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Here is the 7th part of our baby registry checklist guide, baby gear and travel essentials.
If you found this page and want to see the other parts, here are links to each:
- Comprehensive Baby Registry Checklist (this is long, the broken down “parts” are below if that is easier to read)
- Baby Registry Checklist Part 1: Clothes
- Baby Registry Checklist Part 2: Feeding
- Baby Registry Checklist Part 3: Bathtime
- Baby Registry Checklist Part 4: Diapering
- Baby Registry Checklist Part 5: Health and Safety
- Baby Registry Checklist Part 6: Bedding
- Baby Registry Checklist Part 8: Nursery and Toys
Supplemental Posts:
- Create Your Own First Aid Kit and Baby Medicine Stash
- Save Money on Your Remaining Baby Registry Items
- Postpartum Essentials For Mom
Baby Gear and Travel Essentials
Infant Car Seat
A baby gear and travel essentials necessity on every baby registry checklist you will see. I know some people talk about just using a convertible car seat from day one with an infant insert or something, but I can’t imagine doing that.
Why? Because I didn’t want to take my baby out of her car seat every time we needed to get out of the car. You see, you can’t really carry a convertible car seat into your pediatrician’s office… It is too freaking big and heavy!
I know they can be expensive, but think of all of the places you are going to go with your baby. And even if you aren’t, a lot of them can be (and should be able to) attached to your stroller so your baby can ride along in the stroller in their infant car seat instead of the toddler seat with an infant support.
Here is a guide on buying a car seat. We have the Uppababy Mesa Infant Car Seat and have loved it. It comes in a few different colors so you don’t have to stick with black if you don’t like it. It is a little heavier than some other ones, but it was so easy to install and is so well-made that it doesn’t matter to us.
Another really popular one that is really safe is the Nuna PIPA. We don’t personally have this one, but I have heard great things and always see it on Instagram!
Looking for one that is a little more unique? We tested out the Maxi-Cosi Coral XP and thought it was so innovative! Eventually I will write a full review here, but basically you can remove a section of the car seat so you don’t have to lug around a whole car seat. It also has an over the shoulder strap (Yes, way.) and a strap on either side so you can carry it in three different ways.
Something to keep in mind is that your stroller and your car seat don’t have to be the same brand. A lot of strollers have adapters for different car seats. Just make sure your stroller and car seat of choice can work together.
Car Seat Base
One of these will usually come with your car seat. If your car seat doesn’t come with one you are going to want to order at least one. Our doctor recommended ordering one per car that the baby would be traveling in. That way you can easily move your baby between cars if needed.
If you go with the Uppababy Mesa here is the additional car seat.
*When you install this get someone, like the fire station next to your house, to look at your car seat to make sure it is properly installed.
Car Mirror
Get one that is shatterproof and one that will attach to your car headrest type. We have the Shynerk mirror and it has worked great for us so far. It is pretty big and easy to move around and says that it is ab;e to work with all headrests. Another option is to get something like this. Which I am now considering getting since we do go on longer drives and drives at night.
Start with one. But, if you have your baby in two different cars and the mirror is more work to move from car to car then you may want one for each car.
Car Window Shade
If your car has these already, skip this. But if not, these are nice to have.
Our windows are tinted but I still think these are a good idea to just make sure that our baby is comfortable and not getting random blasts of sunlight in her eyes. If your windows aren’t tinted you should definitely get them to help block the sun’s damaging UV rays.
I would get one shade for each car that you are driving around with your baby, or you can buy a pack of two. That way you don’t have to move the car shade around if your baby travels in two different cars.
Stroller
A baby gear and travel essential no-brainer. Makes sense, right? Get one that fits you. Not just what you saw on Instagram and decided you needed. That being said, yes, I did see our stroller on Instagram and yes, I did purchase it, and guess what, I LOVE IT. Because it works for us.
Also, eventually you may end up wanting two different types, which is what we did.
Things to think about:
-How often are you going to be putting this in your car? If the answer is often you probably don’t want one that is difficult to fold down, heavier than you can handle, or won’t fit in your cars. Or, this is where a second (travel) stroller could come in.
-What kind of terrain do you plan on going on with this stroller? City sidewalks? Country roads? Look into the wheels and shocks to make sure that baby is having a comfortable ride!
-Are you planning on using this as a running stroller?
-How many kids do you plan on having in a stroller at once? If you are a solo kid kind of person then obviously you won’t be concerned about the expansion ability of the stroller. BUT, if you want more than one kid get one that can accommodate two or more kids (if you plan on having them close enough in age for them both to be in the stroller). This way you don’t have to purchase another one when you have another kid, you will already be set!
