Registry Tips & Picks

Building a registry can be daunting task.  Navigating what you need and don't need, and then making choices on brands and styles is overwhelming for sure.  In full disclosure, I've never registered and never had a shower.  It was 100% my choice, its never really been my thing, and after loosing a baby I was pretty reserved in buying/celebrating until our little Jack arrived.  With that said, family and friends are very generous and often still want to gift something to you and your little bundle, so whether you have a shower or not, a registry can be a great idea...  A registry can be as big or little as you feel comfortable with; it is yours!  The hard part about a registry for first time parents is that you aren't a parent yet and you haven't met your baby.. as you navigate your parenting journey and get to know your baby you'll find out the items and gear that work best for baby and your lifestyle.. But, we all want to be prepared for babies arrival, so I've teamed up with the amazing ladies (and registry extraordinaires) at Your Family to give you our best tips and picks for building a registry. 

Here's some tips we hope you'll find helpful:
 

• If you are able, try visit your local store and touch and feel your options, at
  least for the bigger items
• Shop local!!  We personally feel strongly about this, but I promise you there are huge benefits- most importantly the customer service and product knowledge.  If you are in the New England area, Magic Beans is one of our favorites, and closer to Maine, Baby Go Round in NH is fantastic.
• Do your research on the bigger items- read reviews, ask friends/other local parents
• Decide what items are most important to you
• If you are trying to be a minimalist with baby gear (which I get), keep an open mind to some gear as it can be a huge lifesaver, but do look at products that are multifunctional and/or have a long lifespan. Like the Stoke Steps chair, a travel bed with a bassinet level, the Fisher Price Rock n Play etc..
• Register for what you will need fairly early on... i.e. I wouldn't register for a convertible car seat as you have no clue the size of your child and you might start to have more of a preference with car seats as you begin to use them regularly etc..
• You want to be prepared, but remember you can always run out and buy something if you feel like you're missing it/ need something else for baby
• There may be items that are not as important to you, and you can think about buying them later, finding from a friend or from a consignment store (i.e. for me this was my jumperoo, push toys etc) (but note always buy your car seat new)
• Throughout the process, especially when choosing your bigger items, keep your lifestyle in mind...  Think about the size and layout of your home, your stomping grounds/typical terrain, your transportation, your day to day, other caregivers?, do your travel a lot, do you have other children or do you plan to have more children, your activity level (are you a runner), the season your baby will be born and the climate where you live...
• You likely will not be able to register at just one store... you may be lucky and have a fantastic local store that has everything, but you may have to register in multiple locations.  It actually can be a good idea both for finding the best products and ease of use to have multiple options...
• Including an online site to your registry (in addition to your favorite local store) is a great idea as it gives you variety and can be easy for friends from all over.  Many people like myregistry.com and amazon.  We're also loving the many options and flexibility of BabyList. 
• With BabyList you can add any product or service from any online store whether it be your crib or your favorite Etsy finds (we love including Etsy handmade treasures) and you also have the ability to add other items (like a home-cooked meal, house cleaning, postpartum doula care, cord blood banking fun etc..) it's your registry, so make it fit your family!
• Include items at a variety of price ranges- you don't need to go crazy but its nice to have something for everyone.
• While we wouldn't recommend registering for your child's entire wardrobe, registering for a few pieces of clothing can show your favorite brands and give a sense of your overall style.
• Have fun putting your registry together, and make sure your registry truly reflects you!
• If you are feeling overwhelmed think about a registry consultant

My friends at Your Family  (Lindsay, Sue, and Beth) and I have teamed up on the registry list below.  It's a list of items/categories for consideration on your registry.  We've also included picks of some of our favorites.  Keep in mind that the world of baby products and gear is enormous, and there are many fantastic options out there and new products hitting the market as we speak.  Also note many of these items are very much a personal choice, specific to your lifestyle, your day to day life and needs, your location and more etc..  Finding the best products is really about finding what is best for your family.

Registering/preparing for baby is such an exciting time, we want to celebrate with you!  We are SO thrilled to be giving away some of our favorites!!  One lucky reader will win the following:

$75 Zutano Gift Card
$50 Magic Beans Gift Card
1 hour Registry Consult with Your Family (live or via phone)
1 Happy Baby Wrap
1 Package of aden & anais Swaddle Blankets
bath and body products from aden & anais
1 Bravado Designs Nursing Tank (winner will choose size)
1 Ollie Swaddle from the Ollie World
1 Lil' Sidekick
1 Bitta Kidda wearable lovie (winner will pick size and color)
1 NawGum from Mello & Co

To enter this great giveaway, use the form below. Giveaway ends September 23rd at 12am.  One winner will be chosen at random.

Planning for Baby Giveaway

Thank you as always for stopping by!  Congratulations, and best of luck if you're navigating your registry! Feel free to leave and questions, and I'll do my best to respond.  To learn more about the amazing women of Your Family and the services they provide, head on over to their website!

xx
Rebecca









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