I'm on a mission... and that mission is to create the perfect baby registry. There's just one little problem: I know squat about babies. Awesome place to start, right? We've had friends and family ask us for our registry information the past couple of weeks, and our current registry is a little bit of a mess. It's looking better than it was, but truth be told: it's been a catch-all for junk that we kind-of, sort-of, maybe liked, wanted to research, or just needed a reminder to buy. For a while our crib and stroller sat on the registry, mainly so I could keep track of them and see if they ever went on sale. Then I made those big purchases and trimmed the list to suit. There was one point where I looked on there and I had something like 3 breast pumps, 2 rockers, 4 strollers and goodness knows what else. (I really hope no one had the link at that time haha... it was sad!) Still, every few days I'll pop over and be like "This is ridiculous... *delete* *add fifteen more things I know nothing about*" haha
Now that we're in the home stretch and I have showers on the horizon (!!!), I'm really needing to figure out what is going to go on there. That's where I need your help! Some of y'all are wonder moms... You've birthed babies, tried the products, tossed the crap ones and (hopefully) found a list of things that have been a heaven-send for you and baby! I know every mom and baby will be different, but right now I'm just trying to make as educated of a guess as I can on what will and won't work. While this is a "registry," I'm also planning on using it as my own little shopping list so I can finalize purchases when Baby Flynn gets here. (I think there might even be some nursing pads and nipple cream on my list still... HA! Those need to get move to a more, uh, private list...)
Some of these items are sort of "novelty" bits that happen to be practical and fun (I'm looking at you, whale spout cover!), but some of them are really meant to help a work-at-home-mama out (MamaRoo!) Let me know if you've used any of these or if you have a better alternative to suggest, or if you just outright hated a product/brand! (As much as I appreciate the in-depth emails re: pregnancy/baby items, I'd love to keep the conversation in the comments if possible, that way others can read your thoughts, too! Maybe a mom-to-be will stumble on this and it can help her!) I honestly just have no clue where to start or what to include... This is hard!
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Here's what our situation is looking like once Baby Flynn arrives: I'll be a full-time work at home mom, also juggling a 5 year old until he starts Kindergarten in mid-August. Ideally I'd love to breastfeed (fingers crossed I'm able to!) and we are planning on cloth diapering once he's big enough to wear the one-size diapers. I'll be spending every day alone with the baby (almost immediately!) while Mike is at school, so really the most important thing for me is to be able to balance it all and make it work. I also plan on baby-wearing as much as possible when outside of the house (and I personally prefer knit wraps... Moby? Solly? Sakura Bloom? Ahh!) And here's what I'm thinking so far:
1. Medela Breast Pump: I've tried comparing both the Pump In Style and the FreeStyle breast pumps. (I know about insurance and breast pumps, but for the sake of this conversation I'm choosing to overlook that for now) I don't really know how often a breastfeeding mom may need to pump, and where, so that's why I'm totally oblivious on this decision. Is it worth it to pay for an electric pump? What about hands free? I definitely plan on storing/bottling some milk so Mike can help with feedings. I'd love y'all's wisdom!
2. Skip Hop Bath Spout Cover: I love the novelty aspect of this, but also the functionality. It's not cumbersome or gaudy, and that's good enough for me!
3. Flip Hybrids + BumGenius FreeTime Cloth Diapers: We plan on cloth diapering after he's big enough to fit, but holy moly this has been a hard decision! After reading loads of articles, forums, emails, etc, I think we have decided to pair together some Flip Hybrids and BumGenius FreeTime All-In-Ones. I've heard great things about both of them, but if you have any tips and tricks on maintaining the perfect stash/rotation, I'm all ears! (Also I'd love to know how many cloth diapers you have in your stash! I've read you should have at least 24, but 30 is ideal. I'd like to do laundry every other day if possible! - Also, if you use Flip covers, do you prefer the prefold inserts or...? - And finally, best place to buy them? Amazon seems to be so finicky with their stock!) I might need to do a whole post on just cloth diapers because there are so many options to consider!
