Our Baby Registry

Okay folks, here’s the scoop. I’m not going to link or share our entire registry, but I would like to share some of the main items that we chose and why. I’m a big believer that registries should be personal and completely customized to individual lifestyles and values, so I’ll explain mine first before diving in! Also, remember I haven’t actually used most of these products yet, so I’ll be sure to include a follow up post with our favorites once baby M arrives!

As far as our lifestyle and values go, our registry focuses on city friendly pieces that we need and can fit in our small space. Living in the city means we don’t particularly want a lot of stuff, let alone unnecessary stuff. So I did my best to select things that can be used multiple ways, grow with our family and store easily.

Within those parameters, I tried to select the most non-toxic/clean/safe options available. We strive to live a largely non-toxic and clean lifestyle, so many of the “popular” products out there didn’t appeal to me. I had to do some extra digging to find options that fit our needs! Another thing I learned is that the baby industry is incredibly wasteful*. I did my best to focus on natural, recyclable and reusable products and materials, but also didn’t go overboard. If you are interested in a more non-toxic registry I found both this post from the gals at Branch Basics and this one by my low-waste friend Abby to be super helpful! The site The Tot is also a great place to find clean and safe products and gear!

*If you are concerned about waste or even cost, there are several services where you can rent bigger, pricier items that have limited use time. That, and if you have friends with kids they may be looking to offload or sell anything from pumps to clothes to toys, so check with pals or your local Buy Nothing group if that is more appealing or helpful!

From a logistical standpoint, selecting where to register is also a personal choice. We used Babylist because I was able to include pieces from pretty much anywhere! I LOVE that feature, especially since our registry was far from the more typical selections that can be found at big box baby stores. Overall, we didn’t feel limited and were able to include absolutely everything we wanted to. Also, when you add an item on Babylist, it includes multiple “where to buy” options which is super convenient for the purchaser.

I feel fortunate that we know ourselves and our needs well, so this process was much more fun than it was stressful. That being said, I completely understand how and why people get overwhelmed. The industry really inundates parents-to-be with “you NEED this to keep your baby happy/safe/developmentally on track…” blah blah blah. And I think most of that should be taken with a grain of salt. My best advice is to remember what is important to YOU and focus on finding items that will best support you on your parenthood journey. What that looks like will inevitably vary from person to person! That is exactly how it should be.

Also, awhile ago I polled my community to get a feel for people’s most used and loved items for babies. It was great to see so many of the same items or concepts pop up over and over again, so I’ll include that feedback here as well!

CAR SEAT + STROLLER

This is a big ticket item and one that we didn’t select lightly. We live in Uppababy land – without knowing actual data I feel confident saying that 90% of Upper East Side stroller owners have an Uppababy stroller (mainly the VISTA 2, followed by the CRUZ). And while I know a LOT of people clearly love the brand, it wasn’t the right fit for us. 

We decided to go with the Nuna Pipa Lite Rx Car Seat and Nuna Demi Grow Stroller. Nuna is widely considered the best and safest infant car seat on the market. At 6.9 lbs, it is extremely light and includes both a base and seatbelt installation – a key component for city folks like us without a car. We can’t lug a carseat base around, so the fact that you can make the seat completely safe with just a seatbelt was a huge selling point. We also love Nuna as a brand because they are the only one that is entirely flame retardant free. They also do not use PFAS or any other waterproofing materials on their products, which are also eco-friendly and natural. This is incredibly hard to find and made Nuna stand out from other brands in our minds.

It is worth noting that the Nuna car seat is compatible with a lot of strollers, but we wanted to make our lives easier and selected the Nuna Demi Grow (the only Nuna stroller that converts to a 2 seater). Since strollers are a huge investment, we wanted something that could grow with our family eventually (vs. purchasing something new later on). A lot of city people also go with smaller travel friendly strollers for everyday (the YOYO is a great option) but we wanted something with more substantial wheels and shock protection, even if that means we have to store it in our living room 😉

From an aesthetic perspective, I love that the Demi Grow is streamlined (the base looks like a combo between Stokke and Uppa) without a bunch of unnecessary poles. Color wise, our Demi Grow is black with brown leather accents and we chose a grey/taupe secondary accent color (unfortunately its been discontinued but this color is GORG). A lot of strollers are either silver or carbon at the base, and those don’t appeal to me as much. That is COMPLETELY an aesthetic opinion, but with an investment like this I wanted to love everything – including the look and color! The Demi Grow also has a slightly smaller profile than comparable strollers and collapses super easily (again, great for the city). 

Lastly, the main stroller seat has a “summer mode” that basically turns it into an airy mesh dream. Summers in the city are brutal, and this feature is KEY and not available with other brands. I will also say that we opted to not get the bassinet attachment. You can only use it for a few months but can use the car seat / regular seat combo right away and for a lasting period of time. Since we have nowhere to store a bassinet (we have a separate one for the bedroom), we decided it didn’t make sense for us.*

*Also, while this was not the case when we registered, Nuna has since discontinued their stroller bassinet. They are re-configuring it but do not have a timeline for when it will be re-released!

