Baby Registry Guide: On The Go
Hi mamma – I found registering for a baby to be a difficult process, mainly because I had no idea what to get. I didn’t want to just register for the most expensive items, because wow, you need a lot of baby items on the go. And I didn’t want to put a million things on my registry that I’d never use.
I put together a three-part registry guide to help get you on your way as you register for your new bundle of joy. Hopefully, by sharing this info as a three-part series, you won’t be too overwhelmed with everything you have to go through. First things first – if you just want the whole thing, no holds barred, a complete guide to your baby registry – check out this post.
If you’d like the bite-size version, this section focuses on what you’ll need for baby items on the go and around the house. Think strollers, diaper bags, bouncers, baby carriers, and everything in between.
This post probably contains affiliate links. That means if you buy something using one of my links I may receive a small commission – at no additional cost to you! How cool is that? It’s kind of boring, but feel free to read my full disclosure if you want more info.
Baby Registry Part 1: The Nursery
Registry Part 2: On the Go & Around the House (YOU ARE HERE!)
Baby Registry Part 3: Feeding, Clothing, Bath & General Household Items
Need more help? Dive into The Registry Fairy now!
Figuring out what items are the best for you and your family can be tricky. Not to mention you’re already doing a TON of research on newborn essentials and your baby registry. If not, why would you be here?!
The great news is that I have something that can help. It’s called The Registry Fairy and is a set of done-for-you organizational spreadsheets and videos that take all the guesswork out of the baby registry process. It helps take all the stress out of your baby registry and provides real-life (mom and baby tested) recommendations for items that you’ll want. If you want a step-by-step guide to the baby registry of your dreams – check out The Registry Fairy.
Learn more about how to get done-for-you registry organization and recommendations here!
Baby items on the go:
Let’s dive right into all the things you’ll need to make getting out of the house a breeze. This obviously includes things like diaper bags, car seats, strollers, etc.
Diaper Bag
We got this one from Pottery Barn, but most of the Skip Hop brands I looked at were rated highly. I ended up with multiple diaper bags because they performed different functions.
In the newborn phase, I 100% needed all the space from my Pottery Barn classic diaper bag. However, as little lady got older and was on the move, I really wanted my hands free to chase her. And I didn’t need quite so many things. Enter the diaper bag backpack. I thought long and hard about this purchase before we got one, but I LOVE our Freshly Picked diaper bag backpack.
There are a lot of highly rated diaper bags and diaper bag backpacks out there, but this one has been going strong for us for almost a year now so I’d highly recommend. It’s definitely easier than lugging around the large duffel style I was using before.
Skip Hop Diaper Bag
Freshly Picked Diaper Bag Backpack
Skip Hop Diaper Bag Backpack
HaloVa Diaper Bag Backpack *budget-friendly pick
Fawn Design Diaper Bag
Carseats
Chicco Keyfit 30 + extra base
I highly recommend this carseat, along with the Car Seat Caddy for infant use. We definitely wanted an infant car seat before transitioning into a convertible, and this fit the bill perfectly. I always felt like she was super safe, and it was easy to carry her in and out and swap cars even while she was sleeping.
The Keyfit Caddy was also great for the newborn naps since we didn’t have to take her out to get in a stroller. Technically you can get an infant adapter for many of the strollers on the market, but we used the caddy as her regular stroller until she was well over six months old. (See below for image of the Caddy we used with our infant car seat).
KeyFit Caddy Frame
You can jump right to a convertible car seat, but it makes transitioning a sleeping infant much harder, and one of my cardinal rules of infancy was to never wake a sleeping baby (except in the first two weeks to eat :))
Since this is a baby registry post, I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you to go ahead and register for your convertible car seat as well. We transitioned at about 7 months, although many people do it earlier when the baby gets too hard to lug around.
These puppies are NOT cheap, so if you can get them off your registry or get a discount when completing your registry, it’s worth it to add them.
We loved our Keyfit so much, we upgraded to the Chicco NextFit convertible Carseat, and also used the Britax Marathon in our second car.
If you’ve read any of my travel posts, you’ll know I also recommend a travel car seat that is lightweight, so you may as well put one of those on your baby registry as well!
