When I found out I was pregnant I went through a rollercoaster of emotions that swung from absolute shock to happy tears. But soon after the excitement set in, it was time to start searching and saving items for a baby registry. I started down a rabbit hole searching for the cutest newborn hospital outfits (of which I found so many I made a whole post of it) but then I spiraled into doubt. Do I need/want/deserve a sprinkle or is making a baby registry, especially during such strange times, just selfish?

I spoke to a couple of mom friends who said that people love to celebrate the people they love - so I should not only make the registry but also consider a tiny socially distanced gathering or a virtual sprinkle. Not so long ago I had a virtual joint shower with my cousin’s wife (who has since given birth to a beautiful boy) and have another joint sprinkle scheduled with my sister-in-law who is due only 4 weeks behind me.

For my full Babylist, check out: My Baby Registry

For my firstborn, I had an Amazon registry, but this time I opted for Babylist. I loved that I could add items from anywhere, particularly small sellers and shops.

Here’s my checklist/ thoughts prior to making the baby registry for my second kid —

Go through all of newborn/baby products and count: pacifiers, bottles, containers etc. and see if there are any age gaps that could use some extra goods.
Consider if any baby tech (like a monitor, thermometer, owlet etc.) is outdated or if there’s been advancements since your first baby.
Go through all baby clothes/shoes and pull a Marie Kondo (aka only keep if it brings you joy… or doesn’t have too many milk stains). Re-wash everything. Donate what you’re not keeping and put away everything else. (I organize drawers by size and don’t keep anything in the drawer thats over 3-6 months in size. The rest is stored in lower drawers awaiting growth spurts.)
List out the items I borrowed the first time around. Which items will I be able to borrow again/buy used and which would I feel more comfortable having something new that I can pass on afterwards? Which items didn’t really work for my first baby and which would I be willing to try again?
What about matching sibling items? Include a few items that will make the older child feel like a part of the process.
How do you plan to get around with two kids? Do you need a two-kid stroller, a BuggyBoard, a side car??

Avoid adding too many toys to the list (this is personal to me because my apartment is pretty much filled to the brim) but a new Sophie Giraffe and tummy time toy won’t do any harm.
Overall - consider making a shorter more thoughtful list that also includes a couple of cash funds for specific big ticket items; in our case, I thought that a handsfree Willow Pump would be ideal since I’ll be chasing a toddler and a Nuna Rava is the carseat I’ve always.

Happy planning!

xoxo Christianne aka MiLOWE MOM

@milowekids