Name: Lisa C
Baby’s Age & Gender: 5 month old girl
Registered: Buy Buy Baby and Amazon.com
City: Palisades Park, NJ
Home Size: 3300 Sq. Ft. Townhouse
Lifestyle: We live in the suburbs of New Jersey. We have two cars but live in an area where we often use the stroller/sling to walk around/shop. My husband and I both work full-time, and work from home 2x/week. We enjoy going out with friends and traveling, so being mobile with baby is important to us. We plan to keep our daughter at home for at least a year, so we also wanted to ensure that we built a safe, comfortable, and engaging environment for her at home since we were not putting her in daycare yet.
Lisa’s Registry: FEEDING
Philips 2 Pack AVENT Soothie Pacifier, Green, 0-3 Months
Booginhead PaciGrip Pacifier Holder, Pink Bubble
OXO Tot Mini Dishwasher Basket
Philips AVENT 2 Pack BPA Free Classic Polypropylene Bottles, 4 Ounce
Dr. Brown’s BPA Free Polypropylene Natural Flow Bottle Newborn Feeding Set
Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow Cleaning Brush, 4 Pack
OXO Tot Bottle Brush with Nipple Cleaner and Stand, Green
Boon Grass Countertop Drying Rack Spring Green and White
Dundee Mills 6pk Burp Cloths
Bebe Au Lait Cotton Nursing Cover – Royale
Boppy Cottony Cute 2-Sided Slipcover, Polka Stripe Pink
Boppy Blissfully Soft Slipcover, Pink on Pink
Boppy Bare Naked Pillow
Medela Pump in Style Advanced Breast Pump with On the Go Tote
Lansinoh 20265 Disposable Nursing Pads, 60-pack
Lansinoh 20435 Breastmilk Storage Bags, 25-Count Boxes
Bumkins
SuperBib 3-Pack Bibs – Pink and Purple
BATH & HEALTHCARE
Eurobath by Primo
Temp Sensor Duck
Fisher Price
TL Care
Carter’s
Zo-li Buzz B. Baby Nail Trimmer
PIGEON Baby Nose Cleaning Tweezers Pigeon
Skip Hop Hare Brush and Comb Set, White/Orange
Summer Infant Complete Nursery Care Kit
Johnson’s
Aveeno Baby Wash & Shampoo, 18-Fluid Ounces Bottle
Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion, 18-Fluid Ounces Bottle
Dreft 2x Ultra Baby Liquid Laundry Detergent
Vicks Baby Rectal Thermometer
Braun Thermoscan Ear Thermometer
BEDDING & LAYETTE
Basic Comfort
Carters Velour Playard Fitted Sheet, Pink
American Baby Company Organic Interlock Pack N Play Sheet
American Baby Company Organic Waterproof Quilted Multi-Use Pad Cover
aden + anais 100% Cotton 4 Pack Muslin Swaddle Blanket, Oh Girl
aden + anais Muslin Dream Blanket Four Layer, Baby Cakes
Gerber
Carter’s
Carters
HALO SleepSack Cream Medium Micro-Fleece
HALO SleepSack Wearable Blanket Deluxe Velboa – Small
Halo SleepSack Swaddle Micro-fleece – Newborn – Pink
SwaddleMe
Gerber
Carter’s
Closet Complete Baby Size Ultra Thin No Slip Velvet
Sugarbooger Children’s Closet Dividers, Pink DotHangers, Baby Powder Pink, Set of 25
GEAR
Fisher-Price Rainforest Bouncer
Fisher-Price Cradle ‘N Swing, My Little Snugabunny
Ergo Baby Carrier Black with Camel Lining
JJ Cole Urban Bundleme, Plumberry, Infant
JJ Cole
Kiddopotamus Snuzzler Complete Head and Body Support, Ivory Terry
Jumbo Swirly Hook for Stroller Handle Bar
Cloud b Sleep Sheep On The Go Travel Sound Machine
Motorola MBP36 Video Baby Monitor, 3.5 Inch
DIAPERING
Green Changing Pad Cover by Boppy
Pink Changing Pad Cover by Boppy
Pink Striped Diaper Caddy by J. J. Cole
Pampers Swaddlers Diapers Economy Pack Plus Size 1, 234 Count
Pampers Swaddlers Diapers, Giant Pack, Size Newborn, 140 Count
Pampers SoftCare Baby Fresh Wipes 10X Wipes 720 Count
Aveeno Baby Diaper Rash Cream, Fragrance Free, 3.7-Ounce Tube
Playtex Diaper Genie Elite Diaper Disposal Pail
Playtex Diaper Genie Disposal System Refills
LA Baby 4 Sided Changing Pad 32″, White
Skip Hop Duo Double Deluxe Black
TOYS
Fisher-Price Precious Planet 2-in-1 Projection Mobile
Baby Einstein
Fisher Price
Lamaze
Lamaze
Lamaze Garden Bug Wrist Rattle/Foot Finder Set
