Baby Registry!

Starting a baby registry can be so overwhelming! I remember wandering the aisles of a big box baby retailer as a pregnant couple with a barcode gun and thinking "so...do I just beep all the things?? What do I actually need? I'VE NEVER LIVED WITH A BABY BEFORE!!!" Long story short, we tried our best to pick things that seemed practical, or necessary, and some just a bit fun, but in the end, a lot of it was barely used, and a lot of it was used until it wore out. So what's a soon-to-be- parent to do? Well, asking other parents is helpful, but remember, what one person hated and rarely used, another loved, so go into it with an open mind and remember, you'll find what works for you soon enough!

Many parents are thinking outside the box these days with their registries, with alternatives online that offer registering for things like babysitting hours, meals in the early weeks, college savings funds, and even loads of laundry cleaned and folded, not to mention the many small businesses that offer registry services!

Something really lovely that greenberries offers, which contrasts the impersonal nature of big-box registries, is the chance to one-on-one with one of our staffers, who can help you build the perfect list from our wide array of brands and products, then we can personally manage your registry when your friends and loved ones come in and shop for you. With a whole lot of combined expertise in babycare essentials and products, as well as many years of parenting between us, we're happy to help you create a registry that's customized and just perfect for you, and the individual support and customer service you get  with a small business registry is not even remotely comparable to the big box retailers. Not only will you have the advantage of having a team behind you to care and curate your registry, but you'll receive a 15% off discount for anything listed in your registry that wasn't purchased before the birth of your baby.

My own personal favorites were:
Cloth diapers, they're the perfect price point for gifts, so we got a lot of them by registering in advance for them. Our Moby and Ergo, even though they're not my favorite carriers anymore, they opened the big shiny door to the wide and beautiful world of babywearing for me, so I am forever glad we got those! Our Woombies. They're a bit pricey for swaddlers, but they were the only one we liked and they are tough, so they last!

My regrets: all the crib stuff, turns out, we're a cosleeping family. The crib was great for holding cats and clean diaper laundry. The big old infant bathtub. Sinks or regular baths with mom or dad were way easier and no storage required. All the bottle feeding supplies. While I pumped a bit, my son never took to bottles. I have a couple hundred dollars of stuff in that arena that wasn't used.

What I wish I'd registered for: A wetvac, carpet shampooer, or spot-cleaner. Seriously! I recommend this to all expectant parents now! Leaky diapers, leaky breasts, spit up, eating and drinking in nursing positions, an extra glass of red wine after a toddlery day, which gets spilled, potty training, I could go on and on. Our carpet shampooer is well loved, and if you can get one as a gift, all the better!

So what do other parents have to say about their favorite registry choices and their registry regrets? Here are just a few of the responses from parents we interviewed! (keep in mind, these are their unedited opinions, you are the expert in your own family and you will find what works for you!)

• Marie: " Regrets: Pack-n-play, Crib, Bath tub thingy, diaper bag (so impractical! a messenger back works a million times better and is nicer looking) Baby shoes, pink clothes, swaddlers/wombie things
  
  Loves: Ring sling, breast pump, nursing supplies, cloth diapers,
  We love our bumbos! But our kids like them, if the kids hated them it would be a huge waste of money. The stroller is on my love/hate list. For older kids its awesome, for babies I prefer a sling or carrier. I have an arms reach cosleeper but have never once used it.For cosleeping - A toddler railing for the bed! Saved my sanity."
• Kathleen: "Wish I hadn't registered for a Bumbo. Both my babies didn't have the strength to use it when they were smaller, and by the time they were strong enough, they were too big to fit. Favorite thing was aiden + anais swaddle blankets. I get them as a shower gift for everyone now!"
• Brooke: "Regrets: pack n play, swing, standard swaddling/receiving blankets, our Bjorn style carrier, stroller.
  Things we loved: prefolds for burp rags, our diaper bag, lamaze moose, car seat, changing table (it was a necessity post c section) I love the FP froggy potty, too.
  
  And all 3 liked the bumbo.
  
  The Maya ring sling was a life saver, still is, but I didn't get it until kid #3.
  
  We liked the exersaucer with 2&3, just as a place to put them outside while I did yard work or played with big kids.
  
  But all the things I just listed, we bought or were given second hand. We didn't register for them."
• Jamie: "Things we totally could have done without: Bumbo, Pack-n-play, baby tub, enormous fancy swing, a million blankets (mostly receiving) and burp cloths (two or three would have been plenty), Baby Bullet, Baby Bjorn, travel system (stroller/car seat combo), Johnny Jump-Up, tons of toys and clothes
  
  Things I loved: Bright Starts Ingenuity Bouncer, Rock&play sleeper, Ergo, Maya, Moby, sound machine, good quality umbrella/lightweight stroller, Aden & Anais swaddle blankets, mesh teethers/feeders, Boppy pillow, nursing pads and other accessories"
• Sarah: "I wish I'd registered for cloth diapers (we just bought them, but I think people would have bought them for us if we had). And Woombies. Lots of Woombies.
  
  We registered for but didn't end up using a jumper thingy and infant bibs. We were pretty minimalist, so most of the other stuff we did use.
  
  Best stuff was our playmat, Ergo and Moby, Nosefrida, glider, cosleeper, and vibrating rocker thingy. Oh, and Captain Calamari, because I love him an unreasonable amount."
• Rhiann: "We registered for and never used the Pack-n-play, a bouncer, a baby bathtub, receiving blankets(too small), and a Bjorn. I wish I had know about and registered for a ring sling and a wrap."
• Sarah: "Start with the basics, like eating, sleeping, potty, clothes, and car seat, and containment. If you're Breastfeeding and cosleeping it knocks two out right away. So diapers  wipes, onesies, car seat, and carrier/stroller.
  As far as gadgets, we didn't use any except for a bouncy seat that I put in the bathroom so I could shower. "
• Samantha: "A baby monitor. Never used it. At. All. I loved my Mayan Ring Sling. Though it wasn't on my registry. Oh, and those straight jacket swaddle things. Worthless for bigger babies. We had the same issue with the Bumbo, but my sister ended up using it with A and he still loves it, but he's always been a squishy little peanut " 

What about you? What are your favorite registry items now that your little one is finally here and you've gotten some use out of them? What do you wish you hadn't registered for? Share with us in the comments, and send someone on in to greenberries for their registry consult!