The Ultimate Baby Registry Guide

Congratulations on growing your family!

With a baby on the way—via pregnancy, surrogacy or adoption—you’ve probably got quite the checklist going (and going). There’s one thing most parents-to-be choose to do before welcoming their newest addition home: create a baby registry.

Building a baby registry can feel overwhelming at first, but trust us, a registry will make your life much easier in the long run. Registries make it quick and convenient for excited friends and family to buy gifts you want and will actually use. They’re also a great way to stay organized and to track what products you’ve already received, and what items you still need. Our ultimate baby registry guide will help get you started.

Baby Registry FAQs

Over the years we’ve helped a lot of parents-to-be create their baby registries. These are some of the questions our registry experts are most commonly asked, and their answers.

What Is a Baby Registry?

A baby registry is a service provided by many retailers (including Albee Baby) that allows expecting parents to create a list of baby items they need or want, and then share that list with friends and family who may want to purchase gifts for the new arrival. Baby registries typically include a wide range of items, such as baby clothes, diapers, strollers, car seats, cribs, and other baby gear and accessories. Simply, a baby registry is a wish list of anything you’d like to receive as a gift for your new bundle of joy. Creating a registry helps you plan and organize all the baby gear you need, and points your friends and family towards products you actually love (and not the ones you don’t).

To create a baby registry, expecting parents typically visit a retailer’s website or physical store and select the items they want to include on their list. Once the registry is created, it can be shared with friends and family through email, social media, or other means.

When someone purchases an item from a baby registry, it is typically marked as “fulfilled” on the shared registry so that others know not to purchase the same item. Here at Albee Baby, we also offer discounts and rewards to expecting parents who use our registry service.

When Should You Create Your Baby Registry?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this one, and the timeline is different for every family. Many expecting parents start a registry towards the end of the first trimester, while others wait until they learn their baby’s gender, or have had their 20 week anatomy scan. Don’t forget that most baby registries—including ours—have a “private” setting that allows you to discreetly add items early in pregnancy, before you’ve announced to friends and family.

If you’re planning to have a shower, keep in mind that you’ll want to give guests plenty of time to pick a gift and make purchases. Try your best to have your registry ready to go public by the time invitations go out—you can always add products leading up to the event, and after.

Finally, it’s important to keep in mind that some baby gear and accessories have long lead times or may be out of stock due to high demand, so it’s a good idea to create a registry early in order to ensure that all the necessary items will be available when needed.

How Many Items Should You Add to Your Baby Registry?

Take our seasoned advice here: this is no time to be shy. Plan to register for everything your baby needs in the first year (and beyond). Friends and family will appreciate having plenty of options to choose from, and you can use your registry completion discount on any leftover must-haves.

It’s generally recommended to include a range of items at different price points to accommodate the budgets of guests who may be purchasing gifts.

In terms of a specific number, some baby registry experts suggest aiming for around 50 to 100 items on the list. This can include items such as clothing, diapers, feeding supplies, baby gear (such as strollers, car seats, and playards), nursery furniture, and other baby-related essentials.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that the number of items on a baby registry is not as important as the quality and relevance of the items listed. It’s better to have a smaller list of items that are well-researched and truly needed, rather than a long list of unnecessary or duplicate items.

Should You Include Big Ticket Items?

Absolutely. Your loved ones really do want to know everything you want and need, from burp cloths to a crib or stroller. Maybe a grandparent is excited to splurge, or a group of friends want to go in together on a big time gift. They’ll be thrilled to go over-the-top, or you’ll be thrilled to use your registry completion discount on any major gift not purchased. Either way, a win-win.

What Should I Do If Some Items on My Registry Are Out of Stock or Discontinued?