Lamaze Musical Inchworm
Lamaze Play & Grow Freddie the Firefly Take Along Toy
Fisher-Price
Manhattan Toy Winkel
Manhattan Toy Whoozit Activity Spiral
Rhino Toys Oball Rattle
Sassy Bathtime Pals Squirt and Float Toys
BOOKS
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
Baby 411: Clear Answers & Smart Advice For Your Baby’s First Year
The Grandparents Handbook
C.R. Gibson Grandmas Brag Book, Happi Baby Girl
Goodnight Moon
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Look, Look!
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes padded board book
Pat the Bunny (Touch and Feel Book)
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Animals (Baby Touch and Feel)
Where the Wild Things Are
Winnie the Pooh
Harold and the Purple Crayon
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: Anniversary Edition
Guess How Much I Love You
1) Baby K’tan: This single item made the first 2-3 months of life with a newborn infinitely more manageable. I spent hours researching various carriers, wraps, and slings and got this and the Ergo for when baby is older. I loved the Baby K’tan for its simplicity in getting it on (just a few seconds vs. having a long, complicated system of wrapping like the Moby) and its calming effect on the baby (she almost always fell asleep quickly in it). My husband and I quickly resumed our social life and went out to dinner with friends all the time even when baby was just a few weeks old. Everyone commented on how surprised they were to see us out and about so early and how lucky we were that our baby could sleep in noisy places. I have the Baby K’tan to thank for that!
2) Pigeon Baby Nose Cleaning Tweezers: I have a confession — I am addicted to tweezing things in general, and this tool is a tweezing addict’s dream! I received the Nose Frida as a gift but found it nearly impossible to suck little boogies properly and the taste from inhaling air through the filter was nasty. This is a Japanese product (available on Amazon.com) and the design is genius. It’s made of plastic and has tiny rounded tips (rather than sharp/pointy like normal tweezers) so you can delicately reach in to baby’s tiny nostrils and grab those little boogies! I want a pair for every floor of my home and my diaper bag!
3) Aden + Anais muslin swaddle blankets: These were my favorite receiving-type blankets by far. I was hesitant to “splurge” since there are so many alternative blankets on the market, but I now know why these are so highly rated — they are definitely worth it! I also have the typical flannel blankets, which are pretty much useless compared to these. The size makes it great for multiple purposes (blanket, sunshade, burp cloth, etc.). The thin material made it great for swaddling baby tightly. I find myself coveting another set!
4) Upholstered Rocker-Recliner by Best Chairs: I love our rocker and I’m so glad we opted for a fully upholstered one because it’s so comfy and we can continue to use it as a normal piece of furniture after baby grows. With all the hours of breastfeeding in the wee hours of the night, having the feature of the built-in recliner made the experience much more comfortable while taking up less space in the nursery, since there was no room for an ottoman.
5) Sugarbooger’s children’s closet dividers: We received so many clothes as gifts with sizes from 0 to 2 years+. These are cute and inexpensive and make the baby’s closet incredibly organized.
6) Motorola MBP36 Remote Wireless Video Baby Monitor (3.5″): This baby monitor is amazing. You can see and hear very clearly… and you can even shift the camera left/right/up/down to adjust your viewing angle remotely! My husband is a tech-y guy and this was one of the baby items he was tasked with researching, so it’s sure to please dads as well as moms.
