Baby Registry Must-Haves
Confused about what to put on your baby registry? Here's Shanna and Laura's list of tried-and-true baby items that they think belong on every baby registry! We'll be updating this list as we think of more great products we couldn't live without -- check back soon!
Both Shanna and Laura used Amazon Baby Registries for their showers -- it's honestly the easiest way to set up a registry for you and your guests. Most of the links below are Amazon, so you can click through and add directly to your registry, easy peasy!
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Activity Mat
This activity mat provides many sounds and textures to keep baby interested in back time and tummy time!
View on Amazonaden + anais Classic Sleeping Bag
100% Cotton muslin sleep sack is the lightest sack I’ve found, and super comfortable!
View on AmazonAquaphor Baby Healing Ointment
Aquaphor is amazing for baby skin troubles, from drool rash, to diaper rash, to dry, rough skin. Shanna uses this religiously for her two daughters!
View on AmazonAveeno Baby Calming Comfort Moisturizing Lotion with Lavender, Vanilla and Natural Oatmeal
Lather this on your fresh-outta-the-bath baby. It smells so good!
View on AmazonAveeno Baby Gentle Wash & Shampoo
Shanna’s favorite baby body wash and shampoo. Great for babies with sensitive skin!
View on AmazonBaby Care Play Mat
Laura wishes she had this from the beginning — laying out quilts and blankets got old really fast. This mat is reversible, non-toxic, and has great cushion for tummy-time and play.
View on AmazonBabyBliss Reusable Bamboo Nursing Pads
These reusable nursing pads are soft, comfortable and absorbent.
View on AmazonBabyganics All Purpose Surface Wipes
These are great for cleaning surfaces that baby might come into contact with. Great for wiping down toys, high chairs, furniture, etc!
View on AmazonBag Nation Diaper Bag Backpack with Stroller Straps, Changing Pad and Sundry Bag
This diaper backpack has a ton of compartments and comes with a changing pad and convenient little diaper kit case. It also clips on to your stroller!
View on AmazonBeco Gemini Baby Carrier
Shanna’s favorite baby carrier — and she’s tried a lot! She loves that it doesn’t require an infant insert, and that you can carry baby in many different positions.
View on AmazonBib-On Full Coverage Bibs
Shanna loves these full-coverage bibs for her girls. They also come in handy in the car if you have a baby that gets car sick.
View on AmazonBunny Night Light
This adorable LED nursery night light is a great source of dim light for nighttime feeds.
View on AmazonBurpy Bibs
Burp cloths that double as bibs ‚ — awesome if you have a “happy spitter” like Laura does!
View on AmazonCalifornia Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo & Body Wash
Really nice baby shampoo and body wash.
View on AmazonChicco Keyfit 30 Carseat
I love how easy it is to snap this carseat in and out of the base. If baby falls sleep in the car, you can just snap the seat out and carry it inside and never have to wake him or her!
View on AmazonChicco Keyfit Caddy
Snap the Keyfit 30 into here, and you’re ready to go for a stroll!
View on AmazonClingy Car Window Shades
These stick on without any adhesive and stay put. Great for keeping sun out of baby’s eyes while in the car.
View on AmazonConvertible Crib
This crib grows with your child through the years. Plus it’s sturdy and cute!
View on AmazonDohm White Noise Machine
This white noise machine is pleasing to the ear (not a harsh, digital sound) and blocks out extraneous noise that might wake the baby.
View on AmazonDr. Brown’s Dishwasher Basket
If you use Dr. Brown’s bottles and have a dishwasher, you definitely will want one or more of these. Dr. Brown’s bottles are amazing, but hand-washing all those components SUUUUUUCKS. Pop ’em in this basket and stick it in the dishwasher. Voila! You have several hours of your life back!
View on AmazonDr. Brown’s Original Bottles
Sure, they have lots of little parts, but they helped reduce spitup and gas in Laura’s baby, so it’s worth it!
View on AmazonElectric Steam Sterilizer
If you have the counter space, a steam sterilizer is so convenient to have.
View on Amazoneufy Security Video Baby Monitor
This is the NY Times’ Wirecutter pick for best video monitor in 2019. It has a huge, clear screen, and isn’t wifi-dependent, so it works even if your wifi goes out. The camera and monitor are both powered by micro-USB, so you can even use this with a battery pack if your power goes out.
View on AmazonFisher-Price 4-in-1 Sling ‘N Seat Tub
It’s a bathtub that fits in your sink or in your tub (or on the floor, I guess!). It has a newborn sling and transitions to a sitting tub when the baby is ready.
View on AmazonHaakaa Manual Breast Pump
The Haakaa is a must-have for nursing moms! It makes collecting extra breastmilk so easy.
View on AmazonHALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper Bassinet
Gorgeous and sturdy bassinet that adjusts to the height of your bed so baby is easy to retrieve for those nighttime feedings.
View on AmazonHalo Sleepsack Wearable Blanket
Shanna’s favorite wearable blanket for baby that has transitioned out of swaddles and the Merlin.
View on AmazonHello Baby – Baby Monitor
Budget-friendly monitor that is reliable and doesn’t need wifi to work. Shanna has used this for both babies, and her favorite feature is VOX mode — the monitor only comes on when baby makes a sound.
View on AmazonHudson Baby Unisex Baby Cotton Bodysuit
Newborns don’t need much in the way of clothing, but bodysuits (aka “onesies”) are a must!
View on AmazonIngenuity Baby Seat
Shanna started using this seat when her baby was four months old and desperate to sit up and see the world but still needed some support. The feeding tray has come in very handy since she started eating solids. Strap this seat to a dining chair, and baby can sit at the table and eat with the family!
