope to breastfeed, I wanted bottles that will offer a similar experience. I chose these Comotomo bottles and these Tommee Tippee bottles.
Bibs - I chose these silicone ones because they’re much easier to clean than cloth, and they have a place to catch baby food before it can get stuck in baby’s lap or end up on the floor. I also saved these cloth bandanna-style ones for drooling and teething, since they’re designed more for that purpose than for eating.
Plates, cups, utensils (for solid foods later) - I saved these suction plates (too many experiences with one-year-olds flipping plates of food on the floor), these utensils, and these sippy cups to our list.
Breastfeeding/bottle feeding support pillow - I recommend getting an extra cover for a pillow, too, so you can wash them. These also double as pillows for baby on the floor and even floor cushions for you when you get down on the floor to play with baby. I’ve found them to be very versatile!
Pacifiers - I chose these ones and these ones to try out.
Breastfeeding cover, if planning to breastfeed - this one doubles as a car seat cover so you get even more use out of it!
Pump — check with your insurance to see if you can get a free one!
Bottle cleaning brush - I chose a travel set that I can easily pack up when we’re leaving home so that it can double for home and travel with one purchase. But do what works best for you!
Bottle stand/dish drying rack - I opted for a smaller model that’s less likely to trap bacteria (as much as I think the grass-like ones are cute, I didn’t want to have to clean them).
Bottle warmer - this is not by any means a necessity, so feel free to skip it, but I figure if it saves precious time and energy for middle of the night feedings, I want part of that! I saved this more compact model.
Burp cloths - I’m imagining I’ll need more than I think, so I anticipate needing at least a dozen. I added this style and this style.
High chair and/or booster chair - I like this one that converts to a toddler chair as your baby grows so you can extend the life of it.
Diapering
Cloth and/or disposable diapers - I’m planning to cloth diaper, but not 100% exclusively, so I did add these disposable diapers for the first couple weeks, overnights, and travel. I chose a variety of cloth diapers to try out, hoping we’ll find some we like — these Leekalos, this Esembly try-it set, these from Nora’s Nursery, and these Simple Being ones.
Wipes - disposable and/or reusable, whatever works for you! I’m requesting both to see what works, so I included these and these for reusable ones, and these and these for disposable ones.
Diaper pail - I’ve heard great things about this one, and it works with both disposable liners and reusable cloth ones!
Diaper bag - I chose this one because of the abundance of pockets and different sections that open really wide to make it both easier to separate everything and easier to find everything inside. It also has a changing pad and a separate holder for pacifiers so they don’t get lost in the bottom of the bag.
Diaper pail liners (cloth or disposable) - I’m going with a set of cloth ones I can throw in the laundry right alongside the cloth diapers. But if you go the disposable route, make sure you get refill rolls of bags for your diaper pail.
Diaper cream - again, I think asking for a couple different kinds is a good play since you might not have luck with one brand or discover you prefer another. I chose this Earth Mama one and this Esembly one. If you’re cloth diapering like I plan to, make sure the cream you choose is cloth-diaper friendly; many are not.
Changing pad (and covers for cloth pads, if you go that route) - I went with this wipeable Skip Hop one (it’s like the infamous Keekaroo but less than half the price) so that I don’t have to change liners or wash them when things spill.
Bathing
Infant bathtub - optional but super handy when babies are small and slippery in the tub, since regular tubs are really big for them. I chose this one.
Infant shampoo/soap - I added this shampoo and lotion combo pack to do double duty. You just want to make sure you pick something formulated with gentle ingredients safe for baby skin. Honest is my favorite brand for that!
Lotion - just something simple and safe for baby skin, like Pipette.
Bath toys - I don’t think these are necessary, either, but having some could make bath time more fun. I like these natural rubber ones, and they come in a variety of shapes!
Towels - I added a two-pack of these hooded towels. Of course, you can use towels you already have, too, but ours are pretty large, so I wanted some in a better size for young kids.
Washcloths - nothing fancy is needed here, just something to clean baby messes. I added these.
Bathtub spout cover - this is more for later, when kids outgrow the baby bathtub and need to be protected from hitting their heads on the bathtub faucet. Again, not necessary, but optional if you want it!
A kneeling pad to save your knees while giving baby baths - again, optional, but I know my knees are sensitive to kneeling on the floor, so I added this one.
Toys
Tummy time mat/play gym - you could definitely just put baby on the floor or on a blanket with some toys to encourage tummy time, but sometimes it’s nice to have a more fun environment already set up for them. I chose this natural-toned one that’s pretty simple.
Blocks - I like these silicone ones (and I know kids love them, too).
Balls - cloth, wood, or silicone are my go-to options, and I found this one that looks like fun!
Stuffed animals - again, I went with more natural organic cotton options for these— this set of farm buddies and this dog. I’m sure we’ll get more, too!
Stacking/sorting toys - there is a huge variety of these, but selecting a couple can help babies with their grasping of objects and fine motor skills as they work to put them together and take them apart. I put this rainbow stacking set and this silicone sorting one on our list, along with this ring stacking set.