-Make sure it works with your car seat and vice versa. Some brands have different adapters to make the car seats attach.
All of this being said, maybe you decide you need two different strollers. One for traveling and one for running, or whatever it is. It is up to you!
We have the Uppababy Cruz and love it. I accidentally ordered it thinking I was ordering a Vista, but for where we are in life right now it was actually perfect. Eventually, we will need a stroller that can grow with our family, but for now, I am very happy with our Uppababy!
Also, just as a side note for the Uppababy, you don’t have to buy the Vista to be able to use the bassinet. You can purchase it separately and use it on the Cruz.
Want one that your other mom friend’s have bought? This stroller is well-made and stylish and can have a bassinet/carrycot attached.
Looking for one you can jog with? We have the B.O.B. jogging stroller and love it! We have taken it down to our beach and pushed it easily in the sand as well as on forested trails thanks to it’s mountain bike shocks and awesome wheels! This has actually became our “travel” stroller as well.
Stroller & Car Seat Accessories
See what comes with your stroller or car seat, but you might also want to take a look at the other accessories that you can get for your new stroller.
Our stroller came with a rain shield and a bug shield for the rumble seat. This is perfect because we live in Western Washington where it is known to rain and we also visit Eastern Washington where there can be mosquitoes.
We also ordered a rain shield for our car seat, a stroller caddy, and will order a snack tray and a cup holder when our baby is old enough.
You can skip these if you want, but I would suggest at least getting a stroller caddy for all of your things. You may think that you will just have your diaper bag with you all the time so you can use that for your things, but are you really going to bring your diaper bag with you on shorter stroller walks? Probably not.
Baby Carrier
Ok, yes, you can get away with not having one of these. However, our’s saved us when our little one wouldn’t take a nap and the house needed some love.
There are baby wraps and baby carriers. We have both, but we only used the baby carrier style.
The one we have is the BabyBjorn Baby Carrier One. We ordered this one because we wanted one that would grow with our baby for a bit and one that we could take with us different places and both myself or my husband could carry our baby in it.
The Mini BabyBjorn is also pretty popular and is a little less bulky. The age range on these is about newborn to one year old, depending on your baby. While the Carrier One can be used until 3 years old.
Looking for one that is more the wrap style? The Boba wrap is a well thought of and popular one that can be used up to 35 lbs.
Stroller Fan
Unless you live somewhere it is never warm you will want one of these for your baby.
Plus, don’t ignore all of those posts you see about bringing a stroller fan to the hospital with you. I did. I ignored those posts because I am always cold so I didn’t think I would need it.
Well, guess what?
I needed it. You know what I did instead? I used a headband to stick a wet washcloth to my head. Yeah, I am sure I looked like a complete nut meeting the doctor and nurses like that. Guess who won’t forget a fan next time.
Baby Gear and Travel Essentials: Not Necessary, Nice to Have
Car Seat Cover for Winter
If you live in a colder climate or your baby will be using the infant car seat during winter consider getting one of these. Especially since it is not safe to bundle your baby up in their car seat. Meaning no coats, cozy bear suits, etc in the car seat. So, to keep them warm this is an option, or you can use a blanket to cover the baby’s lower half if it isn’t too cold.
We have the Skip Hop winter car seat cover and use it whenever we go on stroller walks with our baby. We love it because it is easy to put on and unzips in the front to easily get your baby out without removing the whole thing. Plus, it keeps her warm on our winter walks around the neighborhood.
This is another really popular one that is highly rated and comes in different colors.
If you aren’t sure if your baby will be using the infant car seat in the winter or when it gets colder where you live hold off on this. You can always purchase one later if needed.
Also, make sure that the winter cover you pick doesn’t go under the baby/between the baby and the harness. These aren’t safe.
A Travel White Noise Machine
Ok, so we have this little lamb white noise machine that has been attached to our baby’s car seat since before we brought her home. We use it in the car and on our walks when she is starting to get a little fussy and she will calm down right away and usually fall asleep.
While these aren’t necessary, if you plan on taking long car rides with your baby you might want one. Or, as an alternative, you could always have white noise playing on your phone for the baby. We just thought the lamb was cute!
Looking for one that isn’t an animal? This one has a nightlight, is easy to attach, and charges by a USB so you don’t need to worry about batteries.
Or, here is an animal themed one that is less expensive.
