The Best Baby Registry Items You Need

As a first time Mom, I had no clue where to begin. I had researched blogs and Pinterest in the months leading up to having my baby and thought I was prepared. But there were some things that came highly recommended that we never used and some new products that are must-haves! I know every baby is different, so something may work for you but some may not. So today I’m sharing the best baby registry items you NEED that will make your life a whole lot easier.

Sleep

DaVinci Jenny Lind Crib - When I first saw this crib I knew it was perfect. The style is both vintage but also modern. There is a variety of colors and the grey fits perfectly with her nursery.

Naturepedic Mattress - When I went to design school we learned a lot about the effects of chemicals, VOC’s and off-gassing. So I knew a mattress was something I wasn’t going to skimp on. This mattress checked off all the safety standards for me.

Dock a Tot - This is one of my top 5 baby products I would recommend. We used it for everything! She co-slept with us for the first two months of her life and this is the reason she slept so good. It’s conformed to their body so it feels like they are still in the womb. I would also put her in this while I showered and I could keep an eye on her.

Guava Lotus - When my daughter outgrew her bassinet, we weren’t quite ready to have her alone in her room yet. This not only works as a crib but also is great for traveling and play. It folds up tight and compact so it can be used as a carry on when traveling. It’s also the only one I’ve seen that is free from those off-gassing chemicals.

Ollie Swaddle - This Velcro swaddle looks like a straight jacket but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty great. After I put this on I rock and soothe her before putting down for naps or bedtime. This is the swaddle that I’ve used the majority of the time.

Dream swaddle - My daughter loves to have her hands by her face while she sleeps. Her ultrasound pictures even show her hands up by her face. So when I found this swaddle I thought it was perfect. I’ve used it for a couple of weeks but went back to the Ollie. I think she would wake herself up and try to suck her hands so she wasn’t getting enough sleep. But for a baby that hates the velcro swaddles, this would be perfect.

Merlin’s Magic Suit - This suit looks hilarious, like the kid from A Christmas Story. But it WORKS! When your baby is at the stage of outgrowing the swaddle but still has the moro reflex that wakes them - this soothes them to sleep. It’s kind of like a weighted blanket without the risk of having a blanket in the crib with them.

Update: My daughter used this up until the time she started to roll over. I transitioned her immediately out of the it because I didn’t want her to roll over in the suit. (The company says once they can roll over IN the suit, then it is no longer safe to sleep in.) I’ll be honest, having her out of the suit that first week was ROUGH. She went from sleeping 10 hours straight, to waking up every 2-3 hours needing help to be soothed back to sleep.

Nested Bean - This is the perfect transitional sleep sack when infants are at the stage of rolling over. The weighted egg on the chest is supposed to resemble the touch of a hand. After just a few nights, my daughter was sleeping through the night again.

Taking Cara Babies - One thing I recommend to all my mama-to-be friends is to take this course! She has a newborn class, 3-4 month guide and 5-24 month ABC’s of sleep. My husband and I watched the videos before she was born and it was a lifesaver since we didn’t know what the heck we were doing. Her tips are easy and practical to meet your baby where they are at developmentally without letting them just “cry it out.” She teaches you to watch for sleepy cues so your baby doesn’t get overtired (and that has been the best thing we could have ever learned!) I also bought her 3-4 month guide which is helped during the dreaded 4 month sleep regression. You will not be disappointed!!

White Noise Machine - We use this thing for every nap and every night. She can actually nap when there’s lots of noise around (restaurants and parties) and I credit it to this. We don’t have to whisper or tip toe around while she’s sleeping because it helps her sleep.

Aden and Anais blankets - These are the perfect light weight swaddles that are breathable and can be used for everything. I lay this out on the activity play mat, bring it on our walks, public diaper changes and use as burp cloths, too. 

Travel

Freshly Picked Diaper Bag - I love the backpack style and the leather! It’s big but not too big with enough pockets to organize everything. It’s easy to open and close one handed. It also stands on its own so it doesn’t tip over when you set it down.

