What Actually Needs to Be On Your Baby Registry
Many of my birth clients come to me asking what baby items are essential and what they can pass on. My biggest and best tip is ask for used things before going the new route. Not only is this better for the environment, if any of your friends are parents, they will have some well loved items to pass down to you, and it also means you can usually receive more things, just from a financial standpoint as well. While every baby is different, here is my list of registry essentials based on my own experience being a parent, as well as a birth/postpartum doula.
Many of my birth clients come to me asking what baby items are essential and what they can pass on. My biggest and best tip is ask for used things before going the new route. Not only is this better for the environment, if any of your friends are parents, they will have some well loved items to pass down to you, and it also means you can usually receive more things, just from a financial standpoint as well. While every baby is different, here is my list of registry essentials based on my own experience being a parent, as well as a birth/postpartum doula.
Note: I’ve recently upgraded some of the links to be affiliate links so if you make purchases from this list, I may receive a small commision but these are all products I have purchased myself or used/loved at my clients’.
What platform should I use?
I like using MyRegistry.com because it lets you utilize multiple registries (such as Amazon, Indigo, BabiesRus, SnuggleBugz) and put them all in one convenient place for your friends/family/shower guests.
Linens/Clothes:
Crib Sheets (at least 2) - This fabric is super soft and durable!
Change Pad Covers (at least 2) - TIP - while matching patterns are adorable, I found it confusing during those middle of the night changes to figure out if I was grabbing a crib sheet or change pad size sheet.
Hooded Towels & Washcloths (at least 2 towels, 12+ washcloths.) You will use way more of these cloths than you realize, and even more once they start solids! Make sure they are not microfibre as you will quickly discover how useless those are.
Burping Cloths (at least 4) How many you need of these is going to depend on how much your baby spits up while feeding. I recommend starting with 4 and then don’t be afraid to order more if you find you’re going through them.
Teething Bandanas (at least 6) These are essential for once your baby starts teething as they drool LOTS but even before then, these can be handy if your baby spits up a lot.
Sleep Sacks (at least 4 per season/size) - Did you know swaddling/swaddle blankets are not considered safe for sleep by the Canadian government? Sleep sacks are a safe alternative! I recommend getting these off of Facebook Marketplace for sure, because you will need multiple as your baby grows, and the seasons change. Familiarize yourself with TOG ratings to make sure you are dressing your baby comfortably and safely for the weather!
Sleepers (at least 6 newborn and 6 x 0-3 month sizes) - TIP - make sure your sleepers are double zippered, or zippered at the very least! You do not want to be dealing with buttons when your baby needs a diaper change at 4am. What I really love about the double zippered ones is you can change the diaper without having to get their chest cold. Also make sure they have closed feet, because baby feet are tiny and socks just won’t stay on!
Side Snap or Kimono Style Onesies (at least 6) - Your family and friends will buy you many onesies for your baby that aren’t this style, whether they’re on your registry or not, but this side snap style is such a game changer in my opinion! Trying to slip a onesie over your baby’s head can be a little awkward due to their lack of neck control, and they usually don’t like losing sight of you for those few moments. These are easier to put on and are a great first layer underneath a sleeper!
Baby Socks (at least 6 pairs) - You probably won’t use them a ton when your baby is first born because your little one is so tiny and they’ll just slip off, but babies don’t have great circulation so usually their hands and feet are always cold for the first little bit. I remember having my March baby wearing just a onesie and socks in the early summer. TIP make sure you give your baby lots of sock free time so they can explore their world with their toes!
Baby Mitts (at least 2 pairs) - TIP - use these mitts sparingly! They can be handy for if your baby’s nails have gotten long and you’re too tired to cut them, but it is important to give them plenty of mitt free time to learn how to use their hands as grippers and so much more!
Outwear (at least 1, more depending on season) - Your family/friends will probably buy your baby many outfits, so you don’t really need to worry about asking for any specifically. I really recommend just keeping your baby in sleepers and onesies in the early days, because they are sleeping most of the time anyway, but if you are having your baby in a cooler season an outfit including comfy pants and a hoodie or two could be a good idea.
Muslin Swaddle Blankets (at least 4) - I don’t recommend using these for sleep (sleep sacks all the way) but these blankets can be great to tuck your baby into their stroller or car seat with, they can act as a sun cover over the stroller on a sunny walk, it can be a breastfeeding cover if you feel you need a bit a privacy, even an on the go change pad if you’re really desperate. They are handy just to have around.
