Slaying your Baby Registry
When you are expecting a baby for the first time it’s easy to get overwhelmed planning your registry; there are so many products marketed towards first time parents and it’s hard to know what you really need! I’m here to offer some guidance with some of my most-loved items that I used with my babies. I’ll also provide some ideas of what to SKIP!
Baby’s Best Sleep:
Halo Swivel BasiNest- This bassinet sits snug to the bed, and can be adjusted by height so that your baby is literally close enough to touch, but still in their own separate sleep space. The swivel action makes it easier for you to get in and out of bed as you breastfeed, do diaper changes, and get up to pee yourself! I did not have this bassinet with my first child, and I really wish that I had. It allowed me to room-share much more comfortably when my son came along. Don’t worry about buying the more expensive model with built in “soothing” sounds and vibration. Those features aren’t necessary. An old model is fine too. We bought out BasiNest second hand for $75! Checkout your local Facebook Marketplace, and you can usually find plenty of gently used options, after all baby will outgrow this somewhat quickly.
Halo Swaddle Sacks- There are so many brands of swaddles out there, but these have always worked great for our family. We had some cotton ones and some polar fleece ones since both our babies were born in the fall/winter months. These swaddle sacks are less complicated than trying to use a swaddle cloth to swaddle your baby every time, and they transition nicely into a regular sleep sack for when baby starts to roll.
The Hatch- this is a nightlight and sound machine that will follow your child all the way into teenhood, honestly! Because of its simple/sleek design it’s not baby-ish. It offers a variety of white noise and nightlight options that are really customizable. You can create custom schedules as well. For your infant you may only need a simple night light for nighttime feeding and diaper changes, and the white noise, but as your child grows you’ll be able to use the light as a “time to sleep/ready to wake” clock for your toddler, and even a gentle alarm clock for your school-aged kids. You can control it from an app on your phone as well as manually, and I love being able to adjust my children’s white noise and light settings without having to go into their rooms.
Graco Pack N’ Play- The pack n’ play makes a perfect safe sleep space for anytime that your baby needs to catch some zzz’s but aren’t able to do so in their nursery. This is great for traveling, but also awesome if you want your newborn to nap within eyesight as you do household chores or enjoy a nice day outside. The pack n’ play is also a good “play-pen” for your child as they begin to crawl. It provides a safe place for them to play when you need to step out of the room for a few minutes.
The Slumberpod- this is a great blackout option for traveling. It's sort of like a tent that goes over top of a play-yard or mini crib, and creates a perfectly dark environment for sleep. It’s great if you are sharing a hotel room with your family, or if you need to get your child to sleep in a bright room. It even has space for the monitor so that you can still get a visual of your baby while they sleep, and it includes space to place a small fan if you are concerned about your child overheating in a warm environment.
Room Darkening Curtains and Blinds- You will want to have room darkening curtains in the nursery, and also in your own bedroom, if you plan to room-share with your infant for an extended period of time. I recommend the options below from Amazon because they are fairly inexpensive and work quite well. I also like that they aren’t made out of questionable materials like vinyl, which could cause off-gassing concerns.
MAM pacifiers- I support the use of pacifiers for babies from 0-4 months. We always like the MAM brand the best. We used these for the first month or two, and then switched to these once the baby got to be about 8 weeks old. A pacifier was a great source of comfort for my son especially, who struggled with gas and reflux; it definitely helped him get better quality sleep.
Zippered Sleepers- I love these ribbed ones from Carter’s. Fairly inexpensive, organic cotton, zippered; with a 2-way zipper for easy diaper changes, and the fabric on these stretches so I find that they fit the baby for longer, and are super cozy.
Sleep Items to Skip:
The Snoo- The Snoo is a “smart” bassinet designed to soothe your newborn. Not only does this thing cost thousands of dollars, but your baby will grow out of it quickly and then have some serious sleep crutches to break. As a sleep consultant, I warn parents away from hitting the “easy button”, because it will make life harder in the long-run, especially when it comes with such a high price tag.
Weighted Sleep Sacks- the most popular of these are the Dreamland weighted sleepers. I don’t recommend them because they are not safe. In official statements from the American Association of Pediatrics in 2022, weighted sleep sacks were not recommended due to a possible increased risk of SIDS. Similar to swaddling too tightly, the weight of the sleepsack can impair infant arousal systems that protect against SIDS.
