Top 5 Baby Registry Should-Haves

When preparing to have my son, I researched as much as I possibly could about every baby product and brand available. I also tapped into my baby gear knowledge leftover from my years working as an associate at Babies R Us. My baby registry was massive. We were incredibly fortunate enough to have received so many excellent items. Items that have either been necessary to our survival or just down right genius to have around. I carefully curated everything I thought we would want and need for our new little without going outrageously overboard. And yet I still had enough for a top 5 baby registry should-haves list.

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To my surprise, there were a few critical things we found ourselves without. We were adding things to our two-day shipping shopping carts before and after our baby was born. Now that Danny is pushing 7 months old, there are items I realized would have been great to have had on our registry. These are things that I ordered even after I used my completion discount for my registry.

1. The Halo Bassinest

Before Daniel was born, my husband was on the phone with his grandmother. She asked him if we had a crib for our room. Puzzled, I told him yes, of course we had a crib. My parents gifted us his crib and dresser as soon as they found out they were getting a grandbaby. We also had a pack and play, which was set up in our room. He came back and told me she meant bassinet. To which, no, we did not have a bassinet. In fact I was strongly opposed to having one. I did not want excess baby gear and a bassinet, in addition to a crib, and a pack and play all seemed redundant.

His grandmother insisted that we should have one and sent us money to order one. So, after some persuasion by my husband, some light research, and a recommendation of my friend whose baby is 8 weeks older than mine, I ordered the Halo Bassinest.

If you’re like me and you don’t think you need a bassinet allow me to enlighten you. I’m sure any small bedside bassinet will do but the Halo Bassinet is the cream of the crop. I thought I would just drag the pack and play over bed side. My heavy, giant, low to the ground pack and play. Even on the bassinet height, the pack and play was still lower than my bed. I also did not anticipate having a c-section. Having to reach lower than my bed would have been uncomfortable, if not impossible. As soon as my husband built this thing I knew we made a good choice. Great grandma was on point.

Why I love the Halo Bassinet:

• The Halo is height adjustable so where my baby sleeps is exactly level with our bed. Not only is this incredibly convenient, but it is extremely comforting. It has mesh sides and I can see my guy right through it.
• The Halo swivels. It is flush with the bed at night but I can easily move it out of my way to get in and out of bed. I had to ensure it was in the right place so I didn’t knock things off my night stand. Otherwise it was super easy to move.
• It has sound features. I didn’t believe in so many sleep aids for my baby. But just because we grown ups don’t need white noise doesn’t mean our little doesn’t. Having the pre-programmed sounds was great until I was ready to stop resetting the button all night. See below for my solution to that.
• The side locks and unlocks so you can leave it up or allow it to collapse down when you reach in. I still have it unlocked since Daniel is still small enough he is not able to pull it down yet.
• Longevity. One of the reasons why I didn’t want a bassinet is because it is a cumbersome piece of gear that a baby uses for maybe a minute and then what on earth do you do with it. This bassinet was perfect for him when he was little and he used it until about 5 months old (to which we upped him to the pack and play so lo and behold all these sleep spaces were in fact not redundant)

2. Lovevery Play Gym

I really wish I had done some more research on play gyms before I registered for the mat that I have. If you haven’t caught on, I was really concerned with not allowing my house to succumb to a mass of baby gear and toys. I really don’t like clutter and our small spaces could easily be taken over by oversized swings, bright play mats, and a smattering of just things. The play mat I had was cute, not too big, and not too offensive. It was then I learned about the Lovevery Play Gym. Of course it had to be the most expensive luxurious play gym on the market and I naturally had to have it (thanks mom, best grandma ever). Lovevery has a whole line of beautiful, developmentally appropriate toys, the mat, and subscription boxes.

Why I love the Lovevery Play Gym:

• It is beautiful. The main area of the mat is a neutral gray and is so soft. The mat is secured to a sturdy wooden frame with a few fun hanging toys. I really fell for the look of this mat above all else. It complements our play mat for our hardwood floors and is not an offensive contraption that takes away from our living space.
• The play components of the gym fold over to reveal developmentally appropriate areas for your baby to play and learn. The mat’s “Learn to Focus” area comes with a set of cards for your baby to observe and take in right from birth. The black and white contrast cards really held my little’s attention when he was just a couple weeks old.
• It comes with a teaching deck for parents. Let’s be honest, I had no idea what I was doing and having a guideline of what my baby is capable of and how to facilitate learning and exploring right at my fingertips was an incredibly valuable resource.
• Watching Danny discover the different hanging toys and areas of the mat during tummy time has been so much fun.

