Baby Registry - What should I put on?

[TheLakes919608]

Hi. I'm a new mom to be, due date February 5, and I am having a girl.
I'm currently putting together a baby registry online, and I'm confused as to how much or how little to put on. My parents, aunts, and grandmother have said they will help us with the necessities, such as the crib, the car seat, stroller, etc. I don't want to overwhelm anyone with selecting everything for the registry, which I know I will have a tendancy to do. I also don't want to scare anyone away with anything pricey.
What are the best things to list on a registry?
Any thoughts and help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your help.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I'll have to think about specifics or leave them to someone else. I'm due with #2 (it's been 5 years!) and still have a long way to go. But, I think that you could go ahead and put everything on the registry. You can use it as a shopping list and just a personal resource. I never mind a big registry b/c it gives me more ideas on what the parents to be want and need.

Also, don't worry about price. People will spend what they are comfortable with. Sometimes groups will go in together and buy the big items.

Ooh, I found my "what you actually need" list:
What you need most is:
-A way for baby to ride in a car. Don't buy a used car seat b/c you won't know it's history or recall status. You can get either a convertible car seat or a infant carrier style one. Best investment is to get a seat that will go beyond 40lbs. There are convertible seats that go 65+lbs. That means you can use it till it expires. Harnessed is safest for kids so the longer you can keep them in a 5pt harness the better (safer than a booster seat with shoulder belt, for example).

Do not add after market products to the car seat as it can affect it's safety. For a winter baby there is great appeal to those things that fit over the seat to keep baby warm. Don't get one that goes under the baby. I think I have read that the "shower cap" designed ones that fit on top of the seat are a better (safer) choice.

-Somewhere for baby to sleep. If you are co-sleeping then you are done. Just read over how to make your bed as safe as possible (eliminate fluffy bedding and pillows). A bassinet is very nice because babies tend to prefer close spaces (they have been in the womb happily for quite awhile and it feels most secure). There are a lot of options. You do not need a bedding set so that can save you money. A good quality fitted sheet is all you need for baby's crib. Even a mattress pad isn't a necessity depending on the material your mattress is made out of. I like foam crib mattresses because they are so light and that makes sheet changes easy.

-A way to get around. Sling, stroller, front pack like a Baby Bjorn or Ergo. Skimping in any of these categories isn't a good idea. Lower quality ones of these will leave you with a product that won't last as long and will have annoyances. There are lots of websites that review slings and front carriers, if you are interested.

-Something to eat. If you are breastfeeding then you are all set. But, there are many products out there that can make bf'ing easier. Nursing pillows, lashinoh cream for sore nipples, gel filled disks that go in the fridge for sore nipples (Soothies), breast pumps, breast pads...lots of stuff out there! For ff you need dif't bottles and nipples (you might need to experiment). Beyond that maybe someone can fill in the rest. You don't need a high chair till baby is probably 6 months old.

-Diapers. Call and get a cloth diaper service set up or pick out a package or 2 of disposables. Wipes and a changing pad at the very least are helpful. A changing table is nice to have, imo, but there are lots of conflicting opinions on this. I used my Pack N Play with changing table insert for downstairs and a $30 changing table from IKEA w/ a $20 contoured changing pad upstairs. Don't overbuy diapers or wipes now because it is hard to know what brand you will prefer for the shape of your baby. Also, depending on baby's size you may find you have too many of one size. If you want to spread $ out on your purchases buy a gift card now and use it later to buy diapers. I did not use diaper cream unless necessary. I went for the products at the natural food store (I'm a worrier so too many chemicals against baby bothered me). The boards here are great resources if you are interested in trying cloth diapers.

-Bathing- you can get a baby bathtub if you want or you could just use the sink. I love baby wash cloths. Before he was born I thought they were absurd. But I grew to love them. Baby wash is a good idea because it is gentler.

-Things to keep baby happy- bouncy seat or swing. A mobile for the crib if you get one (Tiny Love Symphony in Motion is awesome!). Toys with contrasting colors like black and whites though newborns really don't pay attention to toys. Board books are nice to have around and will be useful for many months.

-Recieving blankets are great. I mostly used them for tummy time or to lay over baby while he was in a swing, bouncy seat or car seat.

-Clothes- I love gowns for them to sleep in. Easy to diaper changes. I liked just soft basics for ds. Long sleeved onesies and stretchy pants made up his cool months wardrobe. Be careful with winter apparel. Big, puffy snowsuits aren't compatible with car seat useage. Go with something thinner like a fleece bunting and just put a blanket over baby if you are worried they'll be cold.

-A night light so you don't have to turn on a light for late night feedings.

-A good baby care book like "Caring for Your Baby and Young Child" by the American Academy of Pediatrics (good, basic information on illnesses, milestones and care) "The Baby Book" by Dr. Sears (a parenting philosophy based book that has great solid feeding info, illness info and sleep info, imo). I also just read "Heading Home with Your Newborn" and think it would be extremely handy for a 1st time parent! Read these and possibly books on breastfeeding *before* the baby comes.

-Baby Care Items- ask around to see if the place you will be delivering gives you any of that stuff. Mine gave a thermometer, bulb syringe and a few other things. Nail clippers, nail file, brush,...things you would find in a grooming kit.

There is a ton more but that will get you started. There are so many extras. There are also things that you don't need right away but will need later. You'll have to decide if including them in your registry makes sense for you.

Some things you'll probably need/ want later are: light weight stroller (like an umbrella stroller) unless you buy something light weight to start with; safety stuff (outlet covers, gates...); solid feeding things (spoons, bowls, sippy cups, high chair and/ or portable booster chair, bibs...).

Amazon.com reviews can be helpful too. Not so great with strollers, imo.

The Consumer Reports' website can be helpful in a general sense but I personally think that most of their recommendations and reviews stink. They favor cheap things a lot. They also lost some credibility with me this past February by publishing a faulty car seat study. It panicked a lot of moms by telling them that their seats were unsafe. They retracted the study b/c their testing methods were flawed and inconsistent.

HTH! Congratulations!

Beth

[Fairy]

Hello, and welcome to the boards! There are so many forums here that it can be a little overwhelming, but I"m going to move this to the right forum for you. You can also do a search and look for old threads of discussion about this topic, and I think you'll get TONS more than you were even looking for!

Personally, I think the registry depends on the people that will be buying for you. I wanted a couple registries, one at Babies R Us for the practical things, and one at Pottery Barn Kids for the upscale kind of "nice gifts" type things that I wouldn't buy on my own, but that weren't stupid expensive and arrogant to expect. Like photo frames or mobiles or nice sheet sets.

I recommend a good supply of burp rags, onesies, infant toys, and little gyms (the ones with the criss cross arches with toys hanging down), as well as a bouncy seat. Just to to Babies r Us online and you'll have a wealth of options!