A Minimalist Baby Registry For Parents Who Kind Of Hate Baby Stuff
When my husband and I found out there was a baby growing in my body, I was like, "Yayyyy!"
And a little later I was like, "BUT THE BABY STUFF. DANG."
Some women go nuts over precious baby things like tiny newborn-sized moccasins. My mind would probably be an easier place to live if I shared those feelings. But no. I'm thinking about how useless those tiny moccasins are for tiny humans who DON'T NEED TINY SHOES.
I have a sometimes ruthless fixation on practicality. I like things to be efficient, well-designed and not disposable, which is a huge (sometimes impossible) challenge when it comes to the baby industry. And babies, in general, who grow up so fast.
It's hard to even pretend to be a minimalist when it comes to babies, and my form of “minimalism” is 90% wishful thinking. I spent nine months over-researching baby gear (went deeeeeply down the rabbit hole), trying to find the very best (and therefore only) stuff we'd need for our baby—the items that aren't all hideous or plastic or wasteful or overly gendered. Space-saving, workhorse items were also important to us because we live in a duplex, not a castle.
I'm still new at this, but I've learned a lot so far about what we actually use and what we don't. I started putting together some baby gear recommendations for a friend and it snowballed into this post. And now I've gotta hit publish before my mind's slate is wiped clean regarding the first few months of parenthood.
P.S. I am using the word "registry" loosely in this post... you probably aren't going to put all of these items on a formal registry with Amazon or wherever. It's more of a comprehensive list of all the stuff you might want to consider for your baby, including the stuff you would likely buy on your own. → I set up an Amazon storefront with a lot of these recommendations rounded up for easier adds to your own registry.
P.P.S. This post is full of affiliate links.
P.P.P.S. This post was originally published in August 2018 but I try to keep it somewhat updated. If you catch anything linked that’s not available anymore, let me know!
THIS IS MY ADORABLE CHILD! | photo by Eliesa Johnson
a few tips on baby stuff
1. Where to register for a baby? Amazon.
If you can't find exactly what you want on Amazon already, you can register for literally anything from any store on the Internet with Amazon's universal registry feature.
2. Reuse, Recycle. Beg, Borrow.
The easiest way to lessen the environmental impact of your baby stuff is to borrow, buy used and graciously accept all those the bags of hand-me-downs... and to pay it forward on the other side. I barely had to buy any maternity or newborn clothes because we got a whole heap of things from friends and family. I am only a couple months in and already accumulating boxes of things to pass on to my friends who are pregnant now. Mothers are a generous community of women. In addition to your family and social circle, Facebook Marketplace, Buy Nothing groups and Craigslist are also gold mines of like-new baby stuff. Build your registry and then see what you can find on the internet from it.
3. Sometimes convenience wins and it's not pretty or cheap.
It's true that new babies only need a few things to survive (something to eat, somewhere to sleep and somewhere to poop), but it's also about your survival as a new parent. More on the postpartum phase eventually, but if certain things can make your life a little easier during this time period, you should get those things if you have the means. A lot of this happens in the throes of chaos after the baby is born rather than during the planning, because you just don't know until you know. Y'know?
4. Think past the newborn phase.
The first weeks go so slow, yet so fast. When I was looking at baby gear and registering for our kid, I also was like, "Well, we don't need a bunch of this stuff for months, so we'll just skip it for now to avoid having too much lying around." To some extent, this is true. You can wait a while to get a high chair and you definitely don't want to go too crazy on baby clothes or diapers because you have no idea what size your kid will need and when. However, I'm so in the moment now that the baby is here that it's hard to think ahead. Whereas when you are pregnant, the only thing you can do is think ahead and you have all the energy in the world when it comes to preparing for the baby. You might not have the energy to do one hour of exercise, but you will have the energy to stay up all night to catalogue your baby's books in a spreadsheet as if you are some sort of mom-librarian. Pregnancy is weird. Ride the nesting wave as long as you can. I wrote a post about one-year-old toddler stuff as well, if you want to ride it that far.
