Here it is! Our baby registry.

Buckle up. It’s a long one.

I relied a lot on the advice of my mom, my sister, and my sisters-in-law who have babes–and honestly so many of YOU were all so helpful! Thank you for answering and giving feedback to all of my Instagram polls and questions! And ultimately, if I wasn’t sure of or was between products, I went off of how it was made, how it looked, and the customer reviews. If I wasn’t sure of quantity – I’d text my family or just google it. Easy enough? If we need more of something we can always add it.

I am sure there are plenty of great alternatives out there for all of these items… I am not here to proclaim any of this is THE BEST as I have no experience with it. This is just what works for us, our lifestyle, and our aesthetic. And we can’t do anything but wait and see if it works for baby! No way to know until he gets here.

 

WHERE WE ARE REGISTERING:

I address where we are registering in this more comprehensive post. But we are using Babylist because it allows us to pull product from any online shop–which also allows us to include items from small mom and pop shops around the world.

Yes, there are plenty of items of Amazon, Target, and Buy Buy Baby, but a lot of the toy and clothing options are from small brands, which I love.

 

A NOTE ON AESTHETIC:

You will notice the baby registry has a certain… look to it. Hah it pretty much all goes together! That was very intentional and something I spent way too many hours on (but of course had a blast doing).

I am very aware our house is about to have a lot of stuff added to it. Like a lot. We’ve been doing our best to declutter and donate to make room for all the stuff (literally) that comes with life with a baby.

Of course it’s no secret I care (a lot) about interior design and how my home looks so I’m really aiming for it to not look like a kiddy playground (even if it kind of is). A lot of encouraging messages from readers said this is very possible with the right storage and right ground rules! So thank you! Seriously 100x over – thank you.

For the baby gear I played it safe with white, ecru, black, and grey… I really wanted all of these items to be able to work together, work with our home, and work for future kids.

I also added a lot of items–clothing, nursery decor, etc.–in muted greens and soft blues for baby boy… and warmer browns and ecru! Not going to lie – I pretty much avoided all clothing with cartoons and cheeky catch phrases on them. But I’m of course bringing in bright colors with the items the babe will engage with and use himself: toys and books!

But enough of me talking.

Without further adieu…

1. Bouncer: Bloom Coco Go 3-1 bouncer in white and wood… I didn’t know kid gear could be so pretty. But it is. And it blends in with our home perfectly. Will be great to set him in while we cook or clean up. Note: these are only intended for use on floors. I only say that because I had visions of him being on the dining table in it… BIG no no.

2. Knit toys: Cuddle & Kind knit dolls–I got Sebastian the Lamb and Noah the Dog. Also love BlaBlaKids – I got Wooly the Sheep and Bandit the Racoon! I got so many messages from ya’ll on Instagram that your babies have and just love these – from birth well into 2-5 years of age! I love all of them so much. Hope baby boy does too!

3. Stroller: UppaBaby Vista stroller in Loic (white) – after a great debate between the smaller, easier to manage Cruz and this larger Vista, we settled on the Vista. A lot of helpful readers suggested The Vista if we plan on having another kid again soon (which if we are that fortunate, we probably will be) because it can hold up to three kids, and the larger wheels are necessary for Chicago winters. Sold. The Cruz seems to be the better choice if you have limited space (in home and car), plan on spacing kids out, or live in a warmer climate where wheels don’t matter. Just what I heard! I obviously don’t know yet. I’ll let you know what we think once we start using it!

4. Wooden toys: Just like the knit dolls, I love the nostalgic charm of wooden toys! Added a few items including this airplane and this bunny stacker from Happy Go Ducky Toys (all hand-crafted in Europe, I know… amazing).

Montessori toys: Also added some Montessori toys like this set of six wooden toys, this circle puzzle, and this weird string ball thing I keep seeing pop up on every site.

Other toys: Also added some classic “developmental” toys from PBkids like this colorful stacker, this numbers puzzle, and this wooden tool kit (we’re not personalizing so future kids can use it too).

