The Mother of All Baby Registries!

This is something I put together for my expecting girlfriends.  It made the rounds and I think many of the new-moms-to-be found it very helpful!  Hope it helps you, too!

Some items are good for the newborns.  Other items won't get used until they are a bit older (you know, like when it is impossible to just run out to the store to pick up something you need....so seriously, put it on the registry now).  And finally, some items might not work at all with this kid...but maybe the next one *shrug*.

This is tailored to summer babies as mine were born in June & August.

Oh, and WHAT is UP with this formatting...seriously, I have no idea, and I've run out of "nap time" to edit and fix.  Sorry!

Untraditional Items
Amazon Prime

• Ok, so you can't technically buy this, but you should, 1,000%, subscribe to this service.  
• MOM HACK: Download the app.  So at 4am, when a diaper has leaked and you are looking for an extra crib sheet only to realize that they are all (still) in the dirty laundry, you can order more.

Dust Buster 

• Any hand vacuum will do.  This is perfect for mealtime clean ups and essential for car/car seat cleanliness (I am still amazed how easily an innocent ziploc of Cheerios can evolve into a pulverized mess of car seat dust).

Hand Sanitizer

• I prefer the soap and water approach, but, even this day and age, there are some people who don't understand that you must wash hands before touching a newborn.   This is great when expecting guests.  It's also good to keep by the changing table since washing hands immediately after a diaper change isn't always an option.  Just make sure it is far enough from any exploring babies.

Acrylic Media Cover

• I have heard so many stories about toddlers destroying high end media set ups.  This is essential if your TV/cable box is at toddler level.  Even if you think your TV is high enough and away from the toddler danger zone, still get one.   Toddlers like to throw things. A lot.  The cover in the link is perfect for your devices (cable boxes, etc) but you should purchase a larger version for your TV.

Pockets

• Everything in your new mom wardrobe should have pockets.  Picture this: You finally got your little one to sleep.  She's dozing peacefully on your chest and you exhale into the hour half hour twenty minutes of calm.  After about seven minutes you realize that you are pinned down under the immense weight of your delicate baby- your cell phone is on the coffee table just out of reach and the remote control is on the other arm rest.  So while it's great that your baby is sleeping sweetly on your chest, you're left to sit there and spot the dust bunnies colonizing in the corners of your living room....which you can't do anything about because you have a baby...sleeping. on. your. chest.  And God help your husband if he calls you while the baby is sleeping and your phone is out of reach....you better hope it's on silent!  This recommendation is so "spot on" that it was featured on Mom.me! 

Ok, now here are the other essentials.  I won't make this part as long....

Coming Home for Baby

• Cotton Pants & Long Sleeve Onsie (the car seat can get really warm and you don't want any straps rubbing against their new baby skin so avoid dresses or infant gowns)
• Hat 

Coming Home for You 

• Something very loose fitting and comfortable.  You are still going to look and feel about three months pregnant!

