I am now a second-time mom. When I was a first-time mom, I did not know what I needed for my baby and I was frequently exhausted and worried about everything. Now, I have a more balanced perspective of parenthood and I know what is essential for my baby registry must haves.
More importantly, I have learned to prioritize what is important and to use the things that I have, to help me get through the day.
Free baby registry samples
If you are a first-time parent, you may not have any idea about what babies need. For you, spending some time window shopping at a baby store will be time well spent as it will give you an introduction into “baby world”. This will also give you some ideas into what you want to add into your baby registry must have list.
There is great benefit in creating a baby registry at a physical store like Target or Walmart because you can physically inspect items before you add them into your baby registry. However, the plus with an online registry like Amazon is that you get more variety and choice of brands.
Whether you prefer to create a baby registry on Amazon, Target or some other place, make sure you find out if they give out free samples and products for new moms.
Do not scoff at secondhand!
Although there are many essential items that your baby will need, you cannot be sure if your baby will accept them, whether they will fit into your life, or whether they end up being stuffed into a dark corner of your home unused.
One such example were our pacifiers. I bought several to help my babies sleep at night but both my babies hated them and they hardly got used. Oh well.
Babies outgrow things very quickly. For example, we spent nearly 2 hours at our local baby store so that our baby could select a lovey (comforting toy for baby). Although she showed interest in it at the store, it got dumped aside in less than a day later at home.
Because of this, do not scoff at shopping secondhand or accepting hand-me-downs. Clothes are especially great hand-me-downs because they have less chemicals in them (the chemicals get washed out with frequent washes) and are more comfortable for baby anyway.
Some great places to shop for secondhand baby items are:
- Facebook Marketplace
- Facebook buy nothing groups
- Nextdoor
- Local consignment events
- Secondhand stores (like Goodwill) with a kid or baby section.
If you cannot find suitable secondhand baby items or you simply prefer everything for your baby to be brand new, here are 10 suggestions that I use on a daily basis. I will also give you tips that people often do not mention about these baby registry must haves.
Baby registry must haves (and what they do not tell you about them).
1. Get different sized diapers.
My day normally starts off with changing baby’s diapers.
The most popular diaper brands are Pampers and Huggies. You should have at least a box of diapers ready and waiting at home for you before baby’s arrival. So even if nobody buys you any from your baby registry, make sure that you get yourself some.
Most first-time parents request newborn-sized diapers. These are fine but if your baby is of average size when born (average is approximately 7 pounds or 3.1 kilograms), they can also fit into size 1 diapers.
The good thing about diapers that are slightly bigger-sized, is that you do not have to worry about your baby outgrowing them too quickly.
For example, Pampers newborn diapers are for babies who weigh 10 pounds and below. Size 1 diapers are for babies who weigh up to 14 pounds.
If you are worried that too many people are going to get newborn-sized diapers for you, then ask for some bigger-sized ones. You will eventually use them anyway.
Similarly, you can also replace disposable diapers with cloth diapers. Cloth diapers are great if you intend to have more children in the future as you can reuse them for your other kids.
If you are paranoid like me and prefer to reduce your baby’s exposure to potentially harsh chemicals, then you can replace wipes with Viva Towels dipped in plain water.
You will also need a changing mat. I like a simple changing mat that I can fold and easily store away. A foldable changing mat will also prove useful if you want to use it outside the house as you can pack it into your diaper bag.
I do not think changing tables are essential because I prefer to change our baby on our bed. I have heard too many horror stories about babies falling off changing tables. A bed not only provides a large surface for baby to lie on but is also more comfortable.
2. Whether you choose to breastfeed or not, you will need a Boppy Pillow or My Brest Friend.
I am a strong supporter of breastfeeding, but I am an even stronger supporter of ensuring that baby gets fed, whether it is by breastmilk or formula.
I am lucky that even though I initially suffered from a lack of breastmilk, I was eventually able to find a solution that helped me increase my breastmilk (brewer’s yeast).
Regardless of what you choose to do, you will be spending a lot of your day feeding your baby. Because of this, you should ensure that you have a comfortable set up for your baby and you when you are feeding baby.
I like to breastfeed my baby using a Boppy Pillow. This is a common purchase among moms, and I agree that it is worth it. I use my Boppy Pillow many times in a day.
The Boppy Pillow gives baby a softer surface to lie on and it also elevates baby higher up so that it is easier for you to feed them, whether by breast or bottle.
You can even buy extra Boppy Pillow covers so that if baby does a spit up and it gets on your Boppy Pillow, you can change the cover (extra covers are not essential though).
The Boppy Pillow can be used for Tummy Time by placing baby on her chest and stomach over the center part of the pillow.
