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10 Tips for Creating Your Very First Baby Shower Gift RegistryJun 20 '05 (Updated May 17 '06) Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line What pregnant woman can refuse a baby gift? Especially one she picked out herself.
My daughter was born last year, and before that I didn't have a clue what a onesie was or if I needed a travel system. Well, guess how I learned? Shopping! Yes, I said shopping. That is, shopping for items to add to my baby registry. When I started creating it, I knew I needed a crib, a stroller, and a car seat. That's it. By creating a registry I was able to figure out all of the other baby necessities. If you're expecting your first bundle of joy or you know someone who is, here are some tips for creating a baby registry. 1. Start early The earlier you start thinking about your baby registry the better. Now, granted, you’ll want to wait until you’re in your second trimester (I’d say at around the 4-5 month marker) to create the registry, but you should start thinking about possible motifs and essential items even before that. As a first-time mom, you’ll be excited to start the venture, so don’t be afraid to start doing research after your first ultrasound. It will give you something to focus your excitement on and you’ll have plenty of time to make changes and additions to your list before your shower. Begin looking through store circulars to get an idea of what’s available and how much things cost. Take a walk through your local baby store (Babies R Us, Baby Depot, etc.) and check out all of the gadgets and doo-dads to familiarize yourself with the new world you’re entering. You’ll be surprised about the new vocabulary you’ll learn (onesie, breast pad, lanolin) and the amazing array of baby-centric items (bottle warmers, changing table organizers, baby bath thermometers, etc.). Don’t get frustrated. There’s a lot out there, but it’s still early in your pregnancy and you’re just gathering information. Of course, don’t be afraid to check out the clearance section of the store and maybe pick up a few articles of clothing for next year. But not too much since you don’t know your future child’s gender or birth weight, and delivery is a long way off. 2. Find a store that offers online purchases and/or is widely located You want to find a store where all of your friends and family can find your registry, whether they live in your basement or in Australia. But, of course, use your judgment. If you find that you abhore everything at Babies R Us, why bother registering with them? Maybe Target is more up your alley? Or perhaps Pottery Barn Kids? Just keep in mind that the more people your registry is available to, the more likely you’ll get items for which you asked. 3. Think about your needs This is key. You’ll see tons of great baby items during the research phase of creating your registry, but what happens if you’re living in a two-room apartment? What if your baby’s nursery will also serve as your home office? Do you really want Winnie-the-Pooh dancing above your head while paying the bills? Will you be breastfeeding or bottlefeeding? Each method has its own set of registry necessities. Are you the kind of person who likes having all the trendy shortcuts or do you not mind warming up a bottle the old-fashioned way? Do you live in the city or the suburbs? Do you own a car? When will you use a stroller—for jogs through a park, to walk to and from the corner store, to go from your car to the store to run errands around town. Will you need to lug the stroller up 2 flights of stairs? You need to think about where baby will sleep, what baby will eat, how baby will get around, and what will entertain baby. There are other questions, but those are a good start. 4. Determine the nursery motif Once you find out your baby’s gender (if you choose to), you’ll be better able to work on this. But until then, familiarize yourself with your options and think about the room uses. If the room will serve many purposes, you may want it to be a more neutral color. If, on the other hand, you’ve always had an affinity for Mickey Mouse, then go right ahead and earmark all of the merchandise you’ll need to remodel the room into a Disney wonderland. Remember, baby will grow up soon and toddlers have their own interests so keep that in mind before you go overboard and spend a week painting a mural on the ceiling. Also, the latest baby theories indicate that infants can’t see pastels and that black and white help their little brains develop. Consider incorporating some primary colors or black-and-white patterns. 5. Ask for suggestions Don’t hesitate to ask for suggestions from friends, family, coworkers, or Epinions writers. People love to talk about their children and almost always have strong opinions about the products they’ve bought, received, or given as gifts. Remember, ultimately, you need to think about your needs (see #3 above), but it doesn’t hurt to find out what other people have used with their children. Plus, who knows? Maybe someone you know has some hand-me-downs they’re willing to share. 