The Ultimate 2025 Baby Registry Checklist: Essentials, Must-Haves & What to Skip
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If you’ve ever opened a baby registry checklist and felt completely overwhelmed by all the baby gear and supplies, you’re not alone. Between strollers, car seats, baby monitors, and burp cloths, it’s tough to know what’s essential and what ends up collecting dust.
This 2025 baby registry guide will help you simplify your list so you only register for items you’ll really use and skip the ones you don’t need. Whether you’re a first-time mom, building your Amazon Baby Registry, or creating a second baby registry, this is your go-to list.
Where should I make my baby registry?
This is the big question of all – where the heck should you make your baby registry?!
Below are some of the TOP baby registry retailers along with some of their benefits! And for the record, we registered at Target & Amazon for both of our babies!
Amazon Baby Registry:
- You can manage your baby registry on desktop or via mobile device
- FREE shipping on orders over $25
- FREE PRIME 2-day Shipping for Prime Members
- Baby’s First Year Diaper Discount for customers who reach $500+ in gifts from their registry
- Get a 10% completion discount to use on any registry items that have not been purchased OR a 15% completion discount for Prime Members
- Universal Registry – add any gift from any site for a one-stop-shop baby registry experience
- 90-day returns for items
- Get a FREE Welcome Baby Box valued at $35 for qualifying customers
🛒 Best for: convenience, quick delivery, and the widest selection of baby products online.
- Get a 15% completion discount for anything left on your registry 8 weeks before baby’s due date
- Baby registry checklist to help guide you through the necessities you’ll need for baby
- FREE welcome kit (must pick up in-store) with $80+ coupons and samples inside
- Price match guarantee on items
- FREE 2-day shipping if you spend $35 or use your Target Red Card
- Universal Registry – add any gift from any site for a one-stop-shop baby registry experience
- Return gifts up to 1 year
- Group gifting so multiple people can pitch in for a gift
🛒 Best for: families who love in-store browsing and generous return policies.
- FREE Hello Baby Box
- 100% Universal Registry
- Ability to add gift cards, services, and non-product based items
- 15% Completion discount valid to use on the Babylist Online Store
- Can set-up cash funds
🛒 Best for: flexibility and including nontraditional gifts (like babysitting, doula care, or meal funds).
And before deciding on just ONE of these great options above, remember, you can have more than one baby registry!
Should I have my baby registry gifts shipped?
Choosing whether to have your baby registry items shipped is 100% up to you. However, I do think it’s a great option to have available for those who may live out of town or can’t make it to your baby shower.
The other scenario would be if you’re simply not having a baby shower! You can still make a registry and share it with close friends & family so they can gift your little bundle of joy regardless.
When should I make my baby registry?
Truthfully, there is not going to be a right or wrong answer here. Most parents begin their baby registry list between 12–20 weeks of pregnancy, after the first trimester, when they’re feeling more energized and excited.
If you plan to find out the baby’s gender, you can wait until after your 18–20-week anatomy scan. Otherwise, focus on gender-neutral items and start early to spread out purchases and shipping times.
💡 Pro tip: Start your registry early, even if it’s private, so you can keep track of items you love and take advantage of seasonal sales or completion discounts.
What To Put On Your Baby Registry
You’ve probably searched “what should I put on my baby registry?” or “baby registry must-haves for first-time moms.” Which is how you ended up here. So I promise, I’ll make this simple and realistic.
And although I’m pretty firm on not needing to register for TOO many items, it doesn’t hurt to add items you think you could enjoy! This way, when you get your completion discount, if nobody bought the item for you, you’ll get a pretty nice discount on it!
Travel/Stroller & Baby Gear:
- Baby Stroller
(For our first – we used the Chicco Bravo Travel System, for our second, we upgraded to the Graco Duo Double Stroller)
- Carseat
(You’ll have to decide whether you want an infant car seat or a convertible car seat)
- Travel System
(This is a bundle where your stroller and carseat come together)
- Stroller Accessories
(This is great to add onto your registry if your stroller doesn’t have many compartments – such as extra storage, shading, cup holders, etc…)
- Diaper Bag
(I personally prefer a backpack, it’s easy to carry when your hands are full, especially with 2 little ones, but the option is up to you whether you like a traditional diaper bag or backpack style)
Diapering Items for Baby:
- Diapers
(depending on your preference you can use cloth or disposable – I also suggest multiple sizes since baby will grow FAST)
- Diaper Rash Cream
(A+D rash cream + Tubby Todd are my all-time favorites! They’re gentle and effective).
- Diaper Pail + Accessories
(I swear by our diaper genie, it keeps our baby’s room smelling fresh and clean)
Feeding/Nursing Items for Baby:
- Baby Bottles
(If you’re nursing baby, I’d look for a bottle aimed to help mimic the natural breast, if you’re not planning to nurse, you may want to look into an anti-colic bottle)
- Bottle warmer
(We’ve been using this super affordable bottle warmer, and it has done the job for well over 1 year without any issues)
- Nursing Pillow
(I personally prefer the Boppy best latch pillow)
- Breast Pump
(Most insurances will cover one for free, so be sure to ask your insurance provider about this! For help choosing the best breast pump, we have an article all about it).