 

5. Pack N Play: 4Moms Breeze Playard in Black – came recommended by my brother. Love how easy it is to open and close, and I love how it looks! Sleek black and grey design. Simple. I wish more baby stuff looked like this! We plan on bringing this with us whenever we visit family and grandparents!

6. Drying Rack: love the all white version of this “grass” drying rack for bottle parts. This grass thing has been around for years… I’ve used it at both my siblings’ and folks homes where I was babysitting. It does the trick. And I’m so glad they’re offering the white option now since it blends in with kitchens much better than its neon green alternative.

 

7. Gowns: my moms advice: get gowns for nighttime sleeping so we won’t have to fuss with snaps in the middle of the night. We’re asking for two of these illustrated animal gowns and three of these basic organic cottons – in multiple sizes.

8. Baby Lounger: Snuggle-Me-Organic –  this lil’ ditty was designed by a mother of 7. I’ve heard such great things – it even fits in the Moses basket and looks so cuddly. Hoping baby loves it so much!

9. Rocking toy: adding this fuzzy Sheep rocking friend to the nursery! I definitely wanted to choose a gender-neutral animal option that would work for baby boy and any future siblings since it’s a lil’ ‘spensive but oh-so-fun.

10. Baby Monitor: I really love that this Project Nursery dual monitor feeds to your phone as well as on the monitor. Nice to have the option to watch in two places (ie if Dan and I are in separate areas of the house… or if my phone is charging or if the monitor needs to be charged–the former of which is always).

 

11. Blankets: Right now I have four blankets on the registry (different from swaddles, actual blankets!)… no idea if that’s too many or too few but I chose a few extra special favorites and we can always add if we need to! I have this cotton muslin taupe quilt, this lace heirloom blanket, this pom quilt with his name embroidered on it in grey, and this grey and white stripe muslin blanket.

12. Kid Dishware: I’m registering for 1 set of 4 of this super affordable plastic dishware in all white (but they come in every color of the rainbow): a set of these divided plates, forks and spoons, and cups with lids. I also added two of these gentle bottles from Olababy.

13. Clothing: Ohhh the clothes. I put quite a few baby clothing items I love on our registry! Everything from cute onesies, to linen rompers, to darling shoes I’m sure he’ll outgrow in a week. :/ Added adorable pieces from Juniper Baby, Noble Carriage, Baby Mori, Rocky Raccoon Apparel, Old Navy, Zara, H&M, Organic Zoo, and more!

Seasonal Clothing: onesies aside, consider adding seasonal items you might need depending on whether you’re having a summer or winter bebe. I added this adorable fall coat to match his dad (also available in girl colors!), and this SPF swim shirt and darling linen bonnet for sun-safe summer pool time!

 

14. Pacifiers: Going with the Natursutten BPA-free natural pacifiers. Asking for two 0-3 and two 3-6 months. We’ll add as needed! I’ve heard babies can be really particular with pacies so we’ll see if he likes them! Also asking for a braided paci rope clip to prevent it from falling on the ground when he spits it out, as well as this teether wooden beaded paci clip (which serves the same purpose).

 

15. Car Seat Cover: Organic Milk Snob Car Organic Cotton in ivory… I like that it’s not too heavy but offers sun protection.

16. Infant Bath and Bath Time Products: We are going with the Puj in-sink tub for travel purposes and the 4Moms infant bath once he outgrows the Puj which reads the temperature!

As for bath products: will be relying on the natural brand Mustela and getting the baby wash, shampoo, and lotion. Getting this neutral white and tan rubber ducky. Getting this set of 6 (highly rated) white baby wash cloths and this set of 3 gingham trim wash cloths in grey. Also getting this nail trimmer which technically files the nails instead of cuts them.

 

17. Car Seat: We went with the UppaBaby Mesa car seat in chambray to go with the Vista stroller… but more importantly it had amazing safety reviews. Bonus that we saw this in person at the store and the chambray is so pretty (and works for future baby regardless of gender!).

18. Baby Book: I scoured the internet for a lovely baby book before landing on a brand I know and love: Artifact Uprising has made a simple, beautiful Baby book – the inside pages are just as great and it comes with a coupon for free photo prints to add to the book! We got the grey with gold lettering.