7) Bebe Au Lait nursing cover: I loved the built-in boning of this nursing cover. As an EBF mom, I chose a print that didn’t scream “I have a baby nursing under here!” and have successfully (and discreetly) nursed my daughter in many public places.
8) Dundee Mills burp cloths: These are the perfect size and have fantastic absorbency. When I was just getting the hang of breastfeeding, my nursing bra would get soaked because of leaks from the other breast that soaked through nursing pads, and also drips on the side baby was nursing on. I discovered that tucking one of these burp cloths into the side baby nursed on absorbed any extra leaks and reduced my laundry load.
9) SnoozeShade: I got this after I tired of repositioning the aden + anais blanket over the car seat to try to block the sun (and I quickly learned the built-in mesh “sun shade” in our car was a complete joke!). The material of this is entirely mesh and there is a peek-a-boo window that allows you to check in on your sleeping babe. I also loved that it provided a safe shelter to keep out curious (aka potentially germ-y) strangers from sticking their head too close to baby’s face.
10) Fisher Price Cradle N Swing – My Little Snugabunny: We use this item multiple times daily. It’s a permanent fixture in our kitchen and is so useful to have a place to put baby down for a moment when you need both hands, for naps, and for relaxing play (baby is enamored with the mobile). I know of parents who swear by their swing and some babies who literally cannot nap without one.
11. Baby Bjorn Travel Crib Light 2: As a naive first-time mom, I registered for a PNP like most others and realized it would be a beast to actually use as a travel crib since we really enjoy traveling and take at least 1-2 international trips a year. I debated between the Bjorn, Phil & Teds Traveler Crib, and the GoCrib. We were blown away at the simplicity and ingenious design of the Bjorn. Without reading any instructions, we set it up in less than 1 minute and could break it down just as easily. The only downside is that it’s too large to use as a carry-on, which means that we’ll always have to check it in, but we figured that with baby in tow, we’ll most likely have so much other gear that it’ll be necessary to check luggage regardless. We actually ordered the GoCrib after realizing how large the Bjorn is due to rave reviews and really wanted to love it, but it was so complicated to set up (took > 5 minutes) and the mattress so flimsy that we decided to stick with the Bjorn.
12. Simply Saline Baby Nasal Relief: A life saver! Anytime baby had a stuffy nose and struggled with breathing, I literally felt the pains of not being able to breathe either. We tried a “spray” at first (actually you’re only supposed to use that kind after 6m+), but the “misting” of this product worked so much better and can be used for newborns. Just a spray or two in each nostril would usually cause baby to sneeze and all the boogies to come right out!
13. Chicco Keyfit Caddy: Having a frame stroller that the carseat can snap into is an absolute must. When you’re alone, when baby is sleeping, etc. I couldn’t imagine setting up our Vista each time I wanted to run a quick errand! I opted for the Keyfit Caddy instead of the popular Snap-n-Go because I didn’t want to bother with the extra step of buckling in the carseat after you ‘snap’ it in, and it wasn’t much more expensive after using a 20% coupon at Buy Buy Baby.
– Summer Infant Complete Nursery Care Kit: The items in this kit felt cheap. I already had some tools from other gift (i.e. brush, comb, teether) so it seemed redundant to have in this kit. I returned it.
– Graco Pack N Play with Newborn Napper: While we did get a ton of use out of our PNP since we kept it our in master bedroom and baby slept in it for the first two months (and now it lives in our living room as a diaper changing station), I originally got it because I thought we could use it as a travel crib. Little did I know that a 20lb+ crib is not travel friendly at all! If I could go back, I would have gotten a smaller bassinet-type item for baby to sleep in our room as a newborn + a more solid changing table for our living room (baby is almost too heavy for the built-in one on the PNP and she’s only 5 months) + the Baby Bjorn travel crib.
– Nose Frida: People love it, but my husband and I really didn’t. It may be more useful when baby is really sick and has runny nose, but we thankfully have not had to test it in that situation yet.
Received as gifts: Uppababy Vista Stroller, Chicco Keyfit30 + Caddy Stroller, Kate Spade Stevie Diaper Bag, Grace Pack N Play with Newborn Napper, high chair from Germany (similar to Stokker Tripp Trapp), tons of clothes, tons of baby blankets (hand-knit, plush, etc.)