Once baby can hold her head steady, the Boppy Pillow can also be used to prop baby up into a sitting position.
With both these activities, do NOT leave baby unattended as you will have to supervise both activities.
An alternative to the Boppy Pillow is My Brest Friend. I took some time to get used to it but some moms say this pillow is superior to the Boppy. It comes with a belt that you can adjust to suit your waist size so that the pillow stays secured to your waist.
It also has two little raised bumps on it to support your wrists and to hold baby in place.
Lastly, it comes with a small pocket sewn onto the side. This can be a handy spot to store a burp cloth or your cellphone, especially if you are breastfeeding outdoors.
Whether you prefer the Boppy Pillow or My Brest Friend, make sure that you put it on your baby registry must have list.
3. The amount of clothes you need depend on many factors including how often you will do laundry, whether your baby will spit up a lot, the season etc.
There are many different brands of baby clothes out there. If you plan to add baby clothes to your baby registry, we suggest that you choose sizes that are 6 months older and above.
Why? You may find yourself receiving unexpected gifts from people outside of your gift registry and the most common gift we received was newborn clothes.
We had so many newborn clothes from family and friends that some of them only got worn once!
On top of this, newborns grow extremely fast and before you know it, they will not fit into that cute onesie anymore!
We did not get gifted with many bigger sized clothes and once our infant got bigger, we then had to get some more.
As a general rule, try to get at least 2 weeks’ worth of clothes. You will be super busy with baby most of the time and may not find time to get laundry done as often as you would like.
Your baby may also have ‘poo explosions’ (which is what happens when your baby’s poo escapes the diaper) and spit-ups, which means you go through several changes of clothes in one day.
If your baby will be born in spring/summer or the temperature is very hot where you are, a single onesie will often be enough indoors. If you use cold air-conditioning in your house though, you need to dress your baby accordingly.
If your baby will be born in autumn/winter or the temperature is very cold where you are, you will need to have long-sleeved shirts, long pants, bodysuits, socks, hand mitts and hats.
Also, take note of the design of the clothes. We were given a Gap onesie and it had the kind of button where you had to push it through a buttonhole to do it up. I hated that button. When you have a squirmy newborn, the last thing you want to do is struggle with a button.
Instead of the normal buttons, get onesies that have snap buttons. They are much easier to snap into place.
If you could choose, choose a onesie where the material is slightly stretchy. Just like adults, babies come in different shapes and sizes. A onesie or pants that is unyielding will prove to be a problem if your baby’s head is a little bigger than the average baby or he or she has a slightly longer body.
As you can imagine, it might be hard to figure out material and design without seeing the actual clothes. So make sure you check out the options when you are next baby window shopping and you can then add the brand of your choice to your baby registry.
You should also add bibs and burp clothes to your baby registry. If your baby spits up often, or starts teething, you will be shocked to find out how many burp clothes you go through in a day. We often go through 4 to 5 in a day when baby is teething.
4. Get a bassinet with wheels!
Before your newborn arrives, you will probably be thinking about where your baby is going to sleep. Depending on your personal preferences and sleeping environment, your baby will probably sleep in their own bassinet, crib or co-sleep with you on your bed.
If you have yet to experience this, you will not be able to imagine the torture an innocent young sleepless baby can unleash on unsuspecting, exhausted parents at night.
If you are worried that your baby will not sleep well at night, I highly recommend a SNOO bassinet. This fancy bassinet by Dr Harvey Karp does not have wheels but it does seem to have almost everything else to help your baby sleep.
It rocks babies to sleep, has motion sensors and plays calming white noise. Basically, it was designed to replace you at night so that you do not have to get up every few hours (or every half hour in my experience) to calm your fussing baby.
It was life-changing when my baby was finally able to sleep through the night.
This bassinet is not cheap though, although the good news is that you can rent it! Just be aware that this bassinet is only recommended for newborns to 6 month old babies.
If you simply do not have the budget to get a SNOO bassinet, then consider co-sleeping.
I know that co-sleeping is a controversial issue so take what you will.
With our first baby, I was not supportive of the idea of co-sleeping but when our second baby was waking up every half hour due to gas issues, I finally relented and had baby in bed with me. It has turned out surprisingly good.
Regardless of whether you intend to co-sleep or not, you should get a bassinet with wheels or something that you can wheel around the house easily.
With my first baby, I was alone by myself at home. I had no one else that I could call on to take over baby so that I could get food when I was hungry.
With a bassinet with wheels, I could wheel baby out to the kitchen. It was so much more convenient than having to carry baby, or to find somewhere on the ground to put her while I ate.