5. What's right for me might not be right for you.
Obviously I think I have some worthwhile advice or I wouldn't be writing this post, but my kid, my lifestyle, my budget, my tastes, my boobs, my city's weather, my laundry schedule are probably different from yours and that's okay. If you find even 10% of this advice useful, that's awesome. And you might love tiny moccasins (which I admit are very cute), so go out and buy them and don't let me or anybody else make you feel bad about 'em!
Mr. Koala, watching over baby’s crib. | photo by Eliesa Johnson
Minimalist Baby Registry
"Minimalist" already seems like an oxymoron... this post is so long. But it is literally everything.
Nursing Stuff
Let's start with the nursing. If you're planning to breastfeed and/or pump milk for your offspring, you'll need a lot of this stuff before you need a crib or a stroller or anything else. Babies are hangry nearly every time they are awake at the beginning, so feeding them is all you do. If you're planning on formula-feeding, you can obviously skip several things on the list.
Pick up at least three comfy nursing tanks. I basically lived in a similar version of these cotton tanks day and night. I wear them as pajamas. I wear them around the house. I wear them under my clothes at work (because pumping means you have to get your boobs out at the office, too).
Nursing Bras
I would recommend at least two comfortable but supportive nursing bras to start (one to wear while one is in the laundry). Most of the time, I wear these super-affordable (!!) nursing bras. They are the exact same as the the popular $50+ Bravado ones, though don’t hold up quite as well in the wash… probably because I forget to follow the hang-dry instructions. I also like this crossover-style bra. Not much support, but the fabric is very soft.
Your size may fluctuate a lot, so you might want to buy a couple of styles and sizes close to your due date and then return the ones that don't work out once your milk comes in (a good errand for someone else to run).
And then a few weeks/months later, you can re-evaluate because you'll be doing more normal activities by then and your boobs may be a bit smaller (more like deflated... womp, womp) in comparison to the early weeks. For more of a normal bra with underwire (if you can tolerate underwire), this Anita nursing bra because it comes in a full range of sizes. Target has more affordable options, but only go up to DDD.
This stuff is so necessary for the first few weeks—bring it to the hospital with you. The softest, best nipple cream is called Motherlove Nipple Cream. It's kind of expensive for a tiny jar, but it's far and away the winner after trying a few. Personally, I didn't like the consistency of Earth Mama (too grainy if there are temperature fluctuations) or Lanisoh (too thick). You can also use this to grease the breast pump flanges and make pumping more comfortable in the early days.
Washable nursing pads
Not everybody leaks, but these soft, washable nursing pads save me from myself.
Burp cloths
Our older daughter had reflux for the first six months, so we wound up using bigger swaddle blankets as burp cloths most of the time. Especially when we were out because they are huge and better protect our clothes (and those of our friends and family). We also used these Gerber cloth diapers as burp cloths at home. Some babies don't spit up as much though (our second rarely did), so I'd recommend registering for a few muslin swaddles or burp cloths and then you can figure out what works for you after the baby is born if you need more (lots more). You could also just use your old T-shirts or towels.
N doesn't seem picky about bottles, so we aren't either. Avent's are affordable so are sticking with those for daycare. I think the Comotomo bottles are super cute. My sister used Dr. Brown's, and her kids were picky about bottles. Before investing heavily in one brand of bottles, I would recommend borrowing a sampler from friends if you can. The flow rate of the nipples is a thing, so you want to make sure you’re using the right flow for your baby, too.
For those who are mostly bottle-feeding, a basic bottle warmer can be great. You can almost always find a free one on Facebook Marketplace because it’s a thing people usually only use for a short window of time To warm them up without a special bottle warmer, just fill a bowl with hot water and there you go. Free bottle warmer.
I thought this Boon lawn drying rack was unnecessary, but found it so useful when my friend gave me her old one. There are so many small pump parts and bottle parts floating around all the time and this helps keep them contained.
dishwasher basket for bottle parts
This Oxo Tot dishwasher basket is also very handy if you have room.
