By: Mary Kennon Lewis
With a gleam in his eye and the registry gun in hand, my husband was a dad-to-be on a mission. We were completing our baby registry and being assisted by a sales associate who was at the top of his game. This associate walked us through each aisle of the store, expertly showing off items that were a “must have” for any new baby or parent. As we walked and listened, I noticed my husband pointing and clicking like a madman at anything and everything that was recommended (and a few more items, I later saw).
Two hours later, we walked out of the store confident that we had left no stone (or bottle, in this case) unturned. We had been schooled on everything from how loud each breast pump sounded when running, to each accessory available for the stroller we had chosen. What we weren’t schooled on, but found out after our little bundle of joy arrived, was how unnecessary many of these “must haves” were. Just to point out a few that were on our registry:
- Scented and colored disposable diaper bags – Ziploc bags serve the same purpose and are much less expensive. No one is going to compliment you on how cute and color-coordinated your disposable diaper bags are.
- Fancy garbage cans for storing dirty diapers – Sure, it seems like a great idea until you speak with other parents who remind you that diapers are going to smell no matter where they are. Would you rather have that smell in the nursery or outside (in a Ziploc) in the garage trash can? Also, a lot of these specialty garbage cans require that you purchase their expensive trash bags.
- Wipe Warmers – What happens when you don’t have your wipe warmer with you or it breaks? Do you really want your child getting accustomed to this? Wipe warmers are also notorious for drying out baby wipes before you’re halfway through the package.
- Pricey high chairs and swings – After registering for a $399 high chair and not receiving it as a gift, we went back, re-evaluated, and chose a convertible high chair for $59 that is easy to clean and exactly what we needed. Don’t get caught up in the hype here…
- Baby formula, laundry detergent, baby shampoo, cleaning supplies – Yes, these are “must have” items, but you can often times find them for much less at a superstore like Target, etc. Definitely do price comparisons before you buy and always look online or in your newspaper for coupons.
It’s easy to get caught up in the moment when you’re registering and you get that super fun little registry gun. We all want what’s best for our baby but that doesn’t always mean that it has to be the most expensive item available. What are your must-have registry items and what are your registry regrets?
