Baby Registry 101 For First Time Moms (2024)

Maybe you’re absolutely thrilled to be making your baby registry – making a list of cute, tiny things for the little baby in your belly? What could be more fun?! There’s a chance you’re dreading this big ol’ awkward list of things you’re asking people to give you. Maybe you’re just overwhelmed by the options and all the different things your little person may or may not need. Whichever of the many possible boats you’re in, we’re here for you.

We’re giving you everything you could possibly want to know about making your baby registry, from what to actually add to the list, to when to make your baby registry, to how to make gift giving easy on your friends + fam. There’s no time like the present (pun intended), so let’s get to it with the most frequently asked questions about baby registries.

Why should I make a registry?

Do you even need to make a baby registry? The short answer is: if you think friends and family will want to give you baby gifts – yes. Sure, you could skip the registry making, but don’t be surprised when you get 30 newborn-sized onesies with cheesy sayings on them and none of the things you actually need.

Don’t think of your baby registry as an awkward list of demands for gift givers. Think of it as a guide to make their gift-giving process easier. They *want* to give shower you with love and gifts during this special time in their life. Give them an easy way to show their love by giving them a list of things you would love to receive. You get amazing presents, they get the satisfaction of knowing they gave you something you need. See? Everyone’s happy.

Most people do make registries for their baby showers. If you’re not going to have a baby shower, you can still make a smaller registry to have on-hand in case anyone asks you. You’ll be surprised how many friends, family members, coworkers and random friends of your parents’ will want to give you gifts. It’s nice to have that list ready for anyone who wants to treat your little one to something special!

When should I make a baby registry?

Because most baby registries are for baby shower gift givers, work backwards from your baby shower date to see when you should have your registry made. Most baby showers are held in a mother’s sixth or seventh month of pregnancy, and invites should go out four to six weeks in advance of the party. Your invitation should include your registry link, so you just need it done by the time invites go out.

In general, we recommend starting the registry list-building around the start of your second trimester, to give you ample decision-making time and to avoid any stress about not getting it complete in time. If you start making your registry at the beginning of your second trimester, you’ll have about two months to complete it which should be plenty of time.

What to add to your baby registry?

The real answer is: if you want it for you or your baby, add it to the registry. But if you want our opinions, read on, and remember there’s no real right or wrong way, because your registry is all about you.

We think it’s best to focus on the first nine months of your child’s life. Things a baby does in their first nine months: sleep, drink milk, poop, go everywhere you go, play on the floor, and eat solids (at around the six month mark). Use these categories as a guide and leave out the older kid stuff. You’ll most likely do a big round of buying and gift-receiving for their first birthday, so just stick to the infant stage for now.

While you’re making this registry, consider your needs in the first nine months of their life as well, particularly the postpartum stage. From nipple shields to adult diapers, some veteran moms and besties of yours would love to gift things like this so they can take care of you. If you want more deets, check out our blog on new mom registries. (link)

Another section of things to add to your registry: things you want a discount on. Most registry sites offer a “registry completion discount.” For example, Target gives all moms-to-be two 15% off coupons to be used for buying anything left over on their registries. So, add bigger things you were already planning on purchasing yourself, like a crib or rocking chair, to milk that registry discount for all its worth at the end.

Top tips to make gift giving easy

The things you may not think about that’ll make your gifter’s life so much easier.

1. Price points

Consider lots of different price points when making your registry. In general, distant or new friends will bring gifts around $20-50, closer friends and family will spend $50-100 and your closest family and friends will spend $100+. Keep this in mind when building your registry by including gifts in all price ranges, with most gifts in the $15-70 price range to give gifters plenty of options.

2. Ease of shipping

Some registry sites, like Babylist or The Bump, allow you to add products from multiple different stores, which is great if you want to include some small business items and pieces not sold in bigger stores like Target or Amazon. However, think about shipping and how easy it’s going to be for gifters to buy your gift. Make sure that for each store you add to your registry, that you have a few gift options from that store, otherwise people are probably just not going to buy that singular pair of pajamas from that one store.

3. Themes

Gifters love for their gift bundle to have a theme like bathtime, feeding, travel, etc. They may want to give you a bag of bath-related gifts or maybe all sleeping gear, like crib sheets, pajamas, and your sound machine. People love for their gift to “go together” so think about including “go-together” things that fit together nicely price-wise and are from the same shop.

4. Group share

Sometimes, groups of people like going in on a bigger gift together. Maybe your aunts will get you your stroller or a coworker may want to contribute to your diaper fund. Whatever it is, if a gift is around $150 or more, it’s a great idea to make it a “shareable” gift, meaning people can contribute funds to it without having to buy the whole thing themself.

Let’s make a baby registry

Below is a list of categories to include in your baby registry along with helpful questions to ask yourself while deciding which items you want on your registry. We also included a few top items for each category, to get you a shopping head start!