These are my top 5 must have baby registry items for any new moms. I did a comprehensive guide, but I thought I would do something short and sweet about items that were personally really helpful for our family. Every baby is of course so different, but I definitely think some of these items will be really helpful!

Check out my Ultimate Baby Guide to find out ALL my favorite must have baby registry items!

1. Play Gym

A play gym is necessary as it keeps the baby entertained. It’s definitely something all babies can use as they all have to practice their tummy time! We have the Infantino 3-1 Grow with me Activity Gym and Ball Pit, which we loved and used for both kids. I liked how it had the option of the ball pit as the baby gets older, although the mat is on the smaller side. The baby LOVED to kick the sides and jingle the items above. Another great choice, which a few of my friends used was the Fisher-Price Rainforest Deluxe Play Gym.

2. aden + anais Swaddle Blankets

This is the exact print that we have, but we also have several versions including the silky soft ones. They are SUPER soft, which I love, but when I’m trying to get a super tight swaddle, I prefer the classic ones.  The swaddles are soft and the perfect length for doing our favorite double swaddle. Check out our video on how we wrap our babies for the most fool-proof swaddle to get your baby sleeping longer!

Swaddle featured: aden + anais silky soft metallic swaddle

3. Pacifier

BOTH my kids were pacifier kiddos. Cooper LOVED his WubbaNub, while we actually used a different paci for Ollie, we attached a different avent pacifier to the other end of the WubbaNub stuffed animal. We used the lamb pacifier, but this llama design is cute.

4. Lightweight stroller

I am a HUGE advocate of the lightweight, small stroller since we travel quite a bit. It’s a huge plus for us to have a compact stroller when we travel as it’s just easier to maneuver and fold up and carry the stroller when needed. We LOVE our MINU (blue version), but other good choices to check out would be BabyZen Yoyo or Mountain Buggy Nano. I prefer these options as they have the option to attach your car seat to them.

Depending on if you are a city or suburban mom, you may want to have another sturdier stroller like the UPPAbaby Vista or Baby Jogger City Select Lux, which has capabilities of becoming a double. Read more about my stroller selection in my ultimate guide!

5. Backpack Diaper Bag

We use our diaper backpack every day. I have a ton of backpacks from using a regular Herschel backpack, JJ Cole Bloomsfield Knapsack, SkipHop Chelsea Downtown Chic Diaper Satchel, etc.

Honestly, all of them worked great, and I still use each one of them depending on my mood. I will have to say, I have to give the edge to my TwelveLittle Diaper backpack. The zipper pocket on the back, which can be used to fit through luggage handles is amazing for our travel family. It’s definitely the little touches that make it stand out. Whatever bag you do choose, I would highly recommend doing a backpack diaper bag over a diaper tote!

Honorable Mentions

I know this is totally cheating, but I’m a little torn on the other these other items as must haves. Plus there are so many necessary must have items like a soft bibs, bottles, high chair, etc.

Dockatot

I also loved our Dockatot , but I’m also torn whether or not this is a MUST-HAVE. We loved having it especially since we did coslept for the first few months, but it’s also pretty expensive. I think this would be a GREAT item to have if you want to splurge a bit.

USE CODE ‘EXPLORE10’ for 10% off the Dockatot Website!

Jumperoo/Activity Center

I think a Jumperoo / Activity Center is definitely great, but it’s also used for a short period of time, starting around 4 months. It’s great to keep the baby occupied when you need to do something quickly like use the bathroom or drink your coffee!

NOT a necessity, but definitely LOVE using:

Milk Snob Cover

This isn’t a MUST have per se, but I absolutely loved my Milk Snob cover. We used it daily until we stopped using our car seat with the stroller combination. It was great over the car seat to shield the baby, and it can double as a nursing cover if needed. It definitely gives some privacy if you don’t want people peeking as your baby, and helps shield from environmental elements or light! I’m obsessed with the palm print design. This would be a great choice if you need extra coverage with your car seat.

Stroller Winter Cover

I’m seriously surprised I didn’t use a winter stroller cover for my first kiddo. I loved using the JJ Cole Bundleme [infant car seat version here] We do a lot of outdoor walks, and the Bundleme keeps my toddler so warm. This would be great for a baby in an infant car seat as they are not supposed to wear winter coats in their car seat.

The JJ Cole Bundleme works on my UPPAbaby stroller and should be compatible with most car seats and strollers. I would recommend getting the UPPAbaby version one if you own one or try the JJ Cole Bundleme for other stroller brands.

No Longer on the List

A swing used to be a must have as my first kiddo was so obsessed with it. The second kid didn’t like it at all! So, unfortunately like most baby items, it just depends on your kid! Honestly, we used MUCH less stuff for our second vs. our first so whatever you choose for your baby, you will definitely make do with what you have.

The second time around, we only used the changing table on our Pack ‘n Play. We didn’t use it for sleep at all.

These items can still be really useful, but like everything, each item depends on the baby! I surveyed a lot of my mommy friends and we all had different top 5 items!

I hope this must have baby registry items list was helpful! I know it was more items than I mentioned initially, but have you read my comprehensive ultimate guide?! This is a breeze compared to that!

Check out my AMAZON BABY REGISTRY to see what items to add to your baby registry

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