Minimalist Baby Registry: 14 Things You Need + Popular Items to Skip

First and foremost, congratulations on your upcoming bundle of joy! This is a very exciting chapter for you and your family. Meanwhile, this time can also be confusing and overwhelming. Marketers spend oodles of dollars advertising to new parents. But, many of those products are unnecessary and end up being a complete waste of money. As a mom of twins and lover of minimalism, I know exactly what you’ll really need and everything that you won’t. Subsequently, I’ve created a sample Minimalist Baby Registry checklist to help you peacefully sift through the newborn clutter.

Benefits of a Minimalist Baby Registry

Whether you’re a full-blown minimalist or just getting your feet wet, you know how amazing minimalism can be. A minimalist baby registry is no exception. By following a minimalist registry guide instead of your typical big box checklist, you’re bound to experience tons of benefits. 

1. You Can Save Money

This one is a no-brainer. If you buy fewer things, you’re going to spend less money! Babies are so expensive. Don’t go broke preparing for one.

2. Your Baby Can Enjoy Higher Quality Items

When you buy fewer things, you have more money to spend on higher quality products. There are a lot of cheap baby products out there. By cheap, I don’t just mean inexpensive – I’m talking about potentially dangerous quality. For example, did you know that some cheap baby bottles contain toxic BPA? (1) BPA is used the production plastics, including many bottles and toys. Exposure to BPA has been linked to precocious puberty, infertility, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and polycystic ovary syndrome. (2) You don’t have to settle for that garbage.

3. Your Home Can be Cleaner and Have Less Clutter

If you eliminate unnecessary baby products you don’t need, you’ll have more functional space in your home. For instance, counter space, floor space, even mental space. You’ll have less things to pick up and fewer things to keep clean.

But your baby needs lots of toys, right? Wrong! Being selective and minimal with the toys you introduce to your child can greatly benefit them developmentally. Having too many toys to choose from can cause stress to a child and make them uncomfortable in their own environment. Only introduce toys that supply educational or motor-skill attributes to your baby. This will greatly benefit their current development and future intelligence. 

Minimalist Baby Registry: The Only Items You’ll Need

We’re talking bare-minimum here, friends. If you secure only the below items, you should have most of what you need to get by for the first several months of your baby’s life. We’ve specifically chosen what we believe to be the best and safest items for your child. For your convenience, we’ve included a budget option and a splurge option for most items so you can tailor your registry to match your family’s financial situation.

1. Nursing Pillow

Why you need this on your minimalist baby registry: Nursing pillows are a figurative lifesaver when it comes to caring for a newborn. Whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle feeding, you’ll need something to prop up your baby. This is also a great tool to use if you just need to set your baby down somewhere. It can easily be placed on the floor while your baby is positioned comfortably inside, used for tummy time, or help prop them up in a seated position.

Budget Option: Our budget choice for a great nursing pillow is the Boppy. The Boppy pillow is an extremely popular baby shower gift. It comes in several different patterns and colors, and even has an option for an organic cover. This nursing pillow is available in most big box stores and also available on Amazon.

Splurge Option: The Holy Lamb Organics nursing pillow is a fantastic tool to assist you while feeding your baby. The inside is filled with premium eco-wool and it’s covered with an organic cotton shell. This pillow is made in the United States and is a great add to any registry.

2. Cord-Free Breast Pump

Why you need this on your minimalist baby registry: To maintain your milk supply, it’s recommended you pump 120 minutes per day. For example, that adds up to 43,800 minutes if you plan on pumping for one year. That’s over 30 straight days of being confined to a chair due to clunky breast pump cords! Nobody with a newborn has time for that. Even if you breastfeed your baby, you will still need to pump extra milk for storage or to empty your breasts after a feeding. Imagine what you can do with that time if you’re free to get out of your chair?

Budget Option: Our budget choice for a cord-free breast pump is Dr. Brown’s Manual Breast Pump. This is a great pump for your registry. It’s fairly inexpensive and it’s BPA-free. I would not recommend this pump if you are exclusively pumping, because the hours and hours you’ll have to squeeze the trigger will give you arthritis. However, this is a great pump if you just need to release a little milk here and there, or if you need to take it on the go. In addition, because it requires the use of one of your hands, it won’t free up your schedule completely. 

