RegistryUpdated 2026-09-0258 items, 42 essential

The Baby Registry Checklist

A registry is a list of things other people will buy for you, so the mistake is treating it like a wish list. Put the expensive, boring, essential things on it — the car seat, the stroller, the diapers by the case — because those are what a group of friends will happily split, and they're what you'd otherwise be paying for at 11pm in week two.

This list is sorted by where the thing lives in your day. Every item is marked essential or nice-to-have, and where it matters we've named one pick, not five. At the end is the part most lists leave out: what you can skip.

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Sleep

Where the baby sleeps for the first months, and the things that make the nights survivable.

BassinetEssential
Beside your bed for the first four to six months. This is the purchase you'll use most in the first stretch.
Our pick
HALO BassiNest Swivel Sleeper
Swivels over the bed, so night feeds don't mean getting up. Outgrown by five months; that's the point.
View on Amazon
CribEssential
Can wait a few months if space is tight, but it belongs on the registry — it's the kind of thing family wants to buy.
Our pick
Babyletto Hudson 3-in-1 Convertible Crib
Converts to a toddler bed and a daybed, so it's the last bed you buy for a while.
View on Amazon
Crib mattressEssential
Firm, flat, and sized exactly to the crib. Washable beats everything else.
Our pick
Newton Baby Crib Mattress
Breathable and washable all the way through. A crib mattress gets washed more than you'd think.
View on Amazon
Fitted crib sheetsEssential
Three. Nothing else goes in the crib — no bumpers, no pillows, no blankets.
Our pick
Burt's Bees Baby Fitted Crib Sheets
Soft, sized right, survive hot washes. Three.
View on Amazon
Swaddles or sleep sacksEssential
Three, because one is always wet. Velcro or zip; save the muslin origami for photos.
Our pick
HALO SleepSack Swaddle
Velcro wings, no origami. Get three; one is always in the wash.
View on Amazon
Sound machineEssential
Constant white noise, all night, from night one. The single cheapest sleep improvement there is.
Our pick
Hatch Rest Sound Machine
Sound machine, night light and, later, the toddler clock. One device that grows with the room.
View on Amazon
Baby monitorNice to have
Not needed while they sleep beside you. Worth it once they're in their own room.
Our pick
Nanit Pro Smart Baby Monitor
The overhead view is the one you'll actually use. Skip the breathing band unless you'll sleep better for it.
View on Amazon

Feeding

BottlesEssential
A starter set of one brand. Don't stock up until you know which one the baby takes.
Our pick
Philips Avent Natural Baby Bottles
Wide, soft nipple that most babies take. Buy a starter set, not a cabinet.
View on Amazon
Breast pumpEssential
Check insurance before you register — most plans cover one. If not, this is a registry item.
Our pick
Spectra S1 Plus Breast Pump
Quiet, rechargeable, hospital-grade suction. Check your insurance first; many cover it.
View on Amazon
Silicone hand pumpNice to have
Catches the other side while you feed. Tiny cost, real stash.
Our pick
Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump
Catches the letdown on the other side. Costs almost nothing and adds up to a freezer stash.
View on Amazon
Nursing pillowEssential
Your arms will thank you by day three.
Our pick
Boppy Original Feeding and Support Pillow
Saves your arms during feeds and doubles for supervised tummy time.
View on Amazon
Bottle drying rackEssential
You'll wash bottle parts several times a day for a year. Give them somewhere to dry.
Our pick
Boon Grass Countertop Drying Rack
Holds bottle parts upright to dry. Looks like a lawn, works like a lawn.
View on Amazon
Bottle brushEssential
Our pick
Dr. Brown's Bottle Brush with Suction Base
Stands on the counter instead of falling in the sink. You will use it twice a day for a year.
View on Amazon
Burp clothsEssential
A dozen. Not a typo.
Our pick
Burt's Bees Baby Organic Burp Cloths
Soft, absorbent, washable a thousand times. You will need more than seems reasonable.
View on Amazon
FormulaNice to have
Have a small can in the house even if you don't plan to use it. Peace of mind at 3am.
BibsNice to have
Not for months. Register anyway; they're a cheap thing people like to buy.

Diapering and changing

Ten to twelve changes a day at the start. Set up somewhere you can do it without bending.