Uppa Baby Vista Stroller - This is our current stroller and we love it. The car seat clicks right into place and can be turned to a different facing position. It comes with a bassinet as well as a toddler seat. There are multiple positions to be used and the under carriage is huge! I’ve done full grocery shopping trips with groceries at the bottom. It’s SO easy to open and fold, my husband appreciates this, too. Seriously the easiest one I found! 

Uppa Baby Mesa Car Seat - This infant car seat has multiple headrest options and a level for easy car seat installation for that peace of mind. Not to mention it clicks right into the stroller so transferring is easy, especially while baby is sleeping!

White Noise Machine - This is a compact white noise machine that’s perfect for car rides and shopping when your little one needs to nap.

Solly Baby Wrap - I love this soft and lightweight wrap (and after some practice) is easy to tie and keep your little one close especially during those first few months. The skin to skin helps calm your baby and lets you get things done around the house.

Safety

Owlet - If I had to recommend one thing for parents, this would be it for the peace of mind. It tracks oxygen levels and heart rate. It comes with an app so you can be notified if the alarm were to go off. The monitor goes right on their foot and comes with different size socks. The monitor is plugged in next to my bed and glows green so I know she’s being monitored.

Infant Optics - We use this during naps and it seems to work pretty good. The picture quality is really good and I like that it shows the temperature. You can also speak into it, which will probably be used when she’s older and I want to tell her to go back to sleep!

Breastfeeding/Bottles

Bamboobies Nursing Pads - These are amazing! I originally had a box of disposable nursing pads and they were so scratchy and irritating. I felt like they were doing more harm than good. I asked a lactation consultant and she recommended these. Within a day my nipples weren’t sore anymore.

Bravado Nursing Bra - This is the only bra I have ever tried and I love it! It’s so comfortable and easy to clip on and off with one hand. It’s also not tight and conforming which I know is great at preventing mastitis.

Haakaa Silicone Pump - This thing is amazing! The first few weeks I was using a letdown catcher but if I bent over it would spill everywhere. This hand pump actually suctions to your other breast during feeding and catches let down but also is a pump. I’ve been able to use it during the last four months of breastfeeding and now have a freezer full of milk from this and never having to use another pump. I know not everyone has an overactive let down, but at least give it a try for under $30!

Covered Goods Nursing Cover - Everywhere sells these types of nursing covers but I love this one. I use it for nursing and when she’s ready for a nap in the store I put this on with the white noise machine and she’s out.

Motherlove Nipple Cream - Lifesaver! Those first few weeks were rough and this cream I applied after every feed. Unlike lanolin, you don’t have to wipe it over before nursing.

Kelly Mom Breastfeeding Resource - I’ve gotten so many helpful information and tips from this site. As a first time mom and nursing I had no idea where to begin. Any time I’m wondering about something I reference this and they usually have the answer.

Come Tomo Bottles - These are supposed to resemble a breast so it makes transitioning to bottles easier. We first tried giving her a bottle at around four weeks and she’s never had a problem luckily. But she only uses them if I’m gone or she’s being babysat.

Gerber Burp Cloths - My mom sewed ribbon on these burp cloths and I love them and ALWAYS use them. I have them lying around everywhere. You never know when spit up is going to happen!

PLAY

Lovevery Play Gym - She loves this play gym and so do I! It’s a Montessori style play mat with contrasting toys and cards, areas that make sound and help baby learn to grasp. It even comes with a month-by-month guide that gives you helpful tips on what you should be working on with your baby.

Black and White Books - I’ve loved reading to her since she was just a few days old and these contrasting images catches her eye. I can also practice teaching her what each object is, colors, etc. She now loves to grab the book and turn the pages.

Pull toys - These are so fun for them to grab on to and keeps them occupied if they’re in a swing or play area.

Clothes

Zutano booties - Ok so Instagram is great at target advertising because I kept seeing these advertised as “you’ll never lose a sock again.” I wanted her to be warm during the winter months and socks didn’t seem to keep her warm enough. These booties are amazing and just snap right on and never fall off and fit even the tiniest feet.