I actually don't think of nursing pillows as a must, but they are SO useful at the very beginning when you are both learning. I used the Brest Friend pillow regularly for about 2-3 weeks until N and I got the hang of things and her neck was less noodle-y. It's got back support. The cover is a soft and practical terry cloth. Having used the Boppy a few times at a friend’s house, I think the Brest Friend is a better breastfeeding pillow, but you might get more long-term use out of a Boppy because the babies can kinda lounge in those as they get older. You can definitely find these secondhand.
Comfortable space to feed the baby
Our friends were about to donate an old nursing glider to Goodwill, but donated it to us instead... and it is very comfy. You don't really need specific furniture to feed a baby, whether you're nursing or bottle-feeding. You just need various comfy and convenient locations around your house. If that means a special nursing chair or glider for you, great. In our house, we also had a back support pillow that I kept in our bed or on the couch in the living room because that's where I nursed most often in the early weeks.
I've never been such a fan of a water bottle before, especially one this ugly. However, I keep this hideous water bottle within arms reach at all times now, but especially while nursing. The big handle is key (you’ll only have one hand to “operate” your water bottle so anything twist-off ) and this beast has a giant rubber straw that helps me down gallons of water every day.
Extra phone chargers with extra long cords
I know a phone charger is a weird thing to put in the nursing section, but in the beginning babies are so tired that you're not really going to be staring lovingly into each other's eyes like in your imagination. The reality is that you will probably be on your phone a lot when you're nursing, ordering more diapers and googling things like "baby crying all the time" and "how long should a newborn baby nurse because it's been four goddamn hours and I'm dying."
Pumping Stuff
This isn't a thing you register for, but you will likely need one if you plan to breastfeed. And I needed to use it within the first days that N as born, which I wasn’t prepared for.
Most insurance companies (if not all) will cover your breast pump and additional supplies, and I went through Aeroflow to arrange mine during the third trimester. They take care of billing your insurance and send you a set of new pump parts every month (also covered by insurance), which a lot of people probably do not take advantage of (I wouldn't have even known without their reminder emails!). I have the Spectra S1 Breast Pump. If you are getting one pump, then I’d recommend this one.
Update: I loved the Elvie with my second child. It’s quiet, and so convenient. It’s not AS effective as the Spectra so I don’t think it could be the only pump for most women though.
This Simple Wishes pumping bra is good. It keeps things in place and it's comfortable. Having two pumping bras is worthwhile for laundry purposes.
Some of the pump bags actually come with coolers now but I used this Packit lunch bag, and loved it because it doesn't require any separate ice packs that take up space in the bag. You just freeze the whole bag and it stays cold for 10 hours! The ease of being able to go fridgeless if needed was so nice. Each time I used the pump, I just wiped the flanges dry, put them in a plastic bag and back into the cooler so they stay cold. Then I washed everything when I got home.
I have many feelings about these damned bags. The branding is SO. GROSS. Mommy's Precious?! WTF. And the logo of the bag with the face rubbing its belly and licking its lips. IT IS DISGUSTING. The fucking tagline "Because every drop is gold." BLEGH. They are good quality and I've never had one leak, so I put my feelings aside and use them and try not to make eye contact with the lickey bag face.
When I went back to work, I stressed out about this part for reasons unknown. I wound up commandeering a backpack we originally intended to use as a diaper bag. Now they have better options (like this one) that are intended to fit the bulky Spectra pump, a cooler bag and a laptop.
Sleep
Aside from drinking milk, this is the main thing the baby does, so they need a few things.
If you haven't already seen all the ads for the Snoo bassinet online, I shall explain. It's a smart tech bassinet based off Dr. Harvey Karp's baby whisperer methods that he outlines in his book The Happiest Baby on the Block, which has a cult following with parents. He is like the most respected authority on baby sleep. The bassinet is designed with combination of motion and white noise that ebbs and flows to simulate the womb and help babies sleep well. The swaddle hooks into the bassinet itself, so it's like a magical straightjacket. When the baby fusses, the Snoo's motion and white noise go up a level to try and calm her down.
