Six Tips for Conquering Your Baby Registry

By Hilary Grulke. 

Registering for your baby shower, especially if it’s your first baby, is an overwhelming task!  Who knew there was so. much. stuff. So how do you conquer the registry? Here are some tips to help you create the best registry for you.

1. Do your research. First and foremost, don’t even step into the store until you do your research. You will be totally overwhelmed! When I was pregnant with my first baby, my husband and I walked into Babies “R” Us. The first thing we came to was the bottle wall. A whole entire wall filled with nothing but bottles. We instantly knew we were in over our heads. We then saw a woman and her mom consulting a book while shopping, so we asked them about it. It was Baby Bargains, a great book that gives lists and reviews of many baby products. We bought the book, went home, did our research, and felt totally prepared and ready to conquer Babies “R” Us the next time we went in!

2. Vary the prices of your registry items. If you have all expensive items, you will alienate some of your guests, but if you have only low-price items, you’ll miss out on some great, higher-end gifts. Higher-priced items are good for relatives or co-workers who may pool money for a group gift. However, lower priced items are needed too. You don’t want any friends or family members to feel uncomfortable by not being able to purchase a gift from your registry.

3. Don’t overlook small essentials. A gift that I loved was a basket filled with essentials (diaper cream, soaps, lotions, wipes, medicines, etc.). It was great to be already prepared with those little things before my baby arrived.

4. Think long term. Go ahead and register for thing your baby will need in 6 months, a year, or even longer. No need to only register for newborn-only items.

5. Don’t go over-board with toys. They’re oh so cute, but really, are rarely used. Infants usually ignore most toys. The over-the-top large, blinking, noise-making toys for older babies usually just take up room in the corner, with baby playing with the box!

6. Ask friends for their honest opinions. Friends may tell you that all the new, high-tech baby items just aren’t always necessary, or can even add to stress-levels. For example, a heart rate and oxygen level monitor can cause panic if goes off unnecessarily (read more about it in this article). Of course if there’s a medical reason, then definitely register for one. And of course, do what makes you feel comfortable and gives you piece of mind. Again, ask for advice, and do research before asking for those big-ticket items.

Most of all, have fun registering! It’s a fun and exciting time!

About the Author, Hilary Grulke: Hilary is a mom of two children, a boy and girl, who keep her endlessly busy. However, when she does have free time, she loves to read, do yoga, shop, spend time with friends, and go out to dinner with her husband.