Where to Register: Target Target was my go-to option for both my baby shower and wedding shower. I highly recommend them because when you register with them (and BuyBuyBaby too) you will be sent a coupon for 15% off your entire order so you can buy any remaining items from your registry. Register with an online retailer If you are like me, I didn't want to limit myself to only Target. I have specific tastes and knew I wanted to be able to register for items on Amazon or even small businesses. I cannot recommend Babylist enough. I loved that I could register for anything I wanted and wasn't stuck settling for the items that Target or BuyBuyBaby carried. I could get what I wanted. We have an old home, so closet storage and the use of our basement is practically nonexistent. I needed to be conscious about registering minimally and trying to find items that were space savers and collapsable. Here is the list of items that I highly recommend registering for: 
FOR THE NURSERY
Crib I chose a timeless white metal crib. I want to be able to use it for all of my children and know it isn't just trendy looking so I can use it for possibly grandchildren way in the future. My mother didn't save hardly anything from our childhood, but I love that she is reusing our old crib in her home when she babysits.
Changing Table
I bought an antique fold down secretary desk. It has these slats that come out to support the desk when you open it so that it is strong and safe for the baby. I always recommend buying antiques and repurposing them for multiple reasons. The first reason; they are well made. Furniture nowadays, in my opinion, is garbage. They wear out and look awful after a short period. You can often save money too by going this route. You can find great stuff in an antique shop, estate sale, or Craigslist. Lastly, it will grow with Jack. He will be able to use it for its intended purpose as he gets older and enters school.
Changing Pad and Covers
I love these covers, they are so soft and warm for baby. PRO-TIP: I highly recommend getting two of each if you have a two-story house. I have one for the upstairs and downstairs. I cannot recommend this enough. I can't tell you how many times Jack will poop right after I had already changed him. He did this once three times in a row. You will be going up and down the stairs constantly to change them. You won't want to be doing this especially right after giving birth. Rocking Chair with an Ottoman Foot Stool You are going to be spending hours in these chairs over the next few months. You are going to want to be comfortable at 3 a.m. when you and your partner are exhausted and are trying to feed your baby. Owlet Sock and Video Monitor This one is expensive, but the peace of mind is worth it. I had a feeling I wouldn't get it as a gift, but luckily, my guests were generous enough with the gift cards that I had enough to purchase one. I love this. It does so much more than monitors their sleep in case of an emergency. It tracks how well he sleeps as well as lets me know if his room is too hot or too cold. This feature comes in handy since our house is over 100 years old, and heating the upstairs can be an issue. PRO-TIP: I was able to get mine cheaper since I registered for it on Target. I made sure to use my 15% off my entire purchase that Target sends out. This coupon is for the items you didn't receive from your shower that you still need to purchase. Heater: This heater is for anyone that has an older home or for a house that doesn't have adequate heating in the winter. Space heaters terrify me because of all the stories I have seen about how they can start fires if not used properly. One night, the monitor let me know that Jack's room was too cold; again, our house was built in 1880. I felt terrible and didn't know what else to do because they tell you not to put blankets in your baby's crib, and I had him bundled up as much as I could. I did some research and found this heater. I am so glad I purchased it. I keep it out in the hall and point it in the doorway so that it's nowhere near anything that could catch fire. I love that it has a timer and an automatic shut off if it shorts out. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS. Lulyboo To-Go Bassinet I knew before we were pregnant, I did not want a Pack-And-Play. These are big and bulky, and we did not have the room for one. I thought about getting a Dock-a-tot, but I was not about to spend $200 on a glorified couch pillow. I found the best of both worlds with this to-go bassinet. The travel bassinet was so affordable and cute; we ended up using it every night. I also did not want a bedside bassinet. In older homes, there are usually two bedrooms that connect through a door. Men and women had their own bedrooms, and the door connects to the two for when they decided to have some "adult time." I jokingly refer to it as the "nookie door." To me, the bedside bassinet was only one more thing we would have to store, and Jack was so close anyway, I thought it would be a waste. The first few nights with Jack were rough. I couldn't understand why he was so fussy. Finally, Tom pointed out that at the hospital, the plastic cart the babies sleep in is more confined, and his crib was very wide open. He probably didn't like the openness of the crib. We ended up placing the bassinet in the crib to make him feel more confined. Tom was right. He started sleeping