My husband and I had seen it online last year and we were like, "Wow, this looks so cool!" And then around Christmas, we were talked about it again and I was saying how unnecessary and expensive it was when he sheepishly said, "I already bought it while it was on sale. It was going to be a surprise for you." And then I felt bad because he was so excited about it and I threw a wet blanket on the excitement, but I also was, like, crying on the inside about all the money that he had just thrown away on what was probably a snake oil contraption.
I was SO skeptical of the Snoo. It could not possibly live up to the hype and the price and I was absolutely prepared to send it back (they have a 30-day money-back guarantee). However, I admit now it is the best baby thing we own.
By about 5 weeks, N was consistently sleeping 6 hours every night without waking up. At 8 weeks, 9 hours. At 12 weeks, she started sleeping 11+ hours every night without waking up (!!!). In comparison to our other friends with babies her age and even those much older, this seems like a miracle.
I was worried it would be hard to pick up on her cues when she actually needs something, but it's not. She lets us know 100% when she's hungry, has done some real damage in her diaper or just doesn't want to be asleep anymore. But all those times that she wakes up because of our creaky old floors or a weird dream or for seemingly no reason at all, the Snoo's baseline level magic will put her back to sleep. This is not to say we haven't spent a lot of time rocking this girl and getting her to the point where she's ready to go to bed, but once she is asleep in the evening, she stays that way until morning.
We could just be blessed with an incredible child who knows how to sleep at night, but I doubt it. She's pretty bad at most things so far, and I doubt she would be excelling at sleep without the help. :) Anyway, if you have the means or very generous family/friends to buy this (when they are having a sale!), the Snoo is worth hype. If not, there are plenty of other great bassinets out there that are not so intense but still have some of the useful features like the white noise.
Update May 2026: We successfully transitioned N out of her Snoo bassinet at about six months without much trouble. 11/10 would still stand by my original Snoo review. We’ve also lent it to so many friends and used it for our second baby. It has helped raise, like, 9 children at this point, and was still going strong when we finally sold it on Marketplace.
As I mentioned in the novel I wrote about bassinets up there, white noise is a gift from the universe! We have this small portable white noise machine that's awesome for travel.
Swaddles
Swaddling helps babies feel snug as a bug, like they are still inside a womb. Most babies are escape artists though, so good swaddles are important. We borrowed a whole bunch of swaddles to try from a friend, but N could get out of all of them except the Halo SleepSack and the Snoo swaddles. If you are going with the Snoo, there are special swaddles that hook into the bassinet so you have to use those. If you are going with a different bassinet or crib, I'd recommend the Halo or the Sleepea swaddles (like the ones that go in the Snoo, but without the parts that attach to the bassinet).
Muslin swaddle blankets
We don't use these big blankets for actual swaddling, but we use them ALL the time, as I mentioned in one of the sections above. N had reflux for months and basically needed a tarp set out any time she was doing anything, so we put these on her bouncer chair, the couch, ourselves, other people, etc. for protection from her spit-up. The muslin ones are absorbent, so we just use them as burp cloths when we're out and about, to cover up while nursing, and as summer blanket for her car seat or to block the sun in the stroller. Margeaux & May has really cute prints. The basic white Swaddle Designs blankets are awesome too (and so soft), and the silky bamboo blend swaddles from Aden and Anais are nice because they are very lightweight and come in shibori prints.
Other blankets
We received some other cute blankets as gifts. I'm especially obsessed with an adorable, knit zebra blanket my cousin got for us (see? I am not immune to recognizing cuteness).
Crib
We chose this mid-century-style crib from All Modern that matched the vintage dressers that we already had for the room. For now while we’re using the bassinet, it is perpetually full of clean laundry that we struggle to keep up with folding. Like many cribs, it transforms into a toddler bed.
