Registering for a new baby is such an exciting process, but at the same time, it can be so overwhelming. The options, reviews, blog posts, and even the advice just flood in. Especially as a first-time mom, it’s impossible to know what to expect and it’s hard to gauge exactly what your baby, your lifestyle, and your new family are going to need. (Here are some lessons I’ve – sometimes painfully – learned!)

I remember feeling so blessed and loved through the showers, gifts, and advice of our friends and family during my pregnancy, but my eyes glazed over during the registering process. It was exhausting. Now I’m so excited to be on the other side of the equation as some of my dear friends are preparing for their additions.

Disclaimer: we live in a tiny apartment and I knew that space was gong to be at a minimum when I was registering. This list reflects a need to maximize space and function.

1. Fisher-Price Rock n’ Play Sleeper.

This item literally saved our lives and our sanity. When Miles was three weeks old and we had just moved into our new apartment, he refused to sleep on a flat surface. We took turns holding him every hour of the night for two nights in a row. I almost had a nervous breakdown. How was it possible that our baby literally wouldn’t go to sleep??

The next day, we marched over to Target ready to pay any amount of money for products that would promise to put our little alert baby to sleep. But the Rock-and-Play saved the day without a huge investment*. Bonus, it’s also tiny and easily portable. It fit nicely next to our bed and we started carrying it with us on overnight car trips.

Note: I called our pediatrician to make sure that it was ok for Miles to sleep all night in the Rock-and-Play. Because it keeps the baby’s head at an angle, it could potentially be a poor sleeping choice for a brand new infant that can’t lift his or her own head. Always check with your pediatrician about your baby’s sleeping arrangements.

2. Graco Snug-Ride Click-Connect 35 stroller, car-seat and base.

This was not the most expensive choice, nor the most beautiful, nor the longest-lasting on the market, I’m sure. But we absolutely love our Click-Connect set. We used it countless times and still use it on a daily basis. The stroller is light enough for me to easily lift in and out of the car and over steps. The snap-system means that I don’t have to wake Miles up to move him from his carseat when he’s sleeping. (With a demanding sleeper who would consistently sleep in the car if nowhere else, this was a life-saver.) The car-seat base is a lifesaver during the week. If I had to pick another infant stroller, I’d choose this one again.

3.The First Years Bathtub.

I tried to get around this one, ended up buying it, and wish I’d bought it right at the beginning. Bathing an infant can be sort of scary, but this tub has a nice net nest for an infant. It’s not the most space-efficient piece out there (which is why I avoided it in the first place), but it slides easily under a bed.

4.Carter’s swaddle blankets.

Buy all of these. I can’t get enough of Carter’s wonderful blankets. They come in 2-packs; they are soft and big enough to cozily swaddle an infant. They mix and match nicely with the Carter’s clothing so that Baby looks snazzy. They are inexpensive and wash wonderfully.

5.Dream on Me 2-in-1 crib.

This crib is the perfect scale for our tiny bedrooms. It also is narrow enough to slide through our doorways, so when we moved Miles into the other bedroom recently, I (i.e., Mark) didn’t have to reassemble the entire thing. Mark built it in about an hour. The quality of the wood is meh – I don’t think it’s going to last 100 years. I think Miles may outgrow it a little faster than he would have outgrown a bigger crib. But if you’re looking for something that is not enormous or a huge investment and that doesn’t require it’s own zip code, I highly recommend this one.

6.Graco bouncer.

Again, there are bigger, better, flashier versions of this on the market. I wanted something simple and small. This was where we put Miles when we came home from the hospital. He still (at 7 months) likes to sit in it for his meals or while he hangs out and watches me cook or work. The cover is easily removable and washable. We never really used the white-noise function, but the vibrating feature has come in handy.

7.Medela manual pump.

The whole nursing/bottle issue is so personal, but I would never have imagined the use I’ve gotten out of this simple, inexpensive piece of equipment. Miles is entirely breast-fed with the occasional pumped bottle. I was nervous about pumping early on when Miles and I were getting used to the process. But if I had to do it all over again, I would have started pumping earlier. Regardless, this manual pump was a lifesaver on several occasions and allowed me to get some sleep while someone else fed Miles and stockpile a supply of bottles for babysitting or emergencies.

8.Evenflo 4 oz bottles.

This is sort of a given from #7. Miles definitely prefers the tiny Evenflo bottles. I liked the glass, both for cleaning and aesthetic reasons. (They’re so cute and classy!)

9.Infantino gym.

This was one of those “why didn’t we know you need this?” purchases. I wish I had registered for one of these – Miles loved it and has spent so much time on both his tummy and his back on this colorful mat. You can buy gyms that are more chic and sleek, but he loved the colors and his animal “friends”. Also, I loved that you can buy other animals or attachments for it or un-clip the animals and attach them to the stroller.

10.Ergo Carrier.

If I listed one thing on a baby registry, this would be it. We have used our Ergo on so many occasions. It was a little big for Miles at the beginning (but he was a small baby), so the infant insert may have been a good idea. When he was having trouble napping and sleeping, the Ergo came to our rescue many times. I often find myself choosing to take the Ergo places instead of the stroller because it’s so comfortable and convenient for both of us. I wondered if Miles would outgrow it too quickly, but at 7 months (and about 20 pounds), it is still going strong. I’ve also been able to wash it (albeit selectively), which is nice.

Preparing for the next stage as well? Check out my list of must-haves for the 3-6 month phase.

Your turn! What are your infant registry must-haves? What did I miss?

*Disclaimer: There are sponsored links in this post, but I only promote books or products that I actually use, love, or recommend.

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