Baby Registry List

There are a lot of things to buy to prepare for the birth of a baby. Please refer below for some of the essential and luxury items. Most of the products can be found at The MOMMBY Amazon Store. I find that Amazon usually offers the best price and you don't have to wait to get the 20% off one baby item through Babies R Us. If you're planning to buy at Amazon, I'd appreciate it if you click into Amazon through The MOMMBY Amazon Store. Currently this website is a gift of love but I'd like to eventually obtain a small revenue stream to keep the site running.

My Top Ten Baby Wearing Bottle Feeding Breastfeeding Feeding Infants & Toddlers Play Time Pregnancy Routine Care Sleep Resources Where to Shop? End Note Works Cited

My Top Ten
Please refer to my top ten must have items most of which can be found at The MOMMBY Amazon Store - Featured Items.

1. MOMMBY™ Peek-a-Bye-Baby™ Cover (See Below Breastfeeding & Routine Care - Burping Cover)
2. Summer Infant Sleek and Secure Handheld Color Monitor (See Below Sleep)
3. BabyBjorn Carrier (See Below Baby Wearing)
4. Boppy Pillow (See Below Breastfeeding)
5. Miracle Blanket (See Below Sleep)
6. Dr. Brown's Bottles or Tommee Tippee Bottles (See Below Bottle Feeding)
7. Medela Pump in Style Advanced Breast Pump (See Below Breastfeeding)
8. Baby Einstein Play Mat (See Below Play Time)
9. Fisher Price Bouncer Chair (See Below Play Time)
10. The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby (See Below Resources)

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Baby Wearing
Please refer to the "About Baby Wearing" article or the "Baby Wearing Products" article for more information. Please refer to our favorite products which can be found at The MOMMBY Amazon Store - Routine Care - Products.

• BabyBjorn - If I could only buy one baby carrier this would be it. I use this the most.
• Ergobaby - If you want a carrier with a side carry position, this works well for that.
• Moby Wrap - If you want a sling product, I like this one.

BabyBjorn	Ergobaby	Moby Wrap

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Bottle Feeding
The type of bottle you choose is obviously an important part of the bottle feeding process. Please refer to the "Bottles" article for more information on bottles. Ideally you will want to buy at least six bottles and if you can get eight to ten that would be great. That way you generally should be able to get through the day without washing a lot of bottles and then you can put them in the dishwasher each night. Please refer to the following list for just some of the bottles to choose from:

• Avent bottles
• Dr. Brown’s bottles (My Favorite)
• Evenflo bottles
• Medela Haberman Feeder
• Playtex bottles

Once you select the bottle type, you'll need to also select the type of formula. Please refer to the "Formula" article for more information on formula.

• Earth’s Best – Organic formula, may be mostly whey?
• Enfamil – 60/ 40 whey-to-casein ratio (Sears)
• Nestle Good Start – 100% whey (My Favorite with my son unfortunately there is not an organic version) – made by Gerber
• Parent’s Choice - Which also offers an organic version. (Walmart Brand)
• Similac, 48/52 whey-to-casein ratio (Sears). There is also an organic one.
• Ultra Bright Beginnings - Which on its website states it has more of the “easily-digested whey protein” and has an organic version.

Please refer to additional accessories you may want to get if you are planning to bottle feed:

• Bottle Brush - Definitely needed.
• Bottle Sterilizer - We used this initially and then switched to the dishwashing basket.
• Bottle Warmer - This was a must for us when bottle feeding.
• Dishwashing Basket - This was very helpful.
• Drying Rack - We didn't get one of these.
• Formula Dispenser - Having this really helped when traveling.
• Nipples for the Bottles - Please refer to the "Nipple" article for more information.

Dr. Brown's and Avent bottles are found at The MOMMBY Amazon Store - Bottles and you can click into the main Amazon homepage to buy other type of bottles and even formula can be bought through Amazon.

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Breastfeeding

Please refer to the following articles about breastfeeding, "About," "To or Not To, "Pumping," and "Tips."

