My Baby Registry Items: Fab or Flop (Part 1)

As we get closer and closer to Lyla’s first birthday, I think back to what I was doing one year ago in preparation to having my first child. By this point, the nursery was almost complete, the baby books had been thumbed through, and we were done with our birthing classes. While I tend to be a procrastinator by nature, I’m not ashamed to say that I started my registry while I was still in my first trimester. I realize this is far from the most important step when planning for a baby. However, for me it was one of the most enjoyable. Having the newest and fanciest items weren’t important, but safety and toxicity was a huge concern. I literally researched almost every item from the diapers, to the shampoo, to the crib mattress in an attempt to make choices that I was comfortable with. I have to say that overall, I have been very pleased with my selections. When I was researching items, I looked at tons of personal blogs, so I’ve compiled a list that will hopefully help a few expectant mommies. I’ve ranked each item as “fab” or “flop”. Flop does not mean the product is bad, just that it wasn’t a necessity for my particular kid. This is part one and I’ll continue with part two in the upcoming weeks.

Please note that current safety regulations and recall information should always be considered when shopping for baby gear.

First off, I have to tell you that we did not register in a brick and mortar store. We used BabyList and I absolutely loved it! You can pull items from any online website onto one organized list. It makes it super simple for anyone wanting to send you gifts and allows you to have almost unlimited options. I would highly recommend this site (and I’m not being paid to say so ;))

Crib Mattress: Naturepedic 150 Seamless Organic 2 Stage. When deciding what items should be organic, I thought about what she would be exposed to the most. I knew we’d be using the mattress for a couple of years, so I could rationalize spending the extra bucks. I did a ton of research on this item, and ultimately thought that Naturepedic was our best bet. Rating: FAB

Crib Sheets: Magnolia Organics. Although this wasn’t the same brand as the mattress, it fits great and is very soft. Rating: FAB

Bassinet: HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper. That first night home from the hospital honestly terrified me, so I wanted to feel very comfortable with whatever she would be sleeping in. I loved how the air could circulate through the mesh and while we didn’t let it actually butt up to our mattress, I could still look in and see her from my spot on the bed. Rating: FAB

Bassinet Mattress: Halo DreamWeave Mattress Pad: iLuvBamboo; and Sheets: Halo Organic. I wanted to go organic, so I didn’t use the mattress that came with the bassinest. Luckily, Halo offers one so I knew that the fit would be just right. The pad and sheets all were great. Rating: FAB

Changing Pad: Naturepedic Organic 4-Sided Contoured. Again, I knew that this would be a surface used multiple times a day for a couple of years. It fits great on her dresser. Rating: FAB

Changing Pad Cover: Naturepedic Organic Cotton Cover. I was surprised at how frumpy this cover was once putting it on the pad. It’s not a tight fit as expected since it’s the same brand as the pad. Maybe this is how all covers fit?? It serves its purpose, but is not aesthetically pleasing. Rating: FLOP

Diaper Pail: Ubbi. I loved the look of this pail and it does as promised. As long as the lid is closed, there is no smell. I use regular trash bags and they’re easy to get in and out. No fancy assembly required to replace the bags as with some other pails. Rating: FAB

Sound Machine: Dohm Classic White Noise Machine. I opted for a simpler version when it comes to sound machines. I didn’t need whales or violin lullabies. I wanted a nice, one toned, background sound that wouldn’t drive me crazy to listen to. We absolutely love this thing! It has a fan inside and the sound is just that of the air coming through the holes. We have since bought one for our bedroom and my mother has one for when baby stays the night. Rating: FAB

Travel Sound Machine: myBaby Sound Spa. We used this constantly when Lyla was a newborn. It’s a short-lived item, but worth it in my opinion. Rating: FAB

Baby Food Jars: WeeSprout Glass Storage Jars. I registered for these with the intent of making homemade baby food. This was something that never happened and now we’re already on to solids. I hope that I can still use these in the future for packing snacks and lunches. Rating: FLOP

Shopping Cart Cover: Boppy Shopping Cart and High Chair Cover. I have raved about this guy in a couple of other posts. Now that she’s sitting up comfortably on her own, we use it constantly. Rating: FAB

Doorway Jump Seat: Evenflo ExerSaucer. The first few times we put Lyla in this, she sort of just sat there and bobbed. Now that she’s got the hang of it, it’s a huge hit. Make sure you have a wide doorway. Seems like common sense, but this lives at my mom’s house due to our prior lack of knowledge of our tiny door frames. Rating: FAB

Pack and Play: Graco Travel Lite. Pack and plays come in all sizes, colors, and potentially a million moving parts and stations to accommodate your babe’s every need. We opted for a more simple and smaller model as we wanted to keep this in the living room as a diaper changing station. The three levels have been great as she could sleep in it as a newborn and we can now corral her in it to play. It’s super easy to pack up for travel as well. Rating: FAB

Swing: Fisher-Price My Little Snugapuppy. This was the first thing we put her in on the day we came home from the hospital. It was a moment of “great she’s here, now what?!”. She loved taking naps in it as an infant and later it served as safe entertainment for 15-30 minutes so I could put dinner together. The sounds are pleasant and I liked the neutral colors that aren’t garish in my living room. Rating: FAB **Update: This product was recalled before I had Rose, so it was a no-go and downgraded to a hard FLOP. We used the Boppy Lounger instead as a portable safe (supervised) spot.

Pacifier: Wubbanub. Ours is one of those rare babies who wants nothing to do with a pacifier. I was prepared and had two of them in our hospital bag. Not interested. Even weeks later when I was desperately looking for a way to…well…pacify her, she would cry harder when I tried to give this to her. It’s a shame because they’re so darn cute! Rating: FLOP

Check back soon for Part 2!!

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Top Image from Vanity Fair