When you’re having a baby, one of the many exciting things to do in preparation is to create your baby registry. If you’re a first-time parent, you may not know when to start a baby registry, never mind what to put and what not put on the baby registry.
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered so that you put the items that you’ll really need and not waste your time and other people’s money with the things you don’t need.
In this article
When Should I Start My Baby Registry?
You don’t want to start your baby registry too early, but you also don’t want to wait too long. Generally, women start their baby registry when they’re about 12 weeks pregnant.
Whenever you start, you want to make sure you’ve done at least one month before your baby shower. This way people will have a good idea of what you’ll need and will have time to go shopping.
What Not to Put on My Baby Registry
While you may want to add everything you see in the baby department, there are several items you just don’t need to put on your baby registry.
These are items that mean seem necessary at face value, but when you dig a little deeper, you realize they are items you’re just never going to use. Let’s take a look.
Bottle Warmer
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You obviously don’t want your baby to drink cold milk or formula, but you don’t need a bottle warmer to make this happen. You can give your baby a room temperature bottle or you can warm a pan of water on the stove or in the microwave.
All you need is a pan of warm water to heat the bottle a little. You also don’t want to serve the bottle too hot because that will bother your baby’s stomach as well.
Wipe Warmer
On the warming topic and the thoughts of what not to put on your baby registry comes the wipe warmer. Wipes are not going to get cold if they are sitting in your house or your diaper bag. They will be room temperature and that will be just fine.
Crib Bumpers
Crib bumpers are not only items you want to avoid because they’re unnecessary, but they can also be dangerous.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against using crib bumpers because they put babies at risk for SIDS. The only thing you need in the crib is a fitted sheet for your baby to have a safe and good night’s rest.
Baby Food Maker
A baby food maker does the same thing a blender does or what you can do with a fork or spoon. You’re just mashing up food to make it edible for your baby. There’s no magic going on there.
A baby food maker does not need to go on your baby registry because there’s really no use for it. You can save the space on your registry for something else that you will use.
Baby Shoes
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Where is your newborn baby going to walk to? The answer is nowhere because they don’t even know how to walk. Don’t put pairs of baby shoes on your registry just because they look cute.
If you want one pair to go with one little outfit that’s fine, but your baby doesn’t need to have their own shoe closet. They don’t need shoes and they’ll grow out of them faster than you think.
Baby Food Storage Containers
You don’t need special storage containers to store your baby food. Use whatever you use for your own food to store any food you make for your baby.
Bottle Sterilizer
Cleaning your bottles with warm water and soap will be just fine. Some bottles are also dishwasher safe which is a plus. A bottle sterilizer looks good on paper but in reality, you don’t really need one.
Baby Bathrobe
Your baby is not going to lounge around all day in the robe nor are they going to the spa. While you may think a baby bathrobe is a cute idea, it’s not practical and is among the items of what not to put on your baby registry.
Changing Table
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You can go either way with this one. Some people like the changing table because it gives them a solid place to change their babies. But, you can get away with a changing pad too.
This is more practical because you can use it anywhere you go. A changing table takes up a lot of space and you can’t move it around as easily.
Diaper Genie
You don’t need a special wastebasket to throw away your baby’s dirty diapers. You can throw your baby’s dirty diapers away in other bags and put them outside in the trash can.
The Diaper Genie requires special bags that you need to continuously replace. This is going to get costly down the road because we all know how frequently you need to change your baby’s diaper.
Baby Blankets
Yes, babies need blankets. But, if you put them on your registry, everyone is going to buy one. There’s a good chance that someone may make you one or give you a keepsake blanket. These are the ones that you want to have. You don’t need an entire closet full of baby blankets from your registry.
Final Thoughts
As you put your baby registry together this should give you a good idea of what not to put on your baby registry. Remember, think practical when adding items.
It’s hard not to get caught up in the excitement of having a baby and wanting every product you see. But, if you can limit yourself and think about what you’re really going to use, you’ll thank yourself later.
