By: Danielle Pietersen
Setting up a baby registry is a wonderful idea. It helps your friends and family know what you need for your baby and helps you avoid too many duplicates. It’s a great way to make life simple for your friends and family and help them choose the best baby items that they know you’ll like and need, from baby registry essentials like onesies and diapers to cutesie items that send your heart aflutter.
What Exactly Is A Baby Registry?
Essentially a baby registry is a list that is available at a specific store or stores. Much like a wedding registry, a baby registry allows you to add items that you would love to receive to a list. As people buy items on the list, those items get marked off the list so that no unintended duplicates are purchased. Traditionally this list was kept at a specific store and you added items to it by visiting the store and writing what you liked on a list, then stores moved on to using scanners. These days it’s easiest to create an online registry.
How To Create A Baby Registry
Each store has slightly different ways of doing it, but you’ll find most of the stores have a few common steps that you need to follow.
1. Sign Up/Create an Account.
If you don’t already have an online account or profile at the online store, you’ll need to create an account. As you can imagine, this part of the process is usually really quick and easy. Popular stores to create an account are Target, Walmart, and buybuy BABY. These stores are especially good choices because they have an array of practical and cutesie and they give gifters the options of shopping online or in-store. Another great choice is Macy’s: Macy’s always has sales, and offers a range of practical and stylish gifts from both high-end brands and more moderately priced ones.
2. Create A Baby Registry
Find the option on the website to create a baby registry (some stores might call it a registry list). Click the link and follow the instructions provided. This varies considerably according to store, but in most cases, you’ll be able to choose preferences about how you would like your registry to work.
3. Start Adding Items
Now that your baby registry is all set up, you can start adding items to your registry list. This is the fun part of the process, so enjoy doing your research and select items you think you will need. (And some that you purely want of course.)
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Why A Baby Registry?
There are so many reasons to use a baby registry! They really do make life easier in so many ways and there are lots of freebies and savings to be had, depending on which store you use. Here are a few top reasons to use a registry.
1. It Makes Life Simpler For Your Guests
Having a list of baby items can be a big help to your friends and family members. It will help take the uncertainty out of choosing a gift and they’ll be sure that you really want the items they have chosen. As an added bonus, some stores will even wrap the gifts from your baby registry.
2. It Helps Avoid Duplicates
Items are marked off as they’re purchased, so you don’t end up with duplicate items that you don’t need. This also helps guests at your baby shower avoid the embarrassment of giving you the same gift as someone else.
3. It Helps Older Guests
This one may sound strange. We don’t think of older family members as being up-to-date when it comes to technology. You’ll be surprised by how many older people can easily navigate the world of online shopping, or at least find someone to help them.
It saves them from having to go out and helps take the uncertainty out of buying something for the baby. Things have changed so much since they had babies and most older people don’t know about new products or how to choose items and brands that new moms like.
4. Saving, Discounts, and Freebies
Using a baby registry can help you save money. Different stores offer different benefits if you choose to use them for your registry list. Stores can obviously make a lot of money from baby registries, so they do their best to make sure that new parents are happy with their service.
Welcome Box
Some stores will send you a welcome box if you register a baby list with them. The goody bag usually contains freebies like various baby products, samples, and coupons.
Free shipping
Some companies offer free shipping on registry items.
Free Returns
Some stores will offer free returns on items on your registry list. This is really helpful if someone decides not to buy from the registry list or if you discover a product is not as you imagined it.
Discounted Diapers
Amazon baby registry customers get a discount on all diapers purchased during the first year of the baby’s life.
Discounted Registry Items
Some stores will offer you a discount on all the items on your list. The idea is that if your baby shower guests don’t purchase everything on the list, you can still buy the baby products that you need at a discounted price.
Price Match
Some of the best baby registries will offer to match prices if you can find an item cheaper somewhere else. This can help relieve some anxiety and FOMO you may feel when you choose to list an item at a particular store.
How Do I Choose a Store?
The good news is you don’t have to. You can create baby registry lists at as many stores as you would like to. There are so many great freebies, samples, and coupons available when you register, that it does make sense to register at more than one. Try to choose stores that stock the kind of products you need and plan to use.