The Owlet Smart Sock- Hypothetically, this smart sock measures the baby’s oxygen levels and heartbeat while they are sleeping and is connected to an app on your phone. It alerts you when readings are “abnormal”. Unfortunately, incorrect reading frequently lead to false alarms, increasing parental anxiety and causing paranoia…the opposite of the peace of mind it’s supposed to provide! Just get yourself a good monitor and use it as needed, skip this pricey item that will only add an extra layer of stress to your life with a newborn.
Dock-A-Tot (and similar products)- The bottom line is these “nests” for baby are not safe for sleep, but that is what they are primarily used for. Use a pack n’ play or other play-yard if you need a safe space to lay your baby during the day. The truth is, you’ll be tempted to let your baby sleep in the dock-a-tot, but it's just not worth the suffocation risk, so skip it altogether!
Feeding Favorites:
My Brest Friend Pillow- I tried the boppy pillow, but it didn’t really provide the support I was looking for. This pillow provides great support, is adjustable to your body, and has a pocket perfect for storing breastfeeding snacks, your phone, lanolin, whatever you might need! They also have a pillow designed for multiples.
Kindred Bravely Nursing/Pumping Bras- These bras are designed for nursing and pumping, so you don’t have to change your bra when you need to switch from one to the other. I tried a lot of pumping bras, since I had to pump multiple times a day after returning to work with my first child. These Kindred Bravely bras are supportive, comfortable, and work really well. Although they have a bra specifically designed to be a Sports Bra, I found even the basic bra was supportive enough for a workout, or a long walk. I really enjoyed the lounge bra for casual pumping while still on maternity leave with my son.
Dr. Brown’s Anti-Colic Bottle- These bottles are designed to reduce gassiness, which for my colicky baby boy was a must! My daughter would take any old bottle, and we actually used a few different brands with her, but if you have a reflux or colicky baby, you’re gonna want to get the Dr. Browns!
On the Go w/ Baby in Tow:
The Moby Wrap- This super simple wrap is just one large piece of fabric; that’s it! Once you get the hang out of wrapping it (there is a bit of a learning curve!) it becomes very easy to use. I loved how it snuggled my babies right up against my chest. My babies did a lot of contact napping in the Moby while I was able to get some other things done. For my colicky son it was one of the only things that calmed him down quickly. For nursing mamas, wearing your baby close (bonus points for skin to skin!) can help establish and boost your milk supply. This is my go-to baby carrier for the 0-3 month age range.
The Ergo 360 w/Infant Insert- The Ergo is very comfortable for you and your baby, and is super adjustable to your body. The infant insert makes it usable with a newborn, but you’ll likely be using this carrier all the way through the first year of your baby’s life. This is a great sturdy carrier for going on walks and doing more rigorous chores around the house. It also has a sunshade feature.
Graco FastAction Jogger- First of all, there are a lot of super expensive jogging strollers out there. Most of them start at $500. This jogger is below $200, and its Graco, so it includes click connect technology to incorporate a Graco car seat, should you choose to purchase one. I really like Graco products. They are moderately priced, dependable, and unpretentious! This stroller has seen so many miles in our household, some of them walking miles, some jogging miles, and even some all out running miles (mostly with my husband). It has gone over all kinds of terrain, city, trail, grassy, and it has held up so well! If you have your heart set on a jogger, but aren’t ready to fork over $500 plus, this jogger is the one for you! Even if you don’t plan to jog with your stroller, I still recommend purchasing a jogger. The big wheels are just so much more practical on all sorts of terrain, and it makes strolling so much easier. Bonus points for having a large cargo area for stowing away the diaper bag, extra coat, and even your farmer’s market haul.
Little Things that Go a Long Way:
Baby Wash Clothes- this is something that I never thought to put on my registry, but should have. Luckily one of my mom friends bought me a huge pack of them without me having to ask. These soft clothes are perfect for washing tiny faces and hands, and you’ll be using them for cleaning plenty of snotty noses as your infant turns into a toddler. I linked the Cloud 9 Target brand here, but the brand doesn’t really matter.
