9 Items You Don’t Need on Your Baby Registry

Are you expecting a baby and thinking about what to add to your baby registry? Creating a baby registry can be overwhelming because there are so many “baby essentials” that people suggest and swear by. But is it something that you absolutely must have?

It’s tempting to throw anything and everything onto your registry “just in case,” but after a certain point it can accumulate as general clutter. And managing clutter is one of the last things you need when you’re learning how to care for a newborn.

As a good rule of thumb, consider this question, “will your baby use this item long enough to justify the price?” If the answer is no, Marie Kondo-it and leave it off the baby registry. Before you head out to shop or create your baby registry, it’s possible you can get by without these things. Here are 9 items you don’t need to buy or include on your baby registry.

Crib bumper and bedding

Yes, they’re cute but even the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says these are a no-no. For the safety of your baby and to prevent SIDS, the AAP advises against the use of all bumpers and blankets in the crib. They pose such a serious suffocation threat that at least one state has already banned them. When in doubt, safety first. Scratch these from your list.

Changing table

Although some moms swear by having a changing table, using a changing pad instead saves time, money and is more convenient. Having a mobile changing pad means you can change baby’s diaper anywhere in the house – on the bed, the couch and even the floor. No special big-ticket item like a changing table necessary.

Shoes and booties

New moms may be tempted to stash an entire outfit, including shoes into her hospital bag for baby’s first official outfit. But consider this, a newborn won’t be going anywhere any time soon so shoes and booties should be omitted from the baby registry out of practicality. The one good thing they have going for them is that they are adorable. Beyond that, they rarely stay on babies’ feet and are completely unnecessary for the first few months of your baby’s life.

Newborn clothes

There’s a caveat on this particular item: yes, a newborn preemie may fit in these threads longer than the average baby, just keep in mind this is a very fleeting stage for most. What could be cuter, seriously, than teeny tiny newborn clothes? It’s tempting, right? But the reality is they only fit babies up to seven pounds and if yours is born weighing 7.5 pounds, then your baby has already outgrown these clothes, perhaps before he’s even born. The safe bet is to go with clothes sized 0-3 months and remember that overall babies will outgrow clothing very quickly.  

Baby blankets

Yes, your baby will need blankets, but no, you don’t need to add them on the registry. Everyone will get these for you. In fact, you’ll probably wind up with so many of them that you won’t use all of them, which is why this is definitely an item that can be kept off the registry.

Infant bathtub

This is another item that you won’t get a lot of use out of and is therefore unnecessary. Keep in mind that the newborn stage lasts around three months, and the recommended frequency of bathing a baby is just once a week. Is 12 uses worth it for splurging on an infant bathtub? Probably not. A regular-sized baby bathtub and a newborn sling works just as good and is more practical.

Bottle sterilizer

File this one under “really seems like a good idea to have.” By practical measures, having a bottle sterilizer is a good idea. But here’s the truth: boiling water in a regular pot works perfectly for sterilizing bottle parts. See! You can save some bucks by not including this one on your baby registry.  

Baby food processor

There’s a temptation and expectation for new moms that everything needs to be done perfectly. I mean it’s your first baby so you need all the things, right? Wrong. A baby food processor is an item that simply takes up precious kitchen counter space. A regular food processor works in the exact same way as the baby version, and it can be used for a host of other things. Stick with one that’s small and easy to clean and skip the baby food processor.

Diaper disposal system

We may get some flack for this one, but dare we say that the Diaper Genie is…not so genius? Think about it, do you really want to keep dirty diapers in your house for a couple of days? No way! A regular trash can that gets emptied out routinely will work just as good as a diaper disposal system. Some moms have even said that they hated their diaper disposal so much because they were constantly cleaning them and had to deal with constant unpleasant odors. No thank you!

When it comes to baby products, there’s so much out there to choose from and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or to buy too many items. Keep this post in mind when compiling your list because these 9 items you don’t need on your baby registry.