Kickee pants - I had gotten a lot of different pj’s but these have always been a favorite. The bamboo fabric is so soft and breathable, so when she’s swaddled she’s not overheating. I especially like how they have the foldable mittens to use (even the 6 month size) because her hands get cold when she’s not swaddled anymore.

Baby bling bows - I love the style, fabric and stretch. They stay on but also aren’t too tight and don’t leave marks on her head.

Top knots - A little on the pricier side but the style and fabric is SO cute!!

Diapers

Pampers Swaddlers - I’ve tried several different brands and they don’t compare to these. This is the best for preventing leaks and blowouts. I especially like the line that turns blue so you know when there’s a wet diaper. 

Update: At around 5 months we started having blow outs every s.i.n.g.l.e day! I talked to other mama’s who were experiencing this and said it’s so common at that age because they are bigger babies and breastfed babies have looser poops. I switched over to LUV’s and although she still did have blow outs, these seemed to hold more.

Chelsey Wang Diaper Creme- I’ve tried so many different rash creams and this is only one that works for us. It’s creates a barrier for wet diapers, especially during those nighttime diapers.

Honest Baby Wipes - These are the only wipes that have worked for my baby’s sensitive skin and I have tried several different brands.

Bath

Boon Bathtub - This bath is great because it can be elevated for when they are a newborn but also can flatten when they’re sitting upright. It also collapses pretty small so it’s great for small storage.

Chelsey Wang Body Wash- I love the scent and it’s pure and clean without all the junk in it. It leaves my baby’s skin soft and smooth.

Young Living Baby Lotion- I love the lavender fragrance that helps my baby relax right before bed. For babies with sensitive skin, this is the best one I’ve found. 

Nose Frida - I know it seems so disgusting but it actually works. There’s a filter so that when you suck you aren’t sucking their snot. It works way better than the nasal aspirator in my opinion.

Nail Frida - The easiest nail clipper to see what you’re doing. I also use the nail files, too. 

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I hope this helps relieve some stress and narrow down some of the best have registry items for you. And no matter what…you got this mama!

xoxo,

Ambre

This post are all opinions of my own and may contain affiliate links.

Orange County Newborn Nursery

Three months have come and gone and I’m finally getting around to sharing baby girl’s nursery. This was a place that I have dreamed about for years. When we bought our home almost two years ago, I imagined the child that we would one day have and bring them home. Once we found out she was a girl, I started dreaming up her nursery design. It is a small space so I wanted to make it cute but also very functional. I loved soft blush tones mixed with grey and added pops of black and gold. A lot of love and happy tears went into creating this room for our precious girl! Enjoy!

Her room started off with the wall floral decals from Simple Shapes. The “Have Courage and Be Kind” decal is from Hobby Lobby. I love this Jenny Lind crib and I love the vintage but modern look.

I had researched a lot of reviews and this glider from Buy Buy Baby was the most comfortable for someone who is tall like myself.

One of my favorite childhood memories was reading so I wanted to make sure Reagan has her own library. Family and friends brought their favorite books and wrote a little note to her for our baby shower.

This mobile was one of the first decorations and she absolutely loves watching it while she’s getting diaper changes. She even giggles at it now!

photo by Jen Gagliardi

Of course the nursery tour wouldn’t be complete without Zeke in the room. He’s turned into being a guard cat and follows us wherever we go and sleeps outside the door while she naps, it’s so cute!

photo by Jen Gagliardi

SOURCES:

Crib: Jenny Lind online at Target
Chandelier: World Market
Glider: Buy Buy Baby
Stuffed Animals: Cuddle and Kind, Jelly Cats
Declals: Simple Shapes and Hobby Lobby
Animal Wall Art: Hobby Lobby
Bedding: Buy Buy Baby
Lamp: Target
Brass table: Pier 1 Imports
Black and White Cat toy: Pottery Barn Kids
Curtains: Ikea

Orange County San Juan Mission Maternity Photographer | Jenn & DJ

Jenn and Dj are one of the sweetest clients turned friends. Their love story began when they “swiped right” and I’ve had the honor of photographing their engagement, family, wedding and now their journey to parenthood. It’s a privilege to document their story together and can’t wait to meet baby Liam in just a few short months!