Books
Cloth activity books - these are fun because of the different textures, especially in comparison to other books your baby might get.
Board books - board books are a lot more durable than paperback books, and you can even get sets, like this Sandra Boynton one (her books are big hits with the baby crowd).
Indestructibles - these books are fabulous for little kids! They crinkle and wrinkle, but they’re very resistant to tearing, which is ideal for kids!
Parenting books for you - of course, this is optional if you’re not a reader or already have all the books you’re interested in, but it could be a good time to request any additional ones that sound appealing to you. I like the sound of this one.
Furniture & Bedding
Crib - we bought ours from Facebook Marketplace for less than half price, but I was looking at models like this one and this one.
Bassinet - I’m still searching for one secondhand, but I currently have this one on our registry. I love that it has a canopy (in case I move it onto the deck), has a rocking ability (to soothe baby), and has storage underneath.
Crib mattress - we got ours with the crib, but I had my eye on one like this previously.
Crib sheets - like these and these. It’s helpful to have multiple. I’ve even seen hacks where parents layer sets— a mattress protector and sheet over another mattress protector and sheet for those middle-of-the-night messes.
Bassinet sheets - this set has two sheets and a mattress protector, so win win!
Mattress pad/protector - so important in keeping the mattress dry and clean. I added this one for the crib.
Rocking chair or glider - you could definitely omit this to save space or money, but if you consider how much time you’ll spend feeding your little one, getting a comfortable chair with some kind of movement mechanism might be a saving grace! I have my eyes on this one.
Safety
Baby gate - so many styles to choose from! It depends on where you plan to use it and what you’re looking for. I needed one for the top of our staircase, so I opted for one without a bar you’d have to step over once you open the gate (a tripping hazard we definitely don’t need at the top of the stairs!).
Baby proofing sets - these are essential as babies grow, and there are lots of different kinds. For now, I have this one on our list.
Baby healthcare kit - simple items like a thermometer, baby nail clippers, and a brush will be so handy! I like this one.
Baby monitor - again, choose what works best for your family. There is a wide range of options that vary in features, prices, and setup. I opted for one that has actual video monitors you can watch baby on (instead of just a cell phone). I didn’t want any other caregivers to have to add an app to be able to watch the baby, so I chose this one. It also has two cameras, which could be helpful if you have more kids (like we hope to in the future).
Transportation
Car seat - all new car seats have to pass safety standards, but I wanted one that also was safer in terms of toxicity, so I did my research (here’s the main source I used) to find one made without flame retardants and extra chemicals (after all, baby’s going to be spending a lot of time in there!). I ended up with the Maxi Cosi Zelia 5-in-1 Modular Travel System, which has a car seat and stroller, both made in their Pure Cosi line of fabrics. I traded in a family member’s expired car seat at Target for a discount on the new set during their trade-in event.
Stroller - because I bought a travel system, I didn’t need to buy a separate stroller, but it’s worth mentioning if you buy (or request) them separately. Make sure to check compatibility, and whether you need any adapters to make a car seat fit the stroller base.
Car seat cover for a winter baby - I added this one.
Travel crib/play yard - I saved this travel crib (that has a bassinet and changing pad, too) and this play yard for traveling purposes. I want to make it as easy as possible!
A portable bassinet or dock - the most popular is the Dock-a-Tot, and this is similar, but I liked the price point and that it’s organic. It makes for a very portable, safe place to lay baby throughout the day.
Baby carrier/wrap - I like this style and this style for some variety and trial and error.
Extras
Storage baskets - I went with this owl one and this fox one because I think they’re adorable, but there are lots of sets of coordinating baskets out there, too!
Dresser organizers - baby clothes are so small, so it’s helpful to find ways to keep them organized in dresser drawers. I do the same with my clothing, and it’s such a lifesaver! I added these ones to my list.
Tabletop fan - unless you have a ceiling fan in the room you’re planning to use, a tabletop fan might come in handy for controlling the temperature.
Humidifier - I actually already have this because I wanted a humidifier to test out in my room when I had a cold over the summer. It’s so quiet, and I love that it can diffuse oils (make sure to check which are baby and kid safe!) and be a nightlight, too.
Baby bouncer and/or swing - I chose this for a bouncer to use once baby is bigger and this swing/chair combo because it takes up less space than buying both separately, and it gives us the most versatility with the different options for movement.
A journal - this could be a fun way to keep track of milestones without the pressure to write a lot at any given moment since it’s designed with brevity in mind.
A keepsake box - if you have baby items you want to save, this is a high-quality way to keep them all safe and organized!
Resources
I did look at a couple lists of recommended registry items from people I trust, so I wanted to include them as additional resources for you:
Lindsey Bomgren from Nourish, Move, Love
What are YOUR must-haves for a baby registry? Let me know in the comments!
[This post contains affiliate links, meaning I make a small commission on purchases made through my links. All opinions are my own. There is no additional cost to you for shopping through my affiliate link. Thanks for supporting my work!]