View on AmazonKeekaroo High Chair
This stylish high chair grows with your baby and is less expensive than the similar Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair.
View on AmazonLansinoh Lanolin Nipple Cream
This saved Laura’s early breastfeeding days from being painful! Bring this to the hospital with you!
View on AmazonLuvable Friends Unisex Baby Socks
Gotta keep those teeny tooties warm!! These socks are soft and cozy and adorable. They come in lots of different styles and patterns.
View on AmazonManhattan Toy Winkel Rattle & Sensory Teether
Great toy for young babies just learning how to grasp things.
View on AmazonMatimati Baby Bandana Bibs
Cute, stylish bibs that help keep a happy spitter’s clothes clean!
View on AmazonMerlin Magic Sleepsuit
A great transition after baby no longer uses swaddles. It helped Shanna’s first baby learn to sleep through the night.
View on AmazonMoby Classic Baby Wrap
Stretchy, soft, wrap-style baby carrier that’s a life saver during the newborn phase. Babies love napping in this!
View on AmazonMy Brest Friend Nursing Pillow
If you’re going to breastfeed you need this pillow! It’s a life saver!
View on AmazonNoseFrida Nasal Aspirator
What’s more fun than using your mouth to suck snot out of your baby’s nose?! Answer: EVERYTHING. But, this device works great when babies are stuffed up. Shanna’s older daughter has even learned to use it on herself!
View on AmazonNUK Comfy Orthodontic Pacifiers
Made of 100% silicone, these are soft if baby rolls over onto them.
View on AmazonOwlet Dream Sock
This little device helped ease Laura’s mind (and stop her from checking if her baby was breathing 2000x/night).
View on AmazonOxo Baby Wipes Dispenser
This is a great hands-free way to have wipes available at your changing table.
View on AmazonOXO Tot On-The-Go Wipes Dispenser
Perfect small wipes dispenser to throw into your diaper bag.
View on AmazonOXO Tot Space Saving Drying Rack
Vertical drying rack helps clear up counter space and is great for bottles and pumping parts.
View on AmazonPack and Play
The Pack and Play offers a safe, flat surface for baby to play, kick and roll around in so you can take a moment to yourself to get a cup of coffee or (imagine this) go to the bathroom alone!! It’s a great place for introducing babies to independent play, since it gives them space to move their bodies and check out their surroundings. Also, it transitions with age and is a perfect travel crib for out-of-town trips!
View on AmazonPampers Aqua Pure Sensitive Water Baby Diaper Wipes
Laura’s favorite butt wipes that don’t irritate the baby and clean well.
View on AmazonPampers Swaddlers – Size 1
Shanna and Laura both loved using Pampers Swaddlers for their newborns. We recommend registering for Size 1 diapers since babies grow out of the Newborn size so quickly!
View on AmazonRotary Baby Nail Trimmer
So much easier and safer than using normal baby nail trimmers!
View on AmazonSafety 1st Heavenly Dreams Crib Mattress
Firm and affordably priced mattress that is highly reviewed.
View on AmazonSimple Joys by Carter’s Baby Boys’ 6-Pack Short-Sleeve Bodysuit
Newborns don’t need much in the way of clothing, but bodysuits (aka “onesies”) are a must!
View on AmazonSimple Joys by Carter’s Baby Girls’ 6-Pack Short-Sleeve Bodysuit
Newborns don’t need much in the way of clothing, but bodysuits (aka “onesies”) are a must!
View on AmazonSimple Wishes Hands-Free Pumping Bra
If you plan to pump, you are going to want this. Without it, you will need to hold the pumps on your breasts, and then you will have zero hands free to scroll through your phone (the horror!).
View on AmazonSlipcover for My Brest Friend
Laura wishes she had registered for an additional cover for her nursing pillow — you need backup when you have a happy spitter!
View on AmazonSoft-Bite Infant Spoons
Cute spoons with metal handles and silicon tips that babies like to gum on. They are nice and shallow, so great for feeding young babies purees!
View on AmazonSophie the Giraffe
Great teether for babies! Perfect size for their little hands to grasp.
View on AmazonSpasilk 23-Piece Essential Baby Bath Gift Set
Gotta get hooded towels for your little sweetie, because nothing is cuter than a baby peeking out from a bath towel! Also, they are good for drying the baby off after baths, I suppose. 😉
View on AmazonSpectra S1 Breast Pump
Really great pump that’s easy to use, comfortable, and runs on a battery!
View on AmazonStretchy Changing Pad Covers for Boys Girls
These soft and adorable changing pad covers fit most standard changing pads and help keep baby comfortable during diaper changes so they don’t have to lay on a plasticky, waterproof pad.
View on AmazonSummer Infant Contoured Changing Pad
Affordable changing pad that Shanna uses on top of an Ikea dresser to create a changing station.
View on AmazonThe Original Cushy Closer Door Cushion | No More Noisy Doors!
Use this item to quietly enter and exit your baby’s nursery without the clicks and squeaks of the door latch. Shanna uses them for both of her daughters’ bedroom doors because she likes to sneak up on her kids. Bwahahahaha! Just kidding. It’s mostly great for when you are quietly closing the door after your baby is asleep and you don’t want the latch to wake him or her.
View on AmazonTummy Time Floor Mirror
Babies love looking at themselves during tummy time. This is a soft, lightweight, safe mirror you can prop in front of baby to help them stay in tummy time longer!
View on AmazonVava Night Lights
These little egg-shaped, touch-enabled LED lights don’t emit any blue light and can be set super dim, so they don’t wake up your baby during 3am diaper changes.
View on AmazonWindsor Glider and Ottoman
There are many wonderful rocking chairs and gliders out there, but this one is reasonably priced, comfortable, and has been with Shanna through both her babies.
View on Amazon