General

• Diapers
• Wipes 
• MOM HACK: Baby wipes are perfect for cleaning anything from dirty baby bums to dirty microfiber/leather couches.  You can never have too many wipes and they should be positioned strategically throughout your home and car.  *Look for the resealable packaging- those travel well!
• PLENTY of Aden and Anais swaddle blankets- perfect for our summer babies, I still keep some in my sons' stroller to help block the sun from their legs.  I will also drape these over the stroller if they fall asleep while out.  They are perfect for swaddling in those early months, too.  And they don't get too hot.  
• 3x Sleep sacks- the ones with the velcro worked best- much easier than doing the traditional swaddle. 
• Wearable blankets- This is for after the swaddle stage
• Onsies- a lot of these.  Make sure you put some newborn, 3 month, and beyond on your registry, because they grow so fast and they wear so often 
• MOM HACK: Keep some of these near your changing table if you aren't using a dresser changing table.  Also, keep a good amount on the sides of your Arms Reach Co-Sleepers or nearby bassinet's so you aren't constantly running back and forth to the nursery when a onsie gets soiled- like at 3am.   
• Footie PJ's- My son lived in these for the first three six nine months of his life :)  Get PLENTY as we often went through three a day :) And socks during the first few months are a joke!  Good luck keeping those suckers on :) Nonetheless...
• Socks- I guess it's good to have a few??
• Baby monitor- I lived in a 2 br/2 bath condo, but I got the motorola video monitor.  I was a nervous FTM, but being able to turn it on and see my son safe and sound was a relief.  I think I would also imagine him crying while I was deliriously sleep deprived.  Rather than getting out of bed to check, I could just look at the monitor.  Also, if you ever travel to a home, it's good to have one.
• Baby Gates- I really like the white "dream baby" gate. They also have a taller version for the top of your stairs.
• Outlet covers
• General babyproofing items- To be honest, I really only used the outlet covers, toilet bowl locks, heavy furniture tethers and lower cabinet magnetic things.
• Pacifiers (because for about 30 seconds, my son used them...ugh)
• Pacifier clip (because there is nothing more annoying than losing all six of your pacifiers)
• Thermometer- good luck trying to take their temperature
• Humidifier- this one is low maintenance 
• Nasal Aspirator- We had the Nose Frida- it worked well, but I only really had to use it 2-3 times...
• Teethers- quite frankly, neither of my children liked the frozen teething toys.  They preferred regular toys like baby keys, rings, etc.
• Nail Clipper (and if you can clip their nails when they are awake, you win "Mom of the Year" award)
• MOM HACK- keep nail clippers in the car so if/when your baby falls asleep while out and about, leaving you somewhat trapped in the car until after nap time, you can kill the time by clipping nails...and reading my blog.  I also keep a pair of nail clippers in the pocket (see untraditional items list) of my glider for when they fall asleep on me.
• Boogie Wipes- I just love the smell of these.  
• Wet wipes/hand wipes- we have some kind of organic wipes that smell yummy.  I keep a few throughout the diaper bag, my purse, etc.  J&J just came out with these as well.  You won't likely use them for a few months, but worth having "in stock". 
• Laundry Detergent
• MOM HACK- I have nothing against popular infant brands.  But I always found the smell to be really strong and wondered if I should be washing all of our clothes in that detergent too?  Instead of breaking the bank by washing the household's laundry in expensive infant brand detergents, I used Tide Free & Clear and washed all of our laundry in that for the first 6 months or so.  
• Bibs (I am adding because it is a staple, but neither of my kids would tolerate)
• Burp Cloths (x 1,000).  
• MOM HACK: I had these on every arm rest in our home, layered on our glider, and stored in areas throughout the house.
• Bottles/Nipples (I like the dr. browns), if you get a standard size, the bottles actually connect to the breast pump (not important if you don't plan on breastfeeding, but definitely helpful if you plan to- saves you a few steps :)
• Insulated Bottle tote (we actually got the munchkin bottle holder and still use it now for snacks and drinks if we are going to be out for awhile.  It's like a mini cooler and has two removable ice packs) 
• Bottle Brush/Nipple brush (if you buy a set of bottles, they usually have these included)
• Bottle (and accessory) drying wrack
• Dishwasher Caddy (Dr. Browns has one that coordinates with all of the parts) but after awhile, I just throw the parts in the utensil area.
• Breast Pump and Accessories- splurge on this!  Nursing can be a challenge so "GO YOU!!" if you are planning on it!  Don't set yourself up for additional struggles.  Go with the best pump that you can buy.  I prefer Medela when it comes to pumping but for...
• Breast milk storage bags- I liked the Lansinoh bags because they were bigger.  The Medela ones connect to the pump which can be convenient, but the Lansinoh worked better for me... personal preference, I guess. )
• Something to note: I've been hearing really great things about upcoming Naia Brand pumps.  Keep an eye out for pumps you can fit into your favorite handbag!!
• Nursing Bra/Nursing Tops - Verdict is still out as to whether you put nursing bras and tops on your registry.  Regardless, these are hands down the best.
• Nursing Stool- if you get a glider (you should), the nursing stool makes it even more comfortable.  
• Spoons, bowls, sippy cups, straw cups (nuk sippys are good and they are the only ones that don't leak...a lot.  For straw cups,  I like the "Born Free" brand
• Infant bathtub...Puj, hands down.   
• Tub toys and storage (we have the frog thing)- it becomes more important as they get older
• Kneeling cushion- I still use this when giving L baths...saves your knees!
• towels and washcloths- Sure, why not...