- If you want to stock up now on things like bibs, placemats, or a high chair, you can totally add them to your registry so you can shop them using your completion discount.
Sleep/Nursery Items for Baby:
- White Noise Machine
(I personally love the HATCH Baby Sound Machine because it’s something we can use as strictly a white noise machine now and then transition into a night light as our son get’s older)
- Baby Mattress
(We love the Sealy Baby Foam Mattress because it’s very quiet and also dual-sided. Meaning one side is firmer for baby and the other is softer for a toddler! The other runner-up we looked into is the Newton Baby Mattress due to their breathable design, making it 100% breathable, proven to reduce suffocation risk.)
- Crib sheets
- Baby Crib
- Baby Bassinet
(My favorite is the Baby Delight Beside Me sleeper because it can be tucked close by to your bedside, but the 4moms MamaRoo Sleep is a 2025 top seller!)
- Changing table
- Changing pad
- Mattress cover
(A mattress cover like this is great to help prevent stains & keep your baby’s mattress fresh in good shape)
- Rocking Chair
- Blackout Curtains
These will greatly help to promote a nice dark sleep space for baby (remember how they’re used to sleeping inside that dark womb of yours? Yup, they love the dark!)
Bath Items for Baby:
- Baby Towels
- Wash Cloths
- Baby Soap/Shampoo
(I love love love Tubby Todd Baby Bath products as they’re so gentle on baby’s skin. They even have a newborn baby gift set that is perfect to add onto baby registries.
- Baby Bath Tub
(you can choose to go with a small tub that is portable or a little sink insert to help wedge baby up in the sink)
Safety Items for Baby:
- Baby Monitor: When it comes to choosing a baby monitor, there are a lot of things to consider. Do you want a monitor that connects to your WiFi? Do you need a split screen for multiple rooms? That said, here’s a quick rundown on our favorite picks:
Best WiFi Baby Monitor: Nanit
As of 2024, we FINALLY got the chance to try a Nanit Pro baby monitor and wow, I was so impressed! Here’s what I love:
- The most CLEAR video I’ve seen due to it’s 1080p HD video quality
- Accurate sound and motion alerts to keep you in the loop if your child is crying, rolling around, making noise, or if anything is going on.
- Small sensor-free Breathing Band for babies 0-3 months (the unique pattern helps Nanit track baby’s breathing).
- Portable design, perfect for families who travel often or use multiple rooms.
- Runs on a secure 256-bit AES encryption via WiFi
- Built-in white noise. If you use a white noise machine, this monitor has those sounds built in and on a simple timer system you can use.
Best Split Screen Baby Monitor: Babysense
As a mom of two, sometimes we need to keep an eye on both kiddos at once. Thanks to Babysense you can safely watch both of your kids with great video quality. Here’s what I love most:
- Excellent video quality with 720 HD, 5″ screen.
- Split screen ability straight down the middle of the monitor.
- Two-way audio to talk to baby or child if needed.
- No WiFi is needed.
- Overall very affordable and comes with both (2) cameras + the monitor.
- Baby Thermometer
(My husband and I both have a medical background, so keeping a rectal thermometer and a forehead thermometer was important to us. If you’re a Blueberry Pediatrics member, they will send a welcome kit that has all you need too!)
- Baby Care Kit
(This will typically come with your hairbrushes/combs, medication administrators, nail clippers, nail files, etc…)
- Nasal Aspirator
(If your care kit doesn’t have a nasal aspirator, it’s a good idea to keep one on hand in the event baby gets sick or you need to suction their little nose for something)
Toys/Play Items for Baby:
- Activity Center
(to help promote holding head up, rolling, and various developmental stimulus)
What NOT to put on a baby registry
Let’s be real — not everything labeled “must-have” actually is. Here’s what to skip:
Well, for starters, baby clothing! Instead, opt for gift cards or get your own baby’s outfits as they grow. This way, you avoid having an overabundance of clothing you’ll never even get to use.
Other baby items to avoid adding to your baby registry:
Wipe warmers – They dry out wipes and are rarely used.
Baby shoes – Your newborn won’t walk for a while, and it’ll drive you bananas when your baby constantly has a missing shoe that fell off.
Bottle sterilizer – A pot of boiling water or Medela microwave bags work just as well.
Baby food maker – A regular blender does the same job.
When in doubt, remember: less is more. The fewer items you add, the more likely loved ones will gift you what you truly need.
Building your baby registry should feel exciting, not stressful. Think of it as your personalized wish list to help you welcome your baby with confidence.
Choose what feels right for your family, take advantage of completion discounts, and don’t forget: the best baby shower gifts are the ones that make life a little easier for you once your little one arrives.
