I originally created this baby registry post before our first baby girl was born in January of 2018! Now that we’re expecting baby #2, I’ve updated it to reflect our experience. This list covers our decisions for baby gear, clothing, feeding, nursery, bath, health, toys, diapering, and ideas for mom. Our goal was to try to stay somewhat minimal and also toxic material-free, where possible. I hope you enjoy!

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Pregnancy (and I’m sure parenthood) is a LOT like building a muscle. Slowly, over time, you build your weighty “a dependent life is directly impacted” decision-making muscle. Pregnancy starts off with mini decisions that FEEL like big ones. Just like a workout, those decisions get bigger and more important as your muscle to make them strengthens. My biggest, “oh my gosh I’m sore” decision making muscle exercise in my 1st and 2nd trimesters revolved around this registry. Goodness gracious, I had a LOT to learn and (what felt like) endless decisions to make.

Are we going to cloth diaper? If so, when and with what? 

How much does organic matter? 

Which companies can we trust? 

What ARE the US safety standards compared to products made elsewhere? 

Where is a reasonable stance (for us) between eco-friendly and practical products?

etc.

After reading more manuals and reviews than I can count, I finally started to chip away at our baby registry. I put SO MUCH thought into this registry (in the spirit of complete honesty) really because I wanted my husband to have the resource should anything ever happen to me. I hope that comes across how I intend. It’s not that I *expect* anything bad to happen, but on the off-chance, I’d rather him have a list of answered questions and resources so he’s not left wondering what I would or would not have voted for our baby girl.

Our registry or list of “pre-decisions” is a whittled-down list of baby stuff options from the OCEAN of products available on the market right now. Of course, all we really need are each other, a baby, good health (praise), something to cover her bottom, something to cover her body, and something to cart her around in the car. So much of the rest can be seen as extra or nice-to-haves, which is exactly our perspective. I’m a maximizer at heart. I want to maximize efficiencies as much as possible. Surrounding ourselves with what we need, what makes the most sense with regard to safe-for-baby materials, and what will help us guide this little human through her first precious years of life.

I hope you find my registry helpful and that it empowers you as you whittle-down the endless list of baby stuff options out there. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, know that you are NOT alone. Research until you’re happy, make a decision that resonates with YOU, and move on to your next to-do. We can always call an audible down the line when we learn (with experience) what will serve our individual little ones best.

Note for my TRULY minimalist friends: I’ve BOLDED the items below that I would consider absolutely essential. The non-bolded items are all nice-to-haves. I plan to revisit this list with updates in the future as we’ve got more practice using everything!

Where We Registered

I registered on Baby List! It’s a neat service that allows you to link to (essentially) any website. This way, you’re not juggling multiple lists and can have a little more freedom as you find products from other small shops.

Below are the items from our baby registry that we loved and would absolutely use again!

Car Seats

My Top Pick: Cybex Cloud Q Infant Car Seat

  • Why I chose it: I probably did the most research on car seats than anything else, mostly because the options are vast. I loved this seat because of the added safety features and the fact that it will lay flat (when not clicked into the car seat base) so that baby can sleep on-the-go in a reclined position.
  • Why we love it: We LOVE this car seat so much. The lay-flat feature is fabulous for when we’re out and Gray is in a deep snooze – we just recline it so that she’s not napping while sitting up. My husband loves to show off the car seat’s features, especially the front base foot and the side impact bars.

For Older Babies: Nuna Rava Convertible Car Seat

My sister-in-law recommended that I go ahead and register for a convertible car seat off the bat. We’ll use this when she outgrows the infant seat.

Car Seat Accessory: Brica Seat Guardian

This simple product was on the wish list of my hubby. It goes onto the car’s seat BEFORE the car seat base. It helps to protect the car’s seat from wear seen by the car seat base, dropped food, and kicking feet. We have ours installed and, so far, I’m really glad we have it!

Strollers

Stroller Base: Cybex Priam Fram with All Terrain Wheels

This is our main stroller base and it’s awesome! Very minimalistic and easy to use. It will work with our carseat and the clip-in stroller seat below. We LOVE this stroller!! This may sound a little weird, but it drives like a nice car. Truly. Turns easily with one hand, provides plenty of storage (for me), and is light enough to carry over steps if necessary. Note that I also recently purchased this bag hook and I LOVE it! They no longer carry the exact frame we have, but I’ve linked a similar one!