SPF Sun Suit/Rash Guard/Swimsuit (1) - Did you know suncreen is not considered safe for babies under 6 months old? I loved using these long sleeved/legged sun suits and then only having to worries about protecting my son’s face/feet/hands from the son.
Sun Hat (1)
Toque (1) - Hats are not safe for sleep, but if you’re out for a chilly walk, it’s nice to keep your baby’s head warm.
Feeding:
Haakaa Pump - If you’re planning on breastfeeding, I don’t think you need to proactively buy an electric pump. Some families end up really utilizing bottles and in that case, absolutely get an electric pump, but for many, this haakaa pump is all you need. It will help you collect letdown milk from the side you’re not feeding on, or can be a great on the option to pump some milk and take the edge off.
Bottles - I recommend just getting one or two to start. Ideally, breastfeeding goes well and you don’t really need bottles very often. Also, you don’t know whether your baby will like a specific bottle or not. Dr. Brown’s have worked for every family I have supported postpartum so I’d start there.
Breast Pads - When your milk first comes in, there will be leaking. It is temporary, and at some point on your lactation journey you likely won’t need pads at all any more. In the beginning though, these are a must!
Milk Bags - Great for storing any extra milk! Make sure to label them and store in the back of the fridge or freezer, not in the door!
Vitamin D - living in the rainy Pacific Northwest means D drops are essential for all newborns!
Long Sleeve Breastfeeding Shirts - I still wear these at night! If you’re planning on bed-sharing with your baby (or even if you’re not), it’s recommended not to put blankets above your hips, so bundling up on the top is a must! The easy access pocket means you can fall asleep while side lying feeding without getting cold!
Breastfeeding Bras (at least 3) - This is my favourite breastfeeding bra. It feels luxurious to me and is comfortable enough to wear all day and sleep in!
Nipple Cream - In the early days of breastfeeding, you need to ensure you are putting on cream on both sides after every feed. Lanolin is what most families choose to utilize.
Food Storage Tray - I cannot recommend this enough for when you start solids! I used to make overnight oats (steel cut oats, unsweetened coconut yogurt, frozen blueberries, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, hemp seeds, prune pouch, almond milk) for my son in these, throw it in the freezer, and then thaw as needed each day.
Full Sleeve Bib - Let your baby explore their food and get messy without having to worry about their clothes!
Diapering:
Cloth Diapers (at least 36) - I recommend trying a bunch of different brands that you find on FB Marketplace before investing in a stash! My son was 20lbs by the time he was 4 months on and this limited our options of what fit, which is how we settled with the brand I chose!
Disposable Diapers - Even when families plan on cloth diapering, sometimes they choose to utilize a diaper service or disposables for the first few weeks. Some considerations for disposables would be scented vs unscented (hint… unscented is best!), biodegradable vs conventional, fit, etc.
Pail Liners - Pop these into any bucket or open garbage can and then turn it inside out into your washer each time you wash your diapers! Mine are still holding up, 3 years and counting.
Swim Diaper - Even if you’re not cloth diapering, many families still choose reusable swim diapers because their purpose is only to catch poo and they let pee out more freely than their disposable counterparts.
Wipes - You can stock up on even more washcloths and forgo using disposable wipes at all, but most families will want at least some. I find Pampers and Huggies quite breakable so Costco or Hello Bello are my pick!
Wet Bags - Perfect for your on the go diaper changes; one pocket for your wipes and clean diapers, one pocket for the soiled ones.
Baby Bum Brush - This is quite possibly my most recommended item. Diaper creams are designed to keep moisture away from the skin, which means they are incredibly difficult to get off of skin, so using your finger to apply your baby’s cream makes for some difficult clean up.
Diaper Cream - You do not need to use diaper cream necessarily. If your baby ends up with sensitive skin and needs it, 40% of zinc oxide is necessary to be a strong enough barrier.
Diaper Caddy - Keep all your essentials nearby!
Bathing:
Baby Tub - There isn’t one I necessarily recommend. I haven’t found one stand out over another. I do recommend getting one though (probably from FB Marketplace yet again) so you can do baths for the first few months without having to lean into your bathtub. If you have a large vanity in your bathroom and are doing the bath with a partner, it can be a safe option that saves your back and knees some pain.
Unscented Wash - This is harder to find than you’d think. I recommend Hello Bello just because it’s easy to find. Live Clean and other popular companies are actually scented. Make sure you’re always reading packaging thoroughly.
Soft Toothbrush - Any adult soft toothbrush is my favourite preventative tool against cradle cap! Whenever you bathe your baby, just gently scrub some suds onto their scalp with the soft toothbrush. My son never had it!
