All parents and babies are different, so many will have different opinions on what they feel is most important to register for. Some may say that everything on this list was necessary to them, but from my experiences and a handful of others, here are 8 items that you can probably skip out on as well as what to put on the registry instead.
8 Items To Skip and What to Get Instead
1. Bottle Warmer
Many parents say that a bottle warmer was something that they never ended up using. A lot of babies are more than willing to take a cold or room temperature bottle and if they are, a bottle warmer is completely unnecessary. My daughter was breastfed but also was fine with bottles of any temperature.
Start by first trying out cold or room temperature bottles with your baby. If they take to it and continue to take any temperature bottle, great, no need for a bottle warmer.
If your baby is struggling to take a bottle, there are other ideas you can try, but if you want to try warming up the bottle you can do it other ways without needing a bottle warmer. Putting the bottle in a mug of warm water or other ways may help.
Instead of registering for a bottle warmer, register for bottles instead. Having a lot of bottles can save you from constant washing. Also, some babies prefer different brands of bottles or types of nipples to others so it is not bad to have a few different ones on hand to try in those first weeks.
2. Bottle Sterilizer
On the topic of bottles, another item that is probably not necessary to register for is a bottle sterilizer. This is because bottles only need to be sterilized once before they are used. This first time, you can sterilize them by boiling them in hot water for 5 minutes. After that, they can be hand washed or washed in the dishwasher.
The only reason to sterilize bottles again after that first time is if your baby is premature, immunocompromised or you do not have access to clean drinking water. If this is the case, you can still always boil them in hot water.
Registering for something that you only need to use once is probably a waste when there are so many other products you will use countless times. Instead of a bottle sterilizer, register for a good bottle brush such as the Munchkin Sponge Bottle Brush.
3. Wipe Warmer
This is another product that is most likely unnecessary for your baby. Many babies tolerate room temperature wipes just fine. Just like with the room temperature bottles, try out room temperature wipes to start. If your baby tolerates them, great, no need for a warmer!
If your baby is very resistant to the cold wipes or you live in a very cold climate, you can warm up the wipe by holding it for a bit in your clean hands or even blow warm air from a hairdryer on it for a bit.
Your baby being resistant to the cold wipes may just be a stage anyways. Plus, you will not have a wipe warmer when you are out of the house so it is good to get your baby used to different wipe temperatures.
I will admit that although this is on my list of items to skip, I do have a wipe warmer that I have used every single day since my daughter was born. But what I like about it has nothing to do with the fact that it keeps the wipes warm. My daughter has always been tolerant of any temperature of wipes. What I like about this wipe warmer, is just that it is a container to hold wipes. I also like that it has a small night light on it that I used for those middle-of-the-night changes.
Instead of registering for a wipe warmer, don’t worry about the warmer part and register for just a container that holds the wipes. Many times it is cheaper to buy large packs of wipes to refill the container with rather than a bunch of small packs. This is also better for the environment. I also feel that the wipes do not dry out as quickly in a reusable container as they do in the disposable pack.
4. Baby Food Maker
A baby food maker is something that is not very useful to register for because there are so many ways to feed a baby and make food these days. Baby food makers are only used to make homemade purees. There is a very small time in your baby’s life where they will be eating purees if they even eat them at all.
The AAP recommends waiting until about 6 months to feed your baby solid food. Many parents now follow what is called baby-led weaning which is when you feed your baby what you are eating, just prepared in safe, easy-to-eat ways. If you choose to do baby-led weaning, you will not need a baby food maker at all.
If you choose to feed purees and want to make them yourself, you can always use a blender or food processor that you may already have at home instead of investing in the baby food maker. Or you can even just mash with a fork. By the time your baby is around 9 months, they should be eating table food instead of purees anyway, so the need for the baby food maker would be gone.
Instead of registering for a baby food maker, register for eating supplies like plates, cups, and silverware. This ezpz Tiny Collection Set is a great choice.
5. Baby Shoes
Although they are so cute, baby shoes are not something you really need. There is no reason for your baby to wear shoes until they can walk. Actually, when they are learning to walk, it is best that they learn without shoes.
Baby shoes are also something that gift-givers tend to buy on their own outside of the registry. Many people can’t resist walking past an adorable pair of baby shoes! You will most likely get a pair or two anyways, just enough for those cute pictures.
Instead of baby shoes, register for baby socks or booties. When it gets cold, you will want to keep your baby’s feet warm with socks or booties. Booties like these Hudson Baby Fleece Booties are great because they stay on well unlike socks which can fall off easily.
6. Baby Blankets
Now I am not saying that your baby won’t need blankets. Although babies should not sleep with blankets until after 12 months, blankets can be great for a lot of different things. The muslin blankets are great for laying babies down for tummy time or throwing one over them on a walk when they get cold. The reason I say not to register for them is that blankets tend to be something that people like to buy for babies whether it is not your registry or not.
If you have a specific brand or blanket design that you prefer, you may want to put a few on the registry, but know that you will most likely still get a handful of blankets that you may not be able to return. With my daughter, I registered for a couple of blankets and was also gifted more than I registered for. I ended up with way more blankets than I ever needed.
Instead of registering for blankets, register for swaddles. They are great for helping newborns sleep on their own. Also, there are so many different types of swaddles and some babies prefer one type to another so it’s not a bad idea to get a couple of different types.
7. Baby Clothes
Similar to blankets, clothes are something that you will need, but that gift-givers will tend to buy without looking at the registry. People love to buy baby clothes, and they like to pick them out themselves.
My advice is to leave the clothes off the registry and reevaluate what you will still need after your shower. Take a look at the clothes that you received and see what you still need after that. You may receive all newborn clothes and need to buy bigger sizes, or you may get all onesies and need to buy some sleepers.
Also, you may decide that there is a certain brand or type of clothes that you prefer for your baby once they are born. Some brands fit better for different shaped and sized babies. This is why it is better to leave the clothes off the registry and plan to buy more as you go. Who can resist shopping for baby clothes anyways?
Instead of registering for clothes, you can register for gift cards to certain stores that you would like to buy clothes from. Then you can pick out what you need yourself.
8. Crib Bumpers
The reason you should not register for crib bumpers is simply that they are not safe. There should be no soft bedding in a baby’s sleep space. This means no bumpers, no blankets, and no soft animals. These are considered suffocation hazards.
The reason I put this on the list, is simply because a lot of parents do not know. Many of us slept in cribs with bumpers as babies and envision cribs this way. Soft crib bumpers are still sold in many stores despite their danger, so unless someone tells you, you may add a cute matching one to your registry.
Instead of crib bumpers, register for crib sheets. It is never a bad thing to have some extra crib sheets in case you have to do a middle of the night change due to a big spit-up or a diaper blowout.
Final Word
Try not to stress about your registry. Your baby will be fine and you will get what you need no matter what you put on it. Keep in mind that all parents are different and that what a friend told you was a must-have for your registry may not be something you use at all.
Luckily, most places where you can register are really good about returns and exchanges, so you can always make a return or get something different if it does not work out.
The 8 items that you may want to skip are:
- Bottle Warmer
- Bottle Sterilizer
- Wipe Warmer
- Baby Food Maker
- Baby Shoes
- Blankets
- Clothes
- Crib Bumpers
Good luck and happy registering!