Stroller Seat: Cybex Priam 2-in-1 Light Seat

This is the stroller seat we got for walking use around the neighborhood trail or for when she outgrows her infant car seat. It clicks into the same base above and converts from a bassinet into a toddler-friendly seat. Note you can grab both the Priam Frame (all terrain) and the Lux Seat as a discounted package HERE. We’ve only used this seat in the bassinet configuration, but it’s awesome. Gray gets some great naps in here while we’re on our walks!

Bassinets & Sleepers

Portable Bassinet: Lotus Bassinet Kit + Crib Bundle

This is our version of a “pack n’ play” for those who are familiar. It folds up SMALL (you can wear it as a backpack) and has awesome features as it transitions from a bassinet to a true crib. The side unzips so that babies can crawl in/out (of the crib option) or so that moms can lay down and comfortably nurse.

Bedside Bassinet: HALO Swivel Bassinet

I like this bassinet because it will actually fit over the bed a bit so she can be really close to me. One side also collapses (when you want it to) so that I can easily reach in and grab her for feeding. We also got this Newborn Insert and these Organic Cotton Fitted Sheets (2 of them). Since we chose to co-sleep, we didn’t use the HALO that much, but I still love this piece and think it’ll be a great way to transition her from our bed to hers.

For Co-Sleeping: Snuggle Me Organic Baby Bed

This came highly recommended by friends who chose to co-sleep! I love the materials used to make this bed. It’s great for newborn to 6 months.

Portable Sleeper/Lounger: DockATot Deluxe+

This also came highly recommended! Though I think the Snuggle Me Organic would be ideal for those wanting to co-sleep, this DockATot is loved for being a portable crib and lounger for baby. We’ll likely use ours in the living room or for when we travel and want a safe space to place her (with observation, of course). We also opted for the DockATot Toy ArchToy SetTransport Bag, and Cover (to help make cleanup/washing even easier). This is where she currently sleeps! We have it nestled between us and she sleeps like ….a baby. The first night I put her in here, she slept for a miraculous 5.5 hours …and I wish I’d done it sooner. Love how portable this is! I also love that we can easily wash the cover.

Note: I would consider *some* kind of sleeper that you can keep in your bedroom as essential while your little one is a newborn and not quite ready for their crib. 

Highchairs

Traditional Highchair – Stokke Tripp Trapp ($)

This is the main highchair we decided on for our house. We love that it will convert as she continues to grow. We’ve also heard wonderful reviews from other parents about how easy they are to clean (spray them down and you’re done). If the Tripp Trapp is out of scope, check out THIS ONE ($) from Ikea. I’ve heard good things about it as well.

Highchair Attachments – if you go for the Stokke, make sure you register for a TrayBaby Set, and Cushion.

Lobster Chair – Inglesina Fast Table Chair

I did a good amount of research digging into chairs that will clean easily AND that will fit on a thicker (3″) table. This one fit the bill! It comes in a number of colors and we plan on this being our main chair when we go to my parents each week. She’s still too young to sit in here, but I’m excited about the day we can use it!

More Baby Gear

Swing – Fisher-Price Swing

Just about every parent we know has one of these swings and loves them! They will rock baby and provide entertainment while you (mom or dad) have your hands free for a moment. We keep this swing in our living room and Gray loves it! Funny enough, she likes it best when it doesn’t swing …but it’s nice having a seat for her in the living room so Austin and I can eat our dinner while she gazes at the fun birds above her!

Bouncer – BabyBjorn Bouncer in Organic Cotton

This is the seat we plan to bring with us to the gym! Baby can self-sooth and grow with this seat into toddlerhood. We JUST broke into this bad boy and I’m sad we didn’t do it sooner. SO FUN! Gray can sit up in a minimal bouncy style chair while she watches me cook. We also bring it to my parent’s house for her to sit in during mealtime.

Carriers

My carrier game plan was to try several! Some are best for tiny babies and other great for when they’re a bit older. These are the ones I included in my registry:

My Top Pick – Solly Baby

I just adore these wraps and have a couple of them on hand for baby! I find myself gravitating for this carrier when I’m just working around the house. I’ve gotten pretty good at putting it on and like how I can adjust it depending on how she wants to be held (head down or out).

Alternative Wrap Carrier – Baby K’tan Carrier

A few of my friends were frustrated by the wrap carriers and preferred this one. It secures in place with fewer steps, but offers a similar soft/secure carry.