The following are some items you may want to buy to assist with breastfeeding as found in the "Accessories" article and if you want to purchase them please refer to The MOMMBY Amazon Store - Breastfeeding Accessories.

• Breastfeeding accessories like breast cream such as Lansinoh and breast pads - I prefer the ones with a sticky back to attach to the bra.


• Breastfeeding Cover - I'd recommend the MOMMBY™ Peek-a-Bye-Baby™ cover. Cover functions as a breastfeeding cover and/or a burping cover. The cover has a v-neck opening to assist with latch-on and the cover allows your baby to be partially covered (a lot of babies do not like to be fully covered) while still providing you privacy. Please refer to the MOMMBY™ Store for more information. Some other traditional nursing covers are the Balboa Baby Nursing Cover or the Trend Lab Nursing Cover. A blanket draped on you would work but a nursing cover may make you feel more secure and you do not have to worry about the blanket falling off of your shoulder and exposing you.


• Breast Pump
  • Avent - I had the Philips Avent Manual Breast Pump but never used it.
  • Medela - I used the the Medela breast pump in style shoulder bag and I liked it. The new model comes with a battery back-up so you can use it even if you don't have an electrical outlet.


• Nursing Bra or Nursing Tank top - I found ones I liked at Target.


• Pillow – Boppy Pillow - To help get the baby to the correct position when breastfeeding.


• Plastic Nipple Shields - Made by Medela or Avent


• Storage Containers - Breast milk freezer bags or other containers. Please refer to this article for storing breast milk.


• Resources
  • The Breastfeeding ANSWER BOOK by Nancy Mohrbacher and Julie Stock published by the La Leche League International. 
  
  
  • The Breastfeeding Book by the Sears Family.
  
  
  • Feeding Baby Green by Alan Greene, M.D. - a "spokesperson for the green baby movement."

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Feeding Infants and Toddlers
Please refer to "Organic," "Baby Cereal," "Baby Food," "How Much to Eat?" and "Introducing Baby Food" articles for more information on feeding infants and toddlers. Please refer to the The MOMMBY Amazon Store - Feeding Infants & Toddlers.

• Baby Bibs - We generally used the washable cloth ones but I also had a plastic re-usuable one which was nice to simply wipe down. The throwaway bibs are great for traveling.


• High Chair - We bought a wooden highchair that was more compact than some of the bigger bulkier plastic highchairs. We were trying to coordinate the highchair with our dining room furniture. We also used a booster chair that attaches to a regular chair. We still use both on a daily basis. (Our booster chair now sits in our son's bedroom and is currently serving as a timeout chair for our 2 1/2 year old.)


• Plates/ Bowls - It is nice to have the ones with the suction cup so it makes it harder for your baby to throw the bowl on the floor.


• Sippy Cups - We preferred the Playtex cups over the Avent cups.

• Resources
  • HappyBaby: The Organic Guide to Baby's First 24 Months by Founders of HAPPYBABY, Robert W. Sears, MD, FAAP, and Amy Marlow, MPH, RD, CDN
  
  
  • The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood also written by the Sears Family.


• Feeding Baby Green by Alan Greene, M.D. - a "spokesperson for the green baby movement."

Play Time
Please refer to the "Infant Play" article for more information. Please refer to The MOMMBY Amazon Store - Toys - Infants for some of my favorites items to purchase:

• Bouncer Chair - My daughter loves sitting in her bouncer chair. It is a great place for her to sit while we eat dinner.


• Activity Jumper or Activity Center - My son loved his Baby Einstein Musical Motion Activity Jumper.


• DVD's - The American Academy of Pediatrics "strongly discourages television viewing for children ages two years old or younger, and encourages interactive play." That being said, I did play "educational" baby videos for my child in order to get him to eat his baby food. I loved the Baby Einstein videos and the Tiny Love DVD MagIQ.


• Music Table and Push Toys - My son also loved his LeapFrog Learn & Groove Musical table and he loved his push toys when he was learning to walk such as his grocery shopping cart.