Diapers, newborn and size 1Essential
Register for both; babies outgrow newborn size in weeks. Cases, not packs.
Our pick
Pampers Swaddlers Newborn Diapers
The wetness indicator earns its keep in week one. Register for size 1 too; newborn size goes fast.
View on Amazon
WipesEssential
By the case. Plain water wipes for the first weeks.
Our pick
WaterWipes Original Baby Wipes
Water and a drop of fruit extract. Gentle enough for the first weeks.
View on Amazon
Changing padEssential
Wipeable, no cover, on top of whatever dresser you already own.
Our pick
Keekaroo Peanut Changer
Wipes clean instead of needing a cover. No fabric, no laundry, no smell.
View on Amazon
Diaper pailEssential
Steel, ordinary bags, no refills to buy forever.
Our pick
Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail
Steel holds no odor and it takes ordinary trash bags, so no proprietary refills.
View on Amazon
Diaper creamEssential
Our pick
Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment
The diaper-rash fix that also handles dry cheeks and everything else.
View on Amazon
Portable changing padNice to have
Usually comes with the diaper bag. Check before adding one.

Bath and care

Baby bathtubEssential
One that grows. Sponge baths only until the cord stump falls off.
Our pick
Frida Baby 4-in-1 Grow-With-Me Bath Tub
Newborn sling to toddler tub. One bath purchase instead of three.
View on Amazon
Hooded towelsEssential
Two or three. Thick ones.
Our pick
Burt's Bees Baby Hooded Towels
Thick enough to matter. The hood is the whole trick with a wet, cold, furious newborn.
View on Amazon
WashclothsEssential
A pack. They double as everything.
Our pick
Burt's Bees Baby Organic Washcloths
A pack of soft ones. They end up doing everything, not just baths.
View on Amazon
Gentle body wash and shampooEssential
One fragrance-free bottle does both.
Nasal aspiratorEssential
You'll use it the first time they get a cold and wonder how you'd have coped without it.
Our pick
Frida Baby NoseFrida Nasal Aspirator
Yes, you suck. It works better than the bulb and the filter keeps it civilised.
View on Amazon
Nail file or clippersEssential
Newborn nails grow fast and are sharp. A file is safer than clippers in the first weeks.
ThermometerEssential
Our pick
Frida Baby 3-in-1 True Temp Thermometer
Forehead, ear or room. The one you'll reach for at 3am.
View on Amazon
Soft-bristle brushNice to have

Out and about

The two biggest purchases on the list. Register for them: this is exactly what a group gift is for.

Infant car seatEssential
You cannot leave the hospital without one. Get it installed and checked before your due date. We compared four seats on carrier weight, baseless install and stroller fit.
Compare four infant car seats →
Our pick
Nuna PIPA aire rx
The lightest carrier here by a wide margin, and it installs with just a seat belt for taxis.
View on Amazon
StrollerEssential
Choose one the car seat clicks into. If a second baby is possible, choose one that converts to a double.
Our pick
UPPAbaby VISTA V2 Stroller
The stroller that becomes a double when the second one arrives. Big spend; register for it.
View on Amazon
Baby carrierEssential
Structured carrier for later; a wrap for the first weeks. Many parents want both.
Our pick
Ergobaby Omni 360 Baby Carrier
Newborn to toddler, front or back, and it doesn't wreck your shoulders.
View on Amazon
Baby wrapNice to have
For the newborn weeks when they want to be held and you want your hands.
Our pick
Solly Baby Baby Wrap
For the first weeks, when they want to be on you and you want your hands.
View on Amazon
Diaper bagEssential
A backpack, so both hands are free.
Our pick
Skip Hop Forma Diaper Backpack
A backpack, so both hands are free. Comes with the changing pad and the bottle bag.
View on Amazon
Car seat cover or canopyNice to have
For weather, not warmth. Never put a padded liner behind the baby in a car seat.

Clothing

Buy less than you think in newborn size and more in 3–6 months. People will give you clothes whether you ask or not.