better through the night. Fitted Crib Sheet & Waterproof Mattress Cover The fitted sheet is self-explanatory; however, most crib mattresses are waterproof. So why am I telling you to buy one? Because I am about to give you a great new mama hack. PRO-TIP: Buy two fitted sheets and place them both on the crib mattress with the waterproof mattress cover in between the two. That way, when the baby has an accident (and it will happen), you are not fumbling around in the middle of the night trying to find a clean sheet and put it on. You tear off the soiled sheet and waterproof cover leaving the replacement sheet. It is all ready to go, and both you and baby can go back to sleep sooner. Crib Skirting: This way, if your crib doesn't have drawers underneath, you now have an extra storage area, and no one has to see that those items are there. Plus, it helps put a beautiful finishing touch to your baby's crib. We chose Sweet JoJo's ruffle skirting even though we had a boy. It is so classic and sweet. It really adds a cuteness factor to the crib. White Noise Machine I did not register for this. I thought it was a waste of money. However, one of my guests bought me one anyway, and I almost returned it. I am so glad I didn't. It has made such a big difference when Jack is sleeping. I like the setting that sounds like white noise with a heartbeat. Another reason I love it is that it projects little stars on the ceiling. This light is perfect so that you are not stumbling around in the dark, PRO-TIP: When the baby is crying like crazy (doesn't matter if it is day or night and nothing is helping, try You-Tubing "white noise") 9 out of 10 times, it has helped calm Jack down when I have tried everything else. Diaper Pail Garbage You are going to want some kind of diaper pal to contain the smell of the many diapers you are about to be changing. I selected and highly recommend theUbbi pail. After doing some research, it was the best for containing the smells. I couldn't agree more. LAUNDRY ESSENTIALS Laundry Basket The baby is going to go through a lot of clothes. We purchased this laundry basket and have been happy with it. PRO-TIP: Purchase a garment bag to keep all of those little socks together while in the wash. The socks are so small and can easily be lost. Drying Rack I originally purchased this hanging drying rack for the cloth diapers I still have yet to try with Jack. He is now just finally big enough to use them, and I have admittedly been procrastinating since I have become so used to the ease of disposable diapers. Even if you are not trying to attempt to cloth diaper your baby, I can't insist on this enough. I can't believe how often we use this for Jack's clothes. Spit ups and blow-outs happen often. After soaking them in the water and rinsing the clothes out, you are not going to want to run the dryer for each garment of clothes. This drying rack is fabulous. Just clip it and walk away. It has been a huge lifesaver. CAR AND TRAVEL GEAR Infant Car Seat We registered for the Britax B-Safe Ultra Infant Car Seat. It not only is very stylish and sleek looking, but it also has high safety ratings. Extra Base You will want an extra base for your spouse's car. Enough said. Toddler Car Seat A lot of people do not think to register for the next size car seat. I can not recommend this enough. Car seats are so expensive and it will be so nice not having to pay for the next size up either. PRO-TIP: This tip is a good one, but it comes with a huge caution flag because I would never want to lead anyone down a path that could cause financial problems. It is so easy to charge things to a credit card and to get in over your head with overspending. Please be cautious. Okay, now that we got that out of the way. Here is my pro-tip. I recommend applying for a Bed Bath and Beyond credit card. Every time you use it, you slowly earn and build up rewards gift certificates depending on how often you use it. You can use these at BuyBuyBaby too. I use my credit card for my business purchases, and I built up over $150 worth of rewards gift cards. I was able to purchase an extra toddler car seat with it! A FREE CARSEAT! Car Mirror You are going to want a car mirror so you can keep an eye on your little one and glance back at them. I would be a nervous wreck without this. I have this constant fear that Jack isn't breathing. I love being able to look back and see his little chest rise and fall knowing he's sound asleep and safe. Stroller I love vintage looking products with modern technology. I have a pram stroller made by CyneBaby. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW OFTEN I GET COMPLIMENTS ON THIS STROLLER. It is so stylish as chic. Some people want something a little easier where you could snap a car seat into the stroller and be on your way. If that is you, you do you and get what makes you happy. For me, the style was worth the little bit of effort to get the baby out of the car seat and into the stroller. I don't regret it one bit. Stroller Cover Not all strollers come with a stroller cover. You will never know when you are going to need it. The weather can change in an instant. You don't want to be running down the street with your stroller. I have been there; it is not fun. Baby Carrier This one comes in handy not only out in public but around the house as well. There were some days Jack wanted to be held all day, but there were things I needed to get