20 Baby Registry Must Haves

If you’re about to welcome a new baby into your home, it can be easy to get sucked in to thinking you need everything the stores sell. The truth is, babies don’t need much, and you can make your life easier without filling your house with stuff.

If you’re planning to make a baby registry, the best thing to include are the things you need and use and leave off the unique things that you know you really can function without. You don’t want to get a wipe warmer instead of burp cloths. And it might go without saying, but if you’re part of a church or another community, ask around! If there are other moms you know who have babies a little older than yours, they are probably happy to pass on clothes and other baby items.

Don’t forget that you can also get some great freebies just by signing up for a registry.  Check out our round-up of Baby Welcome Boxes to see if it might be worth creating other registries to get free items!

20 Baby Registry Must Haves 

Boudreaux’s Butt Paste
This stuff is amazing for diaper rash. You will want to have several containers on hand for as long as baby is in diapers!  Think upstairs and downstairs, car… seriously.

Baby Wash and Shampoo
When you’re washing baby in those early months, you want to make sure you’re not using anything to irritate that sensitive skin.  

Infant Tylenol
Since Tylenol is the only pain reliever you can give infants under 6 months, you’ll want to make sure you have some of this on hand (but make sure to check with your doctor before giving any to your baby).

Swaddlers / Sleep Sacks
It took me more than one child to discover the wonders of swaddling. There are lots of options out there, but I like the Halo Sleep Sack Swaddle the most.  You can thank me later.

Digital rectal thermometer
The most accurate way to take an infant’s temperature is rectally, so for now avoid the fancy thermometers that look like the ones at the doctor’s office and get a simple, digital rectal thermometer.  If this bothers you just wait till the little person gets here.

Nail clippers
Baby fingernails are surprisingly sharp, so make sure you have a way to keep them short!  You do not want to tackle this job with adult nail clippers.  It’s a tricky task.

Car seat + stroller combo
There are so many options in this category, so do your research and decide which one you want—but you absolutely have to have a car seat, and it’s nice if it’s one that will easily snap into a stroller. 

Tip: If you plan to do daycare go ahead and splurge for an extra carseat base if you have two cars.  You won’t always have the same person pick them up.

High chair
You won’t need this right away, but even if you wait until later in the first year to start solids, we’ve used these for our babies before they were even eating solid food. You can put a few toys on the tray and let them sit at the table while the rest of the family is eating dinner. And because this one doesn’t take up much space, it’s perfect to save for future kids down the line (or keep on hand for visitors).

Bibs
Whether it’s drool or spit up, bibs are good for saving those cute baby outfits from stains (and having to change clothes 5 times a day).

Pack ‘n Play
I didn’t include a crib on this list because it seemed a little too obvious. But also, you may not need a crib. We have some friends whose two children were close in age, and so they kept their baby in a pack ‘n play until their older child moved out of the crib. Even if you do plan to have baby sleep in a crib most of the time, a pack ‘n play is crucial for traveling or when you need baby to have a safe place to sleep away from home.

If space is an issue we love the KidCo Peapod tent.  It folds up into a circle and weighs less than 3 lbs.

Diapers
Make sure to include diapers on your registry, especially if you already own a lot of the other baby registry must haves. You will also need more diapers (and wipes) than you think! 

Clothes
You might want a few super cute outfits for your little one, but mostly you’re going to want simple cotton articles of clothing. Onesies are great regardless of the season.

Muslin blankets
I love muslin blankets because they have tons of uses. You can wrap babies up to keep them warm, you can use it as a nursing cover if you’re breastfeeding, and you can even drape it over the carseat to keep out germs when you’re away from home in those early months.

Burp cloths
Use these for spit up messes, burping, or even as a makeshift changing pad when you’re out and about.

Diaper bag
Of course, you can use any bag you want for a diaper bag. But if you don’t have one, then a diaper bag should be one of your baby registry must haves.

Baby carrier
Whether it’s your first baby or your fourth, a baby carrier is a really helpful baby item. It’s good for taking baby out and about and for keeping baby happy during fussier times at home.

I didn’t get a wrap style till our 5th child and quickly realized that we had been missing out.  It was amazing with her and she would be asleep within a minute every time!