After my breakfast, I normally try to take a shower. I say “try” because the reality is if you are looking after baby by yourself at home, you will be lucky if you can even get 10 minutes to yourself. However, with the bassinet, I can wheel baby into the bathroom with me so that I can keep an eye on baby while I shower.
Of course, this is only safe to do while baby is a few months old and unable to lean out or get out of the crib by herself.
Once baby is able to sit up by herself, you cannot leave baby unattended in the crib by herself due to falling dangers.
I do have a solution though. Invest in a bassinet that also triples up as a co-sleeper and play pen so that your baby can continue using it as they get older.
I also strongly recommend that you include a mobile crib toy into your baby registry must have list.
I found that I could keep my baby occupied in her bassinet without fussing for a longer period of time if I hung a crib mobile so she could look at it. She would kick her legs and hands to reach the toys and it was good exercise for her.
5. A swing & play gym is essential if you want to get anything done (or stay sane).
I work from home at a desk. Next to my desk, I have placed a Cradle n’ Swing. The Cradle n’ Swing is the number one reason that I can get any work done.
The Cradle n’ Swing reclines so that you can lift it up when baby wants a better view or you can lower it down when baby wants to sleep. It sways from side to side, or front to back, which is helpful if your baby is particular about how she wants to be rocked.
It has a rotating mobile crib toy at the top that my baby likes to stare at, and it also plays melodies and sounds.
It is so comfortable that my baby can remain contentedly awake, or asleep in it for 2-3 hours. But I try to keep an eye on baby in the Cradle n’ Swing while I am working.
Although it is extremely useful, it is always best not to leave your baby unattended in swings for long as it is not designed specifically for extended nighttime type of sleep.
I like to rotate in turn, the use of the Cradle n’ Swing, with Play Gyms, also known as Play Mats.
Play Gyms are great for Tummy Time, and baby can also exercise while kicking her legs and arms at the hanging toys. Doing tummy time is extremely important for the early stages of baby’s development.
Many come in a variety of colors, with hanging toys and textures for baby to touch, and some even play music. These all help to stimulate and develop baby’s senses.
I have several of these Play Gyms and I place one in every room that baby may spend time in.
Unfortunately, as great as they are, Play Gyms cannot keep my baby happy for as long as the Cradle n’ Swing.
She normally only lasts for about 15 minutes in a Play Gym by herself. This is the main reason why I recommend that you get both the swing and the play gym.
Even though I talk so much about the Cradle n’ Swing, there are also other popular alternatives which I think are equally amazing (some even more!)
An example is the 4moms mamaRoo 4 Baby Swing.
What I like about the 4moms mamaRoo 4 Baby Swing is that it rocks baby in a way that is more similar to how parents actually rock their infants.
Instead of swinging back and forth, this baby swing bounces up and down.
Nevertheless, it still has 5 different rocking motions and speeds to suit a variety of baby preferences.
Like the Cradle n’ Swing, it also plays music.
A good choice for any baby registry in my opinion!
6. You will never have enough hands to carry your baby around as much as he/she wants.
Babies love to be held. In fact, they want to be held all the time. This is normal as babies thrive on human touch.
However, when I am in the middle of something or have a deadline to meet, I will resort to my baby carrier to hold my baby while I keep working.
There are many baby carriers in the market and many of them are wonderful. The main thing is to find something that suits both you and baby.
If you have the opportunity, look for a local Babywearing International group to join. They normally carry a range of baby carriers that you can try before you decide which to buy.
For me, I have one of the older Ergobaby Baby Carriers (there are many newer Ergobaby Baby Carriers now where baby can be carried facing backward and forward too) and the Moby Wrap.
I love both as they play different roles for the different ages of my baby. When my baby was a newborn, I preferred her in the Moby Wrap. But when she got older, I found the Ergobaby Baby Carrier easier to use. That is the reason why I suggest that you try some baby carriers first before you decide which to buy.
When baby is able to sit up, you can put baby in a feeding booster chair. You may prefer one that you can use outside of the home that you can hook to any sturdy restaurant table, or one that doubles up as an activity center too.
7. Bathing a baby is not for the fainthearted but a baby bathtub helps.
At the end of the day, it is time to bathe baby. I am lucky that my baby likes water (or at least, does not mind it!)
I thoroughly recommend that you get a baby bathtub to bathe baby in. A baby bathtub is specially designed to hold a baby to make it easier to bathe baby by yourself.
Some of these baby bathtubs come with a sling for newborn babies who cannot hold their own heads up yet.
There are some babies who hate being in water. For these babies, a baby bathtub that drains might work better. Save this in your purchase list in case you ever need to get it!
I cannot imagine how stressful it would be trying to bathe my baby by myself without a baby bathtub. It is definitely a must-have for your baby registry!