Universal Baby Registry
A universal baby registry helps to keep things simple if you are registered at multiple stores. Most of the bigger stores will allow you to use their registry as a universal baby registry and then link from their site to the sites of other stores that stock products you would like added to your baby registry list. For example, you could have a registry on Amazon which links to a crib that you love from Pottery Barn or some embroidered burp cloths on Etsy.
It’s important not to put unwanted duplicates on your baby registry list. If you add a crib on Amazon and at Pottery Barn, you could easily end up with two! Keep careful track of which items you’re adding if you have registries at more than one store.
What Goes On A Baby Registry List?
Deciding what to put on your list can be overwhelming. Babies have so many needs in their first year. It’s helpful to try to split the needs up into categories before you start. As you think of or read about items, try to mentally categorize them. You can find endless lists online that help you think of everything you might need in the first year.
If you’re unsure where an item falls, talk to friends or older family members to get a better idea of what life will be like when the baby arrives. It’s easy for new parents to get caught up in all the advertising and buy a bunch of things they don’t really need.
Baby Registry Must Haves
These are the absolute baby essentials. Things that you need to keep the baby warm, fed, and alive. Think simple baby clothes, baby products like toiletries, diapers, diaper bags, and bottles.
There will also be a few big-ticket items on this list like a high chair, crib, crib mattress, car seat, breast pump and related supplies (steamer bags, storage containers, portable cooler).
Crib bumpers used to top every new parent baby wish list. But with changing consumer product safety commission guidelines, many parents are opting out of crib bumpers or pads.
For a winter baby, a car seat cover and extra booties and mittens may be helpful. For a summer baby, lighter weight gowns and rompers are essential. Muslin and bamboo garments fit the bill nicely.
Common baby registry must haves that top the list for new parents to be:
- — Crib
- — Crib mattress
- — Infant car seat and car base
- — Stroller – often this is part of a travel system and a car seat can click in or attach to it.
- — Double stroller – if the parent is having a second baby or multiples
- — Second car base for other parent’s car or for a grandparent’s car
- — Onesies
- — Baby safe body wash and shampoo
- — Thermometer
- — Nail clippers
- — Mittens (anti-scratching)
- — Baby bath tub or bath pad for the sink
- — Diaper cream
- — Newborn diapers and diaper wipes
- — Larger diaper sizes
- — Large diaper changing pad
- — Diaper bag
- — Diaper caddy
- — Second diaper changing pad (foldable and portable)
- — Baby formula (for parents who are bottle feeding or supplementing breastfeeding)
- — Bottles
- — Steam cleaning / sanitizer bags for cleaning bottles and breast pump equipment
- — Breast pump
- — Breast pump supplies (nursing pads, nipple cream)
- — Baby carrier (jersey cloth lightweight for infants)
- — Baby carrier (sturdier model for older babies)
- — Baby monitor
Baby Registry Nice To Haves
You’ll probably end up buying or receiving quite a few of these nice-to-haves at your baby shower. These are things you don’t desperately need but might want to make life with a newborn easier and prettier.
Items on this list might include other nursery furniture and nursery decor, a second stroller that’s lightweight and easy to fold up, pretty baby clothes, a second changing mat, night light, baby books, and baby toys. Some of the nice to haves are “must haves” for the baby but further down the road.
Common baby registry nice to haves include:
- –Pack n’Play
- –Baby gates
- –Baby mobile and baby decor
- –Dressy clothes
- –Play mats
- –Second stroller (lightweight, collapsible)
- –Books
- –Toys
- –High chair
- –Booster chair
- –Bumbo floor seat chair or sit-up assist chair
- –Baby walker
- –Pacifier lovey
- –Swimsuit
- –Sun hat
- –Baby noise soother / white machine
- –Baby shoes (first walkers)
Total Luxuries
Total Luxuries
In this final category are things you don’t really need, but would love to have. This might include specific baby clothes from a special store, luxury baby gear, or specific bath products.
Don’t be shy to indulge and build your dream wish list. The best baby registry has things that you need and things that you want. Gift givers want you to feel pampered and indulged, and they enjoy buying “fun” things too.
And you can add little indulgent extras to your registry that you plan on buying yourself. With any online baby registry, you can get a completion discount. If a certain number of items are purchased off your baby registry checklist, you can get a discount off of remaining baby registry items that go unpurchased.
