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How to Create the Perfect Baby Registry

Creating a baby registry can be overwhelming if it’s your first child. You have to balance finding the things that are necessities with safety, and you might also want to throw some fun things in there as well.

There are some decisions that are especially important—for example, the car seat you choose. You’ll want to think about the safety of the car seat based on testing outcomes, and you’ll want an option that’s going to grow with your baby.

Then you’ll have to think about whether you plan to breastfeed, formula feed or both, because that will play a role in the specifics of your registry, plus you’ll want to consider the prices of items because you don’t want all your friends and family to feel obligated to spend a lot.

The following are some tips that can help you get started as you create a baby registry.

Register Online and In-Store

You can opt to register for your items the old-fashioned way (in-store), or you can do it online. It’s best to do both because you’ll find different inventories depending on the option you choose.

Also, there are some things that are easy to register for online, such as plain basic onesies. On the other hand, there are some things you’re going to want to register for in-person such as car seats and strollers so you can see them and get a feel for them.

Mix It Up Between Big and Small Items

When you’re creating your registry, it’s a good idea to mix it up and have a combination of both big and small items. You might register for things that cost just a few dollars, but you’ll also want to add your big-ticket items, such as a glider, or a stroller. This gives someone options regardless of their budget.

You might think no one is going to get you the big items if you include them on your registry, but people will often pool their money to get those things.

Be smart with the splurges and take your time picking these items because you may end up using them for years.

Think Long-Term

One of the biggest mistakes when creating a registry is the tendency to think only about the short-term and not the longer-term.

Think about a few months or even more out from the birth of your baby and what you might need then.

The newborn days are very short, and if you only put items you’ll need during that time on your registry, you’re going to be getting a lot of other baby gear.

Don’t Include Too Many Clothes and Blankets

There are certain items people are going to buy you regardless of what you put on your registry and namely, that includes clothes and blankets as well as baby toys. People tend to have fun picking these items out on their own, so you probably don’t need to put a lot of these on your registry.

Start Early

It can actually be a good idea to start your registry pretty early on in your pregnancy—maybe after your first trimester. This will give you a chance to do your research and figure out what to put ton there without being rushed or overwhelmed.

You can also view your registry as a work in progress—you don’t have to have everything included and perfect as soon as you make it.

However, if you use an Amazon registry, you can mark items as priority so that your friends and family will buy them first, and this can help you get the nursery done well in advance of your baby’s arrival if you’d like to.

Ask Other Moms

If you register for a lot of things you don’t need or aren’t going to use, then you’re faced with a storage issue as well. It’s best to streamline your registry and identify the things you need, and a good way to do that is to talk to other moms.

Ask your mom friends, coworkers and acquaintances what they had during the baby years they couldn’t live without, versus those things that they didn’t need and wish they hadn’t registered for.

Finally, when you’re creating your registry, you should also think about the fact that the items you choose are going to be used in a different season than the one you’re currently in. Think about the clothes and gear you’ll need during the season your baby is set to arrive.

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