TRAVEL STROLLER

We went back and forth on this because truthfully we don’t travel much. That being said, none of our parents actually live here! My parents are in Chicago and C’s are mostly in Florida. In the end, we put a travel stroller on our registry as a nice to have. We ended up getting it and are really grateful that we did! 

After a lot of research, we ended up staying in the same system family and going with the Nuna TRVL. It fits both our infant car seat (yay) and then can fit a child up to 50 lb. We’ll have it for a longggg time! The TRVL also MAGICALLY folds up with one click of a button! I also love the look of it – again, it is black with brown leather accents. My friend Jess (a fellow city gal) polled her (much larger) community about compact strollers and the TRVL was the only one that didn’t get a single bad review.

BOUNCER

Okay this is without a doubt the most used item that community members shared and I can see why. The Babybjorn Bouncer comes in a couple of styles, a zillion colors and folds pretty close to flat for easy storage. It’s a great option for when we are on the couch or I need to do something like cook or shower. It’s also perfect for small spaces! We also liked the Charlie Crane Levo Rocker (aesthetically it is *chef’s kiss*) but due to space concerns we did not include it on our registry.

LOUNGER

I feel like loungers are VERY polarizing. Some people swear by them and some never use them. We registered for the SnuggleMe Organic lounger (with two additional covers) because of the organic materials used. Another popular option is the Dock-A-Tot, but I personally didn’t like the materials or the branding as much.

I think it is important to note that they are NOT sleep safe. Per the AAP, loungers are safe if they are on a flat/hard surface, the infant is awake and you are closely supervising. You can find more on AAP safe sleep guidelines here.

FEEDING PILLOW

Similar to the above, we went with the SnuggleMe Organic Feeding Pillow (with two additional covers) over the Boppy. The shape, materials and aesthetic were a better fit for us! I’ve heard nothing but great things about feeding pillows and know they are critical during certain post-birth recoveries as well.

CARRIERS

Due to our mobile and city lifestyle, we anticipate carriers to be a huge part of our life. It is SO much easier to pop a baby in a carrier vs bringing the whole stroller situation. After chatting with a friend in the chiropractor space, I registered for three and focused on the best brands for hip safety and positioning: Ergobaby and Solly. I have to be honest, everyone RAVES about Solly but the Solly wraps kind of terrify me (my anxiety is heightened in late pregnancy). Options with buckles make me feel a bit better. In addition to the Solly Wrap, we registered for the Ergobaby Embrace (a softer option for younger babies) and the Ergobaby Omni (a sturdier option).

HIGH CHAIR

Because we live in a small space, we wanted an aesthetically pleasing high chair that didn’t need to be replace and would LAST. I hoped to avoid plastic and synthetic materials here, and found my match in the Stokke Tripp Trapp with the Newborn Set and Baby Set. This chair is durable, environmentally friendly and lasts from newborn to adult (seriously!). I love that they are produced in the EU so are held to much more rigorous standards. Also there are so many accessories that make storage and growing with the chair such a breeze! I know the Newborn set is not a forever piece, but one of my besties used this with her baby and recommended it. She loved how she could pull it right up to the table and have him comfortably hang while they ate.

PLAY MAT(S)

We won’t have a dedicated playroom but we do have an open space where we plan to hang and do things like tummy time. For this, we wanted a mat that was easy to clean and store! I picked this cutie by Wander & Roam with a scalloped edge (I also like this color). We also love mats by Gathre, Toki Mats, and Pehr.

PLAYARD / PACK AND PLAY

We won’t use a pack and play in our home, but registered for one to keep at my in-laws and my parents. We have two separate options, both with different features. I selected these based on their simplicity (both are very streamlined and easy to store), practicality and aesthetic. Both are also recs from friends I trust! The first is the 4Moms Breeze Plus, which is more substantial and comes with both a bassinet and changing insert. This will be kept in NJ, where we’ll be when the baby is younger. The extra features make it a great option for a small babe and requires us to bring less accessories overall (because they are included). The second is the Bugaboo Stardust (other colors here) which is excellent for travel and folds up into a super slim profile. It doesn’t have lots of bells and whistles like the 4moms, but it does the job. Both will last a long time as well!

CHANGING PAD

Since we don’t have a washer and dryer in unit, we wanted an EASY TO CLEAN changing pad that we could move from room to room if necessary. I registered for the Keekaroo Peanut and then snagged these changing pad liners for other rooms or to put on top when its cold out. I love that the Keekaroo is impermeable to fluids, easy to clean, soft and slip resistant. We also don’t have a “changing table” – our Keekaroo is just sitting on top of our dresser in our bedroom and it still looks great!

BASSINET 

Our baby is sleeping in our bedroom for awhile and while we do have a crib, we wanted a bassinet for the first several months. Because of our small space, we needed an option that could be moved from room to room and used in different ways: a bassinet with a separate stand. I ended up going with the Design Due Ark Bassinet because it fits all of our criteria: clean and safe materials, mobile design and multipurpose use (aka once we are done with it, we can use the basket in other ways around the home!). As soon as the bassinet arrived I was impressed – it is incredibly well made and beautiful to boot! Aesthetically, I personally like the Ark better than the traditional Design Dua bassinet. The coloring is a bit softer! I also like that it has a waterproof sheet and organic cotton liner.

