Newborn Phase Must-Haves for Baby Registry
Hi! It’s been a long while since I wrote a blog post.
Since entering motherhood, albeit just 10 weeks ago, I’ve learned a lot. There’s still so much to discover about raising a tiny human, but I’m finally feeling like we have a handle on things… for now.
When we started preparing for baby, we didn’t want to overwhelm ourselves with “things.” We don’t love to feel inundated by clutter and we honestly didn’t know what we would need other than diapers, a place for baby to sleep, and ways to feed the her, so we just registered for those essentials and some wants.
We also knew that we could get any realized necessities delivered to our doorstep within hours by Amazon or a friend… oh and boy did we fall victim to the late night, early morning online shopping. So, if you’re an expecting or new parent, here are some items to register for or consider based on our personal experience (+ a link to our registry).
Baby registry items for baby
Ubbi Diaper Pail: I’m sure there are other awesome diaper pails out there, but I really love how this Ubbi Diaper Pail conceals the smell. Baby diapers smell kind of like tangy yogurt and you really want to keep that smell inside. The only thing that’s hard is emptying this when you’ve stuffed 5 too many diapers inside.
Ducky Thermometer: We’ve taken to bathing with baby or popping her in the little baby bath tub – she just loves the water. This is a great easy way to check the temp before you hop in. It’s not a necessity but it’s super cute and convenient.
Hatch Sound Machine + Travel Version: The Hatch Sound Machine is pretty nice. I love that you can change the light color and brightness (we use red light at night) and that it has more than just white noise sounds. I kind of wanted to avoid using sleep aids but in the newborn phase this has been super nice to have. We like running water and ocean waves sounds. The travel version is also great and very easy to use.
Skip Hop Baby Play Gym: A play mat like this one makes tummy time super fun! It’s been exciting to watch her get excited about different parts of the Skip Hop Baby Play Gym as she gets older.
Breastmilk Storage Bags: I like these ones for the freezer. These ones stand up nice in the fridge. Just get whatever you can from insurance or your breast pump company – you’ll need a lot of these.
Swaddles with Zippers: When you’re trying to do a quiet, peaceful midnight diaper change, the zippers on the Love to Dream swaddles are amazing. We do have a velcro swaddle, which we like better because it holds her arms in tight, but we more often than not have her in the LTD.
OXO Tot Perfect Pull Wipes Dispenser: You don’t need the wipe warmer IMO, but I do love this weighted one. You find yourself doing things one handed a lot.
Diaper Caddy: This was a last-minute registry add… the diaper caddy. Get one of these! We move it around the house all day so diapers, wipes, and other necessities are within arms reach.
Philips AVENT Microwave Steam Sterilizer: This microwave sterilizer makes cleaning bottles, pump parts, and other little baby this super easy to clean. We’ll wash everything, then toss them in the sterilizer with water. You microwave for ~4 minutes and things are nice and clean when the timer goes off.
Keekaroo Peanut Changing Pad: What I love most about this changing pad is that you can just wipe it down. We don’t have any kind of cover on it but usually keep a burp cloth or towel down so it’s not cold on her body.
BabyBjörn Bouncer: Sometimes you just need a place to put them down. She loves the BabyBjörn (better when it’s bouncing) and we use it most when we’re cooking or getting ready for the day.
Baby registry items for parents
Fujifilm Instax Mini EVO Instant Camera: Or, go old school and get some disposable cameras. We just love how this Instax Mini entices us to print photos more often. They are such nice keepsakes and fun to give to friends and family.
Wall charger with lots of plugs: You end up just living in your bed for a little bit when your newborn comes home. We need a better solution to plugging in phones, pumps, sound machines, and all the other things you need at your fingertips.
Mini Fridge: This fridge was a 2am purchase after seeing a “newborn hacks” post on Instagram. And, to be honest, I’m so happy we got this. It makes those night feedings and pumping sessions super easy. Originally, I thought we’d be reselling this after a couple of months but even when we drop a night feed, I don’t think we’ll be dropping a nighttime pumping session any time soon.
Mesh Laundry Bags: For all of those nursing pads, little socks, and other small laundry items, get yourself some mesh laundry bags. We already had a couple of these for undergarments and have found them super handy in the fourth trimester.
Miss Mouth's Messy Eater Stain Treater Spray: Get yourself some of this. Period.
Some other random things we loved getting: Noise canceling headphones, under eye gels, a Meal Train (!!!), and so many DoorDash gift cards.
Smart Light Bulbs: Being able to control the brightness and color of lights around the house without walking over to the switch is v. clutch. I recommend getting smart bulbs for a bedroom lamp and one for a nursery lamp – or go big like us and put them all over the house.
Baby registry items for mom
Elvie Stride Breast Pump: I’m a big fan of the Elvie Stride – but I don’t really know anything else. Feels powerful enough but also gives me so much flexibility. I got one through insurance, then bought another to have an extra. Washing one all the time was exhausting. Pro tip: You can put the cups right in the fridge after use and reuse them throughout the day. You can do this with bottles too. Make life a little easier on yourself.
Kindred Bravely Nursing Pads: If you’re chest feeding, you need these – maybe two sets of them. Things get messy and these help… but you’ll need to swap them often.
Rael Disposable Underwear: These make those first few days and nights a little easier and a little less messy. I found these to be TTS and really comfy. I also got a few packs of Rael’s liners for the lighter bleeding days.
Things to keep from pregnacy: Keep your yoga ball. Keep your pregnacy pillow. They will come in handy.
I feel like there is so much more I can add, but those are some top-of-mind favorites. When shopping, check Facebook Marketplace or secondhand shops. We got so many of the things we needed that way for half the price. Comment below with some of your favorite newborn products.👇