Even though we are very much still considered to be “new parents,” there are a few products that I already feel are absolutely essential to recommend to anyone who is about to bring home a new baby. Here are our favorite baby registry must haves!
1. Skip Hop Baby Changing Pad
If you only choose one of these items for your registry, choose this one. Seriously, Barry and I agree that this totally tops our list of baby registry must haves! I can say with certainty that you need a wipe-clean changing pad for your baby’s nursery. I repeat – you absolutely NEED one! After using this changing pad for almost three months, I can safely say that it’s probably my top most recommended item for other new moms-to-be. When I think back to how many times in the three short months of Chloe’s life that pee and poop have gotten on this pad, I laugh (read: it’s happened a TON). If I would have had to strip the sheet off of a plush changing pad and wash it each time this happened, I would NOT have been a happy camper (especially during those dreaded 3am diaper changes!)
If the pad does get dirty (trust me, it will), simply wipe it down thoroughly with a disinfecting wipe or spray, and you’re good to go! It couldn’t be easier. The mobile is an added bonus to keep baby entertained, and the higher side edges and safety belt help to ensure that baby stays safely secured to the pad.
2. Fansidi Baby Nail Trimmer
I cannot recommend this gadget enough – it takes all of the worry out of trimming baby’s nails! The thought of trying to use a traditional nail clipper on my squirmy baby was enough to make me feel incredibly anxious (I’ve heard so many horror stories of parents accidentally nicking their baby – no thank you!) so this nail trimmer has been awesome. Simply choose the correct infant attachment (pink, green, or blue), pop it onto the body, and run it over baby’s nails until they reach the desired length. The attachments are totally harmless, so if they rub on baby’s skin, it’s no big deal (try it on yourself!) It’s a total game-changer.
3. Dreambaby Room & Bath Thermometer
File this under the items-that-I-didn’t-think-were-necessary-before-I-had-a-baby category…but are actually really necessary. 🙂 As soon as I was able to bathe Chloe in her infant tub, my main concern was making sure that the water was the appropriate temperature. I quickly realized that what feels good to me, may not be appropriate for baby.
The bath thermometer was the perfect solution and took out all of the guess work. Simply turn it on and place it in the base of your tub (I always float it directly under the faucet). Within seconds, it provides a temperature reading (approximately 100 degrees F is appropriate for babies) and either a blinking red or green light to alert you if the water is too hot, or within the safe zone. Easy peasy! As an added bonus, when Chloe is older, it will double as a fun bath toy.
4. Boppy Newborn Lounger
One thing that people don’t tell you about having a newborn baby is how much you will value having somewhere safe to put baby down onto. Seriously, even if it’s just to give your arms a five-minute break from rocking baby, a safe spot for baby to relax on is golden (especially in the early weeks).
We’ve used the Boppy Newborn Lounger daily since Chloe was born, and it’s been the perfect spot to pop her onto while we prepare meals, clean, answer emails, etc. The fact that it’s light and portable is a plus, since it’s super easy to carry from room-to-room. It’s also easy to care for (it’s washing machine-friendly, and dries nicely in the dryer. Just add a clean sneaker into the dryer with it (I put one into a dryer-safe garment bag) as per the instructions on the tag so that it’ll keep its shape, and you’re good to go. And for those elephant-obsessed individuals (like my husband)…the Elephant Love Gray print cannot be beat. 🙂
5. OXO Tot Perfect Pull Wipes Dispenser
I always laugh whenever I use this wipes dispenser (which is every single day) because originally, Barry questioned its practicality. “But what’s the point of it?” he said when we were setting up Chloe’s nursery before she arrived. I tried explaining to him that the weighted insert keeps the wipes from bunching up (anyone who has used a disposable wipes pack knows the struggle!) and forces only one wipe to come out at a time, which would be much appreciated when trying to wrangle baby and grab a wipe with one hand. I even read some of the online reviews for the product to him to try to help my case. Still, he wasn’t budging on his thought that this was a wasted purchase.
Fast forward a month to when we were out and about running errands. Chloe was wriggling on our travel changing pad, covered in poop…and Barry was trying to hold her feet up with one hand and get a wipe out of a disposable wipes bag with another (but instead getting 2-3 wipes stuck together with each pull). He looked over at me and said, “Now I understand the purpose of the wipes dispenser…this is annoying!” Because allowing you to pull out one wipe at a time, this dispenser keeps the wipes fresh, and it looks great on the changing table!
6. Dr. Brown’s Microwave Steam Sterilizer Bags
These microwave sterilizer bags are cheap (under $6 for 5 bags, and each bag can be used 20 times) and extremely convenient. They’re perfect for sterilizing everything, from breast pump parts to bottles, to pacifiers and toys…we find ourselves reaching for them often. Simply place the items you’d like sterilized into the sterilizer bag, add some water, seal, and pop the whole thing in the microwave…in just a couple of minutes, you’ll have sterilized items ready for use! It couldn’t be easier, and anything that allows us to avoid having to break out a big pot of water to sterilize items (or take up valuable counter space with an electric sterilizer) is a win in our book!
*Bonus: Baby Tracker App
This is technically not a registry item, but we’ve used this app so much since day one that it most definitely deserves a mention! The Baby Tracker App allows you to easily track feedings, diaper changes, sleep, growth records, pumping sessions (if you’re breastfeeding)…the list goes on and on.
I vividly remember our early doctor’s appointments for Chloe, and her pediatrician asked us how many ounces she was drinking in a day, how many dirty diapers she was having, how many hours she was sleeping…and it was so easy to just whip out my phone and have detailed records of everything. Seriously, in the thick of the newborn haze while running on only a couple hours of sleep…you don’t want to have to do any more thinking than you have to. 😉 I literally don’t know what I’d do without this app.
As Chloe’s gotten a bit older, it’s been fun to look back at the data from the early days and see how much things have changed in these past few months. It’s also been incredibly helpful for analyzing her sleep patterns (particularly, what worked on the days that she ended up sleeping through the night!)
The best feature of all is that this app is completely free! There is a paid version that offers a few extra features, but I haven’t found the need to purchase it, as the free version gives me everything I need.
And there you have it – what we consider to be baby registry must haves that make life with a newborn much easier and more enjoyable!
What are your baby registry must haves?
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Great list of healthy list must have a baby registery . when i always use with my baby, As I carry most of the product in the list while traveling and the must carry is to always have bulk wet wipes dispenser and hand sanitizer. Thanks for sharing.