A Swing, Bouncer or Rocker
These are nice things to have to keep your baby entertained. We have two different items from this “category” and our baby has loved them.
We have the BabyBjorn Bouncer, which looks so simple and is a little expensive… BUT this thing has been a lifesaver for us and is one of our favorite baby items.
Our baby loves it! We put her in “her chair” when we are eating dinner if she is awake and she will happily play with the toy bar. (The toy bar does come separately, but we ordered ours from Buybuy BABY and it came with a toy bar. This bundle doesn’t come in every color though).
There are some different material types and colors to choose from. So there is bound to be one that you like or that works with your theme. Plus, your baby can use it until they are about two years old since the chair flips around to make a toddler seat. These can also fold down and come with you when you are traveling! Really, the only downside to these is the warning label they have sewn onto the front.
We also have a Graco Soothe My Way Swing with Removable Rocker*. Which, honestly our baby wasn’t too sure about when we first got it. But now will happily sit in it and watch me do dishes or whatever I need to do. This thing moves 16 different ways (8 movement patters in two different chair configurations). This one requires power, but the removable rocker has different vibration speeds and is battery operated. If you have limited space, this one is definitely not for you. It has a way larger blueprint than our BabyBjorn!
Looking for a bouncer that is a little less expensive and not an eyesore? Or a different swing (still expensive though).
Or if you are looking for an ultra-Instagrammable style here is an option.
*This was something we received as a member of Stellar Panel product testing.
Baby Lounger
We didn’t end up ordering one of these for our first baby, but I can see how they would be pretty helpful. They are really just a place for baby to “hang out” but not sleep in. We actually use our BabyBjorn bouncer as a “hang out” spot for our baby.
This is the one we were looking at when we were still on the fence about getting one.
Although this is another very popular one as well as this one. Both of these fit about the same age range (Snuggle me says 0-9 months vs. DockATot’s 0-8 months) so if you decide to get one of these you can just go off of which you like the look of more. Or price. Since you know, there is a bit of a difference.
Playpen, Pack n’ Play, or Travel Crib
It took us a while to get one of these since we originally didn’t think we would have a use for one.
We bought ours because our baby was having a hard time napping in her crib. She would wake up and look around for us then cry. So we bought the Guava Family Lotus Travel Crib so our baby could be sleeping near us while we went about our day.
We do like the travel crib, it is easy to set up, well-made and has a zipper on the front so you can hangout with the baby. The only thing is, the zipper is kinda loud — like a tent zipper. So if you put the baby in the front and try to zip it up while your baby is sleeping GOOD LUCK. It can be done, or you can just put the baby in from the top like you would with other similar items.
We also plan on using the Guava Travel Crib this summer when we work outside and plan on getting their sun cover for it. Which will be another great use for it. These are also great for using as a crib for your baby to sleep in while you are traveling.
If you want to get the Guava Travel Crib look on their website too. We bought ours from their website and purchased a bundle to help save some money.
Looking for one that is less expensive? This pack n’ play is very highly rated with thousands of reviews.
Also, my parents did purchase a pack n’ play to use as a crib for when we visit their house. So, maybe grandmas will want to consider one for their house, but your need for one depends on you. If I were you I would wait on purchasing one.
Note: If you get one of these you will want playpen/pack and play sheets. Get two of these to start with and see if you need to get one more. Also, they should come with a mattress. The manufacturers have warnings about using other mattresses in their travel cribs/pack n’ plays because it can make them unsafe.
Needed Later
These are things that you will eventually need, but if you are trying to decide what can wait and what can’t, these are things that can.
Convertible Car Seat
This is for when your baby has outgrown their car seat. This can be a ways off, but some babies outgrow their infant car seat around 9 months. I would leave this off your registry, you want to make sure that if people get a gift for you that it is something you need immediately, not months down the road when you can save to purchase it if needed.
Don’t Need
Seat Protector Mat for Your Car
Our car seat “allows” certain brands of protectors, but we skipped these and haven’t had any damage to our leather car seats. That being said, car seat bases can damage both leather and leave marks on upholstery seats in your car.
We decided not to get them because they can be dangerous and interfere with the way your car seat is installed. Our cars are also a few years old and we have a large dog that gets in from time to time, so we aren’t super concerned with our seats. But, if we had a new car we would get one and have the installation checked again to be sure it was safe before having our baby in the car with it.
Here is a website that helps show which brands “allow” seat protectors. Always read the brand’s website and manual before using one though.
That’s the end of our baby gear and travel essentials part of our baby registry guide. To continue to the final part click here.