The Ultimate List of Baby Registry Must-Haves (2024)

I sat in the hospital waiting room, scrolling through my baby registry. Christmas was over and it was time for me to kick it into gear. My baby was due next month.

I heard my name called and quickly submitted my order, hoping I had everything I’d need.

It’s hard to know what to buy as a first-time mom. There are so many “must-haves” for first-time moms that leave most of us feeling dizzy, lost, and ready to pull our hair out.

Maybe you’ve been avoiding building a registry because all of it seems like a headache. 

When You’re Out of Time

It turned out I didn’t have any more time. My appointment quickly went south and led to being sent straight to labor and delivery.

Some of the items I needed for my new baby, I had to do without (like a rocking chair). Others got donated after I didn’t use them (again) with my second baby. 

So whether you have lots of time or you’re out of time, this baby registry list is here to help you sort through all the items you need and the ones that will collect dust in your nursery.

Do You Need a Registry?

If you’re a first-time mom, you might be wondering if you need a baby registry. Especially if you don’t plan on having a baby shower.

Building a registry can be beneficial for many reasons, but my favorite is the discounts. When you’re rushing to get all the last-minute stuff you need, get it at a discount from your registry.

Where to Register

You can register at as many places as you like. I like to have an Amazon Baby Registry because I can find everything I need and get it quickly. They offer a 15% completion discount on all registry items.

The Ultimate List of Baby Registry Must-Haves

The Big Ticket Items

Car Seat

I used the Chicco Keyfit.* This one lasted us through the first year and then we bought the Chicco NextFit Zip Convertible Car Seat.

Stroller

If you like to go on serious walks, get a good stroller. If you plan on having more kids (less than 3 years apart), get one that can convert into a double stroller. Buy the City Select Stroller now and add a seat later.

Tip: Skip the car seat adaptor and wear your baby for walks until he’s old enough to sit in the stroller.

If you aren’t a big walker, one of the Chicco travel systems might be a better option. The car seat clicks right into the stroller without an adaptor.

Crib & Mattress

Babies typically sleep in a crib from 6 months-3 years (most also convert to a toddler bed and full-sized bed). You can get a nice one, but a basic Graco crib will do the job.

You also need a crib mattress. The Newton comes at a high price but is supposed to reduce the risk of suffocation (SIDS).

(If you want to do your own research, start by reading this article about harmful chemicals in baby mattresses.)

Baby Swing

The swing can be a lifesaver if your baby hates to be put down (which is the case with most newborns). You only use them for the first 6 months or so. This is not the item to splurge on. I recommend this basic Graco swing.

If you can borrow one, great! If you plan on having more than one child, it might be worth just buying one that will get you through all of them. But remember you’ll have to store it between kids.

Bassinet

You need somewhere to place the baby while he/she sleeps at night and during the day. There are a lot of different options for this and the one that works for you depends on you and your baby. If I had it to do over again, I would buy the Newton Baby Bassinet & Bedside Sleeper. This gives you the option of a side sleeper or bassinet. And makes it easy to return your baby to bed after breastfeeding.

Pack ‘n Play

If you like to travel or plan to have a family member watch your baby regularly, you’ll want a pack ‘n play. We also used this as a changing table downstairs.

Nursery Glider

A great rocking/glider chair is a must-have for any new mom. You need somewhere to feed your baby even if you decide not to rock him/her to sleep. Get one that reclines. Sometimes things get rough in the middle of the night and you end up sleeping in the chair.

Baby Monitor

I would suggest getting a quality baby monitor that you can add an additional camera to later on. There’s nothing more annoying than a bright light on a baby monitor or feedback from a cheap monitor while you’re trying to some precious sleep.

I love my Bebcare baby monitor (get 10% off when you buy through my link). It’s an emission-free baby monitor. Plus, you can buy a breathing mat to go with it that alerts you if there’s a change in your baby’s breathing.