8. Many swaddles are too small or ineffective for keeping baby swaddled all night.
After my baby has had a relaxing bath, it is time for bed. Any parent knows that getting sleep when you have a new baby is the Holy Grail.
Before your baby can rollover, you should aim to swaddle your baby when putting them to sleep. Swaddling helps to calm babies down as it reminds them of being in the womb.
If you have ever tried to swaddle a baby before, you will know that most of them try to escape from their swaddles. Once their cute hands come free, they tend to knock or scratch themselves in the face, which wakes them up. Most parents make it their mission to swaddle their babies in a way that will not allow them to escape easily.
Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. I find that most of the swaddles are too small. I like large swaddles because you can fold them more around baby which makes it harder for baby to escape.
My preferred brand of swaddles are aden + anais because they have some of the biggest swaddles around. However, if you have no prior experience, it can still be challenging to swaddle a baby, especially when it is late at night, the baby is fighting you and you are sleep-deprived.
Do not fret though! There are other alternatives that make swaddling a baby easier. They tend to be more expensive but if you have got a baby registry, why not include them?
Here are some examples; the Sleepea 5-second swaddle, the Love to Dream Swaddle UP and the Comfy Cubs Swaddle Blanket.
Cannot decide which one to go with? Just read the reviews or ask your friends who have one. Personally, I think they all work pretty well.
Luckily, our pediatrician recommended Gerber Soothe. It is a probiotic drop that helps baby’s digestive system. We had no idea that such a product existed but it helped our baby alot. I believe it will also help babies with constipation issues so keep it in your To Buy list, just in case.
9. A white noise machine is a gift from heaven.
A white noise machine is a MUST for your baby registry list!
If you have never heard of white noise before, it is time you become acquainted with it because it will be one of your best friends for helping your baby to sleep.
We struggled really hard to get our first newborn to sleep but luckily, learned about white noise in the second month or so. This saved our sanity because we used it to sleep train our child.
When choosing a white noise machine, make sure that the machine can play continually all night.
Too many white noise machines on the market automatically switch off after 30 or 45 minutes. The sudden quietness after the machine switches off may jolt your baby awake again. For your sake, please choose a machine that will not switch itself off!
10. The baby travel system is going to be expensive but necessary.
As you know, it is a legal requirement to use a car seat to transport your baby around in a vehicle.
A travel system allows you to transform your baby’s car seat into a stroller without needing to take baby out of the car seat.
On days when the sun is shining, I try to get baby outdoors to get some fresh air or attend baby classes.
As an example, you may wish to go grocery shopping with baby. Babies often fall asleep in the car seat as they are lulled by the comforting drone and movement that a car produces. When you arrive at the grocery store, the last thing you want to do is drag baby out of her car seat to transfer her into a stroller.
A travel system allows you to seamlessly unclick your car seat from its base in your car, and click into your stroller. Voila! Baby stays happily asleep.
However, a baby travel system is expensive. If you can get it secondhand, good for you! If you cannot, add it to your baby registry must have list.
There are so many choices out there but take it from me, you need a travel system that is a stroller and infant car seat combo. It is so much more convenient when everything works together.
The latest travel systems allow you to go up to several different travel modes. There is even one that goes up to 7 travel modes by Graco.
If you are having twins (or plan to get pregnant quickly again after giving birth to your first), a double stroller travel system will be a good investment.
If you intend to have children with ages further apart, get a travel system that can accommodate an older child and a baby at the same time.
There is even a triple travel system for three kids that are not too far apart in age where the oldest child stands while the younger two are seated.
Also, consider whether you intend to jog or run with your stroller. If yes, choose one that will allow you to do that.
When your child matures into a toddler/preschooler/kindergartner and is capable of getting in and out of the car by themselves, then you will want to graduate to a convertible car seat.
Just like baby travel systems, toddler car seats can come with a booster seat for when your kid is older too.
When making your decision on which car seat to buy, make sure that you consider safety ratings.
In Conclusion
A baby is one of life’s best blessings but at the same time, the baby will also test you to your core. Sometimes, you will feel like cannot do it anymore but trust us, there is light at the end of the tunnel. It may be a long tunnel but all tunnels eventually have an end too.
When we were grappling with challenges like round-the-clock breastfeeding, teething and potty-training, those days and nights felt endless. However, when your kid grows up, life gets better because your child is more independent.
We often think about our babies and what they need but what about the Mummies? Their needs are equally important as they are often the main or sole caregiver of the baby!
If you are a new mom or mom-to-be, it is extremely important that you find time to look after yourself or make your life easier. Here are some Mummy Must Haves.
