I originally wasn’t going to do a “Registry Essentials” post. I know there are a ton out there, and I didn’t want to be repetitive. I recently changed my mind. Expecting a baby can be rather overwhelming, so I know how much I appreciated any baby product tips I could get while pregnant. I wanted help from anyone and everyone who had experienced what I was about to, and especially those who had recently. Now that I have been a mom for over half a year, I definitely feel like I have learned a lot and would register completely differently. My list of 9 recommendations obviously doesn’t include all of what a first-time mom needs to register for, but instead I wanted to share what I definitely couldn’t have made it without. These products may seem random, but are truly all ones that I would 100% recommend.
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1: Boppy Bare Naked Pillow – I remember looking at this weird shaped pillow while registering, completely confused as to why I would ever need it. UM … I couldn’t have lived without it. We loved it for SO many reasons, but mostly for how much easier it made positioning Waverly while breastfeeding those first couple of months.
2: Lanolin for Breastfeeding Mothers – Thanks to my Type-A personality, I pride myself in always being prepared in life. If anything, overprepared. I was totally, completely unprepared for breastfeeding. Both mentally and physically. The first few weeks were extremely painful and I came close to calling the whole thing off and switching to formula multiple times. I didn’t (thank goodness … since I now love it!) – and I’m pretty sure I have the lanolin to thank. Stock up, mommas!
3: Angelcare Baby Movement and Sound Monitor – This was actually the second monitor we got. We purchased it about two months in, right around the time that my husband insisted that it was time to move Waverly to her own room. I was so paranoid about SIDS that having a sensor to detect movement was the only way I was going to get any sleep at night. We love it, and although I enjoyed having the video on the first monitor we had, the sensor ended up being more important in the end.
4: Sophie the Giraffe Teether – I’ve posted about Sophie before and could go on and on about how much we love her. At one point we lost her and just about lost our minds until she was replaced, so to me … the more Sophies, the better! For whatever reason, babies just love her and therefore, so do the mommas!
5: Boon Lawn Countertop Drying Rack – This was not on our registry, but we recieved it as a gift from friends who had just had a baby of their own! We LOVE it and it is probably our favorite gift that we recieved. I honestly wasn’t even sure what to do with it when we first pulled it out of the box, but it is great for storing bottles, nipples, tops, pacifiers … all that “stuff” that comes with your sweet baby. And I love that it is modern looking, too.
6: Cloud B Sleep Sheep – Another favorite gift … one that we really could not live without! We have used this sheep to get Waverly to sleep from day one and my only complaint is that now she really won’t sleep without it. We joke that she is going to be 16 sleeping with her sheep. 🙂
7: Aden & Anais Blankets – We registered and got TONS of swaddle blankets, magic blankets, sleep suits … and really, these blankets were all we needed. They are soft, lightweight, incredibly cute, and definitely worth the price. I wish they came in adult size, too.
8: Crane Drop Humidifier – My mom told me to buy a humidifier before Waverly was born, but I didn’t understand the importance and therefore opted out. Like they say … mommas know best. My husband ended up on a midnight run to Walgreens when Waverly was about two months old because she was so congested. We have used it multiple time since. I totally should have listened.
9: Pampers Swaddlers – Without a doubt, swaddlers are the favorite diaper brand in our house. We were appreciative to get lots of diapers as gifts before Waverly was born, and therefore we have tried them all. The difference in quality and fit with the swaddlers and all the others is significant. I can’t say enough good things about them.
So there you have it. The 9 Products that I HIGHLY recommend. I obviously, in no way, included anywhere near everything that you would need on a registry for your little bundle of joy. That list could go on and on … and on. These are the just the ones that we couldn’t do without out, and that completely worked for us. Hope they help! Additionally, we have MANY other favorite items that we have found along the way. Here are links to those posts:
And of course, a photo of my bundle of joy – swaddled in her Aden & Anais blanket @ 1 month old.

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Oh, the swaddle picture, be still my heart! I feel you on the unprepared for nursing thing! It has been the most challenging yet most rewarding thing I've ever done! I'm with you though, and I'm so thankful that I didn't quit! Lanolin was a lifesaver!
OMG – I totally should have thought more about it! But I'm with you – most rewarding this EVER! 🙂
OMG, that is the perfect registry checklist, we have almost ALL those exact same things. Still use that monitor to this day. We have one downstairs and one in our room upstairs. I would've driven myself crazy with a video monitor, but I wanted to know every time she moved, so this was perfect!
Glad to hear others like the same things! Haha – I would drive myself crazy, too! I think I would probably just stare at it all night long!
I agree with most of these!
This is helpful since I'm just now starting to register! Thanks for the recommendations!
Great! I was hoping it would be helpful to some! Thanks for stopping by the blog!
I am with you, I try to always be 2 steps ahead. So, I guess i will pick up a CASE of lanolin soon!! Thanks for the great tidbits!!
Thanks for stopping by the blog! Glad these could help!