What to put on your baby registry

A baby registry does two jobs: it means you get what you really need, and anyone who wants to give you something gets it right without having to ask. A good registry has practical things, a special piece or two and gifts at different prices, so everyone can find theirs.

When to make it and share it

Most people put it together during the second trimester and share it around the middle of the pregnancy, when the “what do you need?” questions start. That leaves time for gifts to arrive before the birth and for you to go over the registry calmly.

Share it by WhatsApp or email with a link, and send it again a couple of weeks before your due date: there’s always someone who remembers at the last minute.

How many things to add, and at what prices

There’s no exact number, but it works well to aim for around 15 to 25 pieces and spread them across prices:

• Small gifts under €20, for work colleagues or friends who’d like to give you something: dummy clips, teethers, bibs, dummy pouches.
• Gifts from €20 to €60, most of the list: muslins, a changing mat, a swaddle, a wash bag, a hooded towel.
• Bigger pieces, for several people to club together on or for close family: the carrycot sleeping bag, the maternity bag or the pram bag.

If someone would rather not choose, a contribution of any amount to your registry’s gift card lets you spend that money on whatever you need later on.

Out and about

This is where you’ll use the most things every day, and where quality shows the most.

• Pram bag: just what you need for a stroll, hung from the handlebar. Have a look at the pram bags.
• Maternity bag: for long days out, nursery or weekends away. Better with compartments. There are ideas in maternity bags.
• Travel changing mat: for changing nappies anywhere without laying your baby on cold surfaces. The travel changing mats fold up and fit in any bag.
• Nappy wallet and wipes case, to keep everything to hand.
• Dummy clip and dummy pouch: small, useful and very easy to give.

For sleep

• Carrycot or crib sleeping bag: keeps your baby warm without loose blankets. It’s one of the most appreciated pieces in winter; have a look at the carrycot and crib sleeping bags.
• Swaddle: for wrapping your baby, holding them and leaving hospital. There are swaddles in light fabrics and in winter ones.
• Moses basket cover, if you’re going to use one.

For bath time

• Hooded towel: for lifting your baby out of the bath and drying them before they get cold. Take a look at the hooded towels.
• Wash bag: for creams, the comb and the thermometer, at home or when travelling. There are several wash bags.

For mealtimes

• Muslins: you can never have too many. They’re for your shoulder, for wiping, for covering. A set of muslins is a safe bet as a gift.
• Bibs and bottle holders, for when feeds away from home begin and, later on, weaning.

For mum

It’s worth thinking about her too: a bag she can use afterwards, a wash bag for the hospital or a little something for every day. If you’re already packing for the birth, you might find the guide on what to pack in your hospital bag useful.

Tips to make it work

• Think about use, not just the first few days: a pram bag or a nursery backpack gets used for years.
• Choose fabrics you both like, because you’ll see them every day. If a piece comes in several fabrics, you can say which in the note.
• Add quantities where it makes sense: two sleeping bags to swap between, several muslins, more than one bib.
• Check the registry every now and then and change anything you no longer need or that has sold out.