Our baby will be here in a few short months, and I have spent SO much time researching every item we need once he’s here. We live in an apartment in Brooklyn, so space is of the essence, and I really wanted to focus on must-have products that are functional but also design forward and safe. I spoke to countless girlfriends on what to register for and what to skip. Read on for everything we registered for.
Nursery:
Pehr Pom Pom Bins: We will do a broader nursery reveal, but we went for a Boho vibe in the nursery with whites, natural woods and tans and I instantly fell in love with Pehr’s products and design aesthetic the moment I laid eyes on the brand. This female-led brand uses organic materials and creates sustainable goods with an eye toward design.
I was instantly drawn to their signature pom-pom soft bins, which come in a variety of sizes and colors, and knew I wanted them to be a focal point in our nursery as an elevated way to store the various goods that come with raising a baby. Teethers and baby toys in a cute pom pom basket? Sign me up. They start at $24 for their mini bins, but they carry a range of sizes. We went with tan and neutral-colored pom poms to match the color scheme of the nursery.
Babyletto Hudson Crib: We’re going for a boho chic/midcentury vibe in the nursery, so we went with this natural wood finish crib from Babyletto which is know for their eco friendly designs. Their range is incredible affordable. This crib is just $299.
Gathre Padded Mat: I love the brand Gather for its high-quality materials and beautiful designs. Gathre is known for its lush vegan leather, and I knew that their padded mats would be the perfect addition to the nursery for tummy time and play. They come in the most beautiful range of neutrals that go just perfectly with our theme. We got the padded mini in “untanned” ($118) and are big fans.
Babyletto Toco Swivel Glider: Our nursery is SMALL and half of it is taken up by our Peloton, which I will be relying on to get rid of this weight post-baby, so we needed a very narrow glider to fit our space. You’d be shocked how hard it is to find narrow gliders, but luckily we found this one by Babyletto, $449.
Gear:
OXO Tot Sprout Highchair: I’ve been a huge fan of OXO forever, often using their kitchen gadgets while cooking. The innovative brand creates amazing products with intuitive design, and their baby line has this same ethos. My best girlfriend raved about their Sprout high chair ($250) because it is functional, easy to clean and take apart and for once, isn’t an eye sore! This high chair comes in a number of different color schemes — we chose their brown and tan color combination to go with our kitchen, which is white granite with gold fixtures. Given that mealtime often equates to major messes, finding a high chair that can easily be cleaned under the sink and wiped down was a big area of focus for us. Luckily, Oxo’s high chair hit every mark!
Uppababy Vista2: Uppababy is the Mercedes of strollers. These strollers are versatile, easy to use and nice to look at, and after years of pushing my nephews and friends’ babies in theirs, I knew this is the stroller we wanted (And thanks to my nephews parents for so generously buying me this!). I love that once you have two children, the Uppababy Vista2 ($969) converts into a two-seater and this comes with a bassinet that we will be using with the Uppababy bassinet stand ($150) instead of buying a whole other piece of gear that we will need to store.
Uppababy Mesa Carseat: Safety was our first and foremost requirement for our carseat, and Uppababy consistently ranks at the top of the safety lists. What drew to us about this model is that it grows with the baby from newborn size up to 35 pounds, so we can use the same carseat for four years. ($350)
Electronics:
Owlet Sleep Sock & Baby Monitor: I’ve been set on getting this device since before we were trying to have a baby. The Owlet is a smart sock that your baby sleeps with on his or her foot and it monitors the baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels in real time as the baby sleeps. If the baby’s vitals dip, it will send an alert that wakes the parents up so that they can get help ASAP. It essentially helps prevent catastrophes like sudden infant death syndrome and can given you precious warning if something is going wrong during a time when every second counts. I have girlfriends who said that Owlet gave them so much peace of mind in the middle of the night when they are sleeping and saved them from going into the nursery throughout the night to check on their babies. We are getting the version that also comes with a baby camera ($399).
Daily Needs:
Boppy Preferred: The Bobby is the OG of baby loungers. This circular shaped pillow perfectly cradles your newborn, freeing up your hands to do tasks or just admire him. It’s made of the softest, plush material and it comes in a number of great prints. The one we have is two sided, with stripes on one side and a pattern on the other. They are $39.99.
Boppy ComfyChic Hybrid Carrier: Wearing your baby is all the rage, and we knew that we would need a baby carrier once the little one arrived so that we could go on family walks and hikes without having to worry about lugging along a stroller. This Comfychic model is super versatile, with four different positions to wear the baby in, ensuring your comfort, and baby’s. It’s made with vegan leather and breathable materials and even has neat pockets in it to stash snacks or other essentials. It holds babies up to 35 pounds, so lasts through many stages of your baby’s life! This model is $79.
Freshly Picked Diaper Bag: OK, so finding a diaper bag that isn’t frumpy is a struuuuggle. The entire maternity sector leaves a lot to be desired, and I was deadset on not giving up a part of my identity when the baby arrived, and that meant finding items that are functional but also fashionable. Luckily, Freshly Picked came to the rescue with its fashion-forward line of vegan leader designs that are cute enough to wear even if you don’t have a newborn attached to your hip.
I opted for their Classic Diaper bag in Ebony for a number of reasons. First off, this bag has the richest looking vegan leather and super saturated color. It was very on brand with my existing wardrobe and purses, so it fits right in. The size and compartments of the bag make it possible to store ALL of the various products that come with providing for a tiny human. Seriously, this bag has ten different compartments, so you can stash diapers, wipes, teething toys, sunglasses, a changing mat, etc. and keep everything in its own place — a major must for moms on the go. It also wears super versatile, with straps that can make it a backpack, crossbody bag or purse.
It’s got a totally approachable price point at $175, BUT our readers can get 25% off of their purchase now by using code “FPXBELLA” at checkout! If you’re looking for a different silhouette, we also love their City Pack. Each bag comes in a range of great colors, from creamy tans to millennial pink.
Baby Brezza Formula Pro: Once we got pregnant, the unprompted text messages from my friends with kids started rolling in and they all had a common theme: “Get a Baby Brezza Formula mixer,” my girlfriends chided me. They all sung the praises of this device which heats up and mixes formula, cutting down on the time it takes and the hassle involved in feedings. They all raved about how clutch this way particularly in middle-of-the-night baby feedings and loved that you can program the device to make the formula just the way you want it. Well worth the $199 investment!
EcoPea Diapers and Wipes: My husband and I have made a concerted effort to be more environmentally friendly by composting all our waste and cutting down on single-use plastic (yay!). BUT, we are not about to go the whole cloth diaper route, that’s just a step too far for me. Luckily we found EcoPea, which makes bamboo diapers and wipes that are better for the earth and your baby.
Baby Bjorn Bouncer: This was another one of those items all my girlfriends recommended. The bouncer soothes babies and gives mom some free time to herself to shower and such. It’s $199.
Other items on our registry we love:
This chic baby book from Artifact Uprising, $120
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