This Moonlight Slumber mattress had rave reviews, so we trusted the collective and no complaints from the sleeper.
The mattress is waterproof, but another layer of protection from bodily fluids is always necessary so we have this Margeaux & May cover on the bed. You’ll want two.
Three sheet sets were sufficient for us for the bassinet, and we have three sets for the crib. Burt's Bees has some cute prints.
Our kids were both inconsistent with taking pacifiers. N had a time around 3-5 months where she liked the MAM newborn pacifier. Outside of that window, she didn’t want one—but every baby is different.
We have this video baby monitor. (Update July 2019: This monitor is donezo. The screen is entirely white now and we can’t monitor anything anymore with it. Don’t buy it. Update October 2020: LOL, ignoring my own advice, we bought the same one again it has been totally fine—no issues except it doesn’t hold a charge very long.)
Not essential if you don’t travel often, this travel crib was great for us. We did a lot of traveling with N when she was a baby and it was nice that this one was a lot less bulky than others. There are usually lots of travel cribs available online in like-new condition (we got ours on FB Marketplace) or you may be able to borrow one easily.
Bath Stuff
We bathed N in the sink until she wouldn’t fit, and then transitioned her to the regular bathtub without any trouble.
Like the Snoo, this extremely well-designed Puj bathtub was a miracle-worker in the early months and especially with limited bathroom space. It's hard to explain how the foldable design works in the bathroom sink, but it's really unique and our daughter is obsessed with it. We never thought we'd do a bath/rinse nightly, but she loves it. She will sometimes be freaking the eff out and then will become instantly calm in the bath. (Update 2026: Looks like the Puj tub may not be available anymore, but FridaBaby has a similar design.)
We started with the California Baby shampoo and liked it a lot. We began using Alaffia later on for wash and bubble bath, and I love this brand and the products. The baby line is great and it is a Black-owned business with a social impact mission.
You don't need special washcloths for a baby. Just use your normal washcloths or pick up a couple extra soft ones.
Same goes for towels. You don't neeeeed a special towel for a baby, but even I can't resist this bear face.
lotion
This California Baby Calendula Cream is great for winter’s dry patches. We also use the Aveeno Baby Eczema Relief Cream (which I believe may be HSA/FSA eligible).
Definitely could survive without this little bathtime whale pitcher from Skip Hop and just use any old cup, but the baby thinks it’s funny! And it does a pretty good job of keeping water out of her eyes, so it's functional.
Update July 2019: Also not essential, but I got nervous about safety when N started her wobbly standing and zombie-lurching around in the tub. So we got a protective faucet cover.
Sickness + Health
Clippers are for suckers! At the beginning, at least. The constant battle against razor nails can indeed be won with these nail clippers and nail files. I trim while she is asleep, but can sometimes get her to tolerate filing while she is awake.
You don't need one until you need one.
Everybody jokes about this thing but it’s good. The constant stream of daycare colds are no joke, and the bulb they give you at the hospital doesn’t cut it. The Nosefrida is super gross, but effective. You can use your HSA/FSA card on this, by the way!
Boogie Wipes
I thought these were kind of wasteful and unnecessary, but they are actually useful for constant runny noses and face-wiping. So much gentler than tissues or regular wipes, particularly in dryyyyy Minnesota winters. You can also use your HSA/FSA card for these.
Butt Stuff
thinx underwear
Technically, this is vagina stuff, not butt stuff. And your vagina, specifically. There are going to be a lot of fluids before and after giving birth. Also, pelvic floor issues are so common. Thinx has period underwear and bladder underwear options kind of like cloth diapers for adults (but cute and comfy). I have both kinds, love them and they are easy to wash. I’d recommend the lower rise styles during pregnancy and high-rise postpartum.
Keekaroo Peanut Diaper Changing Pad
Two friends highly recommended this Keekaroo changing pad, so I trusted them even though it seemed absurd in price. And lo and behold, this was the only place N would hang out happily for the first five weeks of her life (see photo above). In addition, it's wipeable so we don't have to spend money or drawer space or laundry space on changing pad covers. I like that there’s zero wear and tear with it—it’ll easily be passed on through many kids.