done around the house like sanitizing bottles, getting poop stains out of clothes, all the fun mothery stuff. There are so many carriers out there to choose from on the internet. For some moms, they have purchased quite a few baby carriers to find one that both the parent and baby both enjoy. I have a Konny carrier. It is cute and trendy, and I liked that it didn't have a million steps like some of the wrap carriers need. PRO-TIP: When registering for your baby carrier, try to keep in mind not only your current bust size but your post-partum bust size as well. At first, I ordered my baby carrier, thinking about my pre-pregnancy size (36 C). During pregnancy, I was a 36 D, and now that I am pumping, I fit into a 36 DD. So obviously the small I ordered did not fit at all. Feeding Essentials Burp Cloths You want to get these KeaBabies burp cloths. Yes, I know they're $22, BUT THEY ARE WORTH EVERY CENT! All other burp cloths are inferior to these burp cloths. Don't waste your time with anything else. These burp cloths are so wonderfully thick. My little boy is so sloppy when eating; this is the only burp cloth that can withstand his messiness. Breastfeeding/ Infant Car Seat Cover I have a Milk Snob cover. I love that I could use it for coverage while breastfeeding, pumping, and as a cover for your infant car seat. This cover was helpful during Covid with Jack or during the flu season. I could put this over his carrier; it was like a giant mask to help keep out the germs. It is also great to help keep out the cold to an extent when walking from the car. Kinde Milk Storage Bags If you are planning to try and breastfeed, you are going to want some of these. You might not need the bags right away as your supply slowly builds up, but you will want to have these for surplus or for milk that wasn't able to be used up within the 4 hours of being left out. When you pump, you can leave it out at room temperature for 4 hours before it needs to be refrigerated. Insulated Breast Milk Bag Being a working mom that has over an hour drive, I needed something to keep my breast milk chilled until I arrived home. I have this milk bag and I love it. Medela Steam Bags These bags are great. They are reusable up to 20 times, and they allow you to quickly and effortlessly sanitize your breast pump parts and bottles in the microwave. Drying Rack for Bottles and Pumping Parts I love this little grass drying mat. It is so cute and does a great job even holding the tiniest things like a breast pump flange to allow everything to dry. Brush Set for Bottles and Pump How cute is this little brush set? We use this bottle cleaner. I love that it has a variety of sizes and shapes to clean my bottles and pump parts. Nipple Shield These are great, and I highly recommend that you get one. This shield helps protect your nipples from cracking and bleeding because they're raw and sore from breastfeeding. I also feel that it helps the baby latch better too. Pumping Bra I highly recommend getting one if you plan on breastfeeding. It is so wonderful to have your hands free while pumping, especially if you have the traditional pump. Pump I get that not everyone has health insurance that covers the cost of a breast pump. Whether or not if you have health insurance, I recommend getting the BellaBaby pump and having it on their registry. This pump was a top choice on Amazon, and after reading the reviews, a lot of moms preferred it over their Medela or Spectra pump. I love mine, and it costs less than $60!!! If you do have health insurance, I recommend getting a Freemie. I cannot rave about this pump enough. There is no way I would be able to keep up with my pumping as a teacher. Many of my coworkers told me to expect not to be able to do it. However, I am happy to report I am still going strong so far. You can discreetly and quietly pump because this goes under your clothes. It just makes you look extra busty. The reason I chose this over the Willow pump was that my insurance covered this in full as the first reason. The second reason is that the cups can hold 4 ounces of milk each. PRO-TIP: I can't say enough good things about my Freemie. However, the only downside is right now, if you lose a part, you cannot easily walk into Target or Walmart, or even Amazon to get a replacement piece. Buy extra duck flanges and the tubing connectors. There is nothing worse than feeling helpless waiting for these pieces to arrive in the mail. This experience has happened to me twice now, LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE! Order them now; so that life can continue as if nothing happened. Boob Shield Not to be confused with a nipple shield. This shield is different. After pumping every three hours, your poor ladies are going to be so sore. Sometimes I cringe even having to wear a shirt on with no bra. It gets that painful. I just recently discovered these, and they are a lifesaver. You place these cups in your bra; not only do they catch milk from leaks, but more importantly, they give you room for your nipples to breathe and not touch fabric. Mother's Love Nipple Cream This a great product to relieve the soreness but to help repair your nipples from feeding and or pumping. It is all-natural, and you don't have to worry about wiping it off before you feed or pump either. Boppy The Boppy is a lifesaver when breastfeeding. Be sure to bring it to the hospital! See my post here for more about