• Play Mat - My son loved his Baby Einstein plan mat since he was a month old and enjoyed playing on it until he started crawling.


• Swing - With our second baby, we moved our Graco SweetPeace Newborn Soothing Center from our daughter's bedroom to the kitchen and used it more as an activity play swing than a sleeping swing. Some babies love a swing to play in and others love it to sleep in. Both of our babies didn't need it much to sleep in but they did like playing in a swing. For play, I prefer the traditional play swings that swing back and forth like the Graco Silhouette Swing. You will also want to decide whether you want one that uses an electric plug or operates on batteries. We bought the Graco SnugGlider Swing which operates on batteries and is compatible with the Graco Infant Carrier and we found that it didn't swing as well as the ones that use an electrical outlet.

Pregnancy
Please refer to the "For Mommy" article for more information on things to buy during pregnancy or please refer to The MOMMBY Amazon Store - Pregnancy Items for my favorites such as the Leachco Snoogle Total Body Pillow and Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Balm. Two books you may want to purchase are:

• I'm Pregnant! by Lesley Regan, M.D. I found out I was pregnant while we were on vacation. I was so excited that I bought the first book I could find in the airport about pregnancy and this happened to be it. I really liked this book. It was easy to read and had a lot of nice pictures.

• 100,000+ Baby Names by Bruce Lansky. For more information, please refer to "Baby Names"article for more information.

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Routine Care
Please refer below for some of our favorite routine care items some of which can be found at The MOMMBY Amazon Store - Routine Care - Products. For other routine care and parenting articles please refer to the following: "Attachment," "Child Care," "Colic?" "Different Meanings," "Schedule Versus Demand," and "Soothing Techniques."

• Baby Nail Clippers - You primarily want a very sharp one so it easily cuts the fingernails and won't tear them.


• Bath Supplies - You don't have to buy separate towels but the small baby hooded towels and wash cloths are nice to have. I switch between the Johnson's Baby wash and all natural wash I get at Whole Foods. I try to get the more natural type soaps. I wouldn't buy a lot of this as you may find your baby is allergic to one type. We have the First Years comfort deluxe tub and it works great. You shouldn't need a lot of baby lotion as it is generally not recommended to use lotion unless the baby really needs it. (Note: You are not suppose to use sun block on a baby until the baby is 6 months old.)


• Blankets -Receiving blankets (thin blankets) are very helpful the first couple weeks. The soft fleece blankets are also great to have. You usually receive a lot of these as presents so you may want to hold off until after your baby shower.


• Burping Cover/ Burp Cloths - I'd recommend the MOMMBY™ Peek-a-Bye-Baby™. The cover functions as a breastfeeding cover and/or a burping cover. The cover allows you to burp your baby on either shoulder without the worry of the cloth falling off your shoulder. Please refer to the MOMMBY™ Store for more information.


• Car Seat - We bought the Graco SnugRide infant carrier and the Britax Diplomat convertible car seat. We like the straps on the Britax, they seem to be wider and don't twist as much. It is nice to have the mirror for the car so you can see your baby when she's facing backward. You can buy a Bundle Me to attach to the infant seat to keep your baby warm in the colder months. Please refer to the "Car Seat" article for more information.


• Changing Table - We simply used a long dresser and put the contour changing pad on it rather than buying a changing table that we'd use for a limited amount of time. Ideally, you will want at least two changing covers.


• Clothes - Besides the everyday onesies and sleepers I would try to buy a very limited amount of clothes. People love to give clothes as gifts and I find it works best to buy the "special" outfits closer to the time you really need the outfit. Unfortunately, some of the "cute" outfits you end up not needing since the first couple months usually it is easiest to keep your baby in the onesies or sleepers. The zipper sleepers are easier than the snap sleepers. You may also want to pick up a few baby hats, headbands (for girls), and socks.


• Comfort Chair - Rocking chair or glider to assist with breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and helping your baby sleep. It is nice to have a glider ottoman as well. Some ottomans have a pull-out that will help keep your feet stationary while breastfeeding. This helps in the first couple weeks when you are still learning how to breastfeed.


