Photo Credit: Jessica Rockowitz Photography + Film

When I had my son, I didn’t know a thing about what he/we would really need. Luckily, I have an older sister who already had a baby. She was a great help in getting me registered for all of the basics. Looking back three years later, there are some products that still really stand out to me. These are the things, I didn’t necessarily register for, but really wish I had. For convenience, I am linking to products on Amazon, but most of these things can be found at any store that has a baby section (Target, Walmart etc.).

  • Zip up/velcro sleep sacks–  Forget swaddles, these things are where it’s at. You can zip and velcro your baby up nice and tightly and they won’t break free like in a useless swaddle blanket.
    The amazing Sleepsack Swaddle!

    Plus, its a great way to keep your baby warm at night without worrying they will accidentally throw a blanket over their head.

  • More nursing products– I’m talking nursing shirts, hydrogel pads, nipple shields, a nursing cover. I somehow thought I wouldn’t need any kind of extra things when I was nursing, but as soon as the baby was born I realized just how inconvenient to wear a regular shirt while nursing was. I had nothing and was so unprepared. I made my husband go to a store and buy me nursing shirts the day after my son was born while I was still in the hospital.
  • Boppy Pillow– this kind of fits with the nursing products above, but I separate it simply because as the kid gets older they can still use it as a place to kind of sit in This was also something I made my husband go buy the day after my son was born.

    The Boppy pillow is great even as the baby grows. Here’s my son using soon after he learned to sit upright.
  • Boppy pillow cover(s)– when one gets dirty, it is nice to have a back up one to slip on while the other is getting washed.
  • A baby carrier– Babies looooove being carried and it is a great and easy way to calm them down. I had one on my registry, but I was lazy and did not try it on beforehand. Once I had my baby, I realized just how uncomfortable it was. I ended up buying three other types. If I would have just done the work in the first place and tried some on, I probably would have arrived at the one I ended up using the most. 
  • A baby seat– It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just a place to put the baby before they can sit up on their own.
    Get a baby seat!

    After my baby was born my sister suggested a cute Fisher-Price seat and it was a game changer. It was light and easy to move from room to room. I was able to set my baby in it while I showered, or folded laundry and still have him right in the room with me. 

  • Disposable changing pads– These are great to put on top of your pretty changing table cloth covers. In the early days of diaper changes, things can get messy very quickly and disposable changing pads are great because you can just wrap everything up and toss it into the diaper pail.
  • Restaurant gift cards or food delivery gift cards– So many many times in the early days of parenthood, my husband and I were so tired and just didn’t have the energy to make food. We ordered out so much, and if we would have had food gift cards, it would have saved us so much money. 
  • Full system car seat with click in bases and a click in stroller– What a great system! I did actually register for one of these systems but it was amazing so it had to be included on this list. We had a base for each car, and the baby carrier just clicked into it. Then, it simply clicked into the stroller as well. 
  • 4 in 1 carseat for the next level(s) up– I thought it was ridiculous to get a car seat that we wouldn’t use for a whole year, but I’m glad I put it on my registry. It was a blessing when my child seemingly grew overnight and we already had the next seat ready and waiting. Plus, since it is a 4 in 1, it will transition with him into a nice high back booster seat, and a backless booster seat.
  • Sound machine– You and your baby will get to sleep so much easier with some white noise in the background. If you have an old phone lying around, then just download a free white noise app instead of buying a separate sound machine. 
  • NoseFrida– It seems so gross, but this thing really gets the snot out of your baby’s nose. I started with a more traditional bulb to clear my baby’s nose when he was congested, but it just wasn’t effective enough. As soon as I bought the NoseFrida, I never went back. 
  • Wireless headphones– These are great for those nights when you are stuck in the baby’s room continuously rocking them to sleep. When you are on hour three of trying to put that baby to bed, it’s nice to just zone out to a podcast, or great music.

What products do you wish you had registered for before your baby came along?

 

Photography: www.jessicarockowitz.com

Veronica DeSantos Ryan
Hi Austin mamas! I am Veronica DeSantos Ryan, a mama from Round Rock. My husband and I moved to the area in 2014 and love every minute of it. Our baby Oliver (May 2016) is the light of our life and we are enjoying every minute with him. After spending seven years teaching, I decided that I wanted to be a stay at home mom and teacher of life to my little boy. As a family we love running with Ollie in his jogger stroller, having picnics outside, playing with our two dogs and exploring all the the Austin area has to offer! I am also a performing princess for Lexi's Little Princesses Princess company, a teaching artist at The Georgetown Palace Theatre, and a member of the singing group The Vintage Dreams. I am an avid reader, piano player, singer, and occasional actress in community theater, and have recently been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles and More.

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