Splurge Option: The Willow cord-free breast pump is a godsend to a busy mom. This pump not only keeps you cord-free, but hands-free too! This incredible pump allows you to pump while you work, while you cook, and while you clean. While wearing the Willow breast pump with its BPA-free compatible bags, you have 360° of mobility. This means you can use it while doing yoga, running, or even lying down. The best part is, you can pay for your Willow with your FSA or HSA debit card and may even qualify for a free pump through your insurance.

3. Nipple Butter

Why you need this on your minimalist baby registry: Whether you’re breastfeeding or pumping, your nipples will be put through the ringer. Give them the tender loving care they desperately need with a nourishing nipple balm.

Budget Option: Earth Mama Organics Nipple Balm is incredibly popular and makes a great baby shower gift. This soothing and cruelty-free recipe is non-sticky, botanical-rich, and lanolin-free. Plus, it’s full or nourishing, organic ingredients like shea butter and mango seed butter.

Splurge Option: Tubby Todd Bath Company offers a fantastic nipple balm for sore mamas. This calming balm soothes and protects tender skin, and is safe for your baby before, during, and after nursing. In addition, its ingredients are fragrance-free, USDA certified organic, and formulated without lanolin.

4. Baby Bottles

Why you need this on your minimalist baby registry: Even if you plan on breastfeeding, you still need bottles when someone else feeds your baby or if your chest needs a well-deserved break.

Budget Option: Dr. Brown’s makes fantastic baby bottles. I used the anti-colic, wide-neck bottles for my twins before I knew glass bottles existed. These bottles are BPA-free plastic and there is no worry of them shattering if dropped.

Splurge Option: Lifefactory recently came out with glass baby bottles. These high-quality bottles feature a silicone sleeve that provides a non-slip grip and help protect the glass. They come in a variety of colors and feature several convenient add-ons. For example, you can buy sippy top attachments or silicone sports straw attachments. These will come in handy once your baby becomes a toddler because they can advance to the next drinking stage without needing a new drinking container. Best of all, they’re dishwasher safe!

5. Formula

Discuss formula feeding with your pediatrician prior to use. Be sure to follow all manufacturer’s suggested age guidelines.

Why you need this on your minimalist baby registry: Children need to eat. If you’re formula feeding, this is a no-brainer. If you’re breastfeeding, it’s a good idea to keep a few cans of formula on hand in case of an emergency. All children are different and there is no one-size fits all option when it comes to formula. Below are our three favorites, yet very different choices for your little one.

Plant-Based Formula: Not everyone wants to feed their child animal-based milk. Else Nutrition offers a fantastic 100% vegan, plant-based formula for your child. In addition to being vegan, Else formula is organic, dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, corn syrup-free, and non-gmo. It contains whole ingredients, plus 20 vitamins and minerals to support your child’s growth and development.

Cow-Milk Formula: Another great option for formula is the European brand, Holle. The ingredients that are used in Holle Stage 1 formula meet strict organic source standards. The cows are fed only organic food, they aren’t de-horned, and they’re allowed to graze in pastures. Unlike US and other parts on the world, these farms are very small; often with less than 25 cows per farm. This formula contains essential fatty acids for brain and nervous system development, as well as prebiotics and probiotics.

Goat-Milk Formula: Kabrita goat milk formula is proudly crafted in The Netherlands with non-GMO ingredients. It can be easier to digest than cow’s milk, mild in taste, and rich in critical nutrients. In addition to formula, Kabrita also sells goat milk porridge, which has a similar consistency to traditional rice cereal.

6. High Chair

Why you need this on your minimalist baby registry: High chairs are a great tool to help you feed your baby. High chairs can also help your child feel important and included when it’s pushed up to the kichen table, allowing your baby to eat with the family. 

Budget Option: I’m pushing the boundaries with the word “budget” on this one, but the Stokke Tripp Trapp is one of the best high chairs on the market. The intelligent design adjusts to fit your child at any age and has lots of great safety features. Unlike most high chairs, the Tripp Trapp provides a stable foot rest that supports your child and provides additional comfort. It’s crafted from responsible European beech wood, can hold up to 300 pounds, and the paint used is water-based and non-toxic. This high chair works great scooted up to your kitchen table, or you can purchase a tray as an add-on.