Coconut Oil - You don’t need baby lotion, you don’t need baby oil! Babies eat their hands as a feeding cue, and if you’re putting lotion on them, even a natural one, those ingredients are going to be eaten. Coconut oil is a safe, moisture rich alternative and I like it because it is solid so you can easily take only what you need without spilling.
Electric Nail Clippers - Trimming baby nails can be nerve-wracking. I highly recommend trying something like this instead of manual clippers.
Hygiene Kit - Some basic essentials!
Nursery/Bedroom:
Crib - I highly recommend forgoing the bassinet, and making a sidecar crib. You can easily do this with most cribs and it means you and baby get your own sleep surfaces but they are always nearby, usually resulting in much for sleep for all.
Change Pad - I highly recommend getting a lower dresser instead of a change table and then you can put all the baby clothes and diaper supplies that you need in the drawers and continue to use it even after they’re out of diapers!
Pant/Shirt Hangers - As you collect more clothes for stores, your collection of hangers will grow. However, if you’re prioritizing Marketplace bundles or hand-me-downs, you’ll probably need some to get you started.
Drawer Organizer - Baby socks are tiny! This will help you keep track of them.
Over the Door Organizer - You can never have enough storage!
Out & About:
Stroller/Travel System - If it is within your budget, I highly recommend getting a travel system. This usually includes a stroller, bucket car seat, and adapters. That being said, you can usually find strollers for very very cheap on Marketplace and then perhaps just invest in the adapters and car seat yourself. The benefits of a travel system would be that you can seamlessly transfer your sleeping baby from the car to the stroller without having to wake them. The downside of bucket infant seats is they have very narrow height and weight restrictions for use, so my son had outgrown it by 4-5 months old. Not necessarily worth the investment long-term, but I loved being able to transfer him so easily in those early days. Another consideration of strollers would be are you planning on having multiple kids at very young ages, such as 2 under 2. The Uppababy Vista operates as both a single and double stroller which is a great feature, but it is extremely heavy to carry which can be a huge drawback. Also try seeing how easy the stroller is to fold up. Can you do it one handed while carrying your baby and lift it into your car trunk? Can you steer it one handed? For this reason, I highly recommend going in person to somewhere like BabiesRUs or Snugglebugz and trying out a bunch of different strollers vs just buying one with good reviews online.
Car Seat - There are many factors to consider when choosing a car seat. I always recommend reaching out to a car seat technician to learn how to install your specific car seat into your specific car. Usually they can help you in person or virtually. You can choose to forgo the bucket seat all together (the only time I recommend getting one is if you’re getting a travel system combo with stroller), as many convertible car seats are able to be used from 5-100lbs. How large is your car? Will there be space between the front seats and the stroller when it is rear facing for the driver to comfortably sit? Are you planning on having multiple kids so need to eventually fit multiple car seats across your back seat? Are you going to leave the carseat in your car once it’s installed or are you planning on transferring it between vehicles? Do you travel lots and if so would you want to use a car seat on the airplane? My family has two car seats, both of which I recommend but for very different purposes. Our Danio is airline approved, folds which makes it easier to carry in the airport (though it is very heavy), it’s narrow with a removable cup holder which makes it good for fitting in a car with multiple car seats, however it is not quick to install. Our Graco is chunky, difficult to carry, has two cup holders that don’t remove, but it takes 2 minutes to install, so we use it in Evo’s or if family/friend is watching my son and needs to put him in their car.
Rain Cover for Stroller - I recommend getting the branded cover option for whichever stroller you buy, but they do make universal options. Living on the West Coast means there are sure to be many times that you’re in the rain with your little.
Diaper Bag - There’s no right answer for this one either. Some things to look out for are water resistant (stroller covers won’t cover the diaper bag), stroller straps, many many pockets, and includes a changing pad mat. This is the one I was gifted, but honestly they all seem to be pretty similar. Mine has held up for 2 years of constant use, and 1 year of occasional use.
Baby Wrap Carrier - 0-3 months especially, these simulate the womb and usually is a magic baby sleep tool. Great for partners to do skin to skin time with baby while doing dishes and playing videos games; also great for birthers to use for bathroom trips when solo parenting.
Structured Carrier - This is great for when your baby is 3+ months old. They love looking out at the world from your point of view.
Toys & Books:
Fisher Price Piano - Ask anyone who has had a baby in the last 5 years; this is quite possibly the only essential play-station for your baby. It grows with your kid, which is a great feature, and helps encourage tummy time in the early days. There’s even videos on Tik Tok dedicated to the soundtrack of this toy.
