1 Mother 2 Another

So far, I’ve covered things to think about as you decide where to register, how to approach your registry, and specific items to consider for your list.  It may seem odd that I’m going to talk about what not to register for, but it’s a legitimate topic.  Since I didn’t cover everything you’d probably put on a registry, you may think I left these off because I assumed you’d know to add them.  But my girlfriends and I have discovered through experience that there are some things best left off the list.
 
So in my opinion, here’s what to avoid putting on your registry:



Clothes  BELIEVE me, people will buy you clothing anyway.  Putting them on a registry list is an invitation to go crazy clothing-wise, and you won’t get anything else.  I promise, you’ll get clothing, and if you don’t, a $10 pack of onesies is way easier to buy than a car seat. 
 
Bibs  Likewise, this will open the floodgates for “I Heart My Uncle” bibs.  You’ll want a good bib, but you’re better off picking it up yourself later.
 
Feeding items  Hold off stocking up on sippy cups and too many plastic bowls and such; they’re cheap and easy to pick up, and you want to wait and see if she has a particular bottle she likes, if you want to skip the sippy and go straight to a regular cup, and so forth.  Having a couple spoons on hand for when baby starts solids (it sneaks up on you!) is fine, but no need to go overboard.
 
Swaddling blankets, and crib blankets  We registered for neither and got plenty of both.  Maddie has three handknit blankets and loves them all, and they’re way better than anything we would’ve registered for.  Swaddling blankets are cheap and easy to pick up if for some reason no one gets them for you.
 
Breast Pump  Even if you are 100% certain you will be breastfeeding exclusively and returning to work after 8 weeks, don’t get an expensive automatic pump in advance.  And don’t think you can register for one and return it if you don’t need it; federal law prohibits the return of UNUSED breast pumps for health reasons.  So wait and see if you really are returning to work before investing in a good pump.  Feel free, though, to ask for a $300 gift certificate to cover the cost of one.
 
Small toys  A couple things are great; but registering for a nursery full is, in my opinion, cluttering up the list and asking for things you don’t really need.  People would much rather buy clothing or a cute dolly than a diaper pail, but which one do you really need more?
 
Baby bathtub  I think several people will disagree with me here, but that’s my opinion, though I go back and forth.  First off, the hospital sends you home with a tiny tub for your tiny one.  Second off, you don’t know how you’ll end up doing the bathing thing.  Once baby girl could get her belly button wet, I took her in the tub with me; nursing her in the water helped her get used to the bathing thing.  We used an infant tub for a while, but I’ve started taking her in the tub with me again to get her ready for the big tub.  Which leads me to my third point – if you do need one, they’re ten bucks at Target and you can pick one up yourself (you’ll be thrilled to have a reason to get out of the house briefly), and if you don’t need one it just takes up space.  If not having one before the baby is born will cause you too much anxiety, by all means register for one, and look for a tub that has a reclining seat feature for newborns but will accommodate larger babies as well.
 
Baby proofing supplies  If you know you’ll need a couple gates, I encourage you to register for them; they’re somewhat expensive and don’t take up a lot of storage room.  But trying to register for all the outlet covers and doorknob protectors will again clutter up your list with $2 items.  Plus, you have no idea what you’ll need, I promise.  Ask for a $100 gift certificate for it instead.
 
Walkers  Do I have to talk about this again?  No no no.  They are dangerous; 6200 infants required emergency room visits in 2001 alone because of them.  Read my full article to find out more, or just trust me and don’t do it.
 
High chairs   Again, you may disagree with this, seeing it as big gear you should try to have purchased for you.  But they physically take up a lot of space, and most of my girlfriends have ended up not even using one, opting for the booster chair instead; it’s portable, fits on a regular chair, and takes up way less space.  Feel free to register for a booster if you think it’s the way you’ll go – even if you end up getting a high chair, chances are you’ll use the booster seat when you travel, eat out, etc.
 
And finally, in general, don’t put on the list anything you just don’t have room for, anything you don’t really want but think you “should” have because it’s popular, or any product about whose safety you’re unsure.  I’ve said my piece- if you think I’ve forgotten anything or disagree with a choice, feel free to post your opinion, and remember I live in an urban area, so that will reflect what I think’s important. 
 
So get out there and get shopping with confidence!  Remember - choose well, take your time, listen to recommendations from your “been there done that” friends, and go for quality over quantity.
 
Good luck!