6. Do some research There are certain big items you will definitely want to research before adding to your registry or buying: crib, bassinet (if you decide to get one), mattress, stroller, and car seat. There are others, but these are the main ones and they’re also the ones you’ll need in those first few months. Read consumer reviews on sites such as Epinions or Amazon/Babies R Us. Read baby/parenting magazines online and off (I was able to get a free subscription of American Baby by registering online) to find out about new products and recalls. Check out Consumer Reports for recalls, as well. 7. Use the registry checklist As a first time mom, you’re sure to forget about some basic baby needs. I mean, who would’ve realized that they need their own towels and bathtubs? OK, they don’t NEED them, but if you’re putting together a registry, you might as well add as much as possible so you’ll be well prepared. Don’t despair, most registries realize you can’t think of everything and have done the work for you. They usually have a checklist option with suggested or popular items listed under appropriate categories: bedding, furniture, bath, diaper needs, feeding, etc. Take the help where you can get it. 8. Make sure you have a range of pricey and cheaper items When I was creating my registry, I felt bad about adding something like a crib or a rocker. I mean, who was going to dish out $200 on little old me? Well, my friend finally urged me to add the rocker to my registry and then bought it for me, but I ended up buying the crib as well as the infant car seat and the bassinet. Don’t be humble. You’re creating a wish list of things you want for your baby. How many times have you been at a loss to figure out what gift to buy a friend or family member? Well, you’re making life easy for your friends and family by creating a registry. They can pick and choose whatever they feel comfortable purchasing. That’s why you need to add some little items, too: towels, wash cloths, receiving blankets, thermometer, soap gift sets, manicure set, etc. If your coworkers want to take up a collection and buy you one big gift, they can. If they want to buy you little individual presents, they can do that, too. 9. Leave clothing off the list Everyone who doesn’t buy gifts off of your registry or doesn’t know about it will buy clothing. Everyone who visits you and your baby in those first weeks will buy clothing. Friends and family members with older children will offer you hand-me-downs. Trust me, you’ll have plenty of clothing. Unless you are determined to dress your infant in a particular style (only Gap clothing or only BabyStyle.com clothing), let it go. Put a package or two of onesies (one long sleeve if it’s the winter), a couple of blanket sleepers (if it’s winter) or snap-up pajamas, a package of socks, some caps, and maybe one layette set on your registry. Babies grow out of 0-3 month clothing very quickly so don’t focus on stockpiling that size. If it’s winter, you’ll need a snowsuit; if it’s summer you’ll need some bonnets. If you’re still short on clothing after the shower, you can always buy some sleepers (your best bet for those first few months) with any money or gift certificates you receive. 10. Spread the word Don’t be bashful. You did a lot of research and put together a registry full of wonderful baby items, so be proud of it. Tell your friends and family. Tell your coworkers and neighbors. Tell anyone with a big mouth who will spread the word. Now, do be a little subtle. There’s no need to make Miss Manners spin in her grave. If people ask, tell them where you’re registered. If they start a conversation about your pregnancy, which they’re bound to, bring up the fact that you just finished registering on/at __store__. Just keep in mind that people are going to want to buy you gifts, so why not let them buy you the things you want? I hope my tips have helped you out. The bottom line is to have fun. Create a registry that reflects your new family and will help you care for your newborn. So register and sit back. Soon the gifts will start arriving at your door. In my case, it felt like Christmas in August! Here are some items I had on my baby registry that I've reviewed on Epinions. Graco MetroLite Stroller Evenflo Triumph 5 car seat Avent Isis Back-to-Work Breast Pump Set Tiny Love Gymini 3-D Activity" Fisher-Price Deluxe Jumperoo Evenflo Snugli Front & Back Baby Carrier The First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Tub Safety 1st Odorless Diaper Pail Fisher Price Classical Chorus Gym Lansinoh for Breastfeeding Mothers ---------------------------------------------------- And here are some more baby product reviews I've written that might come in handy for new moms. VTech Soothe & Surprise Nature Light Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser Johnson's Head-to-Toe Baby Wash Totally Toddler Nursery Stain, Odor Remover & Prewash 70305 The First Years Nasal Aspirator Baby Ayr Saline Nose Spray/Drops Pampers Swaddlers Desitin Creamy with Aloe & Vitamin E Country Bunny Baby Hare and Body Wash Noodle & Boo Extra Gentle Shampoo Bravado Breast Pads Banana Boat Baby Magic Sunblock Lotion SPF 50 Dimetapp Children's Infant Drops Decongestant Plus Cough Little Remedies Noses Decongestant Nose Drops Gerber Vitamin Drops Huggies Liquid Powder - Fresh Baby Scent with Aloe & Vitamin E Gerber Easy Grip 2-Handled Soft Straw Cup TOYS LeapFrog Learn-Along Piano Infantino Shape Sorting Castle Fisher-Price Peek-a-Blocks Alphabet Blocks Weebles Weegoaway Camper Weebles Weegoaway Vacation Pals Fisher Price Brilliant Basics Baby's First Doll MegaBlocks Cinderella's Pumpkin Carriage Fisher Price Peek-a-Blocks Gobble & Go Hippo Playskool Step Start Walk 'n Ride  |
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