Registry must-haves

(the things we registered for and got a ton of use, and also stood the text of time!)

One of the fun yet intimidating aspects of my first pregnancy was trying to figure out our baby registry and what we needed to prepare for Liv’s arrival. Of course, all a baby really needs is to be fed, safe, warm, and loved, but there are some things that help to make life a little easier. There are 937263846 baby products out there, and it can take a lot of research to determine what works, the safety of the products/materials, and then hunting for the best price options. In the end, I was really happy with our registry, and am still so thankful to everyone who showered us with love and special gifts for Liv’s arrival.

A few people have asked me to share some of my favorite baby products, especially now that we’re going into #2, and I thought I’d post the ones that were REALLY lifesavers. These aren’t the Sofie le Girafes (which were super cute) and gnawed on by baby gums a few times, but the things that made a huge difference. Thankfully, they’re all in storage and ready to be washed and revived before little lady joins the party this fall. 🙂

Here are the absolute must-haves:

A bassinet or co-sleeper, and later, a crib with firm mattress. We used a bassinet close to the bed when Liv was itty bitty, and then transitioned her to the nursery in her crib a little later

A mattress protector and backup

2 fitted crib sheets (extra when one is in the wash). You do not need any of the bumpers, blankets (they’re a safety hazard until baby is older, anyway) or dust ruffles (even though they’re pretty!). We got a bedding set for Liv, but used these mesh bumpers later on when she was rolling into the sides, and mostly used the quilt for decoration on the couch in the nursery

Pack n’ play. It’s nice for them to have a safe, enclosed place to play, especially when they’re still learning to sit up on their own. This was particularly helpful after breakfast. Livi would play in her pack n’ play and I could talk to her while I got the kitchen cleaned up. We also used our pack n’ play often for travel. If the hotel where we were staying had a pack n’ play we could use, we would bring our own mattress (they’re lightweight and small enough to pack for road trips) and fitted sheets for her. 

Baby bouncer aka how I showered or made dinner most nights! She was so happy bouncing in this bouncer in the kitchen while I cooked, or I’d place it in front of the shower so I could still see her and take a ninja fast shower and get dressed. 

Play gym. These are excellent for tummy time! Whenever I see that a friend has registered for this, it’s an automatic baby gift. Liv loved hers. 

A soft lighting source. I especially love our salt lamp, because it’s the perfect amount of soft glow. You can see what you’re doing, but it doesn’t fully wake you up.

Twilight Turtle. Liv still uses hers 3 years later!

Sleepy sheep. This is perfect for white noise, and the travel one can clip onto strollers. 

Baby carriers! I am so, so excited about babywearing again. In the newborn phase, we used the K’Tan (I might try the Solly Baby this time),

and as she got bigger, we used the Ergo and Babyhawk. 

Bottle drying rack. We still use this one! Many children’s dishes need to be hand washed, so I set them on the drying rack to dry

Video baby monitor. This isn’t totally necessary, but awesome for peace of mind, especially when you’re a new parent and want to check on them during the night. We used it until Liv was old enough to come into our room on her own and ask me for breakfast haha. 

A good thermometer. When the baby is teeny tiny, you have to use a rectal thermometer. Later on, we transitioned to a forehead reading thermometer, which is convenient and quick. 

Stroller system and carseat. When Livi was itty bitty, we LOVED our Orbit (this is the latest version) and plan to use it again for #2. As she got bigger, we transitioned to the Diono Radian RXT, which she still uses (as it transitions to a toddler seat and a booster seat). We used the Uppa Baby stroller for travel and quick errands. We are going to use the Orbit again for this baby, and then purchase a second RXT to have in our other car and also use as she grows. I did a lot of research on carseats, and was very happy with the Diono’s excellent safety ratings and green fabric. We aren’t going to get a double BOB -Liv won’t ride in the stroller- so instead, I’m going to get a little kickboard for our Orbit for Liv, and run with the baby in the BOB (after baby is old enough) while Liv is at preschool. 

Books! It’s been so much fun to bring out Livi’s baby board books and move them into the baby’s room. They were definitely worth saving!

Diapers and wipes. Last time, I dabbled with the cloth world and decided it wasn’t for us. Instead, we used the 365 Whole Foods brand diapers and occasionally Seventh Generation. Now, we’re in love with the Honest Company (<— referral link). We get monthly bundles of household products, and will add the diaper bundle when little miss is here! The little prints are the cutest ever. 

What needs to be replaced:

Swaddles. Different swaddles work for different babies -Livi was a baby Houdini- but these ones seemed to work the best for us.

Zip-up pajamas. We will definitely be stocking up again on these. I hated buttons so much.. in the middle of the night, they all end up mismatched. 

Burp cloths. The Aden+Anais ones are the best. 

Boppy and nipple cream. Just typing that made my toes curl a little. Here we go againnnnnnnnn. 😉

Tubing and supplies for my pump. I read something that with our insurance we’re now able to rent a hospital grade pump, so if that’s the case, I’m totally going for it.

 

I’m sure I’m forgetting some things! Is there anything you’re glad you saved for your second baby? I am SO stoked that we still have all of Livi’s clothes that were in good quality. I stored them in plastic sealed clothing bags juuuust in case our next baby was a girl. 

xoxo,

Gina

Blast from the past: 

Our baby shower <3 Such a special and beautiful day with the people we love

Livi’s baby registry (and re-reading it, I can say I’m a believer in the hip shrinker!)

New mom must-haves