A lot of the first year of a baby’s life is spent being fed. Because of this, there are a lot of feeding items to register for. Unfortunately, this is a category in which babies can be picky. Some kids are very particular about bottles, nipples, foods they will accept, etc. I would suggest to not go overboard registering for some of these items because you may find your baby prefers a different type/brand later on.
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Below I have broken the baby feeding items into the following categories; breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and solids. Some of you may be skipping the breastfeeding section so I wanted to make it easier for you to do that.
Everyone knows that breastmilk is best, even the formula companies admit that fact right on the can labels. So if you are able to breastfeed, I would recommend trying – plus it saves a ton of money. But no judgment from me if you are unable or choose not to breastfeed (there are tons of reasons why breastfeeding is not always best).
READ MORE: SUPER HELPFUL BREASTFEEDING & PUMPING TIPS
If you breastfeed, you most likely (and hopefully) won’t be around your baby 24/7. Thus, you will need to pump breastmilk while you are away.
Personally, I have breastfed my two daughters each until over their first birthdays. It is a job! Here are the breastfeeding items I would recommend to include on your baby registry;
DO NOT REGISTER FOR A BREAST PUMP!!! Your insurance covers a breast pump (thank you Obama!).
The reason I include this item on the list is that most insurance companies will give you options to choose from. I knew I wanted this exact breast pump so I ended up paying $50 for the upgrade versus one of the free options my insurance company offered.
Breast Pump Accessories
Whatever pump you end up with, make sure it includes, or register for, accessories that will make your breast pumping life easier. You’ll want a car adaptor, battery pack, and cooler with an ice pack if you ever plan on traveling with your breast pump. Don’t forget to register for some breastmilk storage bags in order to create your freezer stash.
I found it surprising how often I ended up having to pump in the car. I’ve even pumped multiple times while driving myself! When you’ve got to pump, you’ve got to pump (#AmIRight?). Using the car adaptor or battery pack with an electric breast pump allows you to keep both hands on the wheel if also using a hands-free pumping bra. Just remember there are tolls in Illinois if you are a more modest person than I (sorry for the show tollbooth operator!).
With my second daughter, I did end up also getting a manual breast pump. Events like pumping at a wedding reception, on a bus, or while watching Netflix are much easier when you don’t have to plug in an electric breast pump that is somewhat loud. I don’t love my manual breast pump because it takes forever but it does the job discreetly.
Also, you will want a tote to carry everything in. When I pumped at work or when traveling these wipes were nice for cleaning all the pump parts on the go.
There are a number of different nursing pillows out there. I prefer the Boppy because it is compact, easy to travel with, and can be used as an adult pillow.
I used the Boppy constantly for breastfeeding and since the baby is bound to spit up on it make sure to register for multiple covers.
READ MORE: HOW TO SET UP YOUR NURSING STATION
The scarves, car seat covers, and blankets that all claim to work as nursing covers didn’t work for me at all (at least not when the baby is a newborn).
I need to see my babies in order to help them latch correctly. I would definitely recommend getting the covers with wire to make the neckline stands out.
I needed this item with my first daughter. I wish someone had told me about it sooner, I would have put it on my baby registry.
At the beginning of breastfeeding, I was dying from pain. This little piece of plastic saved my life and allowed my daughter to feed.
The lactation consultants wanted me to stop using the nipple shield right away but without it I may have given up breastfeeding entirely and I ended up breastfeeding for over a year!
Most likely in the first few weeks of nursing you will need some type of nipple cream. I have no preference for any brand, just make sure you have some on hand before giving birth.
After giving birth, your breasts will leak a lot as your body tries to regulate your milk supply. You will need breast pads so you don’t constantly leak through shirts, especially at night. I prefer reusable breast pads, make sure to get a couple of overnight pairs for your stash.
Even if you are mostly breastfeeding your baby will still need bottles every once in a while. Mama needs a night out! Unfortunately, I was ill-prepared for how much of a struggle it would be to get my breastfed girls to take a bottle. My recommendations – start early and give bottles often!!
I should have been giving a bottle a day to my children as soon as they turned three weeks. I waited a bit too long and wasn’t always super consistent resulting in big feeding problems when I was away from them. For two weeks I even had to come home from work at lunch because my baby was refusing bottles.
