Baby Registry Favorites

Note: I know that some of these items are expensive, but to be honest, I was pleasantly surprised at how generous everyone was when it came to the gifts I received at my baby shower. Even if a couple of people come together and contribute to purchasing one item, it will help you a lot in the future. 

I know that the amount of websites that offer the ability to create registries is quite overwhelming. I feel that it’s best if you consolidate and use an “all-in-one” registry so that you keep yourself more organized, and also make it easier for your guests to see all of your registry items on one site. This way, they won’t have to switch from, say, a Target registry to an Amazon registry and then a Buy Buy Baby registry. 

You also minimize the risk of adding duplicate items onto your registries and then receiving two of the same items. I’m speaking from experience here -returning gifts while 9 months pregnant or with a newborn is not ideal.  

However, I will say this: if you sign up with your registry through Buy Buy Baby, they’ll give you a 15% discount to “close out” your registry. This means that they’ll give you 15% percent off of every item that is still on your registry after your baby shower. [[ Note: the Amazon Prime registry also has this feature!! ]] 

So, I went a little crazy the second I got pregnant. I thought it was best to just make a registry on every freaking website I visited. If you searched my name on Target, Pottery Barn, Buy Buy Baby, Amazon and Baby List, I was there. I regretted this and eventually consolidated them down to babylist.com, Buy Buy Baby and Amazon. I really enjoyed Babylist because I was able to add things from all over the internet. If I found one or two items from Pottery Barn that I HAD to have, I could just put it on there without having to create a registry for one item on Pottery Barn’s site. 

 

Here is my list of baby registry must-haves. I have linked their names for you to make it easier to check them out. I do want you to note that I linked the site that was the had the BEST price at the time when I made this blog post. Some things may be cheaper if you have a coupon for somewhere else.

 

UppaBaby Vista ($930)

Pros:

  • I never thought I would describe a stroller this way, but this stroller is BEAUTIFUL. It is an investment, but one that I felt was worth it because it’s used so often and for such a long period of time. It even has the potential to hold up to 3 children without growing wider like other strollers. It comes with a bassinet, a bassinet storage bag and bug shield, a full-size reversible seat, a toddler seat rain shield and bug shield.

  • I’m a huge fan of the fact that there’s a car seat that you can attach right to the stroller base (this item is sold separately; more on this later). While I was researching this product, I did see that there are converters available for other specific car seats.

  • It is a dream to stroll. It moves effortlessly and smoothly.

  • I love that I can easily turn the full-size seat around and have Anthony facing me within seconds.

  • The tilt on the reversible seat is INCREDIBLE. They can safely lay down flat for a nap and sit back up for a snack.

  • It’s very easy to break down and reassemble.

Cons:

  • It’s heavy. If you had a C-section, it may be difficult for you to lift this in and out of your car for a couple of weeks post-delivery.

  • It is bulky and takes up quite a bit of room in the trunk. I have a Range Rover Evoque and, honestly, I can only fit this stroller and maybe a duffle bag in the trunk at the same time.

  • It is not the ideal travel stroller if you’re going on an airplane. However, if you do choose to travel with it, you can purchase the travel bag that you can place the stroller into to avoid damaging it (this item is sold separately).


Pros:

  • Such an amazingly comfortable design.

  • It attaches quickly and effortlessly to the UppaBaby Vista Stroller.

  • It comes with an easy-to-install base that straps into your car and stays there,making transition into and out of the car very convenient and quick.

  • It was so easy to pop the seat out and take him into the doctor’s office with itfor his check-ups.

Cons:

  • If you have a taller/larger baby, they may grow out of it rather quickly. We used ours until Anthony was about 8 months old, and then it started to get a little snug on him and difficult for us to get him into and out of it.

  • It’s already on the heavier side without the baby in it, so once your baby starts to put on more weight, you’ll definitely feel the workout in your arms if you’re still taking it in and out of the car with your LO in there.

  • I put this on my registry as well as the infant car seat because I knew that after a while, he was going to grow out of the infant seat and we’d need a new one.

  • This car seat is amazing, and it’ll be the last car seat you’ll ever need.

  • You can use it from 4 pounds all the way to 120 pounds.

  • It allows for rear-facing harness, front-facing harness, highback booster and backless booster. It literally grows with your child.

  • Easy to install and uninstall to move to another car, if necessary.

  • Amazing invention for the infant car seats.

  • Covers your baby, keeping germs out in those first few weeks of life when you take them to the doctor’s office regularly.