Hybrid Carrier – Boppy Comfy Fit Carrier

This one is a good mix of the Ergo and the Solly! I REALLY like it.

Best for Dad – Ergobaby Carrier

I really wanted this carrier for Austin (my husband). All our friends say that this is the most dude-friendly carrier. My husband loves this carrier the most!

Blankets & Swaddles

Like the carriers, I wanted to have several options on hand so we can figure out what works best for our little one!

Swaddles & Sleep Sacks

  • My Favorite Swaddle – The Ollie Swaddle – I had heard wonderful things about this swaddle and can report back that this swaddle is awesome!! The velcro makes it so that she can stay snug in a swaddle all night.
  • Sleep Sack – HALO SleepSack Swaddle (in newborn) We never used this! She slept with us for so much of your younger days that she outgrew the newborn Halo Swaddle.
  • Sleep Sack – Woolino Baby Sleep Sack – I’ve heard great things about this merino wool sleep sack. This is still hanging in her closet, but I KNOW we’ll use it.

Blankets

  • My Favorite Blankets – ADEN + ANAIS Swaddle Blankets – I know parents who just love these, so I registered for a couple sets of 4. They can be used as swaddling cloths, cover ups, light blankets, etc. These are a MUST. We use them daily. For blankets, swaddles, or even wiping up a bit of spit! I think we own 12+ blankets and we use them all regularly!
  • Muslin Blankets – Margaux & May Organic Muslin Swaddle Blankets – I registered for a set of these to have on hand, too. Love these swaddle blankets, too!
  • Warm + Cozy Blanket – ADEN + ANAIS Dream Blanket  -This blanket is SO lovely. Nice and thick! Works great when we push her around in the stroller.

For Travel

  • A Multi-Use Cover – Copper Pearl – There are a number of them out there. This one by Copper Pearl looks pretty great! It can act as a carseat cover, nursing blanket, scarf, etc. This is a must-have. We were especially thankful for it when we went to the pediatrician’s office while she was tiny! It kept her concealed in her carseat.
  • Floor Baby Blanket – What we’ll put down in our living room and what we’ll likely take with us when we travel. LOVE this blanket!! We use it ALL the time for tummy time or just hanging out on the floor.

Clothing

If your friends and family are like mine, the majority of your baby gifts will be adorable pieces of clothing! As such, I really only registered for everyday basics.

Best Everyday Wear

Socks

I’ve heard that these Jefferies Organic Cotton Socks and these Hanna Anderson “Best Ever First Socks” are the only two that really stay on baby’s feet. I can now confirm that the two socks listed here really are the only two that stay on her feet! The Hanna Anderson socks are REALLY thick, which I love. They are so cozy and cute.

Bibs

Laundry Detergent

In some irony, finding a truly squeaky-clean detergent is tricky. Most contain some kind of additive that I would be less than excited about applying directly to my skin. Most of what we wash our clothes in washes off …save for fragrances, which can transfer to the skin. If you find a fragrance-free detergent you like, I’m of the “it’s close enough” mindset – but you choose what’s right for you! Biokleen and Babyganics are a couple options that are readily available. If you’d like a “cleaner” version that requires a bit of work to use, I recommend Branch Basics (the concentrate + oxygen boost).

Diapering

Though I do plan to share a dedicated post on our actual experience, our initial thoughts are to lean on disposable while she’s a newborn and then we’ll transition to cloth (all-in-ones) when she’s about 10 pounds. We will then reconsider our stance once she starts to walk as there are some emerging studies correlating healthy hip development with diaper bulk. Stay tuned!

Best Cloth – Smart One 3.1 by SmartBottoms

These are just the all-in-ones (AIO) we’ve settled on but there are a BUNCH of options out there. We also have some Thirsties All-in-Ones. Gray is still in pretty small disposable diapers, so we haven’t switched to cloth yet! I’ll be sure to update as soon as I’ve got some experience here.

Best Disposable – Bambo Nature Disposable Diapers

I registered for a set in newborn (size 1) in addition to a stock of sizes 2 and 3. I love these diapers! No complaints. I love that they’re made with safer ingredients and, even though there’s no wetness line, we have had no issues determining when she’s dirty or wet.

Best Wipes – Bets & Emy Wipes

These are essentially a water wipe, but have a bit more texture – making them easier to use when cleaning dirty bums. We originally planned to use these water wipes, but we weren’t a huge fan of the texture and found them hard to use. We also tried Honest Wipes but the Bets & Emy are the winner!