Hand-me-downs: Munchkin Bottle Warmer; large foam play mat (similar to this)
I nearly became BFF’s with the staff at Buy Buy Baby from all my trips there for exchanges/returns because I was compulsive about being selective about products I truly needed and that were truly the best.
Returned:
most pacifiers (baby never took to them)
Summer Infant Complete Nursery Care Kit
Exchanged:
Boon Grass Countertop Drying Rack [purchased First Years Spinning Drying Rack + The Original Dish Drying Mat instead]
Fisher Price Rainforest Bouncer [purchased Baby Bjorn Babysitter instead]
Gerber Longsleeve Onesies [purchased Carter short-sleeve tees with side-snaps instead]
Stay-Dry Bath Towel & Apron [purchased aacua hooded towel instead]
Purchased:
Diaper Dude Diaper Bag
more nursing bras (favorite is Bravado Original Nursing Bra)
Medela Breastpump Accessory Set (extra bottles/shields)
Simple Wishes Hands Free Breast Pump Bustier (a MUST for pumping!)
I would have talked to more real moms and done more research upfront to save time from my many exchanges. Many of the items on my “favorites” list above were found after I received gifts from my registry. I would have consulted guides on sites like Hellobee and Babble in addition to the Baby Bargains book and reviews on sites like Amazon.com.
Two things I’m GLAD I did and recommend to all parents-to-be:
(1) We waited to select our main stroller until after baby was born. Like many soon-to-be moms, I was struck with stroller fever and my head was spinning trying to weigh the pros and cons of each option out there. Based on a recommendation from a friend, we just got the frame stroller for our carseat since baby was born in January and we didn’t expect to take her on strolls until she was at least a few weeks old. Every baby (and every parent) is different so you won’t really know what stroller will best fit all of your needs until you meet your LO. You learn so much about yourself and your parenting style in those first few weeks too. Just get the basics and wait until you really need a bigger stroller!
(2) We didn’t cut the tags off of anything (clothes, products) until we absolutely needed it. Baby grew so quickly that this allowed us to return/exchange a lot of items for larger sizes and/or items that were more useful after we learned what we truly needed.
~~~
Thanks so much for sharing Lisa! Lisa has also included a spreadsheet she created that lists baby gear recommendations from the Baby Bargains book, along with whether the item can be purchased at a lower price at Buy Buy Baby or Amazon. Click here to access the sheet!
clementine / 889 posts
This is a great registry. I really agree that waiting a bit to buy a stroller is a great idea. I would have changed what we bought if I could have, since we really didn’t know what we wanted/needed.
I would like to say that the JJ Cole Bundle Me and the Kiddopotamus Snuzzler shouldn’t be used in a carseat while you are driving (as opposed to while you are out for a walk). They void your carseat warranty, and can prevent your auto insurance company from paying out for any damages or medical bills. After market products (anything that doesn’t come in the box with the carseat) is not safe to use while driving because it has not been tested with the carseat and can affect how the carseat works.
A great option to the JJ Cole BundleMe is the JJ Cole Carseat Cover. It provides the warmth and protection from the elements. You don’t want to use anything in a carseat that goes between the baby and the seat or between the baby and the straps. They are great for use in a stroller though!
I’m a huge advocate for carseat safety and wish I hadn’t had to dig and do so much research to find this stuff out when I was pregnant. I hate that they can market/sell products to be used in ways that aren’t safe. (i.e. JJ Cole shouldn’t market the BundleMe for use in a carseat – just in strollers).
honeydew / 7504 posts
My friend recommended a frame stroller, too, for exactly the same reason. Definitely going that route, since baby is due in January and I don’t anticipate any walks for several weeks!
Great tips! Definitely bookmakring this for future reference!
guest
Love your list and I’m also a fan of Aden and Anais as the swaddle blanket. My son loved them until he got too big and strong. He eventually was able to free himself during the night and we went searching for other swaddling options. We founds good reviews from http://www.bestswaddleblanket.com and decided on the Halo sleepsack to swaddle our son. It worked for my son and the good thing is it doubles as a sleepsack. So, we used it to help weaned my son off swaddling as well.