If some items on your baby registry are out of stock or discontinued, there are several things you can do:

Consider alternative items: If the specific item you registered for is out of stock or no longer available, consider selecting a similar item that meets your needs and preferences.
Check with us: Contact us here at Albee Baby to see if we can provide any information about when the item may be back in stock, or if we can suggest a similar item that is available.
Update your registry: If the item is permanently out of stock or discontinued, you may want to remove it from your registry and replace it with another item that you need.
Be flexible: Keep in mind that your guests may not necessarily purchase the exact items on your registry, and that’s okay! Remember that the purpose of the registry is to give your friends and family a sense of what you need and want for your baby, but ultimately, it’s up to them to decide what they want to purchase.

Overall, the most important thing is to be flexible and open-minded when it comes to your registry. While it can be frustrating when items are out-of-stock or discontinued, there are usually alternative options available that can still meet your needs and preferences (and look incredibly stylish). And remember, your friends and family are excited to celebrate the arrival of your baby, and they will appreciate any items you receive, regardless of whether they were specifically listed on your registry.

How Do I Share My Registry Information with Friends and Family?

There are several ways to let friends and family know about your baby registry:

Share the registry information directly: You can let your friends and family know about your baby registry by sending them a direct message or email with the registry information, including a link to your registry and any instructions or notes you may have.
Include the information in shower invitations: If you’re having a baby shower or other event, you can include the registry information on the invitations so that guests know where to find it.
Share on social media: You can also share your registry information on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter (if it’s still in business), letting your followers know where you’ve registered and what items you’ve included on your list.
Ask family and friends to spread the word: If you have close family members or friends who are particularly good at spreading the word, you can ask them to share the registry information with their own social networks or with others who may be interested in purchasing a gift.

Overall, the key is to make sure the information is easy to find and access, and that you’re clear and specific about where you’ve registered and what items you’re hoping to receive.

How to Build a Registry

Consider Your Lifestyle

Before you begin adding baby gear to your registry, it’s worth taking a moment to think about how a product fits your particular family needs, as well as your lifestyle.

Are you square footage challenged, or do you have a spacious double garage in the suburbs? How much do you prioritize organic products and sustainable living? Do you tend towards minimalism, or do you prefer an over-the-top approach?

A city dwelling family may need a lightweight car seat that’s easy to travel with and quickly installs for rideshares. A family with plans to add a sibling in the future may want to prioritize extra durable single-to-double strollers. Taking a thoughtful approach towards building your registry and allowing lifestyle considerations to guide decision making will keep your registry focused and personalized.

Remember to Account for Different Price Points

Remembering to account for different price points when making a baby registry is important for a few reasons. First and foremost, it ensures that your guests have a range of options when selecting a gift for you and your baby. Not everyone has the same budget, and by including items at various price points, you give your guests the opportunity to choose something that fits their budget while still contributing to your registry. Additionally, including items at different price points ensures that you don’t miss out on important items simply because they are less expensive. Finally, accounting for different price points helps you stay within your own budget.

While it can be tempting to register for only the latest and greatest baby gear, the reality is that it can add up quickly. By including a mix of high and low-priced items, you can make sure that your registry is both practical and realistic for everyone involved.

Do Your Research

You want to make sure that the items you are adding to your registry are safe and meet safety standards. This is particularly important for items like car seats, cribs, and other baby gear. Researching items can help you make informed decisions and ensure that you are selecting products that have passed safety tests and are recommended by other parents and experts. You cannot expect everyone purchasing from your registry to research these products for you.

Secondly, researching items can help you choose products that are durable and of high quality. This is particularly important for items that you plan to use frequently, such as strollers, diaper bags, and baby carriers. By reading reviews and doing research, you can select products that have a good track record for durability and reliability, and that will last through the baby’s first year and beyond. This is super important if you are planning on having more than one baby.

Finally, researching items can help you make the most of your registry and ensure that you receive items that you actually need and want. By reading reviews and doing research, you can learn about the features and benefits of different products and select items that meet your specific needs and preferences. This can help you avoid receiving items that you don’t really need or won’t use, and can help ensure that your registry is practical and useful for you and your baby.

Organize to Save Your Sanity

Imagining all the things you and your baby are going to need in the coming months can be overwhelming, but don’t panic. Take a deep breath, unleash your inner Type-A, and organize.