Not necessary by any means, but one of our friends gave this Ubbi wipes dispenser to us and said it was his favorite thing. Turns out, a weighted, one-handed wipes container is a very handy thing when you are cleaning up a wriggly butt that is trying to dive off the table.
Diapers, obviously
You're gonna need tons of diapers, but don't buy tons of them before the baby is born. Just get maybe one package of newborn diapers to start (or one package each from two different brands you want to try).
Mama Bear: the ones we used on a regular basis with N—like Pampers, but a bit cheaper
Pampers (Swaddlers or Pure): good diapers, which is why they are so popular
Kirkland / Costco: also good diapers
wipes
We've been using either Water Wipes and these. Both good.
Weleda has this diaper care cream with calendula and zinc oxide. We mainly use it at night before long sleeps, and we haven't had any major issues with diaper rash.
My husband convinced me that we needed this and turns out this diaper caddy thing is extremely useful It's easy to manage with one hand and unfolds into a changing mat, with a place for diapers, wipes, cream and room for an extra onesie just in case. That way you aren't digging around your bag trying to find everything while your baby is literally pooping all over everyone at a restaurant. IMPORTANT HACK: Stick a roll of dog poop bags in there to contain both the baby's dirty diapers and blowout clothing casualties.
I like the Ubbi pail our friend lent us because you can just use regular garbage bags (though we actually use the Ubbi bags, too. It seems to contain the hazardous materials and fumes and one order of bags lasted us two years. We got ours handed down from a friend. My husband would like you to know (because he is right here over my shoulder) that he likes the Ubbi better than the Diaper Genie even though we have never owned a Diaper Genie. And if you take your garbage out daily, you can skip all of the gadgets and just use your regular garbage cans.
diaper bag
A diaper-specific bag isn't necessary—you just need something that fits the stuff you want to carry around. You likely already own one that works. We just use a regular ol' canvas bag most of the time, and a small backpack I already had.
Car seat + Stroller
Note: I’m updating this after having a second baby. I have too much to say about strollers, apparently.
If I were choosing today, this is what I’d recommend (or the Uppababy Vista system, which is comparable to the Mixx). And I’d probably look for the stroller system secondhand (the older models are just as good!) and then register for the infant carseat new because safety.
We have the Nuna Pipa infant car seat, which is one of the lightest infant car seats on the market. It can also be strapped in to a car without a base, if needed, so that makes it nice for traveling. My favorite feature is the built-in "dream drape" we use constantly to keep N in the shade.
Stroller: nuna mixx
With Baby #1, we used the Baby Jogger City Mini GT, which was great! It folds and unfolds very easily in one motion with one hand (it's famous for it!), and it's pretty compact once it's folded down so it makes it easy to stow it in the trunk. And we were most often driving somewhere and then walking once we got there, so a big bassinet wasn’t necessarily practical.
By the time we had Baby #2, we had moved to a much more walkable neighborhood where most of our strolling started right out the door or the garage. Also, Baby #2 HATED the car seat. A friend lent us their Uppababy Vista (comparable to the Nuna Mixx) and I loved it. The bassinet was amazing in the early months, and there was so much more storage space in the bottom so that made running errands much easier.
Travel stroller: Mountain Buggy Nano
Admittedly, we panic-bought a lighter, more compact travel stroller before N’s first flight. But we got a lot of use out of this—we did a ton of traveling before she turned 2 (enter: COVID).
We got a Mountain Buggy Nano like-new on Marketplace and I loved that we could use this with the infant carseat or without. It folds down small enough that you can actually stow it in the overhead compartment of a plane. My husband really liked this one and kept it in his car.
photo by Eliesa Johnson
Wraps + Carriers + places to set the baby down
I could NOT have gotten through the first four months without this extremely soft and perfect piece of fabric (see above: yawning baby!). The Solly wrap is wizardry for some babies, like a wearable swaddle. N doesn't always do well with naptime during the day, but she will sleep in this thing for a while. Even if she's not sleeping, I can at least tidy up or walk our dog while keeping her snug. They come in cute colors and it's a lightweight fabric so neither one of us gets hot. I got the camel color Solly and (gross but true) it doesn’t show stains from blowouts.