Infant Carseat:
Graco SnugRide Essentials
Convertible Car Seat:
Chicco Nextfit
Britax Marathon
Britax Boulevard
Safety 1st Grow and Go 3-in-one
Travel Carseat:
Evenflo Tribute LX
Cosco Scenera Next
If you want to learn more about convertible car seats specifically, check out this post on the best convertible car seat reviews.
Britax Backseat Mirror
I’m not going to sugar coat this, these aren’t typically recommended by car seat experts. They aren’t considered 100% safe as they could come off and become a projectile in the event of a crash. For me, it was critical to be able to see little lady while I was driving, but this is totally up to you.
She screamed a lot at first in the car and I always wanted to make sure she wasn’t choking and was still ok when she was upset. This mirror has straps that go all around the headrest so felt more comfortable, and we have one in both our cars. When weighing the erratic nature of my driving when she was screaming and I couldn’t see what was going on, versus the off chance it would somehow become unstrapped in a wreck, I decided we should go with the mirror.
Stroller
The best thing about this stroller is the one-handed close, which has been so helpful as a mom who only ever has one hand available. It was also critical that the large canopy protects from the sun (which it does) and also have a window so I could see what little was doing. It’s super easy to steer and has great tires and suspension so I don’t mind going a little off road with it. I did get used to the HUGE basket on the Keyfit Caddy, so I miss that feature, but I’m happy with the purchase overall, and for the price, it’s definitely a win.
Other awesome options:
Uppa Baby Vista
Dourxi Lightweight Stroller (Budget-friendly)
Umbrella stroller
Summer Lite 3D Convenience Stroller
This is a well-priced umbrella stroller that we’ve checked on an airplane for more than eight flights without issue. It is much lighter than the Baby Jogger and takes up way less space to pack in a trunk. If you travel or just want to pick up a convenient umbrella stroller, this is definitely a good bet.
You can get an umbrella stroller for significantly cheaper than this one, but they will only have a lap belt. We went on our first trip when little lady was seven months old and she definitely still needed the five point harness. This stroller has that as well as a decent size canopy, which many cheaper umbrella strollers are missing. Definitely a good option for travel!
Baby Wraps & Carriers
Boba
I LOVED this wrap when little lady was super tiny. We started using it at about four weeks, and as soon as I put her in she immediately fell asleep. It was my secret weapon. I actually called it baby magic. We used it until she was about five or six months old, when we switched to the Ergo. Although a wrap is a bit of a pain to get on and off, it was absolutely worth it once I found out how soothed she felt in the early days.
Ergo 360 4 Position Carrier
We loved our Ergo and it was the carrier daddy used most of the time. We didn’t use the infant insert because we still felt like little lady was too small for the carrier, so we used our Boba wrap until we could use the booster pillow and she fit comfortably in the Ergo. It was so great to be able to strap her on and go out and run errands. Definitely a must-have baby item.
Baby Wraps & Carriers:
Moby Wrap
Ring Sling
Lillebaby six-position 360 carrier
Shopping cart cover
You’ll probably want one of these for when you go shopping or out to eat to cover high chairs. We didn’t really use it after the first year, but at first when I was terrified of germs we took it everywhere. I’d recommend one with the positioner pillow because baby may have trouble sitting up in a shopping cart at first, even when they sit up well on their own elsewhere.
Portable sound machine
We were using a sound machine in our room as soon as little lady was born, and bought one for her room as soon as she transitioned into her crib just after three months. She was always super fussy in the car and listening to the rain app on my phone always soothed her. This Marpac Hushh Portable Sound Machine is an awesome size and price for travel, or for just strapping to baby’s car seat when going out.
If you want something that will help put your baby to sleep on the go, it’s an awesome option.
Baby Items for Around the House:
Activity Gym
Fisher Price Kick N Play Piano Gym
The Kick N Play Piano Gym is great as it is a toy that lasts through multiple stages. It can provide stimulation and fulfillment from the time baby is just starting to kick. There are tons of bright colors as well as sounds from the piano and the toys. We loved watching little lady learn to kick and hit the keys, and then eventually reach up for the hanging toys.
