Must-Have Baby Items for your Registry

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For a lot of new moms on a budget knowing what you need versus what you can live without is a big question as they fill out their registry. I had this problem 2 years ago when I was expecting my son. I had some things on my registry but thinking about what I needed and what would fit in our small apartment was overwhelming. I never finished my registry due to my son coming early. This meant I went without some things totally, and some things I got later that would have been a dream to have from the beginning.

I registered at Amazon this time because it makes it easier for family far away to participate in a baby shower, and there is a very large variety of baby items. It's very fast and easy to do and they give you a list of items so you don't forget anything. They even have suggestions of top rated baby items that are commonly registered for. Also, I love that you get incentives for registering with them. For example, a 10% discount on items on your registry if you buy them yourself, 15% if you’re a prime member! And you can get a free welcome box full of great goodies for new moms!

• A diaper bag- You might think I’m crazy for not having a diaper bag yet. Well we used tote bags, and when my sister lived with us she sacrificed a large purse for us to use. But this time around a dedicated diaper bag is on my list. Most diaper bags have lots of pockets to help you keep the bag organized, and are large enough to carry everything you need and everything you don’t. And the bags have come a long way from being just a shoulder bag covered in cutesy baby animals. My preferred is this sophisticated looking backpack diaper bag. The backpack design will be helpful when I need both my hands to handle both kids. And it’s not something my husband will mind wearing when he’s out with the kids.
  

• A baby carrier/wrap-I actually had a friend give me a baby carrier and it was the best. If you have  a baby who just wants to be held all the time, or you anticipate that you will never want to put your baby down, you will want one of these.  When my friend gave it to me it made going grocery shopping, doing housework, and going on walks so much easier. This time I want a carrier that will allow me to wear my baby forwards, backwards, and on my back. The one on my registry has a hood too, to protect sensitive baby skin from the elements. I also would like this soft wrap carrier so I have more options of how to “wear” my baby.

Here you can see my husband wearing our baby when we first visited Pixar.

• An infrared thermometer- Hear me out. We used a regular armpit thermometer for my first child and it worked just fine. But as he got older the struggle of keeping the thermometer under his arm long enough was real. I would have to do it a few times just to be certain I was getting an accurate reading. When we stayed at a friend’s house over graduation weekend and we had to borrow their thermometer. It was an infrared thermometer and it was so easy and amazing to use. But really, any thermometer is important to have.
  

• Muslin swaddling blankets-I also had these the first-time around but not until late in the game when my son only wanted to be swaddled for a few more months. These blankets are perfect because they are big, soft, and light. I was worried about my son overheating and these helped ease my mind. I cannot say enough how useful these blankets are. (Although, my new little girl is a big mover in the womb, and doesn’t like anything encroaching on her space. If I wear too tight of pants, or rest something on my stomach, she starts kicking like crazy, so I hope she will want to be swaddled).
  

Here my son is just covered with one of the muslin swaddling blankets. He fell asleep before I could wrap him up! So of course I had to stop and take a picture of him sleeping so peacefully.

• Sleeping gowns- My son only slept in one of these once in the hospital and I didn’t realize how amazing it was until I was changing diapers in the middle of the night at home later. I found that dealing with snaps and zippers in the middle of the night was what made my son become wide awake in the night. He would be fussing a little because his diaper was wet and uncomfortable but it wasn’t until I had to take him out of the legs of his pajamas that he would fully wake up. If I could keep him asleep while changing his diaper, it would be a lot faster and a lot less time up in the middle of the night. These gowns are perfect for that!
  

 

Bonus: I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the baby bouncy seat. At times when my son just wouldn’t sleep this seat was a dream. It gently bounced him and played soft music. Literally the best.  He loved the music and when he was too big I still played the music for him from the seat to help him calm down. You can see my son to the right loving his seat. It's so soft and comfy. He also has one of his swaddling blankets!

Ok what do you think? What are your must have items? Did you use any of these and have any recommendations?
 
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