Some indulgent baby registry list items to consider:
- — Higher end car seats (super sleek good looks and extra bells and whistles, like attachable shades or easy cleaning)
- — Anything baby from Pottery Barn Kids
- — High-end baby clothing from L’ovedbaby, Goumi Kids, Kickee Pants, Kate Quinn, Colored Organics, Mori, Milkbarn, Finn + Emma, Quincy Mae, or Monica + Andy
- — Rattles or stuffies from Lambs & Ivy, Oeuf NYC, Cuddle and Kind
- — Butterscotch Blankee – luxury baby blanket
- — Wearable baby cape or jacket – like the hooded cape from Seraphine
How Do I Choose? What If I Forget Something?
When you make your registry list, remember that this supposed to bee fun! Getting ready for baby’s arrival is a joyous occasion. Whether it’s your first baby or your second baby registry, it’s a chance to celebrate with friends and family.
With most store or online baby registries, you won’t get everything on the list.
But your baby registry list serves these purposes:
- It lets guests know what you want and need for your baby.
- Organization: It helps you keep track of everything you have for the baby and what you still need to purchase.
- Baby registry perks. Retailers want you to create a baby registry with them, and will offer you a free welcome box, completion discount, and other registry perks. These can include a longer return window, price match guarantee, or ability to make no-quibble returns without a receipt.
- Gift tracker. Keep track of who gave you what, which is helpful for sending out thank you cards later.
Again, the completion discount is amazing. Even after the baby shower and bringing baby home, you’ll find new must haves to add to your baby registry. At Target, we used our mobile device to add other items to our registry just before we took advantage of the completion discount on the remaining unpurchased registry items.
Have A Variety Of Items
Make sure that you choose a variety of items, so that your guests can find something which fits their budget. It’s acceptable to have some big-ticket items on the list like a car seat, crib, nursery furniture, and a stroller. Just make sure you mix the list up and include inexpensive products too. Don’t be afraid to let gift givers know that cash funds would be helpful, too.
Use Group Gifting
Group gifting allows people to make a contribution towards items that you need, but which are outside of their baby shower budget. It’s a great way for people to buy expensive baby gear like a car seat, crib, or stroller.
College Fund Contributions
A lovely new baby shower trend is to ask for contributions towards a college fund for the baby. Some parents give friends and family members the option of depositing money straight into the fund as part of their baby registry.
Another really fun way to do it is to give people the option of signing up for a rewards program that pays money into the baby’s college fund when they shop at certain stores.
UPromise is a great platform that allows friends and family to either make deposits into your baby’s college fund or sign up for a rewards program. The rewards program costs them nothing but, as they go about their normal activities, they’ll be rewarded for shopping at certain stores or eating at certain restaurants. They can then choose to deposit those earnings into your baby’s college fund.
Isn’t It Rude To Use A Registry List?
Well, some people might think that. But baby showers and baby registries are a commonly accepted practice in the US.
If you’re worried about being considered rude, there are online guides that can help you correctly word your baby shower invitation. Using a registry list or asking for contributions to a college fund have become so normal and socially acceptable. But you definitely want to word your invitation in way that sounds classy, kind, and, above all, grateful.
As you go through this process it’s important to keep your heart in the right place and remain grateful for the gifts you are receiving.
Remember, you’re not making an online order, you’re making a registry list to help make life simpler for your closest friends and family. Try not to think of these items as though they’ve already been purchased. This is a wish list. Making a baby registry list feels so much like online shopping that it’s easy to forget what you’re actually doing.
What If People Buy Me Things That Aren’t On My List?
Some of your loved ones will already have a specific gift in mind for your baby. Your list will help them to understand the types of items and products you would find useful. It’s important to leave room on your invitation for people to buy or make you things that they find precious or particularly useful.
Leaving room for people to buy something that isn’t on the list can mean that you end up with one or two things that you don’t like. It’s also a great way to discover new and useful products or learn something about childcare from older generations. Sometimes you will be lucky enough to receive a special homemade gift.
Most people will be relieved to be able to choose from your registry, but some people love choosing or making gifts and want to surprise you. It brings them so much joy to spoil you with a surprise. Remember to be grateful and aware that different people have different gifting styles (and budgets).
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