What are your baby registry must haves?
The amount of baby products currently on the market can be overwhelming. With everything out there, how can you know where to spend your hard earned money?
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This list of baby registry must haves is a bit unconventional.
You won’t find these 9 original baby registry must haves all together in any other list. As a new mom, this is a list of things that I personally used. It’s not just a list of random things.
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1. Bandana Bib
One thing that I underestimated about babies is how much they drool. With how much my little one was drooling I remember continuously thinking she was cutting teeth! These darling bandana bibs are the perfect accessory.
Bandana bibs serve a dual purpose of looking cute and absorbing all the drool. Sure, you can just use a regular bib but they aren’t nearly as adorable as a bandana bib.
2. Thermometer
One of those things that you don’t know you need it until you need it. It’s better to be prepared and not have to worry about getting one when you are worried about your little one.
As a new momma I was worried about everything with my little one. Was she too hot? Was she too cold?
Having a thermometer on hand made it easy to check her temperature and appease my worries.
Baby thermometers are easy to use. They make a great gift to include for new mommas.
3. Bib/Burp Cloth
Combination items are great. They have multiple functions saving space in your diaper bag.
The Aden and Anais bib/burp cloth is one of these items. Throw it in your diaper bag and be ready for when your little one needs to be burped. As your little one grows up this burp cloth converts to a bib decreasing the amount of different items you will need.
I always keep one of these in my diaper bag as it has come in handy many times when we are on the go.
4. Spit Up Squares
Spit up squares are super convenient and the one thing that nobody talks about as a must have.
They are squares of absorbent fabric that are easy to make on your own. In a pinch you can also cut up a receiving blanket if you have extras.
I would keep spit up squares in the pockets of my jackets or diaper bag. This way they were easy and quick to grab when my little one spit up when we were out and about. Which she always did.
If you’re shopping for a baby gift for someone this is the perfect thing. They can be made very inexpensively and are a secret hack that every new momma will love.
5. Haakaa Breast Pump:
For anyone looking to breastfeed this pump is great (and cheaper than an electric pump). The Haakaa breast pump is silicone and requires no power source. It works through a vacuum like mechanism which – to me – feels more natural than an electric breast pump.
The Haakaa breast pump is quiet, sleek and easy to pack in your handbag making it convenient to use when not at home.
The Haakaa breast pump comes in a couple of different sizes. Accessories include a cute flower plug (in various colours) and a cover to keep it sanitized on the go. There are a couple of different versions of the pump. My favourite is the one with the suction cup bottom, that way I am less worried about spilt milk.
In the beginning I had no intention of pumping but would use my Haakaa to help catch the letdown on the side I was not nursing on so as to not waste any breast milk. I would also use it to help relieve some of the pressure of engorgement.
As our little one got older I had to be careful when using it while she was nursing as she liked to kick and play with it sometimes knocking it off causing spilt breastmilk.
The Haakaa breast pump is not a traditional breast pump and I used it more for catching the letdown. It may not be for everyone.
6. Swing
A baby swing is a life saver.
When my little one was a newborn I used the swing as a temporary sleep aid. There were times when my little one napped for upwards of 3 hours in her swing. I never used the swing for nighttime sleeping. The swing was out in the open and I never left my little one unattended.
The swing also helped my little one to learn to nap when there were lights and sound present. This became very important later on as it made napping on the go much easier.
A baby swing is a great resource to give a bit of a break to momma. When babies are super little they aren’t too independent yet which can be exhausting – especially if they are not sleeping well!
There are lots of different kinds of baby swings. They can be expensive and take up a lot of room. I would suggest looking for second hand options as most people do not want to keep them to store them.
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7. Quick Clean Sanitizing Bags:
Whether you are pumping to a bottle or formula feeding your baby these bags are a huge time saver. And as a new sleep deprived momma, who couldn’t use more time?
As a nursing mom I used these bags for not only bottles but also my breast pump parts. They are also great for sanitizing on the go or while travelling with your little one.
Bottle sanitizing bags can be reused multiple times. Although not the most environmentally friendly product (old fashioned boiling sanitation may be eco-friendlier) they are still better than a one and done product.
8. Sleepsack Swaddle:
When my little one was born I was paranoid of her suffocating in bed. I would wake up continuously throughout the night just to listen to see if she was still breathing.
At first, I would attempt to swaddle her in a blanket to sleep. This became increasingly difficult as she became more mobile.
At one point I nicknamed her Houdini. No matter what I did or how I tried to swaddler her, she was always able to wiggle free. Because of her strong startle reflex this often lead to her waking up.
The HALO sleepsack swaddle proved to be a great alternative. The sleep sac portion kept her warm. The Velcro swaddle kept her arms contained therefore decreasing the amount of times she woke up due to her startle reflex. The design also prevented the sleep sac from riding up over her face.
After about 6 weeks we took one arm out of the Velcro swaddle at night and then eventually the other arm. This way she could eventually grow out of needing to be swaddled to sleep.
We only used this at night so that she began to differentiate between nights and days.
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9. Chimparoo Baby Wrap:
Love, love, love this product!
I had tried many different baby carriers and the Chimparoo Baby Wrap was by far my favourite. It is very comfortable and didn’t hurt my body when baby wearing for long periods of time.
The Chimparoo Baby Wrap is made of a cotton twill fabric known for being organic and toxic chemical free. It is super strong and soft for both baby and momma.
This wrap is super versatile and can be worn many different ways as your little one grows.
The difficult part of a wrap as compared to other carrier options is learning how to safely wrap your little one in the wrap to your body. At first I had my husband help me with this but eventually became very proficient at it.
When my little one was in the wrap my hands were free to do other things. I could actually eat breakfast fairly uninterrupted!
At the early stages baby wearing is good for both mom (and dad) and baby as it can be used for skin to skin time. Some moms use the wrap for hands free breastfeeding but I wasn’t that adventurous with my first little one – maybe with the next one.
As my little one had reflux, sleeping upright often gave her relief. She would frequently have a nap on me in the wrap as it eased her reflux.
The Chimparoo Baby Wrap became my go-to option to getting my little one to sleep when she was super fussy
Pro Tip
Sign up for a baby wearing course before your little one arrives. There are so many options out there that it is nice to be able to try them all out before buying something.
Final Thoughts
As a new momma I was astounded with the amount of available baby products. These 9 baby registry must haves were essential.
My new mom friends often benefit from these baby registry must haves. I love giving them out as gifts. And I will be sure to be stocked up with them when my next little one arrives.
What are your baby registry must haves?