Skip Hop Activity Centre - There’s some controversy with these stations, as you’re not supposed to have your baby using them for extended periods of time, but I find these are a really nice way to plop your baby somewhere and have your hands free for a few minutes when they are in the phase of being obsessed with standing, even though they are not strong enough to do so unassisted yet. Do you own research and decide what you’re comfortable with. This one can convert into a table which is kind of cool.
Jolly Jumper - Extended use of this station can put too much pressure on babies’ hips, so again, do your research, but these are basically a guaranteed hit, and are super adorable for 15-30 minutes of fun each day.
Bjorn Bouncer - This is great for being able to take bathroom breaks and eat food while solo parenting.
Sandra Boynton Books - My family loves anything by this author!
Hush Now Banshee - This was one of my first gifts from one of my best mom friends. It is a great counting book, entertaining for parents, and insanely high quality. It is a board book but somehow soft??? It’s the little things that matter the most.
Play This Book - This is my son’s favourite book. We got it from the library and he liked it so much I bought us our own copy and one for all our friends’ birthdays.
Poke a Dot Books - Help keep your baby interested in books by having them engage with poking these loud plastic dots as you read!
The Baby Book - This is the only resource you need to be a parent. Save yourself from 4am Googling about what to do if your baby has a fever, co-sleeping, bottle-feeding etc. It covers everything in a very non-judgemental way and was written by doctors.
Jellycats - First thing first, yes the pricing of these is absolutely insane. This is why they are great gifts to receive, because it is hard to stomach the cost. That being said, most stuffed animals are actually age restricted due to small parts like eyes. Jellycats are approved for use from birth and very high quality. They come in wild varieties: foods like lemons, ice cream cones and cauliflower; classics like bunnies, teddy bears, and lambs; and random objects like rainbows, basketballs, and hyacinths.
Miscellaneous:
Baby Tylenol & Motrin - Make sure you get the dye free options. Great for fever, teething and after vaccines.
Nasal Saline Aspirator - Did you know cold medicine is only considered safe for ages 6 and up? Because of this, it is necessary to try and get snot out other ways as this is a great options.
Diffuser/Humidifier - Same as above, using a diffuser (without essential oils as those are considered unsafe until age 2) can help keep snot from clogging babies noses.
Nose Sucker - Once again, same as above. This is another method of snot removal.
Unscented Laundry Soap - This is actually harder to find than you’d think. The “baby” ones are all full of perfume. The one I linked is decently easy to find.
Postpartum Kit - These kits are expensive, but some pampering post delivery is essential. Sometimes you can find them for cheap on Marketplace if someone had a c-section and is trying to get rid of theirs.
Things I Bought & Didn’t Use:
(or didn’t get and wasn’t sad about it)
Bassinet - We bought one used on Marketplace, tried using it for weeks 3 and 4 of my son’s life but it usually resulted in none of us sleeping, despite us trying everything from warming it up first, putting the mattress in one of our T-shirts so it would smell like us, and so much more. If I were to do it all again, I just wouldn’t bother, and would do a side car crib from day one.
Mobile - If my son wouldn’t sleep in a bassinet, you can bet that he wouldn’t fall asleep by himself in a crib. We bought a standard mobile holder and the most beautiful mobile that matched the rest of his nursery. I don’t know if we even used them once.
Breastfeeding/Car Seat Cover - I did use this cover quite a lot in the beginning to try and cover up while breastfeeding. It was so awkward and hot to use, I quickly chose to just forgo it and got more comfortable feeding without a cover. Breastfeeding shirts can be a great alternative as they usually have a flap of privacy. I don’t think we ever used it on my son’s car seat; we wanted to see him, not cover him up.
Baby Swing & Mamaroo - I received the swing on my registry but it never swung fast enough for my son to sooth him, so we would have to manually push him in it. This lead to me trying a Mamaroo but even still, this was not fast enough for him as well. Bouncing on an exercise ball was a much more efficient option.
Bottle Warmer & Sterilizer - Now to be honest, I didn’t know either of these things existed prenatally, but even so I definitely wouldn’t have needed them. At most, my son had one bottle a day for the first 4 months of his life, and at that point he decided he was didn’t want to take them anymore. All to say, it would have been very extra to have either of these devices.
Electric Breast Pump - We did rent a hospital grade pump from London Drugs for the first 11 days of our breastfeeding journey but after that, the Haakaa was more than enough and I am glad we didn’t invest in one.