The other day I went over to a friend’s house to see her brand new beautiful twin girls. Her house was freshly babefied with baby swings, swaddles, formula, diapers, nursing pillows, and more. In an effort to be more than just the person that swoops in to steal her babies’ newborn smell, I brought a couple of small gifts that I hoped she would appreciate. I didn’t check her baby registry (I know that’s usually a no-no) but I did give her the receipt and told her she was not obligated to keep what I got her. I bought her things that I, as a recent mom of a newborn, loved when I was in the thick of it.
This got me thinking about the baby items that I wouldn’t have been able to live without during those first few months of motherhood and of some things that are soooo not worth the hype. I less than fondly remember waddling through Buy Buy Paycheck Baby for THREE HOURS and wondering what the hell nursing pads were and whether or not I needed them. Fortunately, I had a couple of seasoned mamas go through my registry and whittle it down to the basics. I am much more of a minimalist when it comes to registering because so much of the stuff you need you won’t even know you need until your baby arrives. So here is my list of things you definitely don’t need and what you should get instead.
Baby Registry: Get this, NOT that!
1. Wipe Warmer: Here’s the thing, you start wiping your little one’s tushy with warm wipes and he’s going to expect the royal treatment all the time. And what are you going to do when you’re changing his diaper when you’re not at home? Also, I’ve heard that those things dry out the wipes if you don’t continuously put water in them.
Get this instead: OXO Wipe Dispenser. Eric and I had been complaining for days about how whenever we would pull a wipe out of the package you had to shake the package off like a rabid dog attached to your leg just to get the wipe free from the next wipe. And then we went to my best friend’s house and she had this wipe dispenser that has forever changed our lives. It has a weight inside that holds the wipes down so you can freely pull one out. #itsthelittlethings
2. Fancy/cutesy bedding set: I know they’re super cute and, like, totally match your decor buuuuuut it’s a complete waste. First, crib bumpers. Post one picture of a crib with bumpers on it in a Facebook mommy group and 84 mommies will promptly tell you that hello, crib bumpers are a safety hazard! And they’re right. Then you’ll take out the adorable quilt and realize that babies can’t use blankets either. Another safety hazard.
Get this instead: lots and lots of fitted sheets (you’ll thank me in the middle of the night when you’re not rifling through drawers looking for extra sheets) and if you’re worried about baby being cold, I swear by this Halo Sleep Sack that Olivia has been wearing since she was 2 months and now she’s 11 months.
3. A Bassinet: They’re beautiful and super pointless. Babies grow, like, really fast and before you know it that baby is not going to fit in that bassinet and there goes a shit-ton of money.
Get this instead: This Pack N Play that comes with a bassinet attachment. I suggest investing in something that you will use for a long time. We got this pack n play and put it in our bedroom and that’s where Olivia slept for the first three months before we transitioned her to her crib. And now we use the Pack n Play every time she spends the night at Nani’s house.
4. Baby shoes and fancy clothes: I know that teeny tiny, miniature shoes and clothes are the most adorable things you’ve ever seen and it can be hard to resist buying them, but um, did you know that babies can’t walk? And they also poop. A lot. Like massive blowout style poops that will ruin your fancy schmancy designer onesies.
Get this instead: Lots and lots and lots of zip up pajamas. First of all, buttons are the bane of every sleepless parent’s existence. ALL pajamas should be zip up and someone should start a petition to congress to abolish button up jammies. Second, your baby will likely spend most of his days in pajamas and not those fancy clothes.
5. Baby Bjorn: I’m pretty sure I’m going to get shit for this one, but whatevs. I have nothing against Baby Bjorns, in fact, we have one. A very expensive baby carrier that we’ve used exactly ONE time. It’s a lot of money to spend on something, so I highly recommend borrowing one from someone first and test driving it before you make the purchase. Or get something different…
Get this instead: Solly Baby Wrap. It’s a lot less expensive than a carrier, so easy to put on, and I always felt like my baby was secure. And I liked it much better than the Baby K’tan that I also own. The only downside: You can only wear your baby on the front.
Other Must Haves:
- The Boppy Lounger – this is by far the BEST thing I ever registered for and received and it is not to be confused with the Boppy Feeding/Support pillow (and btw, I don’t recommend getting a nursing pillow because using any pillow works just as well). Olivia practically lived in this for the first three months of her life. In fact, we joke that every picture we have of Olivia as a newborn is of her sitting in this pillow.
- Braun No-Touch Thermometer – My only regret is that I didn’t purchase this sooner. The alternatives are sticking a thermometer up your little one’s tush which isn’t fun for anyone or holding the thermometer under their armpit, which you wouldn’t think would be that difficult. And you would be wrong. The best part about this thermometer is you can take your child’s temp while they’re sleeping. #winning
- Nose Frida – I’ve already discussed how I am obsessed with getting Liv’s boogers out here, and this little gadget is amazing.
100% Completely and Totally Unnecessary:
- bottle warmer – is it really that difficult to run hot water?
- cage for bottle bits – if you really want one, you can have my never been used one!
- baby food maker – if you already own a blender, then you’re good to go
- cutesy baby towels – regular towels work the same way!
Other Tips:
- If you’re having a baby shower, make sure you have a diaper raffle. Every guest brings a pack of diapers (any size) and they get entered to win a prize. My mom made 3 really nice gift baskets and pulled 3 names out of a hat and I walked away with mountains of diapers.
- Go easy on the bottles and breastfeeding stuff- you have no idea how it will go or what your baby’s preferences will be
- Diaper bag – don’t go crazy on this one because once you get the lay of the land, you will change your mind
Believe it or not, that’s my short list of must haves and don’t needs! What things could you not live without? Or which items were totally unnecessary and a waste of money?
Thank you so much for reading and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a post, or you can follow along on Insta @myplotofsunshine. 🙂
XO,
L
On target with these suggestions Lauren. The only one I disagree with is the bottle warmer. It’s has been a life saver when I’m holding a squirmy or crying baby in one arm and my granddaughter needs help on the potty. I try standing at the sink holding a bottle under hot water for what seems forever. Not easy. Stick the bottle in the warmer. Walk away and take care of whatever and very quickly the bottle is done to perfection. I use it constantly.
I knew there would be someone out there that swears by the bottle warmer and you’re not the only one. But I’m glad you get good use out of it. Thank you so much for reading Jan! 🙂
This list is great! I completely agree with all of these and can’t wait to share this with friends who’ve been asking me to make the same recommendations! I have been meaning to create something for them so they know where to NOT waste their money but, hello, it turns out I’m really lazy. I would add that my baby always hated her Sophie the Giraffe (and ironically, it took me buying TWO of the, both of which my dog ate, before I realized what a waste of money they were) and as an alternative, I’d recommend Hyland’s teething tablets (hello, lifesaver – I do not know how I raised my first child without these?!) I completely agree on banishing button-up jammies and would also add that swaddle blankets served double-duty in my house as burp cloths, stroller covers, nursing covers, etc – depending on where you live, you might get away with letting your baby live in onesies and using swaddle blankets at night, sans annoying jammies.
🙂 – Jenny {www.pottymouthedmommyblog.com}