My friend Jennifer and I came up with a great idea that I absolutely love. As you know, I am expecting my first child. This can be so overwhelming and I know that other first time moms probably feel the same. I have so many questions and would love to hear the opinions of moms who have already been through this a time or two before.Because of this, we are hosting a weekly series for a few weeks to try and get some answers to some of the most common questions.
We divided the series into two mini 4 week series grouped into questions Pre-Baby & Post Baby. The first mini series will be:
Friday, April 5: Registering (Everything you need to know, Must Haves, Don't Bothers, etc...)Friday, April 12: Nursery Organization & IdeasFriday, April 19: Packing For The Hospital: For you & the babyFriday, April 26: Birth Stories (The good, bad, and ugly) / Birth Plans (yes? no?)
So without further ado, let's get on with Week 1: Registering! Since I do not have any children of my own yet, I will be featuring a blogger each week and their expert advice on the topic at hand (:
Registering
Remember when you registered for you wedding and only got like one thing off your registry and the rest was just whatever that person felt like buying? No that was just me, whomp whom. Well registering for a baby is not quite as bad, but do expect to get multiples things.
So here are my 5 top tips for registering.
1) Register at more than one store-Most people will by default go to Babies R Us, so that is always a safe bet, but I also recommend another store like Target or even better Amazon. On Amazon you can register for multiple brands and you can actually create a wish list incorporating items from other websites.
2) Register in the store first then online-Go to the store so that you can actually see and get a feel for items. You can try out strollers, see how big the pack n play actually is, and feel the material on different items. After you've done your registering in store go back through your list online. Usually there are more choices online so you might find a better color option or they might have the better highchair option online that they didn't have in store. This is getting the best of both worlds.3) Dont register for multiples-You will get tons of receiving blankets and clothes and bibs and washcloths. There is no reason to register for more than one. Most likely you will end up taking some back and exchanging them for the things that you didnt get on your registry.
4) Dont expect to get everything on your registry-Lots of people choose to give sentimental or handmade gifts, and some choose to give clothes. Make sure that when you're creating your baby budget you allot enough money to purchase the big things just in case.
5) Research, Research, Research-Check out suggested registry lists before you head into the store. TheBump has a good one. Consider your home setup as well, and your storage space situation. Will the baby originally be rooming with you? Then make sure you register for a bassinet. If you plan on placing the baby straight in the crib then don't bother it's just something else to take up space. Don't have a lot of space in your living room? Register for a portable crib instead of a full size one. Your room will be overrun with baby things quicker than you expect, so don't register for unnecessary items.
These are the top baby items that I used the first few months that we brought BK home.
The Boppy Lounger /Aden & Anais Swaddle Blankets / Wubbanub / Blooming Bath Little Lamb Swing / Little Lamb Bouncer
Another little suggestion- Dont register for bottles or pacifiers, you never know which type your baby will actually take to liking.
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