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Creating a baby registry made everything feel so much more real. All throughout the first trimester, I felt like I was filled with cement—I felt awful. No bump yet, nobody knew I was pregnant except for family and close friends, and the idea of an actual human baby growing inside me felt fantastical. Are we sure I didn’t just have the flu?
By Week 14, I knew the sex of the baby, had a little gender reveal party, and had stocked up on more stretchy leggings (even without a big bump, the bloating was REAL). But it still didn’t feel like we were having a baby, that a baby would really be here in a matter of months, living in my house, needing things. So, one night, I searched around the web, looking for the best place to create a registry, and then I got started curating a baby registry that would finally make it feel like we were truly expecting.
I ended up going with Babylist (here’s what my registry looks like!), and not only did it get me really pumped for my baby shower, but it felt me feel so much more prepared. “This is really happening,” I probably whispered like 20 times a day to my husband. A few times a week, I’d add more and more products to list; after seeing an influencer rave about her baby swing, I needed to add a baby swing. A friend told me she couldn’t live without her super soft nursing cover, so I added that nursing cover to the list. And on, and on.
I’m 38 weeks at this point, and I’m ready to meet Baby Girl, and am so excited she has everything she and I need to make her first couple years a breeze. Or…breezier. Whatever. So, if you’re wondering which baby registry you want to go with that’ll make your life (and your baby shower) easier, here are all the reasons why Babylist was a great choice to go with.
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You literally don’t have to pay anything to use Babylist’s registry service.
Building your registry with Babylist is super intuitive. How it works: You set up your registry by first adding your name, photo (if you’d like), and a quick description (optional).
Then, you start adding products. There are two ways to do this: You can download the Babylist browser extension (which is what I did) so that if you’re on Amazon, Walmart, Target, H&M, Caden Lane, Little Sleepies—literally any site—you’ll be able to automatically add the product you want to your list by category.
You can also browse through a bunch of popular baby retailers through Babylist.
Add your due date, and Babylist will be able to recommend specific products by trimester. Right now, Babylist knows I’m 38 weeks, so it’s giving me a list of postpartum essentials I may want to get for myself (since I already had my shower).
I knew I didn’t want a retailer-specific baby registry, because I wanted to be able to select items from a bunch of different stores. Babylist makes it so that it’s just as convenient and fast as having an Amazon, Walmart, or Target registry, but with Babylist, you can add items from boutique baby brands that are only sold on their site (there are a lot of great brands not found on the Amazon!). These products may take a little longer to deliver (it completely depends on the brand, not Babylist), but that way, I’m not beholden to just what Amazon/Target/Walmart is offering.
You or your shower guests just need to complete 40 percent of your baby registry list and make a minimum order of $30 (you can actually do this yourself if you don’t want to wait for your shower guests to do so). Then, Babylist will tell you that you qualify for a free box—just pay $8.95 in shipping, and it’s all yours! I currently qualify, so I’ll be doing that ASAP.
You just need to copy and paste the link to your registry, which I did in my evite invitation. I did have a few family members who live out of state want to know how to access my registry, and I just texted them the link.
For a few months, I was constantly googling “Baby Registry Essentials” (I ended up writing a guide myself!) as well as going through Babylist’s recommendations, because there are *so* many new products on the market that, as a first-time-mom, I had no idea about. Here’s what Babylist is recommending me for my fourth trimester (aka, postpartum).
I would get emails whenever someone would buy things from my registry—that way, if they chose to get the gift directly sent to my house, I would know (and wouldn’t open it!). Guests can choose whether or not they prefer to keep it a secret about what they’re gifting (although you can look if you want), and they can get the gift shipped to them to bring to you, or have the gift shipped directly to you. It’ll also tell you in the free app!
One of the products on my wish list was over $100, so I made it optional for people to pool together to buy it (this isn’t available for all products—just FYI).
If you’re sending physical invitations, Babylist will send you free insert cards so you can add where to look for your baby registry. They really have thought of everything.
Showing love and support doesn’t have to come with a price tag—it can mean cooking the new parents meals, offering to watch the baby while Mom showers, picking up the house, and more. You can add some of these favor “gift cards” to your list as an option.
I can confirm I received all of my gifts from my list!
And here’s my nursery nearly all set up for Baby M!
Easy to use
Can add products from any retailer
Reliable shipping
Baby shower guests said it was simple to use
Babylist offers product recommendations, which is especially helpful for new moms
It’s free
You can get a free baby box
You’re notified when someone buys you something from your list
I can’t think of any!
Good luck, Mom and Dad. Setting up your registry is just the beginning of this new and exciting journey. You’ve got this!