Sheets and linens
Make sure you have several changes of linens for whatever bed your baby is using! You don’t want to run out of sheets in the middle of the night during a diaper blowout.

Changing pad
You don’t necessarily need a special changing table—we’ve always just used the top of a dresser. But you will want a changing pad so you can clean it easily. You’ll also want to make sure you have some changing pad covers.

Feeding pillows
No matter how you plan to feed your baby, a feeding pillow is a necessity to help keep the strain off your back and arms. The boppy is a favorite feeding pillow, but another popular option is the My Brest Friend feeding pillow.

Towels/wash cloths
I like having soft towels and wash cloths for new babies, so these are a must have for me. 

Breastfeeding Items

Breastfeeding technically requires no supplies other than you and your baby, but there are a few things that can help breastfeeding be a little more convenient.

Nursing tanks
I prefer nursing tanks to nursing bras, but either one is good to have for easy feeding access but plenty of tummy coverage!

Breast pump
A breast pump is helpful when you’re breastfeeding even if you stay home—that way you might be able to get out for a date night if you have some milk in the freezer! But before you put one on your registry, be aware that new regulations have made it possible for most women to get breast pumps for FREE through insurance. Check there before you buy one.

Breast milk storage bags
If you do end up planning to pump, then you’ll need some quality breast milk storage bags.

Nursing pads
Another important thing to have on hand are nursing pads, especially in the first few weeks when your body is figuring out how much milk your baby needs!

Formula Feeding Items

Honestly, I kind of think that bottle warmers and drying racks aren’t super necessary. But from friends who have formula fed from the beginning, they have said these items are truly helpful when you’re giving 8-10 bottles a day at the beginning. It’s up to you to decide if you want them!

Bottles
There are tons of bottle options, and you may need to try a few different ones to see what your baby likes. Ask around and see if you can borrow some from friends to see what your baby prefers.

Bottle warmer
This is especially helpful in the middle of the night when you’re barely awake and trying to get the bottle to just the right temperature!

Formula dispenser
You don’t want to waste that expensive formula by measuring wrong, so these formula dispensers are great to have, especially if you’re out and about.

Bottle brush
Keep those bottles clean and safe with this frugal bottle brush option.

Drying rack
I have said in the past that these are not necessary, and maybe you agree—but you also might find these really helpful if you find yourself formula feeding from the beginning. 

Other Items

These items are things that I would contend you don’t actually NEED, but you may want. For some of the bigger items like a baby swing or a play gym, I highly recommend asking around to see if you can borrow one. You only use those kinds of items for a short time, so not only are you spending more money, but then you have to figure out how to store them. When one of our girls was younger, we borrowed a baby swing that I think about eight other people in our church had also used!

Pacifiers
Not every baby likes pacifiers, but if you think you want to try them, they might be good to have on hand. 

Bassinet
Even if you plan to have baby ultimately sleep in a crib or pack ‘n play, a bassinet can be nice to keep baby close when you’re up in the middle of the night in the early weeks.

Baby monitor
If you have a small house, you may not even need a monitor at all—we didn’t use one with our first three. Now, though, there are lots of options for video monitors with fancy technology. Ask yourself why you need one and how fancy you want it to be.

Baby swing
This is an item that is great to borrow if you can, but either way can be effective for calming fussy babies.  Also check local consignment sales!

Humidifier
Since you can’t do much for babies who have colds, a humidifier can be a huge relief when baby gets stuffy. Just make sure you clean and sanitize it regularly.

Bouncy seat
If there are older siblings or pets around, a bouncy seat can keep baby safe off the floor when you’re doing things around the house (like showering and things that make mom happy).

Play gym
When baby starts getting more interested in the surrounding world, a little play gym can provide appropriate stimulation.  A blanket on the floor is also great and free.

Floor seat
Bumbos were all the rage when our girls were younger, but apparently now these floor seats are popular. It seems like it could be helpful for the stage when baby is not yet mobile but wants to be sitting up and part of the action.

Have I forgotten something important, or included something that you don’t think a new mom actually needs? Let us know in the comments!