hospital bag packing. These are great even if breastfeeding isn't for you; not only can it be used to prop up the baby when they get a little older, but it's also nice to help guests when holding your baby. The Boppy made me feel better about when my grandparents and my nieces and nephews wanted to hold onto Jack. High Chair Jack is still two months old at this point, so we have not hit the high chair, but I will give you my recommendation anyway. We registered and received this chair. I like that it could evolve and grow with Jack over time. I felt like we would get the most use out of it for all of the different stages of eating. Clothes and Baby Accessories Diaper Bag I have two; a backpack diaper bag and one I made myself (see the next post below). I purchased a backpack diaper bag for informal outings and my husband, so he didn't have to carry around a purse when he wasn't with me. Bag Organizer/ Diaper Bag Insert I am picky when it comes to my bags, and I wasn't thrilled with the diaper bags. I also didn't want to spend $150 plus dollars on a trendy diaper bag. Instead, I waited for a Macy's sale and got myself a clearance Ralph Lauren Totebag. I then bought a black diaper bag insert to make this cute tote more functional. This d.i.y. bag is a great way to save money and have a stylish diaper bag for yourself. Mushie Pacifier Clip I have received so many compliments on this pacifier clip. Not only is it adorable, but it saves me from having to sanitize the baby's pacifier every 15 minutes when he spits it out. I pin it to his bandana bib, and we are good to go. Bandana Bib I have a ton of these. Not only do the bandana bibs pull an outfit together nicely for little boys, but they also save the outfit (and you having to change them constantly) from spit-up. Pacifiers I love Bibs pacifiers. They are so light and so stinking cute. We also have Dr. Brown's pacifiers when we need to trick Jack into thinking he has a bottle nipple when we just need a few moments to keep him calm to prep his actual feeding bottle. Onesies This one is a no brainer; however, I want to suggest you try to get a the mitten cuff onesies. Some long-sleeve onesies have the hand-mittens already built into cuff of the shirt where all you have to do is flip the cuff inside out, and it creates a protective barrier with the hands. I wish that every single onesie had this feature. Pajamas/ Footed Outfits: You will want these for bed or even a cute outfit. There are some days where I will find a cute one that I use for an outfit. It makes changing baby extra helpful. The snaps and button-up ones are cute, but you do want to keep in mind, they take longer to put back on. These buttons and snaps might be a little aggravating in the middle of the night when you are exhausted. PRO-TIP: Some of these one-piece outfits have a double zipper that you can unzip from the bottom, so you don't have to completely unzip and undress the baby while changing him or her. THESE ARE THE BEST. Snag as many as you can. Cardigan Sweater The sweater is an item that is forgotten when planning and putting together your registry. Those little onesie packs are so cute, but they usually are short-sleeved. Having a little sweater to put over them allows you to wear them all year long, especially if you live up north as we do here in New York. I would even recommend this for the warmer states. You will never know when you might walk into a store or business with the Air Conditioning on full blast set to Overkill Mode. This sweater is my favorite. Booties Get some baby booties. I found that MOST socks constantly fall off and are ineffective at the newborn stage. As Jack has grown, the socks do stay on better now. I highly recommend knitted Carter's booties. Jack has a polar bear pair that he practically lives in even now at two months old. Socks These socks are amazing! Don't bother with any other socks unless you are ready to put them back on over and over again. I promise you won't regret it. Hats and bows Hats are so stinking cute and are not only functional but pull an outfit together so nicely. PRO-TIP: I recommend not letting baby nap in them. When Jack was a newborn, I needed to sanitize some bottles and my pump in the kitchen. I heard him crying, and I just wanted to finish what I was doing and then tend to him. I am so glad I didn't and went and checked. He somehow managed to get his hat over his entire face. I immediately grab him, ripped it off, and just held him while I sobbed for a serious 10 minutes. OH, THE HORMONES... plus the new mom anxieties, not a great combination. I recommend this with the bows as well. My niece did the same thing with her elastic headband bow. Sleep Sacs Our hospital gave us a nice, warm fleece sleep sack. I am not sure if all hospitals do this, but it was a nice perk. There are so many different sleep sacs out there. We have at least three different types of brands. For the newborn stage, we used a swaddle sleep sack to make him feel like he was still all snuggled like he was when he was in the womb. Once he grew a little bigger, I started to realize he likes sleeping with his hands near his face. He did this also in the ultrasound, so we switched to the Zen Sleep Sack. I love that it has a little weighted piece on the chest to help the baby sleep better throughout the night. Muslin Swaddle Blankets I love these and highly recommend them. Not only are these great