Splurge Option: Your ultimate all-in-one high chair is the Bloom Fresco, but it will cost you. Luckily, this chair can serve your child as a cradle from birth, all the way up to 8 years of age. You can also customize your high chair by choosing different colors of the frame, seat pad, and tray topper. As a company, Bloom chooses to use sustainable wood, recyclable plastics & metals, and low VOC finishes. Their products are CPSIA and ASTM compliant and free of lead, BPA, phthalates, PVC, formaldehyde, and MDF.

7. Diapers

Why you need this on your minimalist baby registry: There is no way around it, your baby is going to poop – a lot. Since they are not yet able to poop and potty in the toilet, you will need to use diapers. You have two options for diapering, disposable or cloth. Disposable diapers cost more money in the long run, but they are cleaner and require less effort from parents. Cloth diapers are better for the environment and will cost you less money over time, but you’ll spend more time and energy tending to the mess.

Disposable Diapers: Dyper brand diapers are what we use in our household. They have achieved the highest safety rating for baby products, Standard 100 Certified by OEKO TEX. Dyper is very transparent with their materials. The outside and inside cover is made with 100% viscose from bamboo fibers, and the main ingredient of the absorbent core is elemental chlorine-free wood pulp. Dyper even offers a money-saving subscription service where they deliver your baby’s diapers directly to your door, and you can cancel at any time. Psst… you can also get a free diaper bag here when you try out a Dyper subscription, while supplies last.

Cloth Diapers: Grovia offers a wonderful option for a cloth diaper. It has a waterproof outer layer and an ultra-absorbent, certified organic pad. This cloth diaper fits babies 10 – 35 pounds. It’s easily adjustable with stretchy wings and easy to fasten snaps. The Natural Baby Company also offers several free guides where you can learn how to use cloth diapers in case you need help getting started.

8. Diaper Cream

Why you need this on your minimalist baby registry: No matter how hard you try, I can almost guarantee your baby will get diaper rash. More than likely, they’ll get a lot of painful diaper rashes. Protect and heal their sensitive little bottom with a great quality diaper cream.

Budget Option: Tubby Todd Sweet Cheeks Diaper Paste may seem more expensive at first, but when you cost out the price per ounce it is fairly reasonable. This fragrance-free paste uses non-nano zinc oxide as its active ingredient but also contains nourishing ingredients like shea butter and coconut oil. 

Splurge Option: In my opinion, there is no better diaper balm on the market than the one made by Earth Mama Organics. This soothing balm protects and heals your baby’s bottom with shea butter, lavender oil, and St. John’s Wort extract. Plus, its USDA certified organic.

9. Easy to Wear Clothing

Why you need this on your minimalist baby registry: It’s not always easy to get a baby dressed. Especially when clothing needs to go over their heads – try to avoid that when you can.  These two options are the most convenient and stress-free pieces of clothing your baby can wear. Depending on the season, your child can likely be in one of these outfits nearly all day long, no matter what the occasion.

Zippered Rompers: Let me be very clear: do not buy rompers with snaps. I understand lots of onesies have one or two snaps in the crotch and that is fine. However, a romper with a snap closure will be the end of your sanity. Zippers are so much easier to put on and take off. Babies and toddlers can pretty much live in zippered rompers. They can play in them, eat in them, and sleep in them. Kyte Baby makes a great zippered romper crafted from 97% bamboo rayon and 3% spandex for a cuddly and stretchy fit. 

Kimono Shirts: Short sleeve kimono t-shirts may be the best baby clothing item ever invented. They are perfect for many occasions and go on super easy since they don’t need to fit over baby’s head. Nest Designs make my favorite kimono t-shirts. They are breathable, made with 100% GOTS certified organic cotton, and come in several different sizes. Pro tip: Size up so they last longer!

10. Seasonal Weather Protection

Why you need this on your minimalist baby registry: It’s not always easy to get a baby dressed. Especially when clothing needs to go over their heads – so let’s avoid that if we can.  These two options are the most convenient and stress-free pieces your baby can wear. Depending on the season, your child can likely be in one of these outfits nearly all day long, no matter what the occasion.