19. Books: I put a good amount of books on our registry. Ones I especially love and am excited about include:
– this board book Peter Rabbit collection (Anthro sells the full Peter Rabbit book set but it’s a little pricey)
– this Maps and Atlas of Adventures books from Anthro
– the “All Aboard!” travel board books of NYC, Paris, and California
– the illustrated Harry Potter books (can’t start em too young on the magic!)
– hardcover versions of classic children’s books like Love You Forever, Pat the Bunny, Corduroy, Polar Bear Polar Bear, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Where the Wild Things Are, etc.
– these amazing board book “Babylit primers” of classic literature like A Christmas Carol, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Pride and Prejudice, and more!

 

20. Bassinet/Bedside Infant Sleeper: After looking at what felt like every bassinet option on the market, we opted to go with a Moses Basket for Baby S to use next to our bed for the first couple of months paired with this rocking cradle stand so it’s the height of our bed and will go right next to me. Just putting this fitted sheet on the little mattress (mattress comes with basket) and baby will be swaddled. Quite a few specialty shops sell these online but they sell out within 24 hours so it can be very tricky to register for one of these! Good news is the site I bought ours off of seems to steadily be in stock and is under the popular $200 price tag!

Note: The UppaBaby Vista stroller also comes with a bassinet which could also work in the cradle stand. And if we didn’t do a Moses basket we probably would’ve gone with this Bjorn bassinet. 

 

21. Diaper Pail: Registering for the steel diaper pail by UBBI in white. It has great reviews on easy to use, refill the trash bags, and blocking odor. Works for me!

22. Nursing Pillow: So many of you mentioned the need for a boppy to support the baby while nursing. Yes – 100%. These come in every color under the sun but pause for shock–I’m going with this lovely grey quilted Boppy pillow from PBkids (note pillow and cover are sold separately)!

23. Placemat/bowl: EZmat plate/placemat combo getting in grey and sage green – actually learned about this product from The Everygirl’s holiday gift guide and it looks genius. The bowl is built into the placemat which suctions to the table, hopefully making clean-up quicker!

24. Mittens: These are to prevent baby from scratching himself with his sharp lil’ nails! I went with Goumikids Stay-on-Mits in grey – one pair in 0-3 mos and one in 3-6 mos. Also trying to get as many onesies that have the option to cover their little hands. 4/5 stars from over 600 people? Sounds good!

25. Changing Pad: Registering for the Keekaroo changing pad in vanilla (tan). A few of the negative feedback I heard was that it can be cold for baby so I added a set of these water-proof changing pad liners for winter months.

Also getting this wipe warmer, these super safe unscented wipes, EarthMama Butt Balm, and going with good ole’ Pampers Swaddlers diapers which are apparently great for inhibiting blowouts. I toyed with the idea of cloth diapers but it overwhelmed me a bit. I honestly couldn’t wrap my head around the thought of putting poopy diapers in the same cleaner where we wash our clothes.

 

26. Teethers: A few teethers I love: the organic wood croissant, this little wooden deer, this wood and silicon ring teether, and of course a Sophie giraffe.

27. Bottles: I was so overwhelmed with all of the bottle options out there – but all of the women in my life with bebes recommended Dr. Brown’s Newborn Feeding Set. I just put one set on my registry… we’ll see if we need to get another once he’s here. The tube inside is meant to reduce feeding problems like colic, spit-up, burping and gas. Adding on this special shaped bottle brush to clean them, as well!

28. Hooded Towel: Added this adorable gingham trim hooded towel (with monogram) in grey to cozy him up in after bathtime.

29. Play Gym: A reader messaged me enthusiastically recommending the Loveverybaby play gym and after looking into it, I fell in love with it, as well! It was created using Montessori learning methods, and the play elements you attach to the gym change with the baby’s age depending on their developmental level. “The Play Gym by Lovevery includes everything you need – from batting to teething to learning to focus – for your baby’s first year of play.” We already received this and I’m just fascinated by all the thought that went into designing it. Excited to see how baby boy likes it!

