Baby Registry Checklist: What to Skip, Buy, or Borrow
Register for what you'll use every day in the first three months: a car seat, a safe place to sleep, diapers, feeding basics and a stack of zip-up sleepers. Skip gadgets that duplicate something you already own, like wipe warmers and bottle sterilizers, and borrow gear you'll only use for a few months, like a bassinet, swing or infant tub. The table below sorts every major category into Buy and Skip-or-Borrow, with notes on how each item actually gets used.
If you're a first-time mom or dad reading a big store's registry list, it can look like a baby needs three of everything. Those lists run long partly because the store sells everything on them. This baby registry checklist works the other way: it's about what to skip as much as what to buy, so your guests pick things you'll reach for daily and your closet doesn't fill with gear you never open.
Buy, skip, or borrow: the three rules behind this list
Every item below went through the same three questions. Use them on anything a store list or a well-meaning relative suggests.
- Buy it if you'll use it daily for months, or if safety depends on it being new: the car seat, crib mattress, sleep sacks and diapers.
- Borrow it if it's bulky and only useful for a few months: a bassinet, swing, bouncer, infant tub or activity gym.
- Skip it if it solves a problem you may never have, or if something in your kitchen already does the job.
One tiebreaker: when you're unsure, leave it off. A few weeks in, you'll know exactly what's missing, and buying one thing late beats storing ten things you never used.
The baby registry checklist: buy vs. skip or borrow, by category
Copy the Buy column into your registry first. Then check the Skip-or-Borrow column before adding anything else.
| Category | Buy | Skip or borrow | How it actually gets used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep | A crib with a new firm, flat mattress that fits with no gaps, or a play yard used only with the pad it came with; 3 fitted sheets made for that crib or play yard; 2–3 sleep sacks and 3–4 swaddles (not weighted) | Skip: bumpers, pillows, positioners, crib bedding sets, anything hanging over the crib, and weighted sleep sacks, swaddles or blankets. Borrow: bassinet; a crib only if made after June 2011 | The crib or play yard is used every night for years. A bassinet lasts a few months. Swaddling stops once your baby starts trying to roll, so a few swaddles are enough. |
| Car travel | Infant or convertible car seat, new | Skip: inserts, strap covers and mirrors not made by your seat's maker. Borrow: only if crash-free, unexpired, not recalled and complete with labels (see below) | Needed for the ride home from the hospital and every trip after. Infant seats click into many strollers; convertible seats last longer but stay in the car. |
| Strollers and carriers | One stroller that fits your trunk and your usual walks; one carrier or wrap | Skip: a second stroller or a jogging stroller for now. Borrow: a friend's carrier to test the fit | Carriers get heavy use in the early weeks, when babies want to be held. The right stroller depends on whether you mostly drive or walk. |
| Feeding | Bottles in two nipple styles; bottle brush; drying rack; 8–10 burp cloths; a breast pump through insurance if you'll pump; optional nursing pillow | Skip: bottle warmer, sterilizer, formula prep machine, a big set of one bottle brand. Never borrow: a personal breast pump | Some babies are picky about nipples, so a 12-bottle set can sit unopened. Burp cloths end up on every shoulder and couch arm. A nursing pillow is for feeds only, never sleep. |
| Diapering | Diapers in sizes 1 and 2 (only a pack or so of newborn size); wipes; diaper cream; contoured changing pad with a strap; 2–3 pad covers | Skip: wipe warmer, a separate changing table. Optional: diaper pail (a lidded can emptied daily works) | The changing pad is used many times a day. Newborn-size diapers can be outgrown in weeks, depending on birth weight. |
| Bath and grooming | Washcloths; gentle, fragrance-free wash; baby nail clippers or file | Skip: hooded towels, bath seats or rings, baby bathrobes. Borrow: infant tub or sink insert | Newborns don't need a daily bath, so the tub sees a few uses a week for a few months. Any soft towel works. |
| Clothing | Zip-up sleepers and bodysuits in 0–3 and 3–6 months; a few newborn pieces; socks; a couple of soft hats | Skip: shoes, outfits with rows of snaps or buttons, stacks of newborn size. Borrow: hand-me-downs in any size | Zip sleepers get worn day and night, and zips beat snaps at 3 a.m. Dressy outfits come out for photos and not much else. |
| Health and monitoring | Digital thermometer; nasal aspirator; basic first-aid kit; audio or video monitor if the nursery is out of earshot | Skip: wearable "smart" monitors sold for sleep safety, premium subscription features | The thermometer and aspirator come out at the first cold; store both out of reach, since most thermometers use a button battery. If your baby sleeps in your room, the monitor can wait. Keep its cord well away from the crib. |
| Nursery furniture | A dresser anchored to the wall, topped with the changing pad; a comfortable chair if you'll feed there | Skip: matching furniture sets, a dedicated changing table. Borrow: a glider or rocker | A dresser keeps working long after diapers. The chair gets used at every night feed. |
| Closet and storage | A way to sort clothes by size (closet dividers or labeled bins); a bin for outgrown clothes | Skip: a full custom closet system before you know what your baby's wardrobe looks like | Shower gifts arrive in several sizes at once, and the sort system gets used at every size change. |
| Play | A few board books; a play mat or blanket for floor and tummy time | Skip: most toys, baby walkers. Borrow: activity gym, bouncer, swing | Floor time starts early; toys can wait for birthdays. Bouncers and swings are for awake time only. |
| Starting solids | An easy-clean high chair; a few soft spoons; 3–4 bibs | Skip: baby food maker, big feeding gadget sets | Not needed until your pediatrician says it's time, usually around 6 months, so these can go on later or be covered with a gift card. |
Baby registry must-haves: the short list
In short: if your registry held only these items, the first three months would be covered.
