Plus, how we made it 6 months without having to buy diapers!
When I was pregnant, one of the most exciting things I looked forward to was registering for my baby shower!
I know lots of people register online and my boyfriend and I actually started to as well, but then we realized how much fun it was walking around the store scanning all the cute baby stuff!
We registered some on Amazon and the rest at Target. I never realized how much baby stuff Target had, and boy did we load up our registry!
We were new to this and honestly scanned just about everything we could think of and anything we thought was cute! (It’s hard to resist!)
But believe it or not, there were still a few things we didn’t register for that we ended up buying ourselves.
And while that’s okay, being a young couple just starting out, about to be new parents, saving money is a must!
I think we spent so much time choosing the big stuff, like a car seat, stroller, pack n play, highchair, and then aweing over all the sweet baby clothes, that some things just slipped our minds!
Don’t get me wrong, my baby shower was incredible and we got so much stuff! We are so grateful for all of our gifts, and the crazy amount of diapers we received! (We’ll get to that later!)
But just in case anyone is getting ready to register for their baby shower, here are some items to keep in mind:
Car Seat Protector
About 3 weeks before my due date, I quit working and spent most of my days in my nesting phase. I put the nursery together, got hospital bags packed, and put the car seat in the car.
It wasn’t until I realized how tightly secured the base of the car seat had to be, that I had the idea to get a car seat cover.
This might not be a huge deal to other people, but we spent a lot of money on a new car and I planned on taking care of it. I knew eventually the car seat would damage my pretty leather seat.
Baby Carrier
From the first day we took our son home, he has been attached to my hip! Although it’s sweet, it’s extremely hard to get anything done when all your baby wants is to be held.
Some people might think of a baby carrier as another way to take your child places with you. But for the second month of Emmett’s life I would put him in his carrier so I could do the dishes without him crying from the other room!
However, I purchased one myself when I might have gotten one for my baby shower had I put it on my registry.
Nursing Cover
In another post of mine (10 Tips For Breastfeeding Newbies) I mentioned why having a nursing cover is beneficial, and I absolutely love mine! But this is also something I purchased myself months after constantly having to leave the room when it was time to feed Emmett.
Travel Swing
I remember registering for a full size swing, but my mom got me a travel swing instead and it saves so much space!
We live in a two bedroom apartment and having a travel swing instead of a full size one, allows us to move it from room to room easily.
Plus, you can fold it down and pack it in your car for trips!
Baby Towels (and washcloths)
These seem obvious to me and I didn’t even register for them! Somehow I completely forgot to put towels and washcloths on my baby registry. My mom also went out and bought these for us. She’s honestly the best.
I don’t think I need to explain why towels and washcloths are good to have haha!
Bumbo
This baby seat has been so handy! It’s the perfect seat to feed your little one in while you’re out! Whether you’re at a family member’s house or at a restaurant!
I didn’t start using Emmett’s bumbo until he was about 5 months old but then I brought it everywhere just in case.
One of it’s best uses that I have discovered so far, is bringing it to the pool! See below!
It’s a good place to have it so I don’t have to hold Emmett the whole time. Plus it helps him learn to sit up!
Socks, socks and more socks!
This one isn’t as necessary to have if your baby is born in summertime. But Emmett was born in November and we kept socks on his feet at all times.
We bought most of Emmett’s socks and because he was so chunky, newborn socks didn’t fit him for long. So make sure to put a variety of sizes on your registry especially if your baby will be born in the colder months.
How we went 6 MONTHS without having to buy diapers!
Although you can register for diapers and most definitely get them for your baby shower, what my wonderful mother put together for my baby shower, was a diaper raffle!
When you send the invitations out for the shower, add a “raffle ticket”. Your guests bring the ticket and a pack of diapers and whoever’s name is drawn wins a gift card!
We got so many packs of diapers, we didn’t have to buy any for the first 6 months!
I know the items on my list aren’t crucial to have, but diapers sure are! Was there anything you wish you had put on your registry? Or any other baby gear in general that made your life easier? Please share!