Don't Buy That! - Baby Registry Woes
So, you're having a baby, and you've asked your circle of friends what you should put on your registry. You've gotten so many suggestions and opinions. Especially telling you what products you shouldn't waste your time on. Dang! What is one to do with all of the suggestions? I'm a mom of 6 and I'm here to help with some tips!
Tip #1: Can I return this?
Pick a registry with a good gift return policy! This is probably the best tip. If you get products that you end up not finding use for, you may be able to return them. Even if you've used the product and it just didn't work out. Just save the boxes on big ticket items. Amazon has a great registry return policy!
Gifts purchased from your Baby Registry are eligible for free returns within 365 days of the receipt of your shipment.
Baby items purchased by the registry owner can be returned within 90 days of receipt of shipment. All other items are subject to the standard 30-day Amazon Returns Policy.
Tip #2: We're not the same
Take everyone's advice with a grain of salt. What works for one person doesn't work for all. Here's an example. I often see people discouraging parents from buying wipe warmers. They're often said to be a waste of time, space, and money. I personally have 2 wipe warmers in my house, and I absolutely loved using them. I also believe my baby appreciated not having a cold wipe on her booty at 2a.m.
Another example is everyone telling you to get a swing. Great! Which one? Well, this will vary by baby. Some babies hate swinging. Some love it. Some love it, depending on the type of swing.
The truth of the matter is that no matter how many suggestions you get, you're never going to know what products work best for you and your baby until you try them. That's why tip #1 is important.
Tip #3: Try before you buy
You might be able to limit how much time you waste on certain products by being able to try them out first. Do you have friends with babies? Carrier lending programs? Ask if you can try out some products. Try on different baby carriers and learn how they work with your body and comfort. Maybe you can even wear a friend's baby. Note that you may love the carrier, but your baby may hate it. Again, the importance of tip #1.
Ask to go for a walk with a friend and see how their stroller works. Don't have a friend with a baby? Most stores have strollers on display for you to mess around with. Some places even offer stroller rentals. And honestly, depending on your lifestyle, you may not even need a stroller. I never used a stroller for my babies until they were big enough for an umbrella stroller.
Tip #4: Lifestyle and location matters!
Are you an outdoors type of person? If so, you may want to consider a jogging stroller system. Do you live in a busy city and take public transportation often? You may benefit from a sturdy baby carrier and a durable stroller. How do you feel about carrying a car seat around? How do you feel about having to buy a new car seat after just about 1 year, once your baby outgrows the infant seat? If you're like me, you might buy a convertible car seat and use a baby carrier when you take your baby out of the car, instead of using an infant car seat to carry around.
How about storage? Do you live in a small space where having large items is not very ideal? Maybe you want a space saving baby swing that can fold up. Maybe you want a mini crib.
Will your baby ever be with a caregiver at a different location? Consider if you want multiples of certain items so that you don't have to travel with things. Will you be nursing or bottle feeding? You may consider products based on your style of feeding.
Tip #5: Some tips are great!
While all items are not needed, baby registry guides can be very helpful in giving you a general idea of product categories to consider. Just find one and stick to it. Usually, the place where you start a registry will offer you a guide. Places like Amazon are great too, because they will list popular products that parents are buying. Often, the products are popular with good reason. If all else fails.......go back to tip #1. LOL.
Tip #6: They don't need much
It's true. Babies don't need much during the early days. Diapers, wipes, clothes, blankets, a car seat and somewhere to sleep. You may need feeding related products as well. Plus, small things like grooming kits. There's no right or wrong. If you want to have a lot of options, go for it. If you don't want too many things or can't afford too many things; that's ok too.
Please don't overwhelm yourself. Most likely what you buy will be great. Most likely, you're going to end up with unused items. Most likely none of this is gonna matter once your kid is all grown up. So, get what you think you want and enjoy the ride! Interested in knowing what some of my favorite baby products are? Leave a comment if you would like a blog post about it.