30. Humidifier: Really hoping to add the Dyson humidifier to baby’s nursery. Dan and I use a different one in our room and the filter needs to be changed almost weekly. It’s disturbing really. Really want to invest in a quality one for baby boy to keep the air quality clean. Plus his room has carpet so I worry about the moisture and mold… this one is awesome.

 

ADDITIONAL ITEMS NOT IN GRAPHIC:

31. High Chair: In lieu of a formal piece of furniture high chair, we’re going to see if we can rely on this clip-on high chair which simply attaches to a dining table (all materials except glass I believe) and folds flat for easy transport to grandma’s or a restaurant!

32. Swaddles: Putting 8 on our registry… a mix of velcro and the wrap kind. Might be a few too many… or too few. Just planning on having more for accidents and laundry. My sister swears by the velcro kind like this one from SwaddleMe (this trio in black and white is also cute and on my list!). But I love the look of the blanket swaddles and will try those as well like this affordable set of four from Aden and Anais.

33. Burp cloths: So many cute options. Putting about 10 on our registry. This really cute print muslin one, two of these colorblock in grey and blue, set of three white muslin burp cloths, another print sheep option, and a muslin stripe.

34. Bibs: Getting these cute scarf bibs, this in grey for easy-clean-up, and a set of your basic white bibs.

35. Car Mirror: Getting this mirror for the car so you can see your baby’s reflection in a rear-facing carseat.

36. Nose Aspirator: Getting the Frida nasal aspirator to clear baby’s congestion.

37. SPF: Thinkbaby Natural SPF 50 for sensitive baby skin.

38. Thermometer: Kinsa Digital Ear Thermometer… might start using this myself! Not a fan of the under-tongue thing. 🙂

39. Sound Machine: There was an overwhelming response to whether we should get a sound machine or not when I asked on insta last night! PASSIONATE responses for both for and against. Someone suggested the Marpac Rohm White Noise machine which is very reasonably priced and portable so for now I’m adding it! We’ll see how baby does with and without! I definitely don’t want him to rely on it and I’m reeeally hoping baby boy takes after me in the sleep sector of inherited traits (I’ve always had a knack for it – my parents woke up startled and terrified that I wasn’t breathing my first night home from the hospital because I hadn’t woken them up. Nope. I was just sleeping through the night. 32 years later and I’m still a good sleeper.). I know there are apps on our phones (we sleep with one ourselves!), but we wouldn’t be putting the baby to bed with our phone in his room anyway + I want something with longer battery life, so we’ll see how this works!

40. Baby Carrier: We got the Boppy Comfyfit baby carrier in black!

41. Breast Pump: I’m going with the Medela Sonata breast pump but am getting this covered through my insurance company which you should do too – and I have a whole post coming up on that process! Stay tuned! Also getting the storage bags to store pumped milk in the fridge.

 

Ok so that is that! I really won’t be changing anything as shower invites are out so the registry is pretty final. But please feel free to ask any questions!

 

NOTE: I had a few questions from international readers on my first registry post so to clarify: yes, baby registries are quite common in the U.S., just like wedding registries, as a way of guiding guests in what a family actually needs and to help avoid duplicate purchases (so a new mom doesn’t end up with four breast pumps and no diapers or bottles at the end of a shower).

You’ll see a section for them on pretty much every baby store’s website and on Amazon. I’m using Babylist which allows me to pull product from any website. This isn’t a random wish list I just email around to people for fun. Hah if both my mom and mother-in-law were not generously throwing me baby showers, we probably wouldn’t have a registry.

It’s typical to only have a baby shower for a first born as a way to prepare your house for the new arrival. Some people wait until after the baby is born for the shower. Registries and showers don’t typically happen for second, third, or other babies.

It’s always advised to include a wide range of price points, and it’s not uncommon for a group of guests, family, or friends to go in on a bigger gift together (because yes – things like a stroller are very costly!). No one ever expects for everything to be gifted, and Dan and I will fill in the rest ourselves. Hope that clears it up!

 

SEE MORE POSTS ON PREGNANCY AND PLANNING FOR BABY HERE!