• Diapers - Pampers generally has been our favorite. With our son, we liked Pampers over Huggies. Now, I'd prefer to use Seventh Generation but they are hard to find in bulk and so they are much more expensive.


• Diaper Bag - With both of our babies we used the free diaper bag we got at the hospital. The most recent one we received was a backpack style which I like. The bag also came with a small insulated tote for baby bottles.


• Diaper Changing Mat - It is nice to have a fold-up changing mat to take on outings. We got one in our free diaper bag from the hospital.


• Diaper Cream - We don't use this very often as the doctor recommends to only use it if really needed. When we really need it we like Boudreaux's Butt Paste for minor irritation or Triple Paste Diaper Rash Ointment for a more serious irritation. I also find that a petroleum jelly like Vaseline works really well.


• Diaper Pail - We heard mixed reviews on the special diaper containers and we decided to get a simple step can from Bed Bath & Beyond which uses plastic grocery bags as inserts. This works great for us and I think it holds in the smell very well. The only problem is we don't get the plastic grocery bags anymore since we shop at Whole Foods.


• Diaper Wipes - I prefer Seventh Generation but will buy any unscented, natural brand.


• Laundry Detergent - I buy any type free of perfumes and clear of dyes detergent which I use for the entire family.


• Medicine and Other Items - You'll want to have some Tylenol Infants' Drops Dye Free, saline nasal spray like Baby Simply Saline, nasal aspirator (usually you get one at the hospital), a rectal and ear thermometer, and a cool mist humidifier. Please refer to "Sick in the Middle of Night" for some tips on what to do when your child wakes up in the middle of the night sick. It seems that is when it happens most. You may also want to have alcohol swabs on hand.


• Pacifiers - I wouldn't get a lot of these ahead of time as some babies love certain types and others want nothing to do with a pacifier. The hospital usually gives out the First Years Newborn Pacifiers as they are suppose to be better if you are trying to establish breastfeeding. Our daughter doesn't really want any pacifiers will tolerate this one but it usually falls out of her mouth. Our son loved the Avent pacifiers.


• Schedule Tracker - Please refer to "Schedule Versus Demand" article for more information.
  • Journal/ Year Planner
  • itzbeen
  
  
• Shopping cart cover - I thought I would use this everyday and in the end I never used it. I do see a lot of people that have and use it while shopping.


• Stroller - Please refer to the "Stroller" article for more information. We got a frame for our infant carrier rather than getting one of the big travel systems. For short outings, I love the umbrella stroller. For longer walks, I like the Combi Cosmo EX stroller which is reasonably priced for strollers and if you can afford it, the jogging strollers are nice to have. For a double stroller I prefer the side by side.


• Resources - Refer below
  

Sleep
Please refer to the "About Sleep," "Sleep Amount," "Nighttime Parenting," and "Sleep Tips" for some of the sleep articles. Please refer to The MOMMBY Amazon Store - Sleep Products to purchase some of the products listed below.

• CD's - Some of our favorite lullaby CD's were Tender Lullabies or Lullaby Baby by Fisher Price or the Baby Einstein lullaby CD's. Also, if you go to Amazon and type "Rockabye Baby!" you can get lullaby CD's by your favorite group (Beatles, Bob Marley, U2, Coldplay, Journey, Queen, PInk Floyd, ect). Some people really recommend the Happiest Baby on the Block CD to help calm your baby. I bought it for our second baby although I never used it because she was such an easy going baby.


• Crib - We bought a convertible crib that later can convert into a toddler bed, daybed or full-size bed. Most of the drop side cribs have been recalled so for safety sake you may want to avoid getting a drop side crib.We bought our crib mattress at Babies R Us. One side is meant for an infant and the other side is meant for a toddler. You may or may not want to get a crib mobile. Once your baby is older you may want to get some accessories for the crib such as a teething protection or a crib tent. You'll want to get a couple mattress pads and crib sheets. You may or may not want to get a crib bumper. Some people get an inclined to sleep or sleep positioner. We didn't have one of these but we probably should have got one since our baby was suffering from reflux.


