Below we've compiled a straightforward list of our favorite baby registry picks that we actually used and loved with our first son, Shep! Please let us know if you have any questions or additional recommendations! As an Amazon affiliate partner, we may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase through the links below. That being said, we've purchased and utilized all of these products, and only recommend what we truly love.
Newton Crib Mattress – I had a different mattress picked out and listed on my registry and then my girlfriend, who was also pregnant at the time, told me about Newton. I’m SO glad she did. I am a full-on crazy lady when it comes to crib and sleep safety (as most of us moms are!) Independent testing shows that a baby gets 97% more air while breathing through a Newton crib mattress than on a traditional crib mattress. Just google it and read about it yourself. It’s awesome! PS -It’s also firm, comfortable, and easy to clean. No baby sheets needed! PSS - Wait for a 20% discount to come out. They offer them fairly often.
Ollie Swaddle – By far our biggest lifesaver for the first 12 weeks. I couldn’t get any other swaddle to keep him comfortable while still doing what the swaddle intended. I was super sad when we had to drop it. They are a bit on the higher priced side, but you'll only need about two and they will last if you choose to have more children! These are also the perfect gift!
Dohm DS Dual Speed Sound Machine – A sound machine is non-negotiable in my opinion. Before the baby was born we used it in our master and got the best sleep of our lives! We turn it on now in the nursery and baby instantly knows that it is time to sleep. I also like that there are no annoying lights or frills – it’s just a plain old sound machine…but it’s great!
Keekaroo Peanut Diaper Changing Pad – I wasn’t sure if this was going to end up being worth the investment. It’s substantially more than your average changing pad. However, now that my babe is rolling ALL over the place, I’m really glad I splurged on this. Since it’s firmer than your typical changing table he would have a harder time rolling off of it. (You still need to be with your baby at all times when they’re on the changing table, obviously). It also doesn’t require a cover – you just wipe it clean/sanitize it as needed. I lay a blanket over it so my baby doesn’t get too cold.
4moms Classic Playard – This is the easiest playard I’ve ever tried to set up or tear down. It’s large enough that baby has room to move around as he or she gets older, but it can also fit into compact spaces. I am so glad we went with the 4moms brand for this. The only down side to this is that it's not a standard size and so finding a fitted sheet has been impossible. If you have a solution to this, please direct message me - hah! :)
Skip Hop Explore and More Activity Center – Our baby started in this around four months and is still entertained and playing in it daily at 8 months. Great place to put them once they get bored of the rock and play.
Skip Hop Pronto Signature Changing Station – Get two – one for you and one for your partner. My husband and I keep one in each of our cars/diaper bags. Super convenient if you find yourself somewhere with a nasty bathroom or no bathroom at all.
Inglesina Fast Table Chair – If you’re short on space or if you just hate the look of high chairs like me, this is an amazing alternative. Everyone tried to convince me I needed a full high chair – but so far I don’t. We plug this thing into our dinner table and our son likes it because he’s sitting at the table with us and he’s a part of our meal than at his own table. It’s also easy to remove and take to restaurants when baby isn’t big enough for restaurant high chairs!
Kozii Bottle Warmer – My best friend hates this thing but I love it. It saves us so much time. Super convenient, especially for late night bottle feedings.
Ubbi Diaper Pail – I was convinced I wouldn’t need a diaper genie. I thought they were gross and that I’d just throw diapers in the trash and take the bad ones outside to the trash. I was so wrong. It would be very inconvenient if I had stuck to my guns on that one. This one isn’t ugly and is made of steel so the smell is kept at bay.
Angelcare Baby Bath Support – Easy, comfortable, can use through 7-8 months.
UPPAbaby Mesa Car Seat and UPPAbaby Vista Stroller – I went back and forth between Nuna and UPPAbaby. Ultimately, I went with UPPAbaby. In all fairness, my other mom friends have the Nuna and also love that. I liked the look of the UPPA stroller better than Nuna and both car seats had very high safety ratings, so I knew we couldn’t go wrong there.
Coo Baby Perfect Pajama - I'm obviously partial here but I literally created this company because I needed a functional, easy, and classic pajama option for my baby. The Perfect Pajama is made of bamboo viscose (super soft fabric that's great for all seasons), has a double zipper (why are those SO hard to find and always sold out everywhere?), hand mittens, and feet grippers. Sizes 0-12 months.
What I’d Pass On:
Ergo 360 Carrier - Get a regular fabric wrap carrier instead. I like the Boba brand. My baby hated facing in with the 360 and it was very expensive. Now that he’s older he doesn’t mind facing outward in it, but I could’ve saved a lot of time and just gotten the Boba for $40 vs $180 with the Ergo 360.
Skip Hop Uplift Multi Level Bouncer – I think we only used this once.
4moms Bounceroo - My bestie let me borrow hers (she had a baby 9 months before me) and we did use it every now and then when he was around 3-4 months. However, I could’ve lived without it and I’m glad I didn’t buy it or waste it as an item on my registry. If you can borrow one or buy used, do that instead.
Pottery Barn Nursing Boppy - Nursing & Infant Support Pillow and Slipcover. This thing is way smaller in real life and I barely used it. Not practical in a real setting.
Any sort of infant snow suit - I didn’t realize they aren’t supposed to wear these under their car seats, and no infant is going out and playing in the snow, so, it’s not so practical. Save it for next year when you can actually take them outside.