Photo: @meghannchapman
Registering for your baby can be super overwhelming as there are about 532,346,290 different baby items out there! This is a short list of my absolute favorite items we registered for, which will hopefully give you a little inspiration when starting your registry!
As a disclaimer, I am an affiliate for both Amazon and The Honest Co., so if you make any purchases through my links, I may get a commission from these companies. If this is okay with you, it’s okay with me! Otherwise, feel free to search for these items on your own! xo
1. SNOO Bassinet
We partnered with Dr. Harvey Karp, pediatrician and creator of The Happiest Baby on the Block, and are trying out his new bassinet – the SNOO! The first thing I noticed about this bassinet was how absolutely gorgeous it was! It is stunning and modern and fits with our style perfectly. Then we realized that the bassinet was designed to help babies sleep by sensing when your baby is starting to fuss and utilizing sound and motion to help lull your baby back to sleep. It also keeps your little one safe with a swaddle that keeps your baby on their back throughout the night. I am really excited about this one! Just a reminder, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends your baby sleep in your room (Not in your bed!) for the first 6-12 months of life to cut down on the risk of SIDS. A bassinet is the perfect way to keep your baby safe and cozy next to your bed before they graduate into a crib in their own room. This also makes it easier on you for nighttime feedings!
2. babyletto Crib
Your baby is going to need somewhere to sleep when he grows out of his bassinet! We went with a monochromatic black and white theme for our nursery with some gold and wooden accents and this Lolly crib from babyletto fit in perfectly! It also converts to a toddler bed, which was an absolute must for us.
3. Sleep Sack and Swaddles
Your babe has been spoiled in your womb for the past 9 months! He is used to being hugged and warm so it is no wonder babies absolutely love to be swaddled. Swaddling does take a certain amount of practice and I feel pretty lucky that I got a lot of experience swaddling while working in the newborn nursery. Luckily, if you get frustrated trying to use a regular swaddle blanket or if your baby is an expert at breaking free, they also make sleep sacks that are easy as pie to use! We registered for a few of both.
4. White Noise Machine
If our little man is anything like me, he absolutely won’t be able to sleep in complete silence. We constantly have the fan on in our bedroom even if it is 20 degrees outside. When I was on call in the hospital, I used to sleep (if I was able to!) with a white noise app on my phone. This Dohm Sound Machine gives you lots of control over tone and volume so you can choose what works best for your baby.
5. Baby Monitor
While your baby is all cozy in his crib, swaddled up with his white noise going, you are going to want to peek in and check on him. Because obviously he will be the cutest thing ever! We researched a million baby monitors and settled on the Nest monitor. It allows both Ty and I to see our babe straight from our iPhones, which is super convenient if we want to sneak a peek even when we are at work at the hospital. It has night vision, sends you alerts when it detects activity, and you can listen to your baby and also talk through the camera.
6. Humidifier
Babies have a much harder time clearing their nasal passages when they get stuffy. During cold and flu season a humidifier can help keep nasal passages moist when the air is dry and also help loosen up all that lovely baby snot when they are sick. I always recommend a cool mist humidifier to my patients because it does not carry the risk of burns like the warm-mist versions do. I am such a sucker for cute little animals (insert eye roll from my husband here) and since he won’t let me get real goats, sheep, or chickens, I settled on this super cute humidifier instead!
7. NoseFrida Snotsucker
This is not a joke! When your baby is sick and they don’t know how to blow their nose and their cute little sheep humidifier isn’t doing the trick, you aren’t going to want to sit there and listen to them uncomfortably sniffle and snort all night wondering if they are getting any oxygen. Where I trained, we had a clinic dedicated to sucking snot out of baby’s noses (literally that’s all they did in the winter months!) Now you can do it yourself at home! Wooohoooo! Don’t worry – there is a filter so the snot doesn’t get in your mouth. Ew.
8. Sophie la Girafe
There are a million teething toys out there but there is something special about the Sophie the Giraffe teething toy! Almost every mom I consulted when putting together my registry recommended this one. Who knows what it is about her that babies love so much but she keeps them happy and quiet during painful teething episodes. She is made of natural rubber and food grade paint without any toxins or potential allergens so she is A-OK with me. It is important to note that Sophie should never be submerged fully under water and the surface should be cleaned with a damp cloth.