After baby learns to move, the toys can come off and go places for continued use. Finally, the piano comes fully off and can be used on its own. We were still using the piano portion at almost two.
Bassinet
We decided to go multi-purpose and use a Pack N Play in our room for sleeping. That being said, little lady was a little farther away than I would have liked initially. We did some research and would have purchased the Halo Bassinet had we not decided on the Pack N Play. This is something you’ll need to decide for your family. I’d heard from some friends that their babies could only sleep in the bassinet for a couple of months, and I didn’t want to spend the extra money when I knew we’d get way more use out of a Pack N Play.
Halo Bassinet
Now that we have baby #2 on the way, I’ve given some additional thought to what I’ll want in our room. I’m not sure if it is the Pinterest ads, or the fact that I love the book, The Happiest Baby on the Block but I am seriously considering renting or buying a snoo bassinet.
Snoo Bassinet
These things are SERIOUSLY expensive, but if they really do everything the ads promise, its probably worth it for the extra sleep.
Mika Micky Bedside Sleeper
Bouncer
Fisher Price Snug a Puppy Bouncer
I loved the Fisher Price Rock N Play with my first daughter, but since it was recalled I needed a replacement baby holder for the list. I didn’t use this one but we did use the swing version of this – you’ll need somewhere safe to just put the baby down for a few minutes.
Baby Bjorn Bouncer
Bright Starts Playful Pinwheels Bouncer
Baby Monitor
Infant Optics DXR8 Video Monitor
I’m going to recommend this monitor because I haven’t found a better option. I love the fact that we can see her, there is two-way communication, and the camera provides different angles in the room. It also has a million good reviews on Amazon.
When the battery failed (wouldn’t hold a charge unless it was plugged in) they replaced it without question, which was awesome. It is reasonably priced for a video monitor.
However, I wouldn’t say that this is one of our favorite baby items. The biggest cons are that battery life is less than six hours and possible Wi-Fi interference. We have to plug it in every evening before bed or it’s dead in the morning, and my husband swears it interferes with our wi-fi.
Anmeate video digital monitor
Vtech Audio Monitor
Books
There are a million books you can register for and I won’t pretend I can cover them all in this list. I will recommend registering for a set of miniature board books, pictured above. Little lady loved these her first year because they were her perfect size. She now “reads” them to herself at 21 months. I don’t think I would have ever thought about something like this when I was first registering, hence the recommendation!
Here is a list of books I recommend you just stick on your registry:
Goodnight Moon
Brown Bear Brown Bear
Love you forever
Peek a boo forest
Pack N Play (Playard)
I’d recommend registering for two Pack N Plays. One bare bones, and one with bells and whistles if you’d like a fancier version. We used one with a napper and changing station. The changing station was incredibly useful in the early days. It’s what we used for the first few months of her life for changing and dressing.
The napper – not so much. She didn’t love it, and I couldn’t figure out a way to attach it properly for vibration. The nearby bassinet in the above option seems like a much more functional accessory. As a bonus, it can double as a travel bed if needed. The more bare-bones option can be used at grandmas or for travel. Again, the second PNP is only a “nice to have.” If you travel a lot or spend time frequently with relatives it’s a nice addition.
Swing
First things first – we didn’t actually end up keeping the swing we got for our little lady. Friends allowed us to borrow theirs for a few months. Since we don’t have a ton of storage this was one of the items that went back for store credit. We borrowed the Fisher Price SnugaPuppy Swing and also know other friends with this version. They’ve all liked it a lot. Lady C didn’t really like swinging that much, but many people swear by them.
Jumperoo
I didn’t get one of these or an Exersaucer, but I do recommend putting one on your registry as little lady loved the ones at daycare. They’re also somewhat pricey so it’s great to get them at a shower versus paying for one later on. We borrowed from friends and she loved the toys for a couple of months.
I know this is a TON of information, but hopefully, the suggestions above get you started on all the baby items on the go and around the house. If you’re ready for more, check out parts one and three of my registry guide to outfit your nursery, and then for feeding, clothing, and general baby care.
Don’t forget to grab your registry printable checklist to have handy while you’re finalizing everything. Just enter your email below and it will head straight to your email 🙂
Feel free to pin this post for later so you can come back!
