Creating a Baby Registry - Tips

Building a baby registry took me months. Prior to becoming pregnant for the first time, I didn't realize how many baby items there were. On top of that, each baby item has many different brands making the product, only multiplying the amount of items I needed to choose between. It took a long time to research products, pick between items, and think about what types of items my family would want for our lifestyle. Having never been a mom or having many friends that were moms, it was even more difficult to come up with a registry list from scratch. This is what I learned when creating my first registry.

1. Make a List

You can Google "baby registry list" and find some good lists to give you ideas. It's best to start with basics - like the baby NEEDS sleep (crib, bassinet), comfort (clothes, blankets), food (breastfeeding supplies, bottles) and safety (carseat, baby monitor).

Then you can think about your day with baby and add things to help you out like a stroller, baby toys, baby carrier, etc.

Whatever you feel fit into these categories will give you a good start. I will be making more blog posts with my favorite items after doing research and using many items for years now - so stay tuned!

2. Pick a Registry Platform

There are many websites that support baby registries - Amazon, Target, Walmart, Babylist, etc. They all have their pros and cons. Target and Walmart are specific stores and you are only able to add items from those specific stores. Amazon and Babylist are online stores and you're able to add products from all sorts of stores. This expands the options for items you can add to your registry. Babylist also lets you add items from any baby store such as Target and Walmart. My personal favorite is Amazon - it is very easy to use, most everyone has access to it, many people have a Prime account and are able to get free shipping, and it marks items off as they are purchased so you don't end up with duplicates. Create an Amazon Baby Registry Here

Bonus: Once you create your registry, follow the steps Amazon lists in order to get their free baby box. It is one of the BEST boxes available full of free baby items, samples, and coupons.

3. Share Your Registry

One of the best ways to share your baby registry with others is to have a friend or family member host a baby shower. The invite, either mailed or online, can list "Registered at Amazon" (or whatever site/store you chose) and invitees are able to search for your name and find your registry. If you are not having a baby shower, you can share a pregnancy announcement either by mail or online (social media or through e-mail). This can include the same "Registered at (whatever registry)" so people know where to purchase you baby gifts. If you chose not to do either of those, you can have a close friend or family member share your Amazon baby registry link or details with more friends of family members.

4. Start Early

Because it can take time to figure out which items you would like to add to your registry (it took me over a month), it is best to start early. You can start as soon as you want, and I recommend at least starting by 20 weeks of pregnancy to ensure you have enough time to have everything you'd like available for viewing before baby shower invites or announcements go out to people. When I created my registry, I thought maybe it would take me a week maximum and I was very wrong! I was glad I started looking for items and making my online list about 3 months before my baby shower date.

I hope these tips help you to get started on your baby registry. It can be stressful to have to spend time researching items and guessing what will work best for you. It is also fun to imaging you and your little one(s) using those items in the near future. One major tip is to focus on the positives always. Happy Registering!