• Co-Sleeper - We almost bought the Arm's Reach Natural Co-Sleeper with our second baby. We ended up just using our son's pack n play in our bedroom for the first two months until we transitioned our son from his crib and then our daughter slept in her own room in the crib. With our son he slept in his crib in his own room from the first day we brought him home from the hospital. You have to decide what works best for you whether you want the baby to sleep in your room or not. It was nice having our daughter so close that we were able to respond to her immediately although as she got older it was good she was in her own room as you'll learn your baby will wake up a lot during the night but will not always need you to go in and feed, change a diaper, or help her go back to sleep. Sometimes she'll simply wake up and fall back asleep herself (we found by the time we walked to our daughter's bedroom she had already put herself back to sleep) and if you go in and she initially doesn't need you she will start to rely on you to put her back to sleep.


• Monitor - Summer Infant Sleek and Secure Handheld Color Monitor (found in the The MOMMBY Amazon Store - Routine Products)
  • With our first baby we bought the cheapest sound monitor and it worked just fine for about 1 1/2 years. With our second baby, since we needed to buy a replacement we decided to buy a video monitor. It was definitely very expensive but I truly love it! I went with the Sleek and Secure because it was the only one I found that did the following:
    1. Could have multiple cameras (i.e. we have one camera in each kid's room) and it will automatically scan between rooms every few seconds. Other models could have multiple cameras but you have to manually scan each room.
    2. Has talk back feature - if our 2 1/2 year old gets out of bed we can talk into the monitor and tell him to get back in bed (surprisingly this works).
    3. I feel the black and white picture at night is very clear.
    4. It has secure and private connections unlike some of the other models where if your neighbor has the same monitor they can see and hear your baby.


• Pack N' Play - We primarily only use our Pack N' Play when we travel. Although, we've done a lot of travel where we used it. (If you don't travel a lot most hotels offer cribs or Pack N' Plays free of charge or you can rent them.) Our daughter did sleep in the Pack N' Play for the first few months before we transitioned her big brother out of the crib. You'll want to take a look at the mattress that comes with the Pack N' Play. Ours was literally a piece of cardboard. We ended up buying an additional Pack N' Play mattress to go on top although by the time we added this cost on we probably could have simply bought a more expensive Pack N' Play. You will want to get at least one Pack N' Play sheet.


• Sleep Sacks - These are great to serve as a blanket for your baby. Once we stopped using the sleep sacks, we simply dressed our baby in two sets of pajamas. Usually a 100% cotton on the inside and a fleece type on the outside.


• Swaddling Blankets
  • Miracle Blanket - Our favorite swaddling blanket since it is hard for them to break through unlike the blankets with the velcro fasteners.


• Swing - Some babies love to sleep in a baby swing, especially for naps. We bought the Graco SweetPeace Newborn Soothing Center for our first baby. We used it occasionally on nights when he would wake up and we had trouble getting him back to sleep in his crib. Both of our babies for the first month or so preferred to nap in a baby wearing product and at night generally slept fine in their crib. So for us, we didn't need the swing to assist much with sleep. With our second baby, I put it in the kitchen and she enjoyed sitting and relaxing or playing there when I cooked or cleaned.


• Resources
  • The Baby Sleep Book: The Complete Guide to a Good Night's Rest for the Whole Family by William Sears, Martha Sears, Robert Sears, and James Sears - I haven't actually read this book but I generally like anything written by the Sears family.
  
  
  • Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissblugh, M.D. offers good advice on how to establish healthy sleep habits for your child.
  
  
  • Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and Communicate with Your Baby by Tracy Hogg with Melinda Blau. I enjoyed reading this book as it went along with my parenting philosophy to truly listen to my baby. 