Feeding Registry Must-Haves for First-Time Moms

Baby Bottles

If you’re planning to formula feed, you’ll need a lot of bottles. If you’re breastfeeding, you need at least one bottle. I like the Comotomo bottles. They’re great for minimizing gas and I never had an issue with my babies taking them.

Nursing Pillow

A nursing pillow is a must-have for moms who are breastfeeding. You need more hands than you have to feed a newborn and they nurse for a long time. The My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow was my favorite and is recommended by lactation consultants.

Related: First-Time Mom Breastfeeding Essentials and Everything You Need to Be Successful Breastfeeding After a C-Section

Breast Pump

In the U.S., you get this free with your health insurance. Go to Aeroflow to learn more.

Milk Storage Bags

If you need to go back to work or if you just want to build up a freezer stash of breast milk, you’ll need some milk storage bags. I like the Lansinoh bags because you can pump directly into them.

Related: Everything You Need to Survive Pumping as a New Mom

Burp Clothes

Newborns spit up, some more than others. Either way, you’ll want a good stock of burp cloths (these were my favorite).

High Chair

You won’t need this for a while, but a high chair is essential once your baby starts eating solids.

Clothing Essentials for the Minimalist Mom

Sleep and Plays

Get newborn sleep and plays with 2-way zip. 2-way zip means they zip open from the bottom and top so you can quickly change a diaper in the middle of the night without completely undressing your baby.

As far as sizes go, you never know. My babies were born early and wore “newborn” for 4-6 weeks, but some babies that are born big only wear “newborn” for a week or so. I’d recommend buying at least a few items in “newborn” and some in 0-3 months. You can always buy more after your baby is born, but you need enough to get you through the first week or so.

Mittens

Most baby mittens constantly fall off. These stay on. I recommend two pairs so one can go in the wash.

Booties

These also stay on and come in a lot of cute colors.

Hats

Cooper Pearl Hats stay on, are adjustable, and come in cute colors that can also match their swaddle blankets.

Swaddle Blanket

I love these Cooper Pearl swaddle blankets. They’re big and have a lot of stretch. Plus, you can match them with a hat or bib (click here to find matching items).

Baby Essentials to Keep Your Baby Clean & Healthy

Baby Bathtub

This bathtub grows with your baby.

Bath Items

Don’t forget some of the bath essentials like baby shampoo and body wash, Honest All-Purpose Balm (you can use this on everything), towels, and washcloths.

Fridababy Basics

Every item in this kit is something I rushed to order at some point with my first baby. They are all great and all must-haves for first-time moms. You’ll be glad you have them when the time comes. Includes, nail clippers, a snot sucker, cradle cap brush, and some weird thing that helps with relieving gas (and is a lifesaver).

First Aid Kit

Pick up a good rectal thermometer (recommended for babies) and some infant Tylenol.

What You Need for Baby’s Sleep

White Noise Machine

A sound machine helps drown out noises to keep babies asleep. I like this white noise machine.

Crib Sheets

I like the Aden + Anais sheets because they’re breathable and keep Baby cool.

Pacifiers

Avent soothies are supposed to be best for breastfeeding. I also loved the Wubbanub for sleep as my baby got older because they were easier for both of us to find in the dark.

Sleep Sacks & Swaddles

Swaddling your baby can help them sleep better. These swaddles are my favorite for the early months because they unzip for diaper changes. Later on switch to sleep sacks to keep your baby warm without using a blanket. The Burts Bees sleep sack is my favorite because it comes in different weights.

Items to Make Diaper Changes a Breeze

Diaper Bag

You want something that has a lot of open pockets so you can sort and quickly find items. It should open up fully so you can see everything. It also needs to have the option of being a backpack because what mom has an extra arm to hold a bag?

My favorite right now is the Dagne Dover INDI Diaper Backpack.

Diaper Pail

You want a diaper pail to help keep the smell out of your space. I recommend the Ubbi Diaper Pail because it just uses kitchen trash bags so you don’t end up wasting money on expensive refills.