I’ll admit I am not that well versed in formula feeding or how many bottles to register for etc. Here is a helpful article on formula feeding must-haves.
Bottles are tricky. Babies are tricky. My oldest really never took to bottles at all. My daughter also never graduated from a 4 oz bottle. So don’t go crazy registering for these, it may take some experimentation.
We tried a variety of different bottles and nipples including Comotomo and Dr. Brown’s. I have heard some parents recommend buying (or having each baby shower guest bring) one of each kind of bottle to see what your baby prefers. Don’t forget to register for a bottle brush to make cleaning easier.
With my second daughter, we tried numerous different brands. She ended up liking the cheap bottles that were the same brand as her pacifier – makes sense.
No matter if you are breast or bottle feeding you will want a bunch of burp cloths for the first few months. Burp cloths especially come in handy if you end up having a “happy spitter” like my first daughter was.
Starting solids with your baby can be really fun but very messy. I personally like to make most of my own baby food – it’s so simple! I’ve included a few items on this baby registry list to make your own baby food purees and squeeze pouches.
READ MORE: MAKE YOUR OWN BABY FOOD PUREES
You don’t need a special baby food maker. Any food processor will do. Some foods you boil, some you bake, and others you just wash but most everything still has to be pureed in the food processor.
I love, love, love these food storage containers. We are still using them with our toddler to store leftovers in and to carry in the diaper bag with snacks. The containers are excellent for storing the purees in the freezer. I have two sets.
I now have four snack packs that we use on a daily basis because my children can’t go anywhere without snacks (even a simple stroller walk).
These bags are the best but keep in mind I would still put super wet food in a storage container (see above) and snacks will go stale in these bags if stored overnight. If you have better reusable snack bags that keep food fresh but are still dishwasher safe please comment below!
For cereal, puffs, goldfish, etc. these snack containers are perfect for children to reach in and grab the food by themselves. Yay, for developing fine motor skills!
At first, I was buying squeeze food pouches to throw in the diaper bag to take on outings. You do not understand the amount of money I was spending on “squeezers” as my family calls them. Thankfully for Christmas, I received an easy tool to make my own food pouches – hurray!
This seat was wonderful when we didn’t have a high chair yet and our daughter was starting solids. The tray can be stored right in the seat making it very easy to travel with. Plus, the seat grows with your child. We now use it as a booster for our toddler.
I am not a fan of the high chair we ended up purchasing. I don’t like it because the wheels don’t lock (my daughter pushes it all around the kitchen) and the leg divider/snack tray is starting to catch her legs when we pull her out.
Instead, I would get this high chair – super easy to clean, has locking wheels, and its leg insert doesn’t hinder getting the child in and out.
Another no-brainer item to register for. I prefer two different types of bibs depending on the age of the child.
When you are spoon-feeding liquid purees I like these bibs because the food doesn’t soak through to the baby’s clothing underneath and you can just throw the dirty ones in the wash.
Once your baby starts eating finger foods you will want a bib with material that is easily wipeable, dries fast, and has a pouch to catch all the food that doesn’t make it in the mouth. These are the bibs I would recommend.
When fall and winter arrive I love these bibs because they really keep the baby’s clothes clean, especially the sleeves!
You won’t need sippy cups until towards the end of the first year. I have tried a lot of different kinds. I like this one because it is really easy for kids to drink out of and super easy for me to clean.
Make sure to register for a sippy cup strap. You will get really tired of constantly picking up dropped sippy cups. The strap also saves you from losing all your sippy cups on stroller walks (we learned the hard way).
These spoons turn white when food is too hot. As a parent, you feel terrible when you accidentally burn your child’s mouth. These spoons making feeding much easier.
I personally wouldn’t register for other utensils, bowls, or placemats. Instead, ask for those items as first birthday gifts.
I still use this drying rack every day. My only complaint is that sometimes I wish it were even bigger. Make sure to get the twig attachment for drying bottle nipples and pump parts.
I have two of these dishwasher baskets and I use at least one daily. Spoons, bottle nipples, etc. are all items that would fall through the top rack of the dishwasher if not kept in this handy basket.
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