Registry Tips from an Expecting Mom

We are thrilled to be expecting our first little one in 2022! I have dreamt of the day I would become a mom, imagining the amazing things I would get to experience with my child. I always thought about what I would need for a new baby. When it came time to start my registry, though, I got overwhelmed. I have been in the early childhood field for many years, and I still was uncertain what I would need and use once my baby made her arrival!  Here are some tips based on what I learned throughout the process.

 Ask for help

I knew I needed a little help thinking through what I needed and wanted. At Child Care Answers, we have an amazing family support specialist, Lauren George. Lauren is an experienced infant/toddler educator and lactation consultant who specializes in newborn care, infant/toddler development and parent support. I am so grateful I was able to connect with Lauren and learn more about what I needed for my registry.

Do your research

Lauren walked through everything with me step-by-step. She answered my questions and offered additional suggestions. There are many items you see on social media or things family and friends recommend that may not be safe for baby. Doing your own research and consulting with experts, like Lauren, is incredibly important and helpful. Our website also has a ton of resources to help, including our Baby Registry Checklist.

Know what is safe for sleep

One thing I know for sure is that safe sleep is incredibly important to me. Lauren walked me through the products that are currently on the market. She shared which ones may not be safe for baby.  We talked about things that companies market as products for safe sleep but that may not truly be safe when sleeping. Remember that a safe sleep environment means a tight-fitting sheet and nothing in the sleep environment with baby unless it is their pacifier. We specifically talked about tight-fitting sheets. There are so many soft jersey knit sheets out there that could be far too loose – so cotton sheets are on my list now! It was extremely helpful.

Decide what is a need for you

There are so many “extras” that you might not need. Lauren encouraged me to think about items that will be necessities once baby arrives and to make sure those are on our registry. I decided that I will definitely need a bassinet for baby to sleep in our bedroom, as well as a lot of sleep sacks and swaddles. I had originally thought about registering for a bottle sanitizer and other accessories. Talking with Lauren, I learned that those are not necessary, especially if we plan on using the top rack of the dishwasher to clean our feeding supplies.

I am looking forward to building out our registry now that I know the items that should be on my radar. This is such an exciting time that can also create lots of questions; I am glad there are experts out there that can help me navigate everything!

We are so excited to be expecting a little one in 2022.