Diapers

Huggies Snug and Dry are the best diapers for young babies. Huggies Little Movers are good for mobile babies.

Tip: I also put my babies in Huggies Overnites once they could wear a size 2 (I put them in size 3 Overnites, which is the smallest size they make) so they wouldn’t need a diaper change during the night (or fewer diaper changes during the night).

Baby Wipes

For a Newborn, you should use Water Wipes since they only contain water and a small amount of fruit extract.

Changing Pad

A changing pad is helpful for messy diaper changes and for keeping your baby from rolling away.

Tip: Get an extra cover.

Extra Baby Gear

Baby Carrier or Baby Wrap

Some moms aren’t fans of wearing their babies and others love it. I wore mine when they were newborns because newborns like to be held 24/7 and I wasn’t great at sitting still all day. I used the Lillebaby Complete Airflow. The company also has YouTube videos that walk you through how to use it in each of the carry positions.

Lounger or Baby Seat

You need something to quickly set the baby down in if you need to go to the bathroom or take a shower (or do anything else that requires you not to be holding a baby). You can use a lounger of some sort or a bouncer. Whatever works for you. You just need something for this purpose.

Mobile

I really like this Take Along Mobile. You can clip it anywhere and a mobile is a great way to occupy a baby while you fold clothes or work on something in their room (after they‘re a few months old).

Play Gym

Play gyms are great for occupying a baby who’s a few months old. They love looking at the toys and practicing rolling. It’s also a great place to put your baby down for tummy time.

Extras that Aren’t Worth It

Before you start thinking that you need everything, let’s touch on some of the items you really don’t need and will probably regret buying. Again, this can be different for every mom, but here are some of the classic things that we waste money on.

Too many diapers in small sizes

For some reason, everything you read about babies says to stock up on diapers like crazy. Yes, it’s great to have diapers in a variety of sizes, but babies go through those first few sizes crazy fast. And remember that every baby grows at their own pace, so there’s no formula to how many of each size you’ll need. Ask for receipts and don’t save more than one box in each size (until size 4).

Diapers from brands that don’t work for your baby

Again, diapers. My baby leaked out of different brands of diapers terribly. Don’t stock up before you know what works for your baby.

Outfits in small sizes

We tend to overdo baby clothes. When your baby is a newborn, changing clothes isn’t easy. And diaper changes happen often. Taking off shoes, socks, pants, and unsnapping a onesie, gets old. Plus, you don’t leave the house often. Get a few outfits in those first few sizes for pictures and taking your baby out, but don’t overdo it. Plus, they grow fast! They’ll be in the next size before you know it.

Shoes

Baby shoes can be expensive and most of them just fall off anyway. Save your money and buy one or two pairs of booties in a size up so they can wear them for a while. They don’t really need shoes until they start standing and walking anyway.

Multiple Loungers/Sleep Spaces

You’ll constantly find one mom who loved something, while another never used it. What’s the difference? The people who found it useless had other items they used for that purpose. You don’t need a bassinet, a pack-n-play, and three infant seats. These can all serve the same or similar purposes–setting/laying your baby down. You need a sleep space and a space you can safely set your baby down in for a few moments.

Stuff you don’t want to use

If you don’t take walks, you probably don’t need an expensive stroller. If you hate the idea of strapping your baby to you and rarely leave the house, you probably aren’t going to use a baby carrier. Be realistic about who you are and think about what you’ll use. If something changes, you can always buy those items later on.

Baby Toys

Babies don’t get into toys until they’re around 1. I have tons of rattles, balls, and crinkle toys that my babies never paid much attention to.

There you have my list of things first-time mom registry must-haves. Don’t forget to grab your free List of Baby Registry Essentials. Plus, when you sign up you’ll get all the great perks and information you need on your journey as a new mom. Because no one should have to face motherhood alone.

Related: Everything You Need to Know as a First-time Mom