Baby Powder – Primally Pure Baby Powder

Though we haven’t decided if we’re going to use a powder at all, this is the talc-free kind we’re keeping on hand just in case. Note also that this Primally Pure Baby Kit is a great gift option for safer skincare conscious expectant parents. I’ve used this powder just about 2 times, to see if we liked it, and really haven’t had a need for it so far! If we do need a baby powder, I’ll still use this one. Also, to avoid the risk of inhalation, we applied the powder to the clean diaper FIRST (and aways from baby).

Cloth Diaper Wraps – Wet Bag Roll from OH BABY!

We plan to keep these on us for wrapping up our used diapers and dirty cloths while out. They’ve been very handy!

Diaper Pail – Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail

After a bunch of research on diaper pails, this is where we landed! Their reviews tout that they really lock in any odors and are easy to use. We actually got 2 of them so that one could be for our laundered diapers (cloth) and the other for wipes/trash or used disposables. We still love these pails! I have zero complaints. I do think that they do a great job of keeping odors contained!

Diaper Bag for Mom – Skip*Hop

I used this is the one from Skip*Hop and love it, but unfortunately it is out of stock. This one is really close! I also love the chic options from Lily Jade.

Diaper Bag for Dad – Skip*Hop

We also chose Skip*Hop for Austin’s diaper bag. He loves his Dad bag!

Burp Cloths – Gerber 3-Ply Prefold Cloth Diapers

Though we don’t anticipate using these to diaper our daughter, I do want them as burp cloths. We use these ALL THE TIME. I think I must have 10 of them scattered around our house at all times. They’re great burp cloths.

Toys & Entertainment

One thing that I’ve seen done (if you’re having a baby shower) is to request a children’s book in lieu of a card. This is a great way to stock up your little one’s book shelf!

Health, Safety, & Skin

Skincare

I love Beautycounter Baby for safer options for a Calming Diaper Rash CreamDaily Protective Balm, and Baby Oil. This “Ultimate Baby Collection” is a great option for a gift as it even includes a great diaper bag! I still love all these products!! She had some dry skin at first and the baby oil helped. We’d apply it after her (about once weekly) bath on her legs.

We also have Badger Baby Balm on hand if we need it!

Grooming

  • Natural Baby Brush & Comb Set – I like that this one also includes a cradle cap brush. The cradle cap brush was helpful! She had a little cradle cap (looked like dandruff) and it helped scrub a bit with a little olive oil. I also love the soft brush for her fine hair.
  • Baby Toothbrush – though we won’t use it for a little while, I want to have these on hand.
  • Fridababy Nail Clipper Set – the emery board I’ll take with us to the hospital to help gently trim her newborn nails.

Health

  • BioGaia ProTectis Drops with Vitamin D – I know moms who will add a drop to their nipples before breast feeding as a way to administer to their infant. I need to do a bit more research on frequency we’ll administer, but I have them on hand for the time being. I stopped using these and started REALLY supplementing myself. I’m not advocating for any one thing and be sure you talk to your doctor for the best direction. This article was helpful for me!
  • Fridababy NoseFrida Nasal Aspirator – this is a replacement for the classic bulb and every parent I know swears by this gadget. Just make sure you don’t run out of filters! 😉
  • Digital Thermometer – we opted for a classic thermometer so that the temperature would be more accurate (vs. a forehead thermometer).
  • Babyganics Alcohol-Free Foaming Hand Sanitizer – we’ll keep this on hand in diaper bags and around the house for use, especially when we have visitors who want to hold our newborn.

Feeding

Breastfeeding

  • Spectra Hospital Grade Breast Pump We did a good amount of research on pumps and settled on this one! It’s great. Comfortable, compact, and user friendly. I don’t love pumping (breast feeding is so much easier for me), but I have no complaints about the pump!
  • Medela Manual Breast Pump – though we’re getting a much nicer one for primary use (through insurance) this hand pump will go in the diaper bag/car should I ever get caught in traffic and need to pump. Haven’t used this hand pump yet because I LOVE my other pump!
  • Lanisoh Milk Storage Bags – I had planned on using the Medela Storage and Collection Bottles, but after hearing from several people that the Medela bags tend to bust in the freezer (no bueno for a mama who worked so hard to collect that milk), I switched to these Lanisoh milk storage bags!
  • Ergobaby Nursing Pillow – There are a LOT of options for nursing pillows and I just really liked this one. I used this a lot when Gray was a tiny newborn, but find that I really don’t need it anymore. I’ve found that I can prop up a leg and hold her in place easily.

