The Baby Registry Essentials Checklist

Working out what to include in your baby registry can be overwhelming. I don’t want to be just another voice in the parenting world - I want to truly simplify preparing for your baby. 

Here are my suggested products and items to consider to go along with your essential baby registry checklist.

If you want, you can stop reading right now and click here to download your checklist. It’s the only checklist you’ll need. For real. Get these items and you are ready to welcome your little one into the world. 

Here are some of my recommendations for items on the Baby Gear Essentials Checklist. 

Sleep Space

Crib? Bassinet? Pack n Play? We were given a crib and bassinet, plus we bought a pack n play. We’ve done it all.

I recommend skipping the bassinet and using a pack n play initially. The bassinet just won’t last. Once your baby starts rolling (usually between 4-6 months), you have to swap to something else anyway.

The pack n play is also super helpful for travel. We’ve used this for every trip and it’s worth it’s weight in gold, combined with a Slumberpod for travel. It also provides a safe sleep space at grandma’s or a nap while you have coffee at a friend’s house. It’s versatile and will last you almost as long as a crib. It’s not the prettiest in your room but it can save you money serving as a bassinet replacement if you get the version with the bassinet insert.

As for a crib, it’s kinda a no-brainer for me. A crib fits our lifestyle since our little one has their own room and this provides a safe sleep space. I’d keep my baby in his crib until he’s 21 if it were up to me. When purchasing a crib, if you buy new, they’re regulated for safety so just pick one that fits your budget and style.

Swaddles 

I could never work out the proper technique to use a blanket so our little escape artist would get his arms out within seconds. Remember, you’ll be sleep deprived so save yourself the trouble! If I were to recommend two swaddles out of the myriad of options, it would be:

The Love to Dream style allows for hands to be up by their face. This was the winner for our little guy. 

The Ollie Swaddle is the Rolls Royce of the swaddle world and I wish I’d known about it before our little one was born. I have talked to so many parents who LOVE this swaddle. 

I would recommend getting one muslin swaddle blanket that you absolutely love for photos. If you have a baby shower, you will likely receive some muslin swaddle blankets whether they’re on your registry or not. They are super helpful for a clean play-space when your baby is a little older but for the newborn stage, I’d stick with using these as a backdrop for baby photos rather than sleep.

Sleep Sacks 

Save yourself from buying multiple sleep sacks in different sizes and weights: Get a wool sleep sack.

We love our Woolino sleep sacks. We have two (accidents happen) and because the wool regulates temperature so well, they’re ALL we need. Their normal size works from 2 months to 2 years (we have tested this and it’s true!). They’re more expensive, but you only need two so it saves you in the end. 

Baby Carrier 

Initially, I loved the Solly Wrap - it’s a wonderful wrap carrier for the newborn stage. It’s soft and cuddly and perfect for the newborn days when you need your arms free.

However, after pregnancy destroying my core, once H grew a bit, I needed the extra back support that the Baby Bjorn carrier provided. If you can only purchase one type of carrier, I’d go with this as it has a bit more longevity.

Diaper Pail 

There are some strong opinions on this one. Initially, we had the Diaper Genie Elite. We loved it. The bags are expensive, but they’re what contain the odor so it’s a trade off.

A while later, we moved and got a new diaper pail. We decided to go with the Ubbi this time. We wanted to be able to use kitchen bags and stop buying the expensive refills. In that way, it’s wonderful.

But let me tell you… the SMELL when changing the bag… The reviews telling you to change the bag outside, they’re right. Please listen. I would also add, make sure you’re up-wind of the pail when you change the bag.

For ease of changing the bag, I would go with the Diaper Genie Elite every time but the cost of the replacement bags adds up over time, so it’s entirely up to you and your lifestyle. Just know: the bag changing is truly awful with the Ubbi. 

Clothing 

The only thing you need to know: Choose zippers. 

Ideally two-way zippers.  Trust me. Snaps are cute but they are useless at 3am. Only get PJs with zippers. 

Bottles

Your baby will have preferences. When it comes to bottles, I highly recommend getting a sampler box (Canada / US). 

Wait until your baby has chosen a preferred bottle then stock up on all the bottles. When you do, make sure to get all the nipple sizes. There will come a day where out of nowhere your baby will only drink a little bit of their milk then get frustrated… The first time, it took us 3 days to work out that we needed to change the nipple size. It’s worth having these on hand because it’ll happen suddenly and you don't want to wait for shipping. 

Formula 

If you go the formula route, I highly recommend picking the brand that is cheapest and most easily found to start. If your baby responds well, don’t change it. If they react, then try the next step up (and on and on). But start out with the cheapest, easiest to find option - we went with the Walmart Parent’s Choice brand because it was easily accessible and the cheapest option at the time. 

On that note, if you’re going the formula route, for quality of life, I highly recommend the Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advance and the Sanitizer. They make formula SO easy to manage. The sanitizer sanitizes AND dries all at once so it’s my number one pick. The Formula Pro Advance means a ready-made bottle in under 3 seconds with just the press of a button (it’s like a baby Keurig). These were truly our most used items in the first year and they saved so many headaches. 

Top Tip: I recommend not warming the water initially to see if your baby will take their bottle at room temperature. It makes on-the-go feeding so much easier and means you’re not searching for warm water at an airport. 

Car Seat & Stroller

This is probably the decision that causes the most angst for expectant parents. It’s a whole world. My advice: If you have your heart set on a certain stroller, get the car-seat that is compatible. Same thing on the other end: If your heart is set on a certain car seat, get a stroller that is compatible. 

Rest assured: Car seats are highly regulated. The important thing is to install it correctly. 

Strollers are highly dependent on lifestyle. One thing we didn’t factor when we picked our stroller was trunk/boot space. I loved our stroller and it was perfect for suburb living with sidewalks and malls, but we ended up getting a second stroller for travel since our everyday stroller would have been HUGE for travel. Our Travel Stroller even fits in the overhead compartment. The travel stroller saved so much boot space that it became our “car” stroller for going out while the normal stroller is for walks around the neighborhood.  

Newborn Sleep Guide

Most new parents plan the perfect nursery but forget to prepare for life with a newborn - not you! The Newborn Sleep Guide is written by a certified holistic sleep coach (me) and is your comprehensive guide to sleep from 0-16 weeks. It includes attachment, safe sleep, what to expect, how to optimize your baby’s sleep, and will help you confidently troubleshoot if issues arise. It will help you lay a strong foundation for your baby’s sleep and help YOU get more sleep too. Get your guide here.

These are just a few of our top tips, recommendations that we feel very strongly about, and things to consider when picking your items/brands.

Remember to download your free Baby Registry Checklist! It includes ALL the items your baby will need.

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