  • Also perfect for when you’re strolling around outside and don’t want the sun glaring onto your LO.

  • Great for when you’re in public places and don’t feel like having weirdos try to touch your baby – let’s be honest, this was the biggest plus for me.

  • You can also use it as a cover if you’re breastfeeding.

  • This was probably Anthony’s favorite toy thus far.

  • Before he learned how to walk or crawl, he was able to have a little bit of independence with this walker.

  • We put him in around 3 months (there are different height adjustments) and he absolutely loved it.

  • I think it really helped him get the hang of holding his own weight.

  • This was really great when I needed to jump in the shower or cook something for dinner.

  • You can use it from birth until your baby is capable of rolling over or climbing out of the seat (there is a 5-point harness).

  • It has two swing motions: side-to-side like a cradle or head-to-toe like a swing.

  • There are three adjustable seat positions and 2-position recline.

  • Anthony loved the mobile and the mirrored globe in the center of it, once his vision improved and he was able to see.

  • It is very soft, and the seat cover is machine-washable.

  • Worth the money!

  • Even my toddler loves it !

  • Great for Tummy Time.

  • This is a pricey highchair, but I honestly LOVE it.

  • I love the chair’s modern design. Because of the layout of my house, the dining room area is the first thing you see when you walk in,and the chair isn’t an eyesore like other ones can be.

  • It is magnetic, so the latch guides the tray into position without having to use twohands or line up the rails to click into.

  • It has a 5-point safety harness and is good for kids up to 60 lbs.

  • The best part about this highchair is how easy it is to clean. The foam seat insert is removable and allows you to clean underneath.

  • I have seen other friends’ highchairs, and the cloth ones get dirty so quickly. This one makes clean up a BREEZE.

  • Great for the first couple of months, or until they’re getting strong enough to sit up on their own.

  • Has a built in hook for storage.

  • Soft Mesh back that is comfortable for baby.

  • This was something that I didn’t even think to get myself but another mom friend sent me these randomly one day.

  • Newborns have VERY liquid stools that can, and usually do, get EVERYWHERE.

  • You put them on top of your changing table over your changing table sheet. These can easily be thrown into the washing machine for quick cleaning instead of having to change out sheets after every diaper change.

  • They are very absorbent.

  • Good to keep in the room next to the changing table so you’re not constantly having to walk to your household garbage or to the bathroom.

  • It does start to smell after a while, but there are freshener inserts that you can buy to replace the one it comes with.

  • You can also use a brand-less refill that you can buy off of Amazon that’s cheaper than the Diaper Genie ones.

  • Perfect to take with you on the go. if you’re anything like me and get disgusted by public changing tables, this is the perfect option for you. Just lay it directly on top of the changing table and you can change your LO on it. It has a zipper on the front and a compartment for diapers and baby wipes on the inside.

  • Easy to grab and go if you’re in a rush.

  • I take this with me on airplanes, too.

  • Sounds ridiculous, but actually very handy.

  • Makes it easier to spread diaper cream into the butt crack and helps to spread better than your finger.

  • Uses less counter space than the Boon Grass Countertop Drying Rack.

  • I use the OXO rack now and have the BoonRack away in the cabinet because I was hating how much space it took up.

  • I also found that my bottles were drying faster with this.

  • Machine-washable.

  • Secures with a snap button instead of Velcro. Anthony would pull off the Velcro bibs even at a very early age.

  • Works as a bib and a burpy that lays perfectly over your shoulder when burping after feeds.

The Snoo ($1,295/buy or $112/month to rent)

  • I honestly wish I would have had this gem, but I did not. I have heard so many good things about it. Though it is pricey, there is actually an option now to rent this item. I can see why this invention is such a hit. Anthony needed to be swaddled in order to sleep. His startle reflex was so intense for the first few months, that he would wake himself up every five minutes if he wasn’t swaddled.

  • The only bad thing that I’ve heard about using this is the difficulty in transitioning your LO after they have outgrown it.

  • They become very used to being rocked and it can be hard for them to adjust to being still in a crib.

Dockatot ($185)

  • As much as I wanted to be the swaddle champion of the world, I was not. I tried and tried and finally just gave up.

  • I went on the hunt for something that would swaddle him similarly with a quarter of the work… and I found this gem. I was hooked. It’s quick and SO EASY.

  • The inner arm wrap has Velcro and is escape-proof, and there’s a breathable mesh at the shoulders and waist so I didn’t have to worry about him overheating. The double zipper makes it possible to zip from the top or bottom.

