Practicality beats Pinterest vibes when it comes to baby necessities.
Years before my pregnancy test went from minus to plus, I was nesting for my baby. Like most first-time moms, I had pinned several crafty and whimsical versions of a nursery for my future son or daughter. I envisioned a custom bassinet shaped like the moon, handmade out of old rustic wooden pallets. On my Amazon wishlist, I had saved cute little pacifiers that looked like mustaches, which happened to pair perfectly with the derby hat I found on Etsy. Thanks to Instagram, I favorited numerous formal ensembles, complete with matching patent leather shoes, all suited for every major holiday.
When the time finally came to grab the Target scan gun and begin building my epic baby registry, I had a bit of a reality check — thanks to my best friend and veteran mom Hillary — and had to start from scratch. She handed me a copy of the book “Baby Bargains” and tossed me every solid colored cotton onesie known to man and baby bottles that help with reducing gas and acid reflux, and we definitely weren’t leaving without registering for every diaper in every size. Hillary let me keep the rattle that looked like a coffee cup, but beyond that, my registry had been shaped up with some sense.
As I figured out pretty quickly, while my Pinterest picks were perfectly precious, they were insanely impractical. Now that I have been a mom for two years now, experience has proven to me that frills are fussy and practical is key. Outfits with suspenders and bow ties are super fun, but hand-washing is for the birds. (Speaking of things that are machine-washable, that lavender baby detergent may smell heavenly, but you are going to be in rash hell if you clean your baby’s clothes in it.)
If you’re struggling with what to put on your baby registry, help is on the way! Here are some great ideas to get your registry going while your baby is growing.
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