for swaddling the baby after they first arrive, but they are fantastic for the bath to keep them nice and warm. I will be making a post about this soon! Stay tuned! Hygiene and Health Baby Bath Tub The baby won't be able to sit up for some time in the tub. You will need a little bath to place in your sink or one that can sit on a counter or the bathroom floor. We registered for this bathtub, and we adore it. We place the tub right on the floor in the bathroom to bathe Jack. I love that is great for newborns, and you can shift the seat to adjust it for the baby as they grow. Hooded Bath Towel I recommend getting a Little Unicorn brand bath towel. I have a few different towels, and this is by far the favorite. It is nice, thick, and absorbent. Babies only need a bath 2-3 times a week. We keep it to bathing twice a week unless the baby has a blow-out or something very messy that they require an additional bath. I would recommend no more than three towels. I loved bathing Jack and did it too often and started to dry out his skin. Learn from my mistake on this one. Wash Cloths Again, you aren't bathing the baby daily. One pack of 2-3 washcloths is plenty! Nose Bulb You will need one of these to get out boogers. I have used it for Jack's ears once in a while since you are not supposed to place Q-tips in the ears. There are brands that you can suck out the snot, this didn't appeal to me, but it may be right for you! You do you, mama! Forehead Thermometer This one is pretty obvious. You won't want one until you need one. I like the ones that will tell you with color whether the results are worrisome or not. This one shows a red color when someone is running a fever. Brushes and combs After your little one gets out of the bath, you will want to brush out their fluffy soft hair. This kit is great to get the job done. Aquaphor This product is the best; it is used for baby scratches, baby eczema, and any other skin irritations. We use this stuff all the time. Gripe Water This stuff is a life-saver. The Gripe Water helps soothe the baby with gas or hiccups. It is made with herbs and natural items. So many other mom blogs recommended it when I was pregnant, and I do like having it around the house. Butt Paste for Diaper Rash I feel like the diaper rash comes out of nowhere at times. It is helpful to have it ready in the house when the time comes, instead of waiting and having to run to the store. No one wants to make that late-night runs anyways. Baby Tylenol I promise that you are going to need this when you least expect it during the middle of the night. It is so handy just to have ready when you need it so that you are not running out during the middle of the night. Toys & Fun Playmat I highly recommend getting a playmat that lights up. As much as I love our little woodland creature playmat, it doesn't light up very much with colors and lights. Jack is fascinated by the one my mom purchased a few years ago that they no longer make sadly. I wish I had known this about the colorful lights when I was putting my registry together. I didn't think it would be such a key feature to a playmat. I thought the fun dangly toys would be enough. I would have registered for a different type of playmat if I had known then, what I know now. Activity Center We have yet to use our activity center since Jack is only two months old. However, I can already tell he is going to be a bouncer. I didn't register for one initially because I am all about saving space. I wanted to purchase a bouncer that attaches to my door-frame. I didn't think about my door-frames at the time of my baby shower. Owning an older home, we have pocket doors and beautiful old school woodwork around the door frames. Unfortunately, we would be unable to use the jumpers that hand from the door frame is too wide. Baby Chair I did not register for this Infantino caterpillar chair, but I am so thankful that it was gifted to us. Jack adores it. This chair is used for both tummy time and sitting. I also highly recommend getting a vibrating chair for your registry. Both of Jack's grandparents have one at their homes for the grandkids and they are always a big hit. Milestone Photo Prop Whether it is the blanket with the months on it, the pennants, or the monthly stickers, you will want to get some kind of cute prop for your weekly/monthly photos to capture the baby's milestones. It might be cliche at this point, but who cares. The baby grows up and changes so quickly, you will never regret capturing this fleeting period. I chose these cute pennant props because they are different than the blanket craze, plus I love anything with a vintage flair to it. Mommy Recovery Frida Postpartum Recovery Kit I am going to be honest, you most likely will not receive this, but it is worth the try. Anything you don't have to purchase yourself is a win in my book. This kit is great for after baby. I do wish it came with the Frida Upside Down Peri Bottle, but that is something else you can register for too. Frida Upside Down Peri Bottle This product was such a Godsend. You are going to be sore, sore, sore. Make your life a little easier. Even if you do have to purchase this yourself, it is worth the money, trust me.
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Hey there, I'm Melissa.Just a vintage loving new mama sharing ideas, recipes and ideas for the home. Archives
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