4. Motorola Baby Monitor: A lot of this decision was based on how the monitor looked and the price tag. It was in line with many of the other models, but we liked the way it looked more than the others. Some people say that video monitors aren't even a necessity, and while I agree, I like the peace of mind that I'd have to look in whenever I needed. Have a monitor you love that you want to suggest? Let's hear it!
5. Grooming Kit: Yay or nay? I liked this kit because it was super comprehensive without having a hefty price tag. It includes so much, but is it all needed?
6. Aden + Anais Swaddling Blankets: I've had everyone and their mother recommend these swaddling blankets to me, so that's a good sign right? But I've also read a bunch of moms swear that regular ol' muslin swaddling blankets are best. Thoughts?
7. Medela Breastmilk Feeding Gift Set: Okay, this is another area where I've been all "What?!" - How many bottles are needed for a breastfed baby? Right now our registry is packed with these and some from Dr. Brown's (They seem to be a popular choice), but I don't know how many we'll actually need, and if one is better than the other. I also have a "natural" breastfeeding bottle or two on there. Help!
8. Summer Infant Pacifier Thermometer: Part of me thinks this would be an easy way to take the baby's temperature, but then another part of me is like "Well you're definitely going to lose that the first time you use it.." Have any of you ever tried it?
9. Crane Cool Mist Humidifier: I love the shape, and it's practical, but is it necessary?
10. FEED Diaper Bag: This is totally a mom-choice on the registry but I love the new FEED diaper bags. It would be a bit of a luxury purchase so it'll probably come last, if at all. But I couldn't help but throw it on there. I remember what diaper bags looked like when I was little... and they were ugly! Bonus: FEED provides a full year of micronutrients to a mama and baby with each purchase.
11. Baby Trend Pack n Play: Pack n Plays are one thing that moms seem to be torn on. They either swear by them or they say they never touched them. We spend quite a bit of time at our parents' houses, so I think it'd be a reasonable purchase. I also spend a lot of time outside with Toby, tending to the garden, etc. That's reason enough, right?
12. 4Moms MamaRoo Swing: I can't decide if the MamaRoo or the RockARoo would be a better purchase, but I'd love to hear your thoughts! We bought a little bouncy bassinet recliner for the baby, but it's not as fluid as I had hoped. I'd love to have something that was self-moving so I could sneak a shower or squeeze in some work here and there. Is it worth all of the hype?!
Other items I'm curious about: The 4Moms tub, Baby Bullet food prep system, anything you think I've missed or could benefit from knowing about, and basically whatever else is on this ridiculous catch-all list! Educate me! This mama needs some help!
Another thing that didn't occur to me until recently: I did most of our registry online (via Amazon, etc, all synched up on MyRegistyr.com), but I'd venture to guess the majority of our friends and family prefer to shop in-store... We did a Target in-store registry (and synched it with the online one) but I'm wondering if I made a major "uh-oh" by not being more mindful of that in the beginning. Thoughts?
Even if we don't receive anything from our online-only registry, it can at least serve as a "Hey! Buy this!" list for us when the need arises, so I guess it's not a total loss! It's been a while since I've done any registry stuff so I tried being mindful of varied price points and items, but I don't feel the least bit confident in it. I'd love to hear what y'all chose to put on your own registries (or what you decided to purchase!) if you don't care to share!
Edited to add: If you want to be OVERLOADED with (great!) advice and comments, my Instagram post of this entry BLEW UP! So many helpful mamas sharing their wisdom right HERE!
1. Medela Breast Pump: I've tried comparing both the Pump In Style and the FreeStyle breast pumps. (I know about insurance and breast pumps, but for the sake of this conversation I'm choosing to overlook that for now) I don't really know how often a breastfeeding mom may need to pump, and where, so that's why I'm totally oblivious on this decision. Is it worth it to pay for an electric pump? What about hands free? I definitely plan on storing/bottling some milk so Mike can help with feedings. I'd love y'all's wisdom!
2. Skip Hop Bath Spout Cover: I love the novelty aspect of this, but also the functionality. It's not cumbersome or gaudy, and that's good enough for me!