  • I loved that his hips weren’t curled up too tight, like they were the few times I actually got him swaddled.

  • There is also an option for arm openings that unsnap for babies that like having their arms free.

  • It is 100% organic cotton.

I linked the newest one because I think it’s worth it.

I linked the newest one because I think it’s worth it.

  • Acts as both a nightlight and a sound machine.

  • It comes with an app that allows you to control both the brightness/color of the light and the volume/sound type from your phone.

  • It allows you to set different timers for different sounds, which can help as your baby gets older and can even be used as an alarm.

  • The newer version now has a two-way audio monitor. You can listen and talk to your child through your phone, and they’ve added a clock, a backup battery and control with Alexa. (I may need to upgrade mine)

  • If you read my blogpost on carriers, you know how much I truly am OBSESSED with this wrap.

  • The material is phenomenal, and it’smachine-washable (delicate cycle).

  • It’s so lightweight and condensable that it’s easy to pack and bring with you anywhere you go.

  • For more reasons, please read my blog post on baby carriers (and you may want to consider adding some other ones to your registry). 

  • Great for shopping carts and restaurant highchairs. Now you can stop cleaning them 45 times with wipes until you’re somewhat satisfied with the level of clean.

  • Very easy to attach.

  • Machine-washable.

  • If you plan on making your baby’s food, this machine makes it SO easy.

  • It steam cooks and purees fresh meals quickly.

  • You can easily defrost frozen veggies, not only for purees, but also for solids as your baby grows.

  • I loved that I could set it, leave it and not worry about waiting for water to boil. It automatically shuts off when it’s finished and it’s design makes it easy to drain the excess water from steaming before you purée.

  • It includes: spatula, mixing lid/smoothie filter and recipe/menu booklet.

  • It is dishwasher safe.

  • This mat is AMAZING. We tried a couple different ones and this one was by far my favorite. We have tile floors and this provides a perfect cushioned, hygienic floor space for Anthony.

  • It is easy to roll up for storage or to bring with you if you need a mat at a friend’s or family’s home.

  • You can lay it out in bedrooms, living rooms, play rooms, or outside in the grass.

  • It is waterproof and very easy to clean.

  • If you purchase at BuyBuyBaby with a 20% coupon, it comes to $80.0 instead of $100. On Amazon it comes to $123.

Baby Bottles

This one is going to be very different depending on the baby. For now, I’ll include the bottles we actually ended up using. Stay posted: I’ll eventually do a blog comparing ALL the ones we tried, because we tried A LOT.

Comotomo ($45/giftset of 4)

  • This ended up being the sole brand I used for Anthony while I was still breastfeeding.

  • I liked how soft the material was and how it most resembled the feel of a breast. I was worried about nipple confusion (though I’m still not entirely sold on this concept), and he honestly took to this bottle over all the other ones we tried.

  • I like how Comotomo also offers conversion pieces for their bottles so that you can use them as a sippy cup with a spout or with a straw as your baby grows. This not only saves you money in the long run, but it also saves you space in your cabinets.

Dr. Brown’s Bottles ($32 Starter Set)

  • Once Anthony started holding his own bottle, I found that this was the easiest one for him.

  • They offer different nipple sizes that you can interchange as your baby grows and needs a faster flow of milk.

  • They are very easy to clean and come in two different sizes (4oz and 8oz).

Mixie Baby Bottles ($27/2pack)

  • If you are doing formula for your LO, this is a GAME CHANGER.

  • This bottle keeps your formula and water separate and makes this bottle a quick and easy solution when you’re on the go and not able to fuss with measuring out your formula, pouring it into the bottle (without spilling) and then adding water. If you are driving, it is literally impossible to do those things. With this bottle, you pre-make it before you leave the house; when it’s time for a feed, you push the bottom button that releases the formula. Just shake to mix the water and formula together, and then serve. It’s SO SO easy.

  • It disassembles and is easy to clean.

  • Offered in 4oz and 8oz sizes. For 4ox bottles click here.

  • I cannot tell you how much this bottle has helped me.

Honestly, I went a little crazy. I bought SO MANY different items as the months went by that I can’t possibly share them all. These are just some of the items that have really helped me out along the way and left an impression on me. If you have any questions about something specific that you’re considering buying, please don’t hesitate to DM me on my Instagram (@mommy.realist) or email me at Samantha@mommyrealist.com. I would be happy to give you my honest input on the item if it’s one that I’ve tried personally! 

 

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