What Do You Put on Your Baby Registry?

Basic Equipment

• With so many different brands of equipment, be sure to research before starting your registry. Pick out your favorite car seats, strollers, cribs, pack and plays, high chairs, and any other large pieces of equipment that you want to have in the house. Add only as many as you need to your registry. Picking your top five strollers and adding them all may result in your getting five strollers for your baby shower (or when the baby is born). Select only what you need and be sure to remove them if you end up buying something for yourself or you get it as a gift or donation.

Necessary Supplies

• If you haven't started to research all of the things your baby is going to need, you may not know that a newborn baby needs a lot of "stuff." While this stuff may not be expensive individually, it adds up fast. Be sure to add all of the little things onto your registry. People may be willing to buy several of the items and put them together in a gift basket. Some stores even offer services where you can select certain items and they'll wrap them up in a basket (with all of the bows and tissue paper to make it look nice). For breast-feeding moms, you'll need burp clothes, bibs, nursing covers, nursing pads and, if you plan on pumping, a breast bump and bottles. For moms choosing to feed their baby formula, you're going to need burp clothes, bibs, bottles, bottle cleaners, nipple cleaners, and formula. Keep in mind that many formula and bottle companies offer free samples for new parents. Take advantage of these and remember that different babies like different kinds of formula and different kinds of bottles. Try out your options before you stock up on one. All babies also need bathing tools, such as an infant bathtub, lotion, baby wash, nail clippers, and a baby comb or brush.

Things You Wouldn't Buy Yourself

• If you have a hard time justifying buying yourself a $75 diaper bag, add it to your registry. If you find an expensive blanket or sweater that you would love to have, add it. With so many things that the new baby needs, you may have a hard time buying all of the "extras." Things that they don't really need or that may be too expensive get pushed off to the side because you're so busy preparing your house and life for having a new baby in it.