3. Flip Hybrids + BumGenius FreeTime Cloth Diapers: We plan on cloth diapering after he's big enough to fit, but holy moly this has been a hard decision! After reading loads of articles, forums, emails, etc, I think we have decided to pair together some Flip Hybrids and BumGenius FreeTime All-In-Ones. I've heard great things about both of them, but if you have any tips and tricks on maintaining the perfect stash/rotation, I'm all ears! (Also I'd love to know how many cloth diapers you have in your stash! I've read you should have at least 24, but 30 is ideal. I'd like to do laundry every other day if possible! - Also, if you use Flip covers, do you prefer the prefold inserts or...? - And finally, best place to buy them? Amazon seems to be so finicky with their stock!) I might need to do a whole post on just cloth diapers because there are so many options to consider!
4. Motorola Baby Monitor: A lot of this decision was based on how the monitor looked and the price tag. It was in line with many of the other models, but we liked the way it looked more than the others. Some people say that video monitors aren't even a necessity, and while I agree, I like the peace of mind that I'd have to look in whenever I needed. Have a monitor you love that you want to suggest? Let's hear it!
5. Grooming Kit: Yay or nay? I liked this kit because it was super comprehensive without having a hefty price tag. It includes so much, but is it all needed?
6. Aden + Anais Swaddling Blankets: I've had everyone and their mother recommend these swaddling blankets to me, so that's a good sign right? But I've also read a bunch of moms swear that regular ol' muslin swaddling blankets are best. Thoughts?
7. Medela Breastmilk Feeding Gift Set: Okay, this is another area where I've been all "What?!" - How many bottles are needed for a breastfed baby? Right now our registry is packed with these and some from Dr. Brown's (They seem to be a popular choice), but I don't know how many we'll actually need, and if one is better than the other. I also have a "natural" breastfeeding bottle or two on there. Help!
8. Summer Infant Pacifier Thermometer: Part of me thinks this would be an easy way to take the baby's temperature, but then another part of me is like "Well you're definitely going to lose that the first time you use it.." Have any of you ever tried it?
9. Crane Cool Mist Humidifier: I love the shape, and it's practical, but is it necessary?
10. FEED Diaper Bag: This is totally a mom-choice on the registry but I love the new FEED diaper bags. It would be a bit of a luxury purchase so it'll probably come last, if at all. But I couldn't help but throw it on there. I remember what diaper bags looked like when I was little... and they were ugly! Bonus: FEED provides a full year of micronutrients to a mama and baby with each purchase.
11. Baby Trend Pack n Play: Pack n Plays are one thing that moms seem to be torn on. They either swear by them or they say they never touched them. We spend quite a bit of time at our parents' houses, so I think it'd be a reasonable purchase. I also spend a lot of time outside with Toby, tending to the garden, etc. That's reason enough, right?
12. 4Moms MamaRoo Swing: I can't decide if the MamaRoo or the RockARoo would be a better purchase, but I'd love to hear your thoughts! We bought a little bouncy bassinet recliner for the baby, but it's not as fluid as I had hoped. I'd love to have something that was self-moving so I could sneak a shower or squeeze in some work here and there. Is it worth all of the hype?!
Other items I'm curious about: The 4Moms tub, Baby Bullet food prep system, anything you think I've missed or could benefit from knowing about, and basically whatever else is on this ridiculous catch-all list! Educate me! This mama needs some help!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Another thing that didn't occur to me until recently: I did most of our registry online (via Amazon, etc, all synched up on MyRegistyr.com), but I'd venture to guess the majority of our friends and family prefer to shop in-store... We did a Target in-store registry (and synched it with the online one) but I'm wondering if I made a major "uh-oh" by not being more mindful of that in the beginning. Thoughts?
Even if we don't receive anything from our online-only registry, it can at least serve as a "Hey! Buy this!" list for us when the need arises, so I guess it's not a total loss! It's been a while since I've done any registry stuff so I tried being mindful of varied price points and items, but I don't feel the least bit confident in it. I'd love to hear what y'all chose to put on your own registries (or what you decided to purchase!) if you don't care to share!
Edited to add: If you want to be OVERLOADED with (great!) advice and comments, my Instagram post of this entry BLEW UP! So many helpful mamas sharing their wisdom right HERE!
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