9. Mamaroo
This is another must have that all the mamas I talked to recommended. Most babies love constant motion because they are so used to moving around with you when they were in your tummy. This is great if you need to calm a crying baby or just keep them occupied while you cook dinner! With 5 different motions, 5 speeds and 4 sounds you are sure to find a combo that your baby loves. It also has an MP3 plug-in and is Bluetooth compatible so you can control settings from your phone! Technology is awesome these days!
10. Dockatot
When your baby isn’t in your arms, or carrier, or Mamaroo, guaranteed he will be in his Dockatot. One of our favorite couples, which are also brand new parents, sent this to us as a baby gift and said it is the one baby item they couldn’t live without! Babies can rest, nap and lounge in here safely. You can also use the bumpers for tummy time when he is awake by placing it under his arms. They come in all sorts of cute fabrics and you can get attachments that turn it into an activity gym serving double duty!
11. Jogging Stroller
At one point in my life, I considered myself an athlete (I ran track in college!) and I can’t wait to share my love of running with our little one. I didn’t really want to invest in a separate every day stroller and a jogging stroller. So we decided on a jogging stroller even though it might be a little more cumbersome getting it in and out of the car. I loved that the Thule has an adjustable handlebar so Tyler and I could both be comfortable while using it, though he wouldn’t be caught dead running! The seat also reclines to a near flat position for when your baby wants to sneak a nap in.
12. Diapers
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a sucker for cuteness and The Honest Co.’s diaper prints are absolutely adorable and change each season. It doesn’t hurt that Tyler is a Red Sox fan and I am a Yankees fan and right now The Honest Co. has both of these diaper prints available! Talk about a little family rivalry…I guarantee every time I change the kiddo’s diaper he will be in the Yankees print! They are hypoallergenic and made with sustainable materials, which is really important to me. You can also save lots when you buy bundles, which can automatically ship to you each month.
13. Boudreaux’s Butt Paste
I recommend this to ALL of the parents of my tiny patients that come in with sore bums from diaper rash. It is amazing and was developed by a dad and a pharmacist. It is thick and you are NOT going to want to spread it with your hands so see the next item below…
14. Baby Bum Diaper Cream Brush
You should invest in one for your changing station at home and a mini version for your diaper bag. It will help you spread that butt paste like a pro without getting it stuck all over your hands.
15. Boppy Pillow
You are going to be amazed at how tiring it is holding a tiny little baby in your arms. If you think, ‘Oh, they aren’t even 10lbs – it won’t be that hard!’ You have another thing coming mama. I was just home visiting my bestie and held her 11-day-old newborn for about 20 minutes and I swear my super buff CrossFit built arms were shaking. Okay J/K about the super buff but I’m definitely not a complete slacker! You are going to want to be as comfortable as possible when you are nursing or bottle-feeding and the Boppy allows you to do just that! You can also find covers in every fabric design imaginable on Etsy!
16. Ergobaby Carrier and Boba Baby Wrap
Right in line with what I said above for the Boppy pillow – carrying a baby around all day is HARD! It’s also tricky to do everything in life one-handed. While a Boppy will help you out when you are hangin’ at home on the couch, a baby carrier will be your savior when you are up and about and makes it easier for you to venture out of the house. It’s also super calming to your baby to be wrapped up close to your chest! We registered for two carriers – the Ergobaby 360 baby carrier and the Boba baby wrap. I’m really hoping that I can figure out the whole wrapping/tying situation with the Boba and it looks so cozy but just in case I get frustrated we have the Ergo to fall back on!
I have tons and tons to say on these! And agree with most of it! Would add- a benefit to registering to BabiesRUs is the points and money back you get for rewards as people buy things for you! Just a thought! If you’d like other mom input I could add to just about all that you have on this list, including some price friendly and storage friendly ideas for limited space mamas!
As a fellow doctor mommy I am very glad to see that you have listed the dockatot for its correct usage, daytime activity. I have had many patients and friends tell me they use it for overnight sleeping. This is an unsafe sleep environment. It clearly states this on the label “Direct supervision is required when baby is in dockatot”
Great list!