• Baby Shampoo/wash (put a bunch on your registry)- Go ahead and splurge on the fancy stuff- I love California Baby.  But you should also get the industrial-size tub of J&J brand because you will use a lot of this as they get older (and you become less concerned about sensitive skin).
• Baby lotion
• Brush/Comb
• Diaper Bag and "portable" diaper bag.  I like Skip Hop as a brand.
• Diaper Pail- we use the munchkin diaper pail and I like it.  Bottom line, once they reach a certain age, just throw the dirty (poop) diapers in a grocery bag and out with the trash (eventually, there is no way to hide the smell of a dirty diaper in those suckers). 
• Diaper cream- I really like the blue Desitin.  It has that "baby smell" in my opinion :) I also use a lot of aquaphor
• MOM HACK: For moms of boys, using a little bit of aquaphor or vaseline can help you "position" your "little man" so that leaks are less frequent (ok, I am blushing as I write this but at the risk of being unclear...put a dab on their scrotum and "stick" their man parts to it- this way urine will go where it's supposed to go, as opposed to out the sides!).
• Hangers
• Crib, Crib Mattress, mattress pad and sheets- Boppy has adorable patterns.  And just incase you haven't reached the chapter on bedding, bumpers are not recommended.  
• Changing Table, Changing Pad and at least 2 changing pad covers.  You know what, go ahead and add a third for good luck.
• Changing pad cover...covers?  These- they will save you so much laundry during the first few weeks when babies generally prefer to pee outside of their diapers.  Also, note my comments below regarding what to take with you from the hospital.
• Pack N Play (you might even consider getting 2 and leaving one at local g'parents home)
• High Chair
• Bouncer seat (the little vibrating chair thingy)
• Baby Swing (honestly, a MUST HAVE for my kids...it was the only way I could get things done around the house if they were fussy).
• Exersaucer
• Jumper
• Activity mat
• Interlocking tiles or foam floor mat.  I recommend the mat over the tiles- the tiles are a PAIN to clean and if you spill something on them, you have to make sure to get under the mat to reach anything that leaked through.  They also ALWAYS look dirty. This time around, we are getting this.  A neighbor of ours had it, and it's perfect for tummy time and playtime.
• JJ Cole outdoor blanket (it's waterproof and great for outdoor playdates/beach- although, I am sure a regular blanket is fine too!)
• Random toys (crinkle toys are fun, just get a bunch of random sh*t and you should be good :)
• MOM HACK: Make sure some toys can attach to the stroller- these straps are great!
• Soft books, books
• Batteries...just load up on these suckers
• Bucket Seat (we have the Graco snug ride.  My first hated it, but I guess it's one of the tough lessons in life...safety first)
• Base for the car (maybe two bases if you have two cars)
• Car seat adapter- our Graco would clip into our Uppa Baby and it was really all I used for the first few months if I wasn't using the basinet.
• Snap and go Stroller- I got this as a hand me down from my sister.  I loved my Uppa Baby so much that I didn't want to use the snap and go, but it really is SO MUCH EASIER if you are using your car to run errands
• Car seat for when they are older- we have the Britax Round About- it is good and not enormous like some of them, so it works in our cars, especially if you have a tall passenger who needs leg room.  One thing I wish it had, cup holders.  I can't tell you the number of times I am blindly reaching back for a drink that's been dropped.
• Car mirror (so you can see them while rear facing which they technically should be doing for 2 years.
• Stroller- I love, love, love our Uppa Baby vista.  Now that we are in the Burbs, it is getting less use, but I just bought the Uppa Baby umbrella stroller.  The Vista is good, but definitely NOT a fold and throw in the car kind of stroller.  It's more for everyday walking use and in our old urban neighborhood, it got a lot of action.  You can also fit up to three kids on this sucker!!
• Accessories- which ever stroller you choose should have it's own accessory list- I recommend getting a cup holder, a winter bunting thingy for baby, rain/wind cover, mommy hook.  Make sure you get the accessories that match your stroller- it just makes it so much easier (and looks better...which is super important).
• And I LOVE LOVE LOVE my teutonia hand muff.  Neighbors made fun of me for getting it, but in the dead of winter when they were struggling to get their gloves off to adjust something for their kid, it was great!
• Baby Carrier- we had the mesh bjorn and, if you are feeling crunchy, I loved our adjustable sling (I think it's called a Hava Sling).  The adjustable one felt more secure to me and I could keep my son really high up (like close enough to kiss the top of his head).  This was a life saver when he just wanted to be held or if I was going out for a walk with the dogs.  I've also heard great things about the ergo baby, but never got one. If you go with the Bjorn, also get this for the colder months.
• Baby food processor- Beaba- so a friend got this for me and I thought for sure it was a waste.  But our pediatrician recommended feeding my kids whatever we were eating, just steamed and pureed and I used this so much more than I ever would have thought. 

Hospital Bag:

• Robe
• Warm socks/slippers
• Nursing tops
• Toiletries 

The truth: I wore the hospital gown the entire time.  Things can be, er, messy, and I preferred not to ruin my clothes :)   Instead of packing a bunch of stuff from home, leave as much room in your hospital bag as possible to "borrow" stuff from the hospital.  Take everything but the bed, seriously.  I think I asked for more disposable underwear, pads, baby onsies, baby blankets (remember you might want one for a memory box!), vaseline, disposable waterproof bed liners (great for changing tables!), waterproof mats (at my hospital they had these on the beds, I took two and kept them on my bed for the first two weeks...again, it can be messy :)  
MOM HACK: Save the washable waterproof mats for "air time" (I would lay this over the activity mat and let the boys do some "diaper free" time) and they are great for nighttime potty training, too!