When you’re expecting a baby, you know there are many areas of the journey to come that will be out of your hands. Life gets a lot crazier and less controllable when you have a child. As every parent knows, you’ll have to learn to accept the uncertainty and enjoy the ride with a loosened grip on your plans. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t be well-prepared.

As much as you can never really know what’s to come, there are certain aspects of raising a baby that you can expect and be ready for. You, the parent-to-be, are in control of your baby registry list as you select the items you want by your side when you raise your child. With all the diverse options of baby items, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Going through life with a baby is a 24/7 commitment, but it can be tricky to think of all the items you’ll soon need. Yet, once you’re in the thick of raising your baby, you’ll be grateful to have them on hand.

We’ve created a guide to the gifts you should include on your baby registry, so you don’t forget anything important. You can use it to be as prepared as possible for the next steps of life. Keep reading to create your perfect baby registry!

Consider Essentials for Baby

There are degrees of importance when it comes to the gifts on your baby registry; the items you need immediately are a higher priority than, say, baby toothbrushes and baby toys. Items like a bassinet, diapers, wipes, a breast pump, and swaddles are going to be in use as soon as you bring your little one home. Be sure not to leave any essentials off your list and have your must-have items stocked and ready to go before you meet Baby.

Separate Your Items Into Categories

In order to accurately think ahead and stay on top of what you’ll need down the road, consider the different aspects of caring for a baby and group essentials into each section. For example, you’ll have nursing time, feeding time, bath time, playtime, sleep time, change time, etc.

As you imagine the items, you’ll need for each of these moments, add them to your list. This is one of the most effective ways to ensure you don’t miss essential items, and it helps get you in the mindset of your new routine.

Plan for Outings

For the first few weeks, you’ll probably only want to stay inside in a baby-momma cocoon of snuggles and quality time, but eventually, you’ll want to get out and start showing your little one the world. You should include items on your baby registry that will prepare you for your outings. Don’t forget to register for a stroller, diaper bag, car seat, changing pad, and of course, trendy baby clothes! Depending on the season, you may also want to add warm clothes like mittens, hats, and booties. Getting out with a new baby can be daunting, but as long as you’re prepared, showing your baby new places is an exciting part of being a parent.

Remember That Babies Go Through Many Stages

Although you’re looking forward to bringing your newborn home and dressing them in itty-bitty onesies and getting all the snuggles, remember that babies grow fast! They’ll always be your little infant, but soon they will outgrow the newborn sizes, and you’ll want to put them to sleep in a crib (so you can also get some sleep). There are lots of other items you’ll want to have ready for those months down the road, too, such as a high chair, pacifiers, bottles, a baby bouncer, playtime toys, and a hairbrush.

Remember to include items on your registry for all stages of your baby’s growth, so the process of watching them develop is a smooth one.

Consider Essentials for Mom

Don’t forget about you, the parent, when you’re creating your baby registry list. Consider all the things that will make your life easier (as well as the items you can’t go without), from nursing bras, nursing pads, and a noise machine (it’s for your baby, but also for your sleep) to a cleaning service and streaming subscription. Anyone who sees these items on your registry will recognize their genius of them, so don’t feel bad about prioritizing your own wellness.

Getting ready to care for a new baby is one of the most exciting times in a parent’s life, but it does come with its ample share of preparation. Your baby registry list will be your best friend as you consider the items you won’t be able to live without once you have a newborn. You can use this guide to help you choose the perfect gifts to include on your registry to make your time with your infant the most special!

Despite the regular quarantines and social distancing, you don’t have to give up your dream baby shower! With a virtual get together, throwing a baby shower is both less expensive, and more convenient than ever. 

Here is how you can include all of your loved ones in your family’s next chapter while staying totally safe.

Pick Your Theme

Your very first step should be to decide on a theme for your party theme! Okay, this step isn’t 100% necessary, but I find that it helps streamline the decision making process when it comes to the details of your virtual shindig. It can be as simple as a color scheme (pink and blue literally can’t miss) or an animal theme (lions, tiger, and bears, anyone?) or something as involved and complicated  as your heart desires (not me and my Hogwarts baby shower vision board). If you really want to make this baby shower your own, you have to begin with the end in mind.  

If you are throwing a baby shower for someone else, it is also crucial to honor the mother-to-be and think of her every step of the way. Be sure to plan the event that she can enjoy and her family members will always remember.  

Choose your Platform

It can be a little overwhelming to choose which platform to host your video call on, and because we live in the future, new options keep popping up every few months, but don’t be intimidated! Each platform has its pros and cons, but the most popular by far is Zoom. You can host up to 300 people and it is easily accessible on mobile as well as on desktop. It is also very intuitive, so your technologically challenged grandmas and great aunts can join the party! Some other options are Google Hangout, Facebook, and Skype.  

