10 Newborn Baby Registry Essentials I Actually Used

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One of the many surprises of becoming a first-time mom was realizing how quickly baby registry products fall into one of two categories: things you use constantly, and things that collect dust.

As a minimalist, I’ve never been interested in owning more stuff just for the sake of owning it. I want everything in our home to serve a purpose, solve a problem, or at least make everyday life easier in some small way. Motherhood hasn’t changed that philosophy for me; it has simply raised the stakes.

Since our son was born, there have been a handful of baby registry products that have truly earned their place in our home. If I were starting from scratch, these are the top 10 baby registry newborn essentials I would happily buy again (many of them secondhand). We reached for these 10 baby registry items every day during the newborn phase (and beyond).

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7 Items I Recommend Buying Secondhand:

1. UppaBaby Bassinet

We used the UppaBaby bassinet every day as our baby’s primary sleep surface (and even on stroller walks) until he started to roll over. I loved the convenience of easily transferring it from the bassinet stand to the stroller frame, the breathable mattress, and the generous shade canopy. Since all of the fabric that touches the baby is removable and machine washable, I felt very comfortable purchasing this secondhand. (We also purchased additional bassinet sheets, so we always had a clean one for the inevitable diaper blowout.) We even brought it on our first family camping trip, and he stayed cozy and safe for overnight sleep.

2. UppaBaby Minu Travel Stroller

We originally only purchased the UppaBaby Vista full-size stroller, but the UppaBaby Minu travel stroller quickly became the stroller we reached for most often. It’s lightweight, compact, and compatible with both our infant car seat and bassinet (with adapters). We purchased ours secondhand, and after a quick cleaning, it looked and felt like new. It’s so easy to gate-check at the airport, too. (Anxious about flying with a baby for the first time? Read this post for a few tips!)

3. Skip Hop Wipeable Changing Pad

The Skip Hop wipeable changing pad has survived countless diaper changes and spit-up volcanoes. Unlike fabric changing pads, it wipes clean in seconds and doesn’t add anything to my mountain of laundry. I especially appreciate that it’s slightly sloped down, so when our baby pees during diaper changes (which was quite often when he was a newborn), it flows away from him rather than soaking his little body and head.

4. Ubbi Diaper Pail

Unlike competing diaper pails, the Ubbi diaper pail is compatible with regular kitchen trash bags so you don’t have to buy expensive refills. I’m sure a regular lidded trash can would have worked fine with newborn poops that don’t smell very pungent, but once our son started eating solids, this item was crucial to lock in the smell and not stink up his room. It’s not the most exciting baby product we own, but it certainly gets used daily.

5. Wildbird Aerial Baby Carrier

Babywearing is one of my favorite parts of motherhood, and the Wildbird Aerial baby carrier made it sustainable as my son got heavier. The padded waist belt makes it comfortable for long walks, contact naps, household chores, and those days when my baby refuses to be put down. The linen fabric feels so luxurious and gets softer with each wash. It’s an equally beautiful alternative to the pricey (and trendy) Artipoppe. I used the BabyBjorn Mini carrier until my son could safely fit in the Wildbird Aerial at about two months old. (Check out my honest review of the Wildbird Aerial baby carrier here!)

6. BabyBjorn Bouncer Seat

At first, my son seemed completely unimpressed by the BabyBjorn bouncer seat, but one day it suddenly became his favorite place to hang out. During the newborn stage, it was often the only way I could eat a hot meal without holding my baby. With the money saved by getting this secondhand, you can also buy the toy bar accessory. (Read this post for more baby registry items that gave me a little freedom back as a new mom!)

7. Angelcare Baby Bath Seat

I honestly have no idea how people bathe slippery, floppy newborns without the Angelcare baby bath seat. Before our son could sit independently, we used it for every bath to keep him safely and comfortably supported. It’s lightweight, dries quickly, and can be stored hanging up between uses. This is one of those simple products that made a routine parenting task feel much less intimidating.

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3 Items I Recommend Buying New:

8. UppaBaby Aria Infant Car Seat

After being involved in a serious rollover car accident a few years before becoming a mom, car seat safety was an area where I definitely wasn’t willing to compromise. I chose the UppaBaby Aria infant car seat because it includes a load leg for added stability, while still being incredibly lightweight and easy to use. We use it almost daily for errands and travel, and I love the seamless compatibility with our UppaBaby strollers. 

9. Owlet Dream Sock

Due to our experience with infertility, miscarriage, and years of waiting to become parents, I think we were extra anxious about SIDS. The Owlet Dream Sock gave us enough peace of mind to actually sleep during those early months. It’s definitely not a replacement for safe sleep practices, but for my husband and me, it significantly reduced our anxiety. (Pro tip: If your newborn baby is on the smaller side like ours was, put a regular sock over it to prevent false alarms.)

10. Infant Optics Baby Monitor

I felt strongly that I wanted a non-Wi-Fi baby monitor. The Infant Optics video camera and monitor is super easy to set up in any room, especially if you get a floor stand like this one. Being able to remotely check in on our baby gave me the confidence to put him to sleep for the night and sneak downstairs to enjoy a couple of hours with my husband.

11. Bonus “Item”: White Noise App for Your Phone

Before becoming parents, my husband and I were naively anti-white noise. I remember going to our OBGYN appointments together where white noise was playing in the patient rooms, and we would wonder how people could stand to listen to it. Fast forward to motherhood, and I am probably Spotify’s top listener of “10 Hours of Continuous Rain Noise”. I added it as a widget on my phone’s lock screen so it’s quick to pull up when my baby is having a meltdown. The minimalist in me didn’t want to purchase any single-use item until we knew we would actually use it, but after playing white noise almost every day of our baby’s life, we eventually caved and bought a Hatch Go portable sound machine. 

These Newborn Baby Registry Items Earned Their Place In Our Home

When intentionally building your baby registry, the goal isn’t to buy everything, but to find the handful of things that genuinely support your family’s daily life. Some of the products on this list were generous gifts, some were purchased secondhand, and a few were splurges, but every single item earned its place in our home by being used again and again.

When you’re building a baby registry, it’s easy to feel pressure to prepare for every possible scenario. The reality is, your baby will teach you what you actually need, and the best products are the ones that make your life as a new mom a little easier. 

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