Through hand-me-downs, we wound up trying EVERY baby-wearing device. I like the classic Baby Bjorn carrier best. These carriers are especially good for traveling and dog walks because our dog cannot handle walking next to the stroller.
1000% love this bouncer. Around six weeks old, N started hanging out in this. I like it because I can set her up and take a shower or get something done without always having to wear her on my body like I had been. It doesn't have any bells and whistles, but it doesn't need them.
Feeding Stuff
This is a section of stuff you won't necessarily need for a few months, but might as well figure out the basics while you have the energy.
We used the Inglesina Fast Table chair that clips on to the countertop or table, but also the Bumbo seat was handy. It was simply a lot easier to clean. We could also set N somewhere where she couldn’t feed the dog, because she thought that was hilarious.
For Baby #2, we had more space and bought a now-discontinued Baby Bjorn high chair for $30 and loved it.
We graduated N to this booster seat at about 13 months (a little earlier than what’s recommended—15 months). Eating right at the table seems to help her with her manners, and it was nice to transition her right from the Bumbo into this. If you’re thinking a little past the first year for your registry, the OXO is a good option for a booster.
Almost every parent I know owns these. They aren’t entirely spill-proof, but a nice sippy cup overall.
You don't need a baby-specific plate or bowl, but something that they can't move easily or throw onto the ground is practical. This one has a marble look to it that I thought was kind of chic for a baby dish lol. It is silicone and suctions so it won't get thrown off the table.
I can’t recommend these silicone Modern Twist bibs enough once you have a messy eater. The pouch collects all the foods. And ours has an otter on it! If you don’t want to spend that much on a bib (understandable), these Oxo Tot bibs also have a pouch to collect all the foods, but the fabric part does stain if you eat a lot of turmeric in your house (** half-Indian woman raises hand **).
Not necessary, but useful. They are meant for cloth diapers, but these have been essential for us in carting food and beverages around for N. We use them all the time. If something spills a little bit (looking at you, “spill-proof” sippy cups), these are going to contain the mess. I also used one to carry my pump parts. And you can use them to put wet or dirty clothes in.
utensils
We used these Oxo Tot spoons early on for pureed foods, and they were admittedly a lot less messy than using a regular teaspoon like I had been trying to do for a couple weeks when N first started eating. Eventually they graduate to these.
Baby Clothes
It's hard to know what you're going to need until your baby is actually in front of you. My advice? Register for a mix of sizes so that you aren't stuck with only newborn clothes and nothing for the next phase. And focus mainly on zippered sleepers because those are practical no matter the season.
Both my husband and I are the kind of people that wear the same few items of clothing over and over, so it's not a shock that we wind up dressing our daughter in the same few items on a regular basis. Her daytime uniform is either a one-piece romper or a onesie + pants/shorts. Also, depending on the time of year and how often you do laundry (we do it pretty much constantly), you don't need as many baby clothes as you think you do.
zippered footie pajamas
N didn't really wear anything else except sleepers for the first month, day and night. Choose a few with the fold-over mitts because newborn baby fingernails are like tiny razor blades and baby mittens do not stay on. Socks? Lol. And definitely zippers-only, people. Snaps are torture when you are trying to put clothes on a wiggling baby at 3 am because she pooped all over herself.
Stretchy bamboo fabrics are the easiest to put on tiny babies and are light for summer (like Kickee Pants), but the classic cotton pajamas tend to hold up better in the wash, so it's a trade-off. We typically have about 4-5 sleepers per size, which feels like plenty.
