I was wondering what are must haves with a new baby. Any advice would be great...I am one that would rather have just enough than too much.

TIA

There's lots of personal preferences for your registery. Check out the sheets they have available to you at the store. I would also suggest taking a friend who has children with you. I did that and it was very helpful. I also had another friend look over my registery when I was done.

There are some great books out there, too. You can get a book called something like the Guide to Baby Gear. There's a consumer reports Baby Gear Book.

I really liked have some cloth diapers on hand to use as burp cloths, lap pads, diaper changing pads, you name it!

I would also register for some clothes in different sizes.

Sheesh! It's not even been that long and I'm drawing a blank. I'll keep thinking!

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Blessed beyond measure

A few things I loved and plan to use again with my next baby, due Feb. 28th:
Boppy
Baby Bjorn
Side snap shirts (great for newborns while their belly button is still healing)
Cloth diapers

I would also make sure you test out the stroller in the store you plan to register for to make sure it is comfortable to push, open, close and lift.

It's an expensive must-have for me but a video monitor. I went through 2 others before I finally broke down and bought one. Now I sleep like the dead since I can roll over and see what DS is up to, before I woke up over any little noise - real or imagined. Mine is a Summer Infant and retail is 169$; I bought mine used in craigslist for half that.

Also the johnny jump-up that hangs from the door frame. DS hated the swing but loved to bounce and it was a life saver for taking a shower, doing laundry, making dinner, etc. He even fell asleep in it on occasion. They avg $20.

A portable high-chair. Mine is made by FP and cost about $25. I use this when we go to dinner at in-laws, restaurants, friends, etc. He understands the routine cause it's his chair and he knows he is expected to sit in it at (given location). It's compact and light-weight and I keep it in my trunk.

A shopping cart seat cover. You never know what other people put in those front seats, especially in the grocery store. I don't want DS sitting in left over raw meat funk or something equally nasty.

That's all I can think of atm. Good luck!

Just a tip when you are registering and putting clothes on it. Remember the seasons and you don't know how fast your baby will grow.
Also, if you are registering a couple months before your showers those same clothes might not be available. It's best to add clothes last minute when the shower invites go out. Some people will go crazy looking for an oufit that the store doesn't even carry anymore or some of the new registries might just say it's not available, so you won't get the cute outfits you wanted.

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Austin
Mom to 3 beautiful girls

Babies R Us carries something called a "sheet saver" that was awesome. My baby spit up ALL THE TIME. With this, you could take off the sheet saver and the sheet underneath was still clean. It helped, especially in the middle of the night when you just want the baby back to sleep asap.

Instead of clothing, which everyone will get you for your shower anyway, I'd go with something that you could use a little bit later such as sippy cups, spoons, bowls, cups, etc. Also remember that most people will also get you an outfit or two after the baby is born and they come visit you. I didn't register for clothing (except onesies and a few sleepers) and I still got so much that some of it was never worn and still has tags on it!!

I forgot to mention make sure that you put all of the basics down too. That way you may get some of them and be able to spend your money on fun things like clothing and not needed things.

diapers (diapers, diapers and more diapers!!)
wipes (lots and lots of wipes)
baby wash
diaper cream
tylenol
formula (if you don't plan to bf)

Definitely register for diapers and the basics. You might want to put some kind of bathtub on there, we didn't use the bathtub when he was little but at about 6 months started using a bath seat, attached to the side of the tub and he sat up in it, it was great. Also, lots of burpies, blankets, and onsies. You cannot have too many onsies!
I agree with the johnny jump up he loved it and we kept it and he loved his playmat that had animals hanging from it and a mirror on one side, LOVED it!

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Maggie - Nanny to Nephew - Mom to Caitlyn Marie!!

Just a reminder.... please tell people to put in a gift reciept ( or whoever is throwing the shower )

I had a hell of a time returning things to Target even when those things were on my regestry and clearly the target brand.

I would even go as far as putting a little "reminder" on the bottom of the invite! lol

It's funny, even when you register for things, some people do not go by that and you do end up with alot of double things, which is ok, but you need to be able to return those items if you wish.

My 2 cents have a great shower!

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married 8 years to a crazy Brit, mommy to a banana, she is 4 and a pineapple who is 11 months, mommy to 3 ~angel~ babies

Receiving blankets were/are a lifesaver for alternative burp cloths (burp cloths seem too small to me, your shirt still gets hit) & for later wiping her face after messy solids sessions. Diapers are always a good thing to register for. A boppy is a great idea even if you bottle feed. I still use mine. It helps give her something to sit on and makes feeding her more comfortable for both of us.They also make rattles that go around a babies wrist or on their feet if your baby is too young to hold onto a regular rattle. Even after my babe was old enough to hold them I kept using the wrist rattles for when we went out. It nice to know she wouldn't lose them. Another idea (not essential) is a moses basket for when your babe is new. That way you can go from room to room and have a safe place to keep your babe with you. For my baby her bouncer was my lifesaver. It was the only way I ever got any showers (I'm a single parent so no one was there to help that way). You might want to look into how to swaddle your babe or if you can get a blanket specifially made for swaddling. Swaddling, jiggling lightly, rocking, and making shushing noises helped quite a few times (not always though, babies need to cry sometimes) when mine was in a screaming mood. Different types of teethers are a good idea too. Some babies teeth early. Mine did but she was still too little that the fridge ones made her cry more. It helped to have some other ones. I would suggest something like the baby einstein stuffed toy with little teethers on the ends. Worst case scenario: your babe doesn't teeth early but can still use it as a toy to cuddle with or chuck around. They can always use it later, when out and about, if a cold teether isn't available. I had a front carrier too since I couldn't always fit her carrier in the shopping carts. I did all of our shopping with a good, sturdy, front carrier. Some swear by slings for those first few months. Well, that's all I've got off the top of my head. >_>