Bottles & Accessories

  • Dr. Brown’s Newborn Feeding Set – From what I understand, Dr. Browns is best for reducing gas. I’ve pre-washed this and they DO have a bunch of parts. Click HERE for a glass Dr. Brown’s set, if you prefer to go that route. These are our go-to bottles. The parts aren’t that difficult to wash and the bottles really do help reduce gas.

Formula

  • Lebenswert Stage 1 Organic Infant Milk Formula – Though I do plan to exclusively breastfeed, I wanted to have this on hand just in case it’s ever needed (like what I said above about wanting this list to support my hubby if I’m ever not around). After a lot of research and talking with several friends, this formula came with rave reviews. We still haven’t had to use this formula, but I’m glad I’ve got it just in case!

Natural Pacifiers & Teethers

Solid Feeding Supplies

Crib & accessories

Crib

Considering the amount of time our little one will spend in the crib, we wanted to make sure that we have one made with minimal toxins. We ultimately decided on this Babyletto Hudson 3-in-1 Crib ($) that comes with the toddler conversion kit. The Oeuf Sparrow ($) was also on our list. If those two are out of the question, check out the Sniglar crib from Ikea. It’s at around the $100 mark and is (supposedly) made with unfinished beech.

Crib Mattress

We got the pure core non-toxic Babyletto mattress ($) that comes with a dry waterproof cover, but this Oeuf Organic ($) is a good option, too!

Crib Sheets

  • Oeuf Organic Crib Sheets – I got the advice to register for 3 crib sheets, which is what I did!
  • Basic Organic HALO Bassinet Sheet – for use while she’s in a bassinet, before we transfer her to her crib.
  • Wool Moisture Barrier for Crib, Bassinet (if you have one of this size), and Changing Table – I’ve heard rave reviews about this exact wool barrier by Holy Lamb Organics! This works great!

Nursery

  • Nest Cam Indoor Security Camera – we’re planning on this camera for our primary baby monitor! We also ordered a couple Fire HD 8 Tablets so that we can run them as a dedicated monitor (vs. having to log into the app on our phone). Note that the Fires need to be “side loaded” to work how we’re planning. This camera will be installed permanently in the nursery. We love our nest! Gray doesn’t spend much time in her room right now, but it’s fun watching Gus in there whenever we’re gone. 🙂
  • Samsung Wisenet Baby Monitor – we’re also going to make use of this monitor for whenever we want to keep an eye on our daughter when she’s not in the nursery: like when she’s napping in the bassinet in our bedroom or when we’re traveling to see family.
  • Hatch Baby Rest Night Light & Sound Machine – like so many gadgets, we may or may not use this, depending on the needs of our little one …but we’re grateful to have it on hand. I like that it pairs with our phones and that we can have it emit yellow-toned lights at night (blue lights stimulate cortisol).
  • Hanging Clothing Dividers – these help us organize all the sweet clothing gifts baby received! These are so handy for organizing her closet!
  • Baby-Size Hangers I am SO glad we got these!! They work great for her tiny clothes.
  • Hamper – I like to have two hampers so I can pre-separate light and dark clothes.
  • Oeuf Eco-Friendly Chaning Pad – this one fits our dresser/changing table perfectly and I love that it’s made without toxic materials.
  • Oeuf Organic Changing Pad Cover

For Mom

Amazon Baby Registry

For ease, shop our curated Amazon list – here. Happy prepping!



About the Author

Cassy Joy Garcia, NC

Cassy Joy Garcia, a New York Times best-selling author, of Cook Once Dinner Fix, Cook Once Eat All Week, and Fed and Fit as well as the creative force behind the popular food blog Fed & Fit.


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26 Comments

  1. Hi there! First time being pregnant and this post is super helpful! I had a question, I like the idea of the Lotus bassinet kit + crib bundle. Do you think that the bassinet could also be a bedside bassinet? Because I see that you also liked the Halo bedside bassinet, but I’m trying to cut down on cost and hoping the Lotus can double as a portable bassinet/crib and a bedside bassinet for when I want baby sleeping next to my bed. Thanks!