- ☐ Car seat, bought new
- ☐ A crib with a new firm, flat, snug-fitting mattress, or a play yard used with only its own pad
- ☐ 3 fitted sheets made for your crib or play yard
- ☐ 2–3 sleep sacks and 3–4 swaddles (not weighted)
- ☐ Diapers in sizes 1 and 2, wipes and diaper cream
- ☐ Changing pad with a strap, plus 2–3 covers
- ☐ 8–10 burp cloths
- ☐ 4–6 bottles in two nipple styles, a bottle brush and a drying rack
- ☐ A breast pump through your insurance, if you plan to pump
- ☐ Zip-up sleepers and bodysuits, mostly in 0–3 and 3–6 months
- ☐ A stroller that fits your trunk
- ☐ A carrier or wrap
- ☐ Washcloths, fragrance-free wash and baby nail clippers
- ☐ Digital thermometer and nasal aspirator
- ☐ A monitor, if the nursery is out of earshot
- ☐ A way to sort clothes by size
- ☐ A few board books
Two notes before you add these. Most US health plans cover a breast pump under the Affordable Care Act, so call your insurer before registering for one. And for clothing counts, our guide to how many clothes a newborn actually needs lands on roughly 25 to 35 pieces across the first six months, split by size.
What not to put on your baby registry
These items show up on plenty of store lists. Here's why each one can come off yours.
Skip for safety
- Crib bumpers, pillows, positioners and wedges. A safe crib is bare: a firm, flat mattress and a fitted sheet. Padded bumpers and inclined sleepers are now banned from sale in the US, and the Safe to Sleep campaign covers the basics of a safe sleep space.
- Crib bedding sets and hanging decor over the crib. The quilts and bumpers in bedding sets can't go in the crib, and anything hung above it can fall.
- Weighted sleep sacks and blankets. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against weighted sleep products for babies.
- Car seat add-ons from other brands. Inserts, strap covers and liners that didn't come with your seat weren't crash-tested with it.
- Baby walkers. The AAP advises against them. Floor play is the safer way for a baby to practice moving.
Skip because you already own the fix
- Wipe warmer. Room-temperature wipes are fine, and holding one in your hand for a few seconds takes the chill off.
- Bottle warmer. Set the bottle in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes. Never microwave a bottle, since it heats unevenly.
- Bottle sterilizer. A pot of boiling water or a dishwasher's hot or sanitize cycle does the job. Ask your pediatrician how often to sanitize for a newborn.
- Baby food maker. A blender or a fork handles purees.
- Hooded towels and baby bathrobes. Any soft towel works.
- Baby-only laundry detergent. A fragrance-free, dye-free detergent works for the whole household.
- A dedicated changing table. A changing pad on an anchored dresser does the same job and stays useful for years; keep one hand on your baby during every change. Our guide to nursery furniture worth the investment covers what to buy instead.
Skip because it's too early
- Baby shoes. Babies who aren't walking don't need them. Socks keep feet warm.
- Stacks of newborn-size clothes. Some babies are born too big for them, and many outgrow them within a few weeks.
- Most toys. For the first few months, your face, your voice and a few board books are plenty. Toys can wait for birthdays.
- A jogging stroller. Most aren't meant for running with a young baby. Check the maker's age guidance before you register.
What to borrow, and what to always buy new
In short: borrow the big, short-lived gear. Buy anything that safety depends on new.
Good things to borrow
A bassinet, swing, bouncer, infant tub, activity gym, glider and baby clothes in any size all make good loans. So does a carrier you want to test before registering for your own. Before you bring anything home:
- Look up the brand and model on the CPSC recall list.