3. Hatch Rest Plus

This item is relatively new to me. I had it on my Christmas wish list 3 months in. I loved the sounds on the Halo Bassinet but the sound shuts off after a certain amount of time (I really don’t know how long, I usually fall asleep before it does) and I found myself rolling over to reset it any time I was jostled awake. All the research I have done on baby sleep (and trust me, I’ve researched a lot…) indicates that consistent sounds and white noise helps babies to resettle in between their sleep cycles.

Why I love the Hatch Rest Plus:

• Yet another item I think is just so pretty and so functional. It was bigger than I thought it would be but it is not obtrusive. The device sits nicely on any nursery surface. It is also lightweight so it is not a problem to carry it and my baby around the house. I love that the sounds will literally play forever (so long as you remember to plug it in).
• The Rest Plus is wi-fi enabled. I was able to download the app and I can control the lights, sounds, and clock right from my phone. You can program your favorite settings and use the ring on top to turn on, turn off, and toggle between all your favorite sounds. In addition to choosing your favorite sounds and lights, you can program them at the exact sound level and brightness level which it remembers and adjusts accordingly.
• Portability. I keep the Rest Plus plugged in in our bedroom on my night stand which is right next to Danny’s bassinet. I usually turn the clock and lights off at night, as total darkness is a sleep necessity for him. During the day, I just unplug it and bring it into his room and set it on his crib for his day time naps. The battery easily lasts all day. He likes to look at the lights on the Rainbow setting while he is settling down for his nap. Once he’s ready to go to sleep I just shut the light off and he usually drifts right to sleep to the peaceful rain sounds.

4. The Nose Frida

Oh, I know. The whole premise behind this small tube is to literally use your mouth to suck boogers right out your baby’s nostril. You think to yourself “Oh god I am literally going to eat boogers,” but anything to relieve baby snots for your little right? Right, except you’re not going to end up with boogies in your mouth. I got this gift at my shower as a gag. The whole place erupted with laughter at the thought of anyone sucking boogies with their mouth. So when I got home and unpacked all my shower goodies, I tucked the silly Nose Frida in my “utility” drawer of miscellaneous baby tools.

Fast forward three months and I am so tired of seeing all those bats in my baby’s cave and worrying if any are impeding his breathing that I bust out the mouth booger sucker. It has a small foam filter (and comes with extra) that prevents baby boogies from intruding on the sucking tube and mouthpiece. Not to mention that the tube that goes near their nose is wide and long and you’d have to be heaving boogers into the tube to even get them anywhere near that filter.

Why I love the Nose Frida:

• It gently and effectively removes and retrieves a variety of textured boogers from your baby’s tiny nose, allowing them to breathe better and quieter without fighting with a damn bulb sucker and a wiggling baby.

5. Electric Nail File

I had this great little kit on my registry that included all sorts of safety and hygiene basics for my baby. Things like a thermometer, bulb syringe, nail clippers, nail files, and a hair brush all came in this cute carry case. Within the first weeks of being home I quickly realized my baby was born with talons and he was an expert at digging them right into tender boob skin. I was terrified of cutting his nails so I really just didn’t. I let them break and ripped them off like a savage figuring this was obviously safer than going at his tiny delicate fingers with clippers.

Then I busted out the tiny baby nail files. They’re so small and so so so incredibly ineffective. A friend of mine suggested an electric file but I was incredulous and still I put it off. Eventually my baby got bigger and his dexterity and coordination of his hands improved significantly. It was so fun to watch him grab toys and bat at his ball. It was not fun, however, when he could knowingly dig his hands into my boob when he ate. In desperation I ordered the electric nail file and what a game changer.

Why I love the electric nail file:

• It literally will not hurt him. I tried that baby on my hands first, all over my skin and it was totally ouchless. His nails can be filed while he sleeps, while we’re playing and it’s so quick and easy. I have to file them once a week and I’m so happy to have this handy tool in my arsenal. I just wish I wasn’t stubborn and ordered it sooner!