Bodysuits, newborn and 0–3 monthsEssential
Six to eight of each. Snaps at the bottom, envelope neck for blowouts.
Our pick
Burt's Bees Baby Organic Short-Sleeve Bodysuits
Envelope neck, so a blowout comes off downward instead of over the head. That detail is worth choosing for.
View on Amazon
Footed sleepersEssential
Six to eight. Zippers, not snaps, for 3am.
Our pick
Burt's Bees Baby Zip-Front Footed Sleepers
Zippers, not snaps. At 3am you will not align eleven snaps in the dark.
View on Amazon
Pants or leggingsNice to have
A few pairs. Mostly they live in sleepers.
SocksEssential
They fall off. Buy more than you'd think.
Our pick
Burt's Bees Baby Baby Socks Multipack
They fall off constantly. Buy more pairs than seems sensible and stop worrying about matching.
View on Amazon
HatsEssential
Two soft ones for the first weeks.
Our pick
Burt's Bees Baby Organic Knit Hats
Two soft ones for the first weeks. The hospital's is fine too; these photograph better.
View on Amazon
MittensNice to have
Or sleepers with fold-over cuffs, which do the same job without falling off.
Going-home outfitNice to have
One. It'll be in the photos.

Nursery

The room can wait; the baby sleeps beside you for months. But these are worth registering for early.

Glider or rockerEssential
You'll spend hours in it, half asleep. Comfort over looks — though you can have both.
Our pick
Babyletto Kiwi Electronic Recliner and Swivel Glider
Reclines with a button, swivels, and doesn't look like it belongs in a waiting room.
View on Amazon
Blackout curtainsEssential
Daytime naps depend on it.
Our pick
NICETOWN Blackout Curtains
Naps at 2pm need a room that thinks it's midnight.
View on Amazon
DresserEssential
Any dresser. It becomes the changing station with a pad on top.
HamperEssential
Baby laundry is its own category of laundry.
Our pick
Amazon Basics Collapsible Laundry Hamper
Baby laundry is its own daily category. Give it a basket that folds flat when it isn't.
View on Amazon
NightlightNice to have
Covered if you chose the sound machine above.
Storage basketsNice to have
For the diapers and wipes you'll want within arm's reach.
Our pick
Amazon Basics Woven Storage Baskets
Open, low, grabbable one-handed. Lids are the enemy of a parent holding a baby.
View on Amazon

Health and safety

First-aid basicsEssential
Infant pain reliever (ask your pediatrician for dosing), saline drops, gas drops.
Our pick
Frida Baby Baby Healthcare and Grooming Kit
Aspirator, thermometer, nail file, medicine dispenser in one box, so you are not assembling it at midnight.
View on Amazon
Outlet coversNice to have
Months away, but you'll forget later.
Our pick
Safety 1st Outlet Plug Covers
Not needed for months. On the list because you'll forget later.
View on Amazon
Cabinet locksNice to have
Same. Register now, install at six months.

For you

The part registries skip. Put it on the list; people want to help and don't know how.

Postpartum recovery kitEssential
Pads, ice packs, witch hazel. The hospital's supply runs out.
Our pick
Frida Mom Postpartum Recovery Essentials Kit
The hospital gives you some of this. Have your own; theirs runs out at 4am.
View on Amazon
Peri bottleEssential
Our pick
Frida Mom Upside Down Peri Bottle
The angle is the whole product. Nobody who has one regrets it.
View on Amazon
Nipple creamEssential
Even if you're not sure you'll nurse.
Our pick
Earth Mama Organic Nipple Butter
Safe for the baby, so nothing to wipe off before a feed.
View on Amazon
Nursing bras and padsEssential
Two or three bras, a box of pads.
Our pick
Kindred Bravely Sublime Nursing Bra
Comfortable enough to sleep in, opens one-handed. Buy it in the third trimester; you'll need it the first night.
View on Amazon
Water bottle with a strawEssential
One-handed, enormous. You'll be thirstier than you've ever been.
Meal delivery gift cardsNice to have
The best thing anyone can buy you. Add it and say so.

What you can skip

The part most lists leave out.

Wipe warmer
Room-temperature wipes are fine. Warm wipes make a baby who won't tolerate cold ones.
Bottle sterilizer
A dishwasher or a pot of boiling water does the same job. Skip it unless you have neither.
Changing table
A dresser with a pad on top is a changing table that stays useful for a decade.
Baby shoes
They don't walk. Socks.
Baby food maker
A fork and a blender you already own. Also, months away.
Bumpers and crib bedding sets
Nothing goes in the crib but a fitted sheet and the baby. This isn't a style opinion; it's safe-sleep guidance.
Newborn-size everything
Some babies skip newborn size entirely. Register lightly and go up a size.
A second of anything expensive
Register for one stroller, one carrier, one monitor. Add later if you actually want another.

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