Burping Clothes- if there was ever something to buy in bulk it's a burp cloth! If your babies are anything like mine there will be plenty of spit-up to contend with, and you’ll live with one of these on your shoulder (and draped over every piece of furniture in your house) for at least the first 6 months of your baby’s life. Technically what I linked is a swaddle, but I liked to use these soft muslin swaddles as burp cloths because they offer more coverage (to protect your clothes) than a traditional burp cloth. You can also use them as a light blanket that’s useful in draping over the carseat or putting on your baby’s lap when you’re out and about. My daughter who is three, still likes to play with these and carry them around as well, so it’s nice that they double as a lovey blanket. Of course any old burp cloth will do. I have a bunch of different brands and types that have been handed down to me from other moms, so don’t feel like you have to be choosy.
Zutano Baby Booties- One thing that might surprise you as a first time parent is that baby feet eject socks. I’m not sure why this is, but it is nearly impossible to keep a sock on your newborn’s foot. That is why I adore these booties! They actually stay on! I like the cotton ones for everyday use, and the polar fleece ones are perfect for stroller rides on a cooler day. It’s definitely worth adding a couple of pairs of these to your registry.
Worth the Splurge:
We’re a middle class family without a ton of spare cash to throw around. Most of my recommendations are moderately priced to suit our budget. However there were a couple of areas where we splurged and it was worth every penny.
The Stooke Tripp Trapp High Chair- this highchair (and its accessories) is the Cadillac of high chairs, especially if you plan to use the Baby Led Weaning methodology for introducing solids. The most awesome thing about this chair is that it endlessly grows with your child. The height can be adjusted to perfectly line up with your table, so your baby can easily use the table top in lieu of a tray if you desire. As they grow taller the chair can be adjusted so that you never need to buy another product, such as a booster. Eventually this chair just turns into a regular adult chair, which is pretty cool. The chair with the “baby set” (which is what makes it a high chair) will run you $300, plus a little extra if you wish to purchase the cushions that go with it. When my son was born, we invested in a second Tripp Trapp and also purchased the Newborn Seat which can be purchased separately for $149 (we bought ours second hand for $75 on Facebook Marketplace). I was surprised by how much we used the newborn seat. My son spent a lot of time in it during his first few months of his life; allowing us to be together as a family at the table. He also enjoyed snoozing in it as a newborn (under supervision of course). We have a silly romantic idea of sending our kids off to college one day with their “highchairs” now transformed into adult chairs, and someday using those same chairs for their own kids. If you think of them as heirloom pieces, are they really so expensive?
The Baby Bjorn Bouncer Bliss Seat- I know what you’re thinking $210 for a simple bouncer seat? But hear me out. This thing is awesome. One, the seat is removable and completely washable. Two, it’s super comfy for your baby from birth all the way through to about 18 months of age (it actually turns into a “toddler seat” if you flip the seat over and attach it in reverse). I love that as your baby grows they can bounce this on their own by kicking their legs. I love that it doesn’t have annoying gimmicks like lights and music (your baby does not need all that artificial stimulus, trust me). I love popping my babies down in this bouncer while I eat lunch or vacuum the living room, and the best part is they seem to enjoy it too! I have used this every single day multiple times a day for both my babies, and it has been worth the price (the fact that it was gifted from my registry doesn’t hurt either ;) )
An Organic Mattress w/ Greenguard Gold Certification- When you purchase a mattress for your baby, it’s worth it to invest in an organic one. Your baby will be snuggling up against that mattress night after night, and you won’t want them breathing in any harmful chemicals or toxins. We used this mattress from Organic Dream, and it runs about $200, but there are plenty of reputable brand out there with that meet the Greenguard standards, so just do a little research before you choose a mattress for your registry.
Sleep Knowledge and Support from Day 1:
I hope this gave you some insight to help you craft the perfect registry for the arrival of your sweet baby. I couldn’t be more excited for you! If you want just a little boost of confidence for guiding your newborn into healthy sleep from the start check out my Newborn Support Package at slumberbunnies.com/sleep-packages; or better yet, add it to your registry and let a loved one pick this one up for you! The package includes my Newborn Sleep Foundations Guide, an hour-long educational call with me, to be used anytime within your child’s first three months of life, and 10% off a future sleep training package.
