Congratulations,
you’re pregnant! The glorious news has arrived. Now what? I know you are
thinking now I wait for the baby to come. But it is not like that. Now, you
start preparations for your baby birth. And those preparations include creating
a baby registry.
What is a baby registry?
A
baby registry is a list of items the new mom wants for her baby when it
arrives. Once the news of pregnancy becomes public, the gift givers arrive from
all sides. And having more than one of most things and none of what you want is
not something you want to go through after your baby shower. So moms open baby
registries at the stores where you can make a list of all you want and your
friends and family can select things from that list to buy as a gift.
The
store manages the purchases and ensures that there are no duplicate purchases
made on the registry items. Every registrant you add gets a thank you note and
you can buy every remaining unpurchased item in one order at a discount.
Is it necessary?
I
would say yes. Babies need a lot of stuff. And for first-time moms, everything
needs to be purchased. By the time you realize that the list is too long, you
are already exhausted. Moreover, the guests coming to your baby shower will
know what to bring for you. You get what you want, no hassle of returning and
exchanging products.
Usually,
moms start making a list at 12 weeks. It may seem early, but making a list of
all the items for a registry takes a lot of time. There are so many things to
compare, so much research to do. To find the best things suitable for your baby
is very time-consuming. So, it is better to start as early as you can.
What should be added to the
registry list?
A
first-time mom can put anything and everything on the baby registry. The best baby registry would be one which
has all the baby must-haves along with the expensive items. The best baby registry items are those
which are safe and could be used for a long time. You can put items from the
following categories in your list:
1. Clothes:
I would start with clothes because it is
easy to shortlist. Select clothes according to the weather. A baby won't need
shoes until the time it starts walking. But be sure to include bodysuits,
pajamas, mittens, booties, caps, and onesies all in 0-3 months' size.
2. Changing supplies:
Next comes the changing supply items.
You don’t just need diapers, you will need a diaper bag, a changing pad with
cushions, baby wipes, baby cream, bottom covers and even inserts. You can put
all of these on the registry.
3.
Bathing
supplies:
You will need a bathtub/chair, baby bath
towel, anti-slip mat, lots of washcloths. Apart from these, you will need to
buy baby soap, baby shampoo, baby powder, nail cutter and filer, hairbrush and
toothbrush (the finger brush).
4.
Transport
supplies:
Though you will not take out the infant
immediately, you will need supplies like a baby carrier, car seat and a baby
stroller.
5.
Feeding
supplies:
Make a list in such a way that it is
useful for almost next 2 years. You will need a nursing pillow, nursing pads,
burp cloths, floor mat, convertible high chair, baby food containers, sippy
cups, milk bottles and also a bottle cleaning brush.
6.
Bedding
supplies:
You will need a baby pillow, blankets,
and bassinet for co-sleeping and a crib, crib mattress and bed sheets for the
nursery.
7. Other supplies:
Apart from all this stuff, there are many
small and bid items that could be added to the list like a thermometer, a
safety gate, baby monitor, baby grooming kit, rocker, playmat, teethers,
humidifier and so on.
Most
of this stuff is in the basic needs category but you can always shortlist
according to your requirements. For example, baby grooming kit entirely depends
on your personal preference; a safety gate is also dependent on the type of
house you own. Also, a baby humidifier is highly recommended because it cleans
and humidifies the air which makes it comfortable for the baby. Plus, dry air
can aggravate the cold and cough symptoms. But that also depends on the
location where you live.
Where to start the registry?
Huge
stores with all the products in stock which facilitates online buying are
ideally considered the best places for a baby registry. But that is not
it. There are other factors to consider like after sales services (i.e.
assembling of the crib), updating the registry list, return policy and gifts.
Mostly all big stores like Target, Amazon, BuyBuy Baby, Babies R Us, Pottery
Barn Kids etc. give out gifts and freebies for registering your account or
starting a list. According to my research, the best baby registry sites are Amazon and Target. There are many others but out of
all of them, these 2 stand out as winners.
Why are they, winners? Find out the reasons below:
Amazon Baby
Registry
The
baby registry of Amazon is becoming more popular every year. The greatest thing
about Amazon is that there are no best items for Amazon baby registry. Amazon has the largest collection of baby products and is
considered the biggest online retailer. So everything you want, any model or
version is available here. Amazon is the best
universal baby registry.
Upsides:
·
One of the greatest reason
is you can add a product from any
site on Amazon. It does not have to be an Amazon product or link. Suppose you
like something on Pottery barn kids, you can add it to your Amazon Baby
registry with just a mouse click.
·
It has been an experience
with a lot of new mothers that the prices on Amazon are usually cheaper than
other sites.
·
The return policy is awesome
too. Almost all baby gear is returnable within 90 days of purchase. Moreover,
the person who gifted it to you is not informed about the product being
returned. So you can use the store credit directly.
·
As discussed above, it has
everything under the sun.
·
If you have friends or
family members who like to buy from stores, they can still mark the products as
purchased from the registry list. They don’t have to buy it from Amazon.
Discounts:
·
Amazon gives 10% discount
right from the go on select items in your registry.
·
If you are a member of
Amazon Mom, you get 15% discount.
·
If you are a Prime member on
top, you get delivery within 24 hours. Even for non-prime members, delivery is
free above $49.
·
There is also a completion
discount where if select items are purchased within 30 days of due date, you
get 10% off up to $5000.
Downsides:
·
For non-prime members,
shipping and return policies are a little less friendly.
·
The discount period is only
for 30 days.
How to make an Amazon baby registry?
Just click on this link – and click on the button named “Get
Started”.
Target Baby Registry
Target
is the most convenient store in the USA. Almost everyone has one Target near
their home. It is the best place for baby registry
because you can create a baby registry which works both on their online
store as well as the offline store.
Upsides:
·
It has both online and
offline options to cater all kinds of the crowd.
·
They have a fantastic refund
policy where you can return or exchange the unopened, unused products anytime
within one year of the event. So you get one full year. It is a very convenient
option for busy parents.
· The gift-giver is not
notified in case of returns; you can use the store credit directly.
· After completing your
registration, you get a big complimentary package full of discount coupons,
samples, and promo supplies. It arrives at roughly 8 weeks before your delivery
date.
Discounts:
·
6 weeks before your delivery
date, you get a 15% off coupon for every unpurchased item in your registry
list.
·
Above $25, shipping for
everything you buy is free.
Downsides:
· The return policy though
extended accepts only unopened items. While Target's counterparts accept opened
items as well.
· The in-store selection of
items is much smaller than their online version.
· The stock in various Target
stores varies widely.
· The 15% off coupon needs to
be used in just one day. Though it could be used multiple times in that day.
How to make a Target baby registry?
Just click on this link – and click on the button named “Create
Registry”.
Conclusion:
After
reviewing the 2 best baby registry sites
it is kind of clear that the perks and advantages of Amazon are unmatched.
Their range of products, pricing, facilities, and even discounts are the best.
Though Target does not come close to these perks, them having stores all across
the USA is a handy feature. The convenience of Target is something Amazon
cannot compete with. But it does have an option of adding Target products on
the list as an answer to that small downside. In short, with Amazon, you simply
can’t go wrong.
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