Sun Protective Clothing: It’s not recommended for babies to wear sunscreen until they’re 6 months old. Even then, you don’t always want to lather them up each time you go outside. Protect your child with a wide brimmed sun hat and sun protective clothing. SwimZip offers a huge variety of up to UPF50+ hats and clothing for infants, kids, and grown-ups.

Click here and use promo code DISCOVER15 to get 15% off all SwimZip hats and clothing

Winter Bunting: If you’re having a winter baby, make sure to protect them from the elements. Columbia has a fantastic selection of baby buntings for when you’re traveling to and from the car or if you’re playing outside in the snow. 

11. Swaddling Sleepsack

Why you need this on your minimalist baby registry: If you want to encourage a good night’s sleep for your baby (and yourself), you’ll need a swaddling sleep sack.

Budget Option: The Halo sleepsack swaddle is just a tiny bit stretchy and made with double-knit 100% cotton. Plus, it comes in dozens of colors and gender neutral designs. Keeping your baby swaddled is helpful to make them feel secure and reduce their startle reflexes. The 3-way adjustable swaddle allows your baby to keep their arms-in, arms-out, or one of each. In addition, an inverted zipper opens at the bottom for easy diaper changes without opening the swaddle. This is available in multiple sizes, including preemie.

Splurge Option: The Limitlessly Baby Swaddle is a minimalist’s dream. Unlike the Halo which requires you to buy a larger size each time your baby hits a growth milestone, the Limitless swaddle grows with your child. For example, it comes with an extension piece that increases the length of the sleepsack as your child grows. This allows you can keep using the same sleepsack without having to buy an additional size. It’s also made with organic cotton and gives you several different colors to choose from. The only downside is that this swaddle has snaps at the bottom rather than a zipper closure. 

12. Crib

Why you need this on your minimalist baby registry: Unless you are exclusively co-sleeping, your baby will need a place to rest. 

Budget Option: The Hudson crib by Babyletto is a fantastic option and has great reviews. First, it’s made with solid New Zealand pine wood and screened for harmful chemicals to ensure it meets Greenguard Gold certification. This means it’s been tested for over 10,000 chemical emissions and VOCs, meeting some of the world’s most stringent chemical emissions requirements. Second, it easily transitions as your baby grows from a crib to a toddler bed or daybed. The conversion kit is included for your convenience and there are multiple colors available.

Splurge Option: If you’d like to spend your life savings on a baby crib, the Lydian Crib by Nursery Works is the right one for you. It has a 24-karat gold square base that elevates its floating frame. The frame is bench-made from American sourced solid black walnut. The aforementioned walnut has a no-VOC finish: with less than 0.1g/liter, no off-gassing, and made with vegetable-based ingredients. Each piece is crafted within a small batch production using hand-selected wood in Los Angeles. Plus, it converts to a toddler bed with no conversion kit required.

13. Mattress

Why you need this on your minimalist baby registry: Unless your crib comes with a mattress, you’ll need to purchase one separately. If your baby feels comfortable and safe in their crib, they will sleep better.

Budget Option: Naturepedic sells the best mattresses on the market today, hands down. Their crib mattresses are no exception. Their classic crib mattress is crafted using organic cotton fabric and fill, with a patented waterproof coating made from non-GMO sugarcane which meets food contact standards. It has a wipe-clean waterproof surface, organic cotton batting, and your choice between a lightweight wavesupport™ core or coil innerspring. All Naturepedic mattresses meet the organic and non-toxic standards of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), are Made-Safe Certified, and Greenguard Gold Certified. Your baby (and you) can rest easy knowing they are sleeping on a safe, non-toxic mattress.

Click here and use promo code SPROUT15 to get 15% off any Naturepedic mattress

Splurge Option: The Dreamton organic cotton crib mattress by White Lotus Home is a beautiful work of art. Each mattress takes 3 days to craft by hand in order to get the firmness necessary to reduce the risk of SIDS. It contains compressed, unbleached, untreated cotton batting. The interior core is then wrapped in a layer of virgin lambswool from within an unbleached, 100% organic cotton case. 

14. Car Seat with Stroller Attachment

Why you need this on your minimalist baby registry: If you plan on purchasing a car seat and a stroller, getting ones that connect together will save you time, energy, and sanity.

