baby registry

The Registry: Free Stuff Never Felt So Hard

Archive, Pregnancy

Having trouble comprehending the gravity of having a child? The largeness of it? The overwhelming magnitude of it all? Start your registry. Then let’s talk.

Yes, it’s a bit of a wakeup call. All that stuff. The bottles, the bottle warmer, the car seat, the infant converter, the stroller, the crib, the humidifier, the baby monitor, diapers, diaper bags, and endlessly on into Buy Buy Baby oblivion.

Seriously, though. Walking into Buy Buy Baby is like entering another universe. The automatic doors shut behind you and the grandness of it renders you momentarily immobile. Like a vast, infinite skyline. Like the majestic breadth of the Grand Canyon. Only its filled with stuff. Floor to ceiling with stuff. You suddenly realize you’re in over your head. And you may not make it out alive.

Bye, Bye Sanity.

Bye-Bye Sanity.

Of course, it’s all super exciting, too. Because up until this point, all you’ve done is imagine. You’ve read, researched, and imagined. But now there are tangible things to feel and touch. Little onesies she’ll one day wear. A teether she’ll soon be chewing. It makes it all the more real.

B and I got the little scanner thing and started walking the store with our list. It was fun consulting each other about certain items. Weighing the pros and cons. The price points and color ways. It will definitely make clear how closely your visions for the child align with one another. Luckily, ours were about the same. So that part was easy enough.

Baby stuff

Stuffed.

Be forewarned, though. It’s exhausting. There’s a lot to consider and decide upon. Things that are hard to foresee. The brand of the bottle you’ll use. The type of pacifier. Do we need a humidifier? What model baby monitor? Is this carseat compatible with this stroller? Every little thing takes consideration.

After a while, your patience is tested. Remember that feeling you used to get as child when you spent too long in a grocery store with your mom? Or followed her around too long in a department store? Your legs give out from sheer impatience and you want to scream. It’s like that.

B and I gave it all we had. But for the sake of our relationship, we threw the towel in after a few hours. There’s only so much you can take. We decided to do more research at home, solidify some things, and come back another day. This proved to be a good plan. We were able to add many items online, and when we returned to the store days later, we were rested, researched, and ready.

STROLLERS

Strollin along.

I’m not sure if our experience was uncommon or if the process is just overwhelming by nature. I’d be lying to you if I said we were registry experts by any means. But in retrospect, I’d do a few things differently, so I’ll offer those suggestions to you now:

DIVIDE & CONQUER. There’ll be certain things you don’t really care about, and certain things you really care about. Find out what those things are in advance and divi them up. Attack on multiple fronts. They’ll never see it coming.

RESEARCH. Do as much as you can beforehand. Choose color schemes. Pick out specific models of things. It’s tricky, because often you’ll want to see things in person before making a decision. At least narrow certain items down to a few brands or models. It’ll save time and reduce your in-store headache.

PLAN TWO TRIPS. Trust me. You’re gonna forget something. Or you’ll tap out the first trip like we did. Plan to go twice. At least.

STAY ORGANIZED. It’s really easy to let the chaos of the situation takeover. Prepare a battle plan and stick to it. Resist the temptation to wander off and get sidetracked.

EAT. Cause we all know what hangry feels like. Eat a big meal beforehand and take some coffee to-go. You’ll need it.

THE INTERNET IS YOUR FRIEND. Most places offer online registry options. B and I chose to do a hybrid. Our first time around in the physical store, we made a list of items that we wanted to research further. We conducted that research when we got home and added the items to our registry online.

 

Was your registry experience similar? Different? Have any advice? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

21 thoughts on “The Registry: Free Stuff Never Felt So Hard”

  3. i definitely agree with all of this and mostly i find the “which bottle system” dilemma to be the most confusing. pretty much EVERY parent i have ever talked to has said they went through 5-8 bottle and nipple styles before they found the one their baby would take. seriously!? so far we have registered for all the basics – bathtime stuff, some newborn clothing, receiving blankets, cribs sheets etc. but we’re planning on waiting and seeing on A LOT of other items. there are so many things that they make you think you’ll need but i’m certain most of those “what if” items get used for a week and then tossed in a garbage bag in the basement. i find that now that the registry has been started it’s very easy to manage it online. you can go in a take things off and add things on you talk to parents that have “been there done that”. i can’t imagine going back in for round two! hahaha. when are you expecting your daughter’s arrival? we’re also expecting a girl (our first child) in april.

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  4. Love your blog, Uncole! One thing to remember is that stores will be open after the little one is here. You could just get the basics and see what you guys really need after. We borrowed a bunch of stuff too and didn’t even use all we had. Every baby is different. And like I told B, Target is but a short drive away!!! And I’m sure Tutti and Granpaul are gung-ho to hit up bye bye baby for y’all at the drop of a hat!

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  5. Reblogged this on over 50 under 5 and commented:
    All the ‘stuff’ is confusing. You’ve done a good job here of sorting it out. Just imagine what it’s like a few years in, when you have a house full of stuff. This Christmas we made a point of putting a few toys away ‘for later’ before bringing out the new ones.

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  6. All the ‘stuff’ is confusing. Good job here sorting it all out. Just imagine what it’s like a few years in, when you have a house full of stuff! This Christmas we made a point of putting a few toys away ‘for later’ before bringing out the new ones. The struggle to manage stuff is just beginning.

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  7. Reblogged this on Southern Hot Mess and commented:
    I came across this, and it really brought back feelings of registry woes, and how I did things differently for Diva. However, when I walk in Babies R Us, I still remember that original feeling as I entered for the first time over 10 years ago.

    Hope you enjoy the read. I did!

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  9. You actually do not need all that stuff. We used the “guest bed” as our changing table. A snugglie and a small, portable stroller was great for all occasions. I often think of Third World families – no one has a d&#n “nursing bra”. Who thinks of these things? 🙂 Common sense it the best. Congratulations, too!

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  10. I attacked my baby registry the same why I did our wedding registry. I did loads of research online and started adding things. By the time we got to the store I had 300 items! I was able to slim down our list by choosing between the different brands or styles once I saw them in person. My biggest issue with retailer these days is many of their products are “Online Only” so even though I went to the store I couldn’t see them. Many of our friends/family are computer challenged so it limited the items I would get. Now you know how us women feel when we walk into Lowes 🙂

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  12. It is really hard!! Hubby and i have visited a few baby shops now and we notice that every time we speak to a new sales person they tell us something new. Just when you think you have it all worked out, they throw a spanner in the works and help you to change your mind for something better. It is important to find a balance between safety, style, price and what you like. It’s also important to get as much information as possible to help you make your decision.

    Happy baby shopping!!

    Liked by 1 person

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