The Baby Registry Items You’ll Actually Use (and a Few You Really Won’t)

Ah, the baby registry: a beautifully hopeful spreadsheet-turned-minefield of gadgets, gear, and mini mittens you’ll never use.

You may be tempted to scan the barcode on everything that claims to be essential. But let’s be honest...some of it ends up in the great storage bin of regret, right next to the untouched wipe warmer and the fourth white noise giraffe.

So, what do you really need? What will make the newborn phase less chaotic, and what will sit untouched while you desperately rock your baby at 3am wondering why no one told you this part?

Let’s cut through the cute and get honest.

First, A Reality Check: The Myth of “Must-Have”

Every parent, baby, and home is different. What’s essential for one family is utterly useless for another.

That said, studies from BabyCenter and What to Expect surveys consistently show that around 35–40% of gifts on baby registries go unused. That’s a lot of wasted money and space. (And storage cubes.)

So if you’re creating a registry, or gifting a new parent this holiday season, consider this a reality-backed cheat sheet.

Actually Useful: The Real MVPs

1. A Good Swaddle (or 5)

Babies are notoriously bad at managing their own startle reflex. A snug, safe swaddle can calm them instantly. Pro tip: choose zippered ones unless you moonlight as a burrito artist.

2. Sound Machine

You’ve heard us say it before, but it’s science: white noise helps babies fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Look for one that doesn’t scream “tech device” - like Shushiie®, the analog, linen-wrapped hero that blends into your nursery and lets you layer lullabies, white noise, and shushing with independent dials.

3. Carrier or Sling

Because some babies won’t let you sit. Ever. A good carrier (Ergobaby, BabyBjörn, or Solly for lighter babes) can save your sanity and your spine.

4. Muslin Cloths

Wipe, swaddle, burp, shade, clean up mystery spills. You can’t have too many. Unless you’re offered 50. Then you probably can.

5. Diaper Caddy or Organiser

Night feeds go a lot smoother when you’re not fumbling for wipes at 2am.

Meh: The “Nice But Not Necessary” Crowd

1. Bottle Steriliser

Unless your baby is immune-compromised, boiling water or dishwasher works fine.

2. Wipe Warmer

Your baby won’t remember the temperature. Your electric bill might.

3. Nappy Bin with Expensive Refills

A regular bin with a lid and frequent changes does the job. If you really hate smells, opt for a pedal bin and scented biodegradable liners.

4. Fancy Baby Clothes

You’ll dress them up once. Then they’ll explode out both ends.

Hard Pass: The Flops

1. Shoes for Newborns

We hate to break it to you, but your baby isn’t walking to brunch.

2. Overpriced Bath Thermometers

Your elbow works perfectly. (And doesn’t require batteries.)

3. Multiple White Noise Toys

Babies don’t need variety in white noise. They need consistency. A single reliable device, ideally with good battery life and no irritating loop gaps, is all it takes. (Hi, Shushiie.)

Gifting Season Tip: Be That Friend

The holidays are prime time for registry gifts...and some parents-to-be are quietly terrified of being gifted six identical muslin blankets or another pale blue onesie.

Be the hero. Pick something parents actually want at 2am.

• If they’re sleep-deprived? A beautifully wrapped Shushiie® says “I love you” and “I want your child to sleep through the night.”

• If they’re overwhelmed? Offer practical help or gift cards for baby supplies.

Final Thought: It’s Not a Checklist, It’s a Toolkit

Your baby registry isn’t a rite of passage, it’s a support system. And like all good systems, it works better when it’s designed for the reality of newborn life, not just the aesthetic of it.

And yes, some things will surprise you. That silicone banana teether? Might be your baby’s soulmate. But if it doesn't work out, that’s okay too.

Because at the end of the day, you are the thing your baby needs most. (And perhaps a little white noise. Just saying.)