- Check that every part is there. Most makers post manuals online if the original is gone.
- Pass on anything cracked, torn, wobbly or missing its labels.
- Clean it, and write down who lent it so it goes back to the right person.
Swings and bouncers are for awake time only. If your baby falls asleep in one, move them to the crib or bassinet, on their back.
Cribs can be borrowed too, but check the manufacture date on the label first. Cribs made before June 2011, including drop-side models, don't meet current federal safety standards, so pass on those even if they're free.
Buy these new
- Car seat. The only exception is a seat from someone who can confirm it's never been in a crash, isn't past the expiration date on its label, has all its parts and labels, and isn't recalled. NHTSA's car seat guide covers what to check.
- Crib mattress. Buy it new so you know it's firm, flat and fits the crib with no gaps.
- Personal breast pump. Most are designed for a single user. If you need a hospital-grade pump, rent one.
The organizing gap: clothes in four sizes at once
In short: decide where the clothes will go before the shower, not after.
Here's what most checklists leave out. After a shower, you'll likely have clothes in newborn, 0–3, 3–6 and 6–9 months, plus a few bigger outfits bought "to grow into." Babies move through early sizes fast, and a 3–6 month sleeper at the bottom of a drawer tends to turn up right after it stops fitting.
A sort-by-size system is worth one line on your registry. You have three honest options:
- Labeled bins or drawers. Cheapest, and the right call if everything lives in a dresser.
- Cardboard dividers you cut yourself. Free and fine for a while, though they bend and tear.
- Wooden closet dividers. Sturdier, and made for clothes hung on a rod.
Our comparison of five ways to organize baby clothes by size weighs each one on speed, cost and how well it holds up.
If you hang clothes, the Newborn Closet Divider Set ($28) is made of 1/8-inch etched birch wood and covers Newborn through 24 Months, so one registry line handles two years of size changes. It's meant for the weeks after the shower, when a closet fills with sizes your baby hasn't reached yet.
For a gift-giver who wants something that lasts past the baby stage, the Baby & Toddler Closet Divider Bundle ($48, versus $52 bought separately) pairs the newborn set with dividers for 2T through 5T.
How to set up a registry that actually works
- Start in the second trimester. Have the list ready before shower invitations go out, usually 4–6 weeks ahead of the shower.
- Spread the prices. Include plenty of items under $25, a solid middle range and a few big-ticket pieces. Turn on group gifting for the car seat and stroller if your registry offers it.
- Size up. Add some 6–12 month clothes and the high chair. You'll need them after the newborn gifts are outgrown.
- Add funds and services. A diaper fund, meal delivery or a house-cleaning visit gets used in the most tiring weeks.
- Wait for the completion discount. Many registries offer one on items still unbought after the shower. Buy the rest then.
- Tell guests what you're borrowing. Most registries have a welcome note, and a line or two there heads off duplicates.
Copy-ready notes for that welcome message:
"We're borrowing the big gear (bassinet, swing and baby tub) from family, so this list sticks to everyday basics. Diapers in sizes 1 and 2 are always welcome."
"We'd love hand-me-downs! If you have gently used baby clothes, we're happy to give them a second round."
"The stroller and car seat are set up for group gifting, so feel free to chip in any amount."
Registering for a second baby? Much of the big gear carries over. Our guide to preparing for a second baby covers what's worth re-buying.
Start with the Buy column, test every extra against the three rules, and leave room for what you'll learn in the first few weeks. A short registry full of things you reach for every day will serve you better than a long one that fills a closet.
Frequently asked questions
When should you start a baby registry?
Many parents start one during the second trimester, once they've thought through space and budget. The real deadline is the baby shower: have the registry ready before invitations go out, usually 4 to 6 weeks ahead. You can keep adding to it after the shower.
Is it okay to put cash funds or services on a baby registry?
Yes. Diaper funds, meal delivery and house-cleaning visits are common registry additions, and they often get more use than another outfit. Keep a mix of physical items and funds at different price points so every guest finds something that fits their budget.
Should expensive items like a stroller or car seat go on the registry?
Yes, if you plan to buy them new anyway. Turn on group gifting if your registry offers it, so several guests can contribute to one item. Anything still unbought after the shower can often be picked up with a registry completion discount.
How many newborn-size clothes should I register for?
Only a few. Some babies are born too big for newborn size, and many outgrow it within a few weeks. Put most of your clothing picks in 0-3 and 3-6 months instead.
Can you return baby registry gifts you don't need?
Most stores that host registries allow returns or exchanges, but policies and time windows vary. Keep items unopened with tags until you're sure you'll use them. Check the return window before the baby arrives, because the first weeks go fast.
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