The Baby Registry
The Only Baby Registry You Actually Need (For the First Eight Weeks)
Let's talk about the registry.
The moment your pregnancy becomes public knowledge, everyone has an opinion about what you need. Instagram serves you ads for $400 bassinets. Well-meaning family members forward you "must-have" lists. And somewhere underneath all of that noise, you're trying to figure out what you genuinely need to buy before a baby arrives in your house.
Here's the truth: babies need very little. Food, a safe place to sleep, diapers, a few clothes, and to be held and loved. Everything else is optional. The baby industry has done an extraordinary job of making you feel otherwise — because anxious parents spend money. But you don't have to play that game.
A few things to know before you dive in:
Ask for gift receipts on everything. There will be trial and error — especially with diapers, bottles, and feeding supplies. You won't know what your baby likes until they arrive, so keep your options open.
Don't stock up on diapers before you find your brand. Buy a variety of newborn sizes, find the one that works, then bulk up on that one.
Having less stuff frees up money for infrastructure. A night doula. A house cleaner. Meal delivery for the first six weeks. These are the things that will actually make your life manageable in those first weeks — and they matter more than any product on any list. You'll see those options at the bottom.
The Registry:
Health & Wellness
Rectal thermometer
Snot sucker (buy the electric one if you can)
Electric nail file
Humidifier
Saline nose spray
Infant Tylenol
Soft bristle brush for hair and cradle cap
Baby bath
Fragrance-free baby soap
Bath towels
Vaseline or Aquaphor
Diapering
Newborn diapers (a variety of brands until you find your favorite)
Wipe-clean changing mat(s)
Wipes or Water Wipes
Desitin/diaper rash cream
Diaper bag with bottle cooler pocket
Diaper pail(s)
Playing
Play gym/mat(s)
Bouncer(s)
Board books (printed on cardboard)
High-contrast toys/cards
Optional: for warm weather, a shaded playpen
Clothing
A note before you buy: 0–3M clothes do not fit a zero-month-old baby. Despite what the label says, even 0–3M can be too big on a newborn — we only bought 0–3M and had to run out to get newborn clothes with a large baby. Buy both sizes.
How many clothes you need depends on your laundry situation. Babies go through two to three outfit changes a day on average. Do the math honestly — if you do laundry every five days, you need about fifteen outfit changes. Buy for your real laundry cadence, not your aspirational one.
Newborn and 0–3M baby clothes based on your season and preferred laundry schedule
Winter babies: hats and a warm snowsuit in both newborn and 0–3M sizes
Summer babies: a sun hat and UV-blocking clothing (babies cannot wear sunscreen until six months old)
Feeding
Before baby gets here:
A few different types of bottles
A breast pump
One hands-free pumping bra
A few nursing tank tops with a built-in bra
A drying rack just for bottles
Bottle soap and sponges
Formula (yes, even if you plan to breastfeed — have it on hand)
Nursing pillow
Optional splurge: Baby Brezza Bottle Washer (if you don't have a dishwasher)
After baby gets here, once you know what's working:
Two days' worth of your bottle of choice
Multiple sets of pump parts with correctly sized flanges
Breastfeeding clothes or covers
Nursing and pumping bras if you are breastfeeding
Sleep
Bassinet (the baby sleeps in your room, not the nursery, for the first several months — this is the priority)
Crib and/or travel crib
Crib mattress (not needed if buying a travel crib — they usually come with one)
Bassinet and crib sheets
Swaddles
White noise machine(s)
Baby monitor
Baby monitor camera stand (if it doesn't come with one)
Rocker
Travel
Car seat (you cannot leave the hospital without one — never buy used)
Stroller (or car seat + stroller combo)
Car seat mirror
Sleeping bag sack or stroller fan, for extreme temps
Baby carrier
Infrastructure Registry Ideas
This is the section most registries leave out — and the one that will actually get you through those first weeks. Registries like Babylist have cash fund options, which means instead of — or in addition to — products, your people can contribute directly to the support that will change your quality of life.
Night doula
House cleaner
Dog walker
Laundry service
Babysitter fund
Meal delivery service
Your family and friends want to help and often don't know how. This gives them a way to do it that actually matters.
The Bottom Line
A registry is a wish list, not a requirement. You are not a bad parent if you don't have everything on it before the baby arrives. You can get almost anything delivered in 24 hours once you know what you actually need.
The goal is to have the basics covered, leave room for trial and error, and free up money and energy for the support that will sustain you through those first eight weeks.
If you want to know not just what to buy but when to buy it — and what you can safely ignore until you actually need it — that's exactly what the Need-to-Know course is built around. Week-by-week guidance delivered based on where you are in your pregnancy, so the right information arrives at the right time.