To start, it helps to consider your baby’s basic needs and arrange those into larger categories, like “feeding” or “nursery”. Every parent approaches building a registry differently, and there’s no right way to do it—just remember to take one step at a time. You may find it’s easier to start with the fun stuff, like clothing or décor, and save items that may require a little research, like strollers or car seats, for later.

These are a few of the more essential categories we believe are the most helpful to work within, and product suggestions for each.

Nursery

Anything you imagine belonging in a nursery, include here: a crib, crib mattress and sheets; other furniture pieces, like a dresser or changing table and gliders or rockers; room décor, like lighting, frames, and organizational pieces; and sleep related products like monitors, nightlights, and sound machines.

Feeding

Chances are your brain goes right to bottles—and you’ll definitely want to include those—but don’t forget bibs, burp cloths, breast pumps and nursing bras. Then tackle items for introducing solids like high chairs, plates, bowls, cutlery, and food storage.

On-the-Go

These are the products that you’ll use when venturing out of the house with your baby, like car seats, strollers, and baby carriers. If you plan to start with an infant car seat, we’d recommend registering for a convertible car seat, as well.

Baby Gear

Products like bouncers, swings, and play yards belong in the gear category, but remember that babies can be picky about which spot they find soothing.

Postpartum Care

Baby registries are focused on baby gear, understandably. But take some time to add items that will help with postpartum recovery, like a peri bottle, nipple cream, and perineal balm or spray.

Clothing

Baby clothes might actually be addictive, but try to be practical and focus on basics that make overnight feedings easy. Bodysuits and pants are great staples, as are zippered footies and pajamas. Newborns can’t regulate their body temperature, so include booties and hats, even for summer babies.

Health & Safety

Be sure to include a first aid kid, thermometer, and humidifier here, along with bathtime items, like a newborn-friendly tub, gentle body wash, and towels.

Diapering

Diapers, wipes, and diaper cream are obviously essential to caring for your baby. Babies will outgrow those newborn-sized diapers quickly, so register for multiple sizes.

Play

You’ve likely heard it before, and it’s true: play is the work of children. Board books, activity gyms, and stacking or gasping toys all boost baby’s brain power and encourage motor development.

Plan for Baby-Driven Buying

Oh, the best laid plans. There are few moments in life where expectations and reality clash more plainly than with parenthood. Similarly, some registry must-haves you’ve heard your friends swear by may be incompatible with—or flat out rejected by—your new little one. Tiny humans can have big opinions, and they aren’t afraid to make them known.

These are some of the more popular registry items where it’s smart to take a wait-and-see approach:

Bottles. Babies can be very picky when you introduce the bottle (especially newborns who have been exclusively breastfed). Consider adding 1 or 2 bottles from a couple of brands to test before buying larger sets.
Formula. Formula isn’t cheap, and building a stockpile through registry purchases definitely makes sense. But it’s hard to know exactly which formula is going to agree with your baby’s belly, especially if there’s an allergy or intolerance involved. We recommend avoiding registering for formula entirely.
Swaddles. There are a lot of swaddle options (traditional muslin, sleep sacks, and swaddle sacks that allow for arm movement, to name a few), and it’s likely your baby will have a preference. Again, register for 1 or 2 in each category and learn what works before purchasing more.
Gear. Having a safe spot to put your baby down is crucial (especially if you ever want to shower again). And more likely than not they’ll have a preference—some babies will squirm in a bouncer, but be content in a swing. Consider starting with one item, and if it doesn’t work, donate or sell before purchasing something new.

Don’t Forget About Gift Cards

No matter how large or comprehensive your baby registry may be, you will never run out of baby items that need purchasing (hello, diapers). And the better you get to know your baby, the more necessities you’ll discover.

Baby Registry Essentials Checklist

At Albee Baby, we aren’t big believers in ‘universal’ registries—your registry should reflect your actual lifestyle. But we do believe in simplifying shopping for your baby, so we’ve created a basic checklist of gear you’ll almost certainly need (and a few popular items you may or may not, in italics). This should help make sure you don’t miss anything important early in your baby’s life.

