My Baby Registry Must Haves from buybuyBABY

We are just about ready for #TheKolaBaby, largely thanks to all the aunties and uncles who brought gifts from our baby registry to our baby shower last weekend! Jonathan and I worked together to create our registry right when we came back from our babymoon, and from talking to other moms, I knew that buybuy BABY was one of the best places to register for items for both mom and baby. As fate (or favor!) would have it, buybuy BABY then agreed to partner with me for our baby registry, so this post about my baby registry must haves is brought to you by buybuy BABY!

Quick caveat: buybuy BABY’s site isn’t accessible on some internet servers in Kenya – though we made our registry while in Kenya, the site stopped working at some point so we finalized our selects a week before the baby shower while we were in the US. I’m not sure if the internet provider, IP address, or location affected the site’s visibility in Kenya, but just giving you a heads up that it may or may not work outside of the US!

Creating a baby registry with buybuy BABY was extremely easy because their website & app provide registry essential checklists for various aspects of baby’s life: clothing, bath & potty, feeding, travel, toys, etc. As a first time mom, it was extremely helpful to know how many swaddles or bottles to add to the registry, because I literally had no idea. I didn’t follow the checklist exactly when creating my registry, but instead used it as a guide taking into consideration our lifestyle and personality (for example, I didn’t add a stroller initially, but more on that later).

If you happen to live near a buybuy BABY, you can also create a registry by going in-store. There, an associate can help you go through the departments and help you select the best products for your needs. Jonathan and I visited the buybuy BABY store in Brooklyn, and our associate Diona actually helped change our minds about the car seat we initially added to the registry by showing us a similar one with upgraded safety features! She also showed us how to strap on the baby carrier – it was super cute to see Jonathan very focused on making sure he did it correctly, and she even provided a baby doll to use for practice! You can also add items to your registry yourself by just scanning them on the buybuyBABY app – super easy!

Another benefit of going in store, if you can, is that you may find items that you didn’t think that you needed. I was CONVINCED that we didn’t need a stroller. I planned on transporting Baby Kola the good old fashioned African way, strapped to my back (or to my chest) with wraps, while Jonathan uses the carrier. However, we saw this stroller in store and I immediately knew we had to have it. Weighs just 10 pounds and folds down with one click to fit compactly inside a carry on luggage… aka perfect for a frequent flying family?! ADD TO REGISTRY IMMEDIATELY. I was also able to convince Jonathan that we needed a diaper pail, and being able to see it in store definitely made that battle an easier win! Lastly, buybuy BABY also offers in-store one on one nursery design services – we explored a few different nursery vignettes, from boho to traditional to super modern. I’m a low-key wannabe interior designer so I loved taking in the different curated nursery spaces. We’re having the baby in our bedroom for the first few months so I’m still creating a nursery space in my mind, but I hope to show you guys the nursery nook once it’s all set up!

Ok, after much blabbering, here are twelve baby registry must haves from buybuy BABY!

Cybex Sirona M Convertible Car Seat with Sensorsafe: We knew we wanted a convertible car seat that was infant friendly but would also last us a few years, and the Cybex Sirona fit the bill. It comes with a sensor that links to an app in your phone which can tell you if the harness is not secured correctly or if the car temperature is too warm or cold. It also includes buttons that pop out for additional side impact protection, and can seat children up to 65 pounds.

GB Pockit+ All City Compact Stroller: The stroller that changed my mind about strollers! The last thing to be added to our registry but undoubtedly one of the things I’m most excited about. I’m now trying to figure out where our first flight with Baby Kola should be just so we can pack this stroller in a carry on.

DockATot: Not going to lie, I still don’t understand why this product is so crucial, but EVERYBODY – and I mean everybody, including a woman who sat next to us on a plane when we flew to Kenya in August – who has given me baby item advice has told me to get the Dockatot for baby lounging.

Boppy Nursing Pillow: If you’re planning to breastfeed, the Boppy Nursing Pillow is extremely helpful because as I learned in Lamaze class, babies are actually quite heavy and can feed for a long time, so a nursing pillow to support the baby and alleviate stress on your arm can make the difference between pleasant nursing sessions and tear filled ones. Plus the pillow grows with baby to become a lounger, tummy time pillow, and seat support in later months.

Charlie Banana Cloth Diapers: This might not be for everyone, but we’ve decided to use both disposable and cloth diapers for our kid, partly as a financial decision and partly as an environmental one, so basically for the same reasons that I used Rent the Runway. Cloth diapers are better for the environment because they don’t end up in landfills (did you know 20 billion diapers end up in landfills annually?!), and are cheaper over the long run than disposables. I liked this brand because you can add additional inserts and liners for big messes, and you can also use disposable inserts which would be great for days on the road.

Dr. Brown’s Options Bottles: All babies have different bottle preferences, but I consistently heard moms recommend Dr. Brown’s bottles as the best option for preventing colic – or gassy babies. They’re glass bottles, so again, better for the environment, and they come with different nipple options as your baby grows and feeding habits change. I added both the 5oz and 9oz bottles to satiate the baby’s appetite!

Frida Mom Hospital Bag Labor and Delivery + Postpartum Recovery Kit: So many things to remember when it comes to the baby, but I loved that this kit was made for moms! Just throw it in your hospital bag, and you’ll be slightly more ready for the postpartum war that your body is about to go through after delivery, since it includes everything from a robe to the infamous mesh underwear.

Burt’s Bees Organic Cotton Onesies: If you plan to have a baby shower, you’ll likely receive a ton of cute clothes for your baby, but real fashionistas know that timeless basics are the foundation for any good outfit. I added these organic cotton onesies in both long and short sleeve and in various sizes to the registry to make sure the baby has some basics to go underneath all their cute outfits.

Hakaa Silicone Breast Pump: I’m in a small whatsapp group for new moms, and all the moms rave about the hakaa as a great manual breast pump or even as a way to collect let down from one breast while feeding on another. The silicone and battery free design appealed to me since it seemed much more on-the-go friendly than a traditional electronic pump.

TWELVElittle On-the-Go Stroller Caddy: I had no intentions of buying a diaper bag – and remember I didn’t plan on getting a stroller initially – but I was drawn to the messenger style diaper bag/stroller caddy because of all its compartments and the fact that it has a top zipper so you can reach inside without opening it all up. This way it works both as a unisex diaper bag for Jonathan to carry when he’s on baby duty, and I can throw it into my Louis Vuitton Neverfull which I bought specifically to use as a diaper bag!

NUK Simply natural Washable Nursing Pads: Although you can purchase disposable nursing pads, my sister-in-law told me that they were scratchy and she greatly preferred the washable kinds because they were softer. Also better for the environment!

Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine Night Light & Time to Rise: Another product that grows with baby, this machine triples as a white noise machine, a customizable nightlight, and a time to rise function which theoretically helps train toddlers to know when they can get out of bed/leave their room. It’ll take a few years before we know if the time to rise feature actually works, but I like that the device is programmable from your phone, which will hopefully make creating a sleep routine easier.

Those are the products I think are baby registry must-haves – do you think I missed any baby or new mom essentials? I’d love to know if you’ve tried any of these products too!