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Baby registry checklist

A baby registry checklist is a list of what a newborn needs, sorted by when you will need it. This one splits the list into what you need before the birth, what can wait three to twelve months, and what to leave off entirely. Tick items as you add them, then print it or save it as a PDF.

Most registry lists are one long scroll of 100 items. The cost of that is buying things too early: a high chair six months before solids, a convertible seat a year before the infant seat is outgrown. Timing is what this list adds.

Before the birth

Needed the day you bring the baby home.

DoneItemHow manyWhy and when
1, plus a second base if you run two carsEvery state requires a child restraint, and most hospitals check that you have one. Fit it before your due date, not in the hospital parking lot. Best infant car seats
1Room-share, do not bed-share: the AAP advises the baby sleeps in your room, on their own flat surface, for at least the first six months.
3Night leaks come in pairs. Sized to the mattress, nothing loose.
2 to 3Wearable blankets instead of loose ones. Stop swaddling as soon as your baby shows signs of trying to roll.
1Measure your trunk before you choose. The folded size decides more than any feature. Best full-size strollers
1The hands-free option for the weeks when the baby only sleeps on you. Best baby carriers
1 box of eachMany babies outgrow newborn size in two or three weeks, so do not stockpile it.
2 packs, 1 tubeFragrance-free is the safe first choice for newborn skin.
1 pad, 2 coversA pad on a dresser works as well as a dedicated changing table.
6 to 8 of eachBuy most in 0 to 3 months rather than newborn. Zippers beat snaps at 3am.
6 or moreYou will use more than you think.
1The AAP recommends a rectal reading under three months; a forehead or ear model is for later.
1 eachNewborn nails grow fast and scratch faces.
1Sponge baths until the umbilical stump falls off.

Feeding, from day one

Pick the lines that match your plan, and leave room to change it.

DoneItemHow manyWhy and when
1Most US health plans must cover breastfeeding equipment under the Affordable Care Act. Ask your insurer before you buy one. Best breast pumps
3 to 4 if breastfeeding, 6 to 8 if formula feedingStart with a few. Some babies refuse a shape, and a drawer of the wrong bottle is wasted money.
1 eachSmall parts hide milk. A brush made for nipples is worth having.
1 boxOnly if you plan to pump and store.
1, optionalUseful for feeding. Never for sleep, and never leave a baby on it unattended.

Around 3 to 6 months

Buy these later. You will know more by then.

DoneItemHow manyWhy and when
1, optionalWorth it once outings, flights or stairs make the main stroller a chore. Best travel strollers
1For floor time, which builds the neck and core strength sitting depends on.
2 to 3Solid silicone or rubber. Skip amber necklaces, which the FDA warns are a choking and strangulation risk.

Around 6 to 12 months

When your baby sits, eats and moves.

DoneItemHow manyWhy and when
1The AAP suggests starting solids at about 6 months, once your baby can sit with support.
3 to 4 bibsBibs with a catch pocket save a lot of laundry.
1 per staircase, top and bottomUse a hardware-mounted gate at the top of stairs; pressure gates are for doorways only.
As neededAnchor dressers and TVs before your baby pulls up. Tip-overs injure children every year.
1Most babies outgrow an infant seat on height between 9 and 15 months, when the head is within an inch of the shell top. Best convertible car seats

Seven things to leave off your registry

These still turn up on hand-me-down lists and secondhand sites. Each one is banned, warned against, or unsafe in the way it is usually used.

Crib bumpers
Padded bumpers have been illegal to sell in the US since the Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2022. They are a suffocation risk.
Inclined sleepers
Banned by the same 2022 law. Babies should sleep flat on their backs.
Weighted sleep sacks and swaddles
The AAP advises against weighted sleep products for infants: they are not proven safe.
Sleep positioners and wedges
The FDA warns they are linked to infant deaths and have no proven benefit.
Baby walkers
The AAP has called for a ban, because walkers send babies down stairs.
Aftermarket car seat inserts and strap covers
Anything not made by your seat maker is not crash-tested with your seat.
Pillows, quilts and soft toys in the crib
Nothing soft in the sleep space for the first year.

Baby registry questions

What do you actually need for a newborn?

A car seat, a safe flat place to sleep with fitted sheets, diapers and wipes, clothes, a way to feed, and a thermometer. Everything else can wait until you know how your baby eats, sleeps and travels.

When should I start a baby registry?

Many parents start one in the second trimester, so it is ready for a shower in the third. Put the expensive items, the car seat and stroller, on early so family can pool toward them.

What should I not put on a baby registry?

Crib bumpers, inclined sleepers, weighted sleep sacks, sleep positioners, baby walkers and aftermarket car seat accessories. Several are banned or carry federal safety warnings.

Should I buy a convertible car seat instead of an infant seat?

You can use a convertible from birth if it fits a newborn, which saves buying twice. An infant seat is easier in the early months because it lifts out and clicks onto a stroller. Most families buy both, about a year apart.

Our buying guides

Browse every guide in Car Seats, Strollers, Carriers and Breastfeeding.

Safety guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics (safe sleep, starting solids, thermometers), the Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2022, and FDA safety warnings. Checked October 4, 2026. For the car seat timeline, see our car seat stage finder.