I also like Owlivia Organic (heavier cotton for fall/winter), Burt's Bees (show wear faster, but affordable) and Old Navy (they run slim, but are great for us). Solly also makes sleepers that look adorable.
onesies
N wore various onesies on rotation with pants or shorts once we started dressing her in "real clothes" more often.
baby leggings + shorts
N has a couple pairs of shorts, some stretchy-soft jogger pants and a couple pairs of leggings. That's really all she needs in the summer.
real outfits
Online shopping is quite easy while nursing, so you'll have plenty of time to pick out the cute things after the baby is born. We have maybe 3-4 "real" outfits for N right now (mostly gifts or from H&M, Gap and Old Navy) and that feels like more than enough. My favorite summer thing to put her in are cotton rompers because they are practical but they look less basic than the usual basics. And she’s lucky to have hand-me-downs from her cousins and friends.
outerwear
N was born in spring so we didn’t need a lot of weather-related items right away. JUST KIDDING, we live in a frozen hellscape and a huge blizzard was dropping feet of snow on top of Minneapolis as we drove the baby home from the hospital… in April. Anyway, we were mostly inside during the last of the cold season so we got away with not having many warm newborn things. However, if you are due in a colder month, things like baby zip-up hoodies, jackets, buntings, fleece booties, mittens, hats, socks, etc. are obviously important right away. We wound up finding a really cute sherpa bunting from H&M for her first winter that was carseat friendly and checked all the boxes so we didn’t need separate mittens, booties, hats, etc—she wouldn’t have kept them on anyway.
Worth registering for some cloth bibs. All babies drool. We went through a million of these bandana bibs per day during Baby #1’s reflux phase.
Toys + Books
Books
The library exists, but they aren’t supposed to bite the library books. Board books and sensory books are best for the little babies. I love Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (she laughs all the way through). Any sort of peek-a-boo book is a hit, too. I also have a few books in Spanish (Ni guau ni miau is cute even though she’s young for it. It was originally written in Spanish, which is always a nice thing to find versus the usual translations of English books).
teethers
N likes chewing on Sophie the Giraffe, this banana toothbrush, the Nuby Teethe-EEZ and Asian soup spoons. We also keep this Comotomo teether attached to her car seat with a pacifier clip. I honestly don’t know how we wound up with so many teethers. If the baby had to pick one, it would probably be the banana toothbrush.
toys
Newborns don't care about toys, but our daughter started to kind of care about some of them at four months. She likes sensory toys (like this Infantino toy that has crinkly paper inside so it makes noise). She is starting to make friends with her stuffed tiger (Jellycat makes the softest stuffed animals EVER) and she is into this wooden baby gym from IKEA. And that is is basically her whole toy collection right now. Yup.
In the wings, we have some $3 stacking cups I also bought at IKEA, a Jellycat puppy lovey (that looks like our dog Georgie) and this Manhattan Toy contraption that is a rattle that also looks like a piece of modern art. (Update: At six months, she became obsessed with the cups and the rattle. The cups are great for the bath, too.)
I’d highly recommend IKEA for toys—
Not-Really-For-The-Baby Stuff
Hell yeah it's okay put a massage on your registry.
Prenatal or postnatal massage
Prenatal or postnatal yoga classes
newborn or family photo session with a local photographer
Dr Hauschka Blackthorn Toning Oil
For the record, it did not prevent stretch marks but I still love this body oil. It was a nice ritual.
waterproof mattress protector for your own bed
Because your water might break in that bed, pal!
Time-Saving Services
I've talked about this before when I wrote a post about grocery delivery service, but saving time and grief on something you don't love to do is one of the best gifts. For the true minimalist, these do not really take up any physical space.
Amazon Prime
Cleaning Service
Grocery Delivery (like Instacart)
Meal Delivery
Dog-Walking / Doggie Daycare
Okay, I'm DONE.
If you have any questions about baby stuff or things I may have forgotten to include in this monstrosity of a post, please leave a comment!
Also, if you’re past the newborn phase and want some advice on toddler gear, I wrote this for you: A Minimalist List of Baby Gear for a One-Year-Old.