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Resources
All of the books recommended below can be found at The MOMMBY Amazon Store - Books - About Baby. I'd recommend reading Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child and Secrets of the Baby Whisperer prior to your baby's birth. If you can only buy one more book then I'd recommend having The Baby Book as a resource once your baby is born. What to Expect the First Year is another good overall reference to have. If you are interested in knowing more about vaccines you may want to read The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child since babies are generally given the hep B vaccination at birth.

• The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby - From Birth to Age Two by William Sears, M.D., and Martha Sears, R.N. with Robert Sears, M.D., and James Sears, M.D. I enjoy reading information written by the Sears family since they offer real-life practical advice with the added benefit of being written by medical professionals.   


• The Baby Sleep Book: The Complete Guide to a Good Night's Rest for the Whole Family by William Sears, Martha Sears, Robert Sears, and James Sears - I haven't actually read this book but I generally like anything written by the Sears family.


• The Breastfeeding ANSWER BOOK by Nancy Mohrbacher and Julie Stock published by the La Leche League International. I haven't read this book but I refer to the La Leche League website which has excerpts from this book.


• The Breastfeeding Book by the Sears Family. I haven't actually read this book but I generally like anything written by the Sears family.


• Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care by Benjamin Spock, M.D. Updated and Revised by Robert Needleman, M.D. This is a quick resource for baby and child care questions. 


• Feeding Baby Green by Alan Greene, M.D. - a "spokesperson for the green baby movement."


• HappyBaby: The Organic Guide to Baby's First 24 Months by Founders of HAPPYBABY, Robert W. Sears, MD, FAAP, and Amy Marlow, MPH, RD, CDN


• Healing and Preventing Autism: A Complete Guide by Jenny McCarthy and Jerry Kartzinel, M.D. - I am concerned about the increase in diagnosis of children with autism, attention deficit disorder, allergies, asthma, and learning disorders. I do believe that for some children you can help by "defusing environmental, chemical, and food triggers." In general, following some of the general tips in this book to help children with autism like serving organic food, giving your child probiotics, vitamins, and minerals and limiting toxins I believe can only help a child with or without autism. (The article on "Boost Your Immune System" is coming soon.)

• The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood also written by the Sears Family.


• Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissblugh, M.D. offers good advice on how to establish healthy sleep habits for your child.


• Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and Communicate with Your Baby by Tracy Hogg with Melinda Blau. I enjoyed reading this book as it went along with my parenting philosophy to truly listen to my baby.


• The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child by Robert W. Sears, M.D. In addition, to providing medical information about vaccines this book provides helpful tips on how to boost your child’s immune system. (The article on "Boost Your Immune System" is coming soon.)


• What to Expect the First Year by Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg, and Sandee Hathaway, B.S.N.  This provides similar information to The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby - From Birth to Age Two.
  

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Where to Shop?
So now you have your list, where do you buy all of the baby products? Most people think of Babies R Us when they think of baby products. It was a relief when my son was old enough that I was no longer making the weekly trips to Babies R Us as I had trouble leaving the store without spending over $100. In addition to Babies R Us don't forget about the following stores that also carry baby products:

• The MOMMBY Amazon Store - Almost everything in this article can be bought there. (I appreciate your support.)


• Burlington - Baby Depot - You can usually find good deals on baby items especially big ticket items like baby furniture such as the crib and dressers.


• Buy Buy Baby - This is affiliated with Bed Bath & Beyond and so you can use 20% off coupons you receive from Bed Bath & Beyond on most items.


• Khols - Mostly for clothes and few small toy items.


• Target - I love Target but I try not to go in as this is another store I have trouble leaving without spending a lot of money.


• Walmart - I do think prices are cheaper here for everyday products like diapers and wipes.


• Other online sources such as eBay or Craigslist.

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End Note
The above list is long but just remember the most important thing your baby needs is simply LOVE and I know you have plenty of that to give.

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Works Cited

Sears, William M.D.,Martha Sears, R.N., James Sears, M.D., and Robert Sears, M.D. “Bottlefeeding:
Standard Formulas.” AskDrSears.com. 8 Nov. 2009.
<http://www.askdrsears.com/html/0/T000100.asp#T031003>.

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Last updated: January 2011