Budget Option: The Nuna Pipa car seat gives you a lot of bang for your buck. Did you know that all Nuna car seats are free of toxic fire retardants? Each element is smartly sourced to be both flame resistant and contain no added fire-retardant chemicals. In addition, this popular car seat easily connects to the Pepp Next Stroller with its included car seat adapter.

Splurge Option: The UPPAbaby car seat and stroller system is the epitome of baby travel gear. First, the Mesa infant car seat connects to select model strollers including the UPPAbaby Vista and UPPAbaby Cruz. Second, the Jordan Charcoal Melange fabric was selectively picked for this car seat. It prepares for any hazardous event because it’s naturally fire-retardant with no toxic chemicals added through the use of Merino Wool.

Minimalist Baby Registry: Nice to Have Items

It’s hard to be a minimalist when it comes to having a newborn. Below are some items that are nice to have but are not critical to your parenting success.

Nice to Have Items for Baby

1. Baby Lounger: Many moms claim this is their most useful baby item. A baby lounger is essentially a large pillow with a groove in the middle so your baby can lay in it without falling out. Snuggle Me makes a great lounger using organic, non-toxic, breathable, and hypoallergenic fabrics. In addition, it’s filled with polyester fiber fill for a fully machine washable lounger. Askr + Embla sells another great option. Their lounger is made with an organic hemp cover, hypoallergenic polyester-fill insert, and a mattress made of 100% wool.

2. Portable Rocker: Made popular on Shark Tank, the Ready Rocker has the potential to save you money and space by replacing an expensive rocking chair – and it’s portable! This innovative device allows you to turn any seat into a rocker. It’s great for traveling and it helps with lumbar support.

3. Baby Bouncer: A baby bouncer is a fantastic piece of gear and arguably a baby’s favorite item. The BabyBjörn bouncer allows for fun and natural bouncing that stimulates your baby’s development. Plus, it has an ergonomic design and provides gentle head and neck support for your little one.

Nice to Have Items for Parents

1. Baby Harness: As a minimalist, you don’t want to mess with a fancy fabric baby wrap. Invest in an easy-to-use baby harness so you can wear your child until they’re 35 pounds. My favorite is the S.01 Action Baby Carrier by Mission Critical. It’s military inspired so it’s manly enough for even the toughest dads to wear. Plus, it has a stowable sun shield, and its heavy-duty construction will keep your baby extremely safe and secure in nearly any circumstance.

2. Alcohol Test Strips for Breastmilk: This product is wonderful if you’re baby drinks your breastmilk but you like to indulge in a glass of wine now and then. Simply put a few drops of your milk onto an breastmilk alcohol test strip and in two minutes it will tell you if your milk is safe from alcohol.

Minimalist Baby Registry: Popular Items You Don’t Need

Don’t fall into the over-buying trap. There are a ton “must-have” baby registry items that you don’t need. Save your money, time, and space by skipping the items below.

1. Odor Control Diaper Pail: As a mom of twins, I can confirm an odor control diaper pail is not necessary. We got by just fine with a standard, small waste basket. Unless you use a compost service, all you need to do is take the dirty diapers to the garbage can once or twice a day. In addition, when you buy a fancy diaper pail you need to add in the cost of the compatible trash bags. These can really add up and a lot of first-time parents forget about that extra cost.

2. Wipes Warmer: Do not spend your money on a wipes warmer. This will only spoil your child and get them used to a warm wipe. Thus, potentially causing a tantrum any time they are wiped with a cold wipe on the go or at daycare.

3. Smart Bassinet: Unless you need to for medical purposes, I don’t promote using or strapping electronic devices on or around your baby. That includes the use of an ultra-popular (and ultra-expensive), smart bassinet. If you absolutely must use a smart baby monitor, Nanit has a thorough and trusted selection of cameras and breathing wear.

4. Baby Floor Seat: A baby floor seat is absolutely not necessary. By the time your child can support the weight of their own head, their thighs will have nearly outgrown the seat. My twins used this seat one time, luckily ours was a hand-me-down.

Sources:

(1) https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Baby-Bottles-And-Bisphenol-A-BPA.aspx

(2) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25813067/

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