Nursery

Crib or mini crib (1)
Crib or mini crib mattress (1)
Crib mattress protector (2)
Crib sheets (3)
Dresser or changing table (1)
Changing Pad (1)
Changing pad cover (3)
Nursing chair and ottoman (1)
Bassinet, cradle or sidecar co-sleeper (1)

Car Seat & Accessories

Infant car seat (1)
Convertible car seat (1)
Extra infant car seat base (1+)

Strollers & Accessories

Everyday stroller (1)
Infant car seat adaptors (1)
Stroller cup holder (1)
Lightweight stroller (1)
Jogging stroller (1)
Stroller sun cover (1)
Stroller rain cover (1)
Stroller footmuff (1)
Stroller snack tray (1)
Stroller travel bag (1)
Stroller toys

Baby Gear

Baby carrier (1)
Diaper bag (1)
Bouncer (1)
Stretchy wrap (1)
Swing (1)
Playard (1)

Bath Time

Baby tub (1)
Baby shampoo (2+)
Baby lotion (2+)
Hooded towels (3+)
Wash cloths (6+)

Diapering

Diapers (consider registering for a range of sizes)
Wipes (6+)
Diaper cream (2+)
On-the-go changing pad (1)
Wipes holder (1)
Diaper pail (1)
Diaper pail refills (4+)

Feeding

Bibs (6+)
Burp Cloths (6+)
Bottle cleaning brush (1)
Bottle drying rack (1)

For breastfeeding, add

Breast pump (1)
Manual breast pump (1)
Nursing bras & tanks (6+)
Hands-free pumping bras (2+)
Milk storage bags
4-8 bottles, in 4oz and 8oz sizes (if Dad and other caregivers plan to participate in feedings)
Nursing pillow (1)
Nursing cover (1)

For exclusive bottle feeding, add

10-16 Bottles, 4oz and 8oz Sizes (you’ll outgrow the 4oz size relatively quickly, so consider purchasing more of the 8oz size)
Formula (6+)

For starting solids, add

High chair (1)
Plates (6+)
Bowls (6+)
Utensils (12+)
Toddler cups (6+)
Food storage containers (4+)
Baby food processor (1)
Portable high chair (1)
Booster seat (1)

Bedtime & Soothing

Swaddles (6+)
Wearable blankets (3+)
Pacifiers (4+)
Lovey blankets (3+)
Night light (1)
Noise machine (1)

Baby Clothes

Bodysuits or rompers (6+)
Pants (6+)
Hats (3+)
Stocks (10+)
Scratch mittens (6+)
Footies or gowns (6+)
Soft shoes or booties (2+)
Fancy outfits for pictures

For winter babies, add

Winter bunting (1)
Cold weather mittens (1)
Cozy booties (2+)
Sweatshirts or sweaters (3+)

For summer babies, add

Summer hat (1)
Lightweight blanket (2)

Postpartum Recovery & Care

Perineal balm or spray (2)
Peri bottle (1)
Nipple cream (2)
Boob soothers (1)
Nursing pads (12+)
Parenting books
C-Section scar balm (1)

Toys

Activity gym (1)
Rattles & grasping toys (3+)
Teethers (3+)
Stuffed animals (3+)
High contrast infant toys (3+)
Board books (infinity!)
Play mat (1)

Health & Safety

Baby monitor (1)
Humidifier (1)
Outlet covers (12+)
Table edge covers (4+)
Cabinet locks (12+)
Baby gates (2+)
First aid kit (1)
Gentle laundry detergent

Ready, set, register!

Albee Baby is the oldest family-owned specialty baby shop in the US, and we pride ourselves on providing our customers with the best assortment of baby products anywhere, at fair prices, always. We’re committed to being an inclusive resource for parents, and hope you’re feeling empowered to find the right baby gear for your family. Click here to get your registry started with Albee Baby!

Still have questions? Feel free to contact our registry experts at 877.692.5233 or by email at [email protected].