Send out Invitations

Now’s the time to spread the word! You’re going to need a virtual invite for your virtual party, of course. Design invitations for all your guests including the link to your party as well as the date and time. If you need inspiration, PosterMyWall.com has a library of absolutely precious baby shower invite templates, which are all completely customizable.

You can even fit in a QR code to the invite that will take guests directly to your virtual party page. 

Set up an Online Registry

If you are planning a gift opening portion of your party , you will have to set up your registry early enough so that your guests can take their time sending you the perfect present. There are plenty of websites like buybuyBABY.com and babylist.com that specialize in baby shower registries. Most stores like Target, Walmart, and Amazon can also help you set up your online registry very easily.  

Don’t forget to check out the perks each service offers! Babylist offers a 15% registry discount, while Target offers a similar discount plus a welcome kit and free returns for a year. Make sure to choose a service with the gifts and the perks the new parents will get the most out of.

Party Games

VIrtual party games come in two types: games you can facilitate through your video call, or online games. If you and your guests are familiar with online gaming, you can easily get everyone together on Discord to play whatever games you like.    

For a mixed crowd, Jackbox Games offers party packs and bundles of various online games.  The best part is that their online games are designed for parties, so they work with large groups, and first time players can easily jump right in on their computers or mobile devices without having to create an account.  

If you don’t want to mess around with online games, you can run games through your video call. Nothing is worse than spending precious party time troubleshooting and if your guests don’t like online games, then you simply have to meet them where they are at. Playing games like baby themed trivia, pictionary, or the price is right through your video call will take a little longer to plan, but if you have less tech savvy party guests, these are foolproof.  

Virtual Nursery Tour

Here is where you can make the most of staying at home. Take this opportunity to show off your nursery! To make this its own event, be sure to feature any gifts from your guests, family photos, or anything in your nursery that makes you smile.

Wrapping up

While the pandemic may have thrown off some of your plans, you can still have your dream baby shower. With a virtual get-together, you can be sure to bring your loved ones together to prepare to welcome the newest addition to your family. 

We’re all concerned with how to keep ourselves healthy, even with our busy lifestyles. And the health of our little ones is an even greater treasure.

But there’s one aspect that is easy to overlook: your infant’s pacifier.

It’s such an omnipresent part of your day-to-day life that you may give it little more thought than your car keys or your smartphone. But bacteria, mold spores, and other pathogens can easily contaminate an unattended binky. Knowing to clean, sanitize, and how to store pacifiers safely can mean the difference between a happy child and an ill one. For instance, we found dummy clips particularly useful, preventing the pacifier from falling on the floor and picking up dirt in the first place.

So to help keep your little ones healthy and happy, be sure to always follow these key points.

How to Clean and Sterilize Pacifiers

Knowing how to clean pacifiers will often depend on what materials they’re made of. If, for example, you can be certain that your pacifiers don’t contain heavy metals or carcinogens that could leech out of them, boiling them for a minute or two is a quick and easy way to ensure that they’re completely cleaned and sterilized every time. By the same token, running them through the dishwasher is another popular method if that material permits it.

Barring that, washing them with hot water and simple dish soap is considered adequate for most situations.

How to Store Pacifiers

Having cleaned and sanitized them, the final step is finding the best way to store pacifiers. After all, leaving them lying out in the open air invites all manner of ambient contaminants to make them their new home.

You want them in a place with easy access where you’re unlikely to forget about them. Hence, many parents will opt to keep spare pacifiers in their diaper bags with the rest of their daily supplies.

It’s convenient, but keeping loose pacifiers in a diaper bag is less-than-ideal. They could be exposed to baby wipes or other cleaning materials that, at best, will make for an unpleasant surprise the next time you hand it to a fussy child. And at worst, they may contain harmful ingredients that were never intended for consumption.

So whether you need to store pacifiers at home or on the go, keeping a dedicated container like a multicolor pacifier case is a good move. Aside from keeping clean pacifiers clean until they’re needed, color-coding can help you keep track of which ones are fresh and which ones need to be cleaned before their next use.

Health and Safety for the Whole Family

A pacifier is an essential item for any parent with a fussy child. But knowing how to store pacifiers as well as clean and sterilize them is essential to ensuring that they are kept safe for daily use.

But naturally, pacifiers are just one tool that you and your infant rely on almost every day. To help make sure that you and your baby are always healthy, happy, and safe, be sure to keep up with all our latest health and home guides.