CLOTHING

This is less specific and more of a general tip. I registered for a few strategic pieces like Kyte Onesies (with feet and without feet – you never know how long your babe will be!) in various sizes and colors, a going home outfit, and a few organic cotton basics. This was another great Babylist feature – you can add an item and say you want multiples of things instead of making separate entries. Then I added cute clothes that I like in various sizes from 0 through 12 months, not necessary because I wanted THOSE clothes but to give insight into our style / aesthetic. I’m a bit picky when it comes to colors and styles of clothing, so providing guidance helped us in the long run!

BOTTLES

I am NOT an expert here, but figured I would share the little that I learned from my research. I am going to try to breastfeed but will also pump and bottle feed so C can take some of the feeding load and bond with our baby. Thinking ahead, she will also go to daycare at 4 months old, so we plan to start bottle feeding sooner vs. later!

There are a zillion bottles out there and it’s hard to say what will work for YOUR baby. I registered for a starter set of Philips Avent Natural Glass bottles, because 1) my friend’s lactation consultant recommended them, 2) I want to use glass because heating plastic makes me anxious and 3) they have less parts. We have a TINY kitchen and even less counter space, so cleaning 3092432 bottle parts is not exactly realistic for us (sorry, Dr. Brown’s!). While I’m sure plastic bottles work for most people, we don’t typically use plastic in our home so I felt pretty strongly about giving glass bottles a go for the baby.

As a side note, one of the great things about Babylist is they do a bottle box with the top most popular bottles, so you can have them on hand and try out different options. We didn’t end up getting these but I think it is a great choice, even for later on if we find out our baby is picky about the bottle nipple!

DIAPERS

In a similar vein, I know that people are very passionate about diapers and SWEAR by whatever brand they use. My only criteria is that they are as clean as possible and preferably not super expensive. Babylist does a diaper box with the three most popular eco-friendly and clean diaper brands and wipes. We put this on our registry and will work my way through those until we decide what works best for us! I don’t have the space to store a bunch of diapers and will need to order on subscription so I love that all three brands (Honest, Dyper, Coterie) have that option. Similar to bottles I think it’s silly to get too attached to any one brand ahead of time – our baby will guide us here!

TOWEL SET

I can’t take credit for these – my mom found this set and I am BLOWN away and how similar they are to a more mainstream brand – just more reasonable and made from organic cotton! The piping is darling and they are SO soft. They also make a set with just towels. The price is so good that you could easily monogram these at a local shop, too! I like that they are more reasonable because if they get yucky it won’t be a headache to replace them.

NURSING, FEEDING ETC.

I am fortunate to get a pump through insurance (I chose the Spectra Cordless) and was gifted another Spectra from a friend that I hope to keep at the office. I did register for an Elvie (which I did not receive) on the offhand that we might get one because I find the mobile option very intriguing! Pumps are super personal and dependent on lifestyle/body/boobs so make sure you do your research before selecting one. I did register for a Haaka (everyone RAVES about this manual option for catching letdown) and then our Doula recommended a few other breastfeeding products that I purchased on my own. I will likely share more on this based on what we actually use and love in the future.

SWADDLES + LINENS

I included a few nontoxic and beautiful swaddles from Lewis (their site has way more options and links with Babylist) and Pehr and will likely add to our collection as I figure out what exactly we need! Both brands have wonderful linens that are also non-toxic. As far as other linens, I kept things basic – I’m sticking to white for our crib sheets, burb cloths and bibs so they can be easily cleaned. I did register for a less practical crib sheet that matches our bedding (and received a beautiful one from Hill House as a gift) so we’ll use those too!

BLANKETS

From what I understand, it is important to have a variety of blankets for snuggle time, tummy time, the stroller etc. I personally gravitate to ChappyWrap because they are SO durable and easy to clean., but also love more unique quilted or muslin options from Julia Amory, Lewis and Bloomere. I’d register for 1 or 2 but learned blankets are a go-to gift so you’ll likely get more than you ask for here!

Other things we have but didn’t put on our registry…

TOILETRIES

After researching clean and safe baby care, I landed on the brands Tubby Todd and Pipette. Both brands have strict ingredient lists and ban all of the big offenders. Tubby Todd is especially great for sensitive skin! Both brands have essentials sets that are great registry additions (Tubby Todd Essentials Set and Pipette Baby Essentials Kit) and can be found both in stores and online.

FEEDING CART

One of my mama friends generously gifted me a bunch of “non-glamorous necessities” and helped me outfit my feeding cart. She based it off of Karrie Locher’s cart concept (more here) which is great for all mamas but especially if you live in a small space and want to easily move your essentials from room to room. I purchased this cart and LOVE it.

BOOKS

We chose not to include books on our registry and we received LOTS. At one of my showers people were also asked to bring a book instead of a card, which I loved! It was really fun to see what people selected. If you receive a book as a gift, I highly recommend writing who it was from on the inside (if they didn’t) so you remember to think of them / thank them when reading!

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