10 Baby Registry Must-Haves Experienced Moms Swear By

The list of baby registry must-have items may surprise you, but they really, really want you to know about each. You can add them to your own registry list if you haven't had a baby shower yet—or just treat yourself. Not sure where to start? Sign up for a free Amazon Baby Registry welcome box to get the ball rolling.

1. A *really* good mug

“After giving birth to my daughter, it took about two days of drinking cold coffee to convince me to get an insulated mug with a lid,” says Marissa, the mom of a two-year-old in Toronto. She swears by the Yeti for its double-walled insulation, minimalist design and easy-to-open magnet sliding lid. Want to level up?

Ottawa-based mom-of-two Ashley vouches for the Ember Smart Mug 2, a battery-powered cup (with a chargeable coaster). “You can set it to keep the exact temperature you like your coffee or tea at for 90 minutes,” she says. There’s even a phone app so you can adjust it when a certain someone has you stuck with coffee just out of arm’s reach.

“For those middle-of-the-night feedings and diaper-changings, I found that my nightlight made my life so much easier, especially with the quick touch control—a few taps to turn on, dim or brighten,” says Kristina, a Montreal-based mom with a 19-month-old son and a baby on the way. This helps set the stage for future toddler alarm clocks, too.

With a quick tap, the MediAcous lamp she swears by emits a soft warm light for the ungodly hours or a brighter white light for bedtime reading. “I ended up buying one for my side of the bed, my husband’s and for the nursery,” says Kristina. “They’re also super easy to pack for trips. Honestly, a must-have!”

You’ve probably seen Montessori-inspired The Play Gym by Lovevery pop up in your social feed, along with its equally eye-catching price tag of US$140 (about $185 Canadian). But as Toronto mom Jennifer says, “not all baby toys are created equal.” She bought The Play Gym after trying and failing to thrill her then-three-month-old son Ozzy with several different play mats and educational toys.

Even now eight months later, its five different learning sections and thoughtful accessories keep Ozzy engaged. “There are other perks, too, like how easy it is to put together and take apart to clean whenever your baby pukes on it, because they sure will,” she adds.

We're not talking about a wipe warmer, which is a surprisingly controversial product among parents. (Detractors, like the author of this story, say wipe warmers take up space, use electricity, and get your baby used to heated wipes, which you won’t have when you’re on the go.)

Here, we're referring to a wipe dispenser. Breanna, the mom of a six-month-old in Peachland, B.C. swears by her wipes dispenser that features a weighted plate inside so that just one wipe comes out at a time. “Despite what you may have learned in your prenatal classes about changing a diaper, the whole game changes when you have a squirmy baby screaming like a banshee on the table,” she says.

“And when you go to pull out a wet wipe and the entire package comes out with it, suddenly the baby isn’t the only one crying.” She describes her refillable weighted dispenser, which lets her grab a wipe with just one hand, as one of her "favourite baby purchases ever."

Most strollers offer a cup holder attachment that you can purchase separately, and if not, you can opt for a generic model that attaches to almost all strollers. This item might sound like a nice-to-have, but it's essential, says Eliza, the Toronto mom of a five-month-old.

"Early wake-ups mean strolling around the neighborhood until the earliest coffee shop opens, and the one-handed stroller push is harder than it looks,” she says. She loves her UPPAbaby’s plastic cup-holder attachment because it’s easy to remove and clean. If you’re looking for an option that doesn’t add width to your stroller, try a caddy that attaches to your handlebars." Eliza’s tip for avoiding hot spills while on a stroller walk (a very scary prospect, if you think about it): “Order your drink in a cup one size larger.”

One of the very few items that Toronto mom Zoey put on her baby registry as she was planning for her second child? A humidifier. “I only learned this after having my first, but when babies are sick with a cold, there's very little you can do for their symptoms,” she says.

“A humidifier is something you can offer your babe for some relief from their congestion.” Even now that her kids are four and six, Zoey still leans on her humidifier as daycare and school bugs make their seemingly constant cycle through her home. And check out these home remedies for kids' colds while you're at it.

Small but mighty, a generous stash of little 100 percent cotton face cloths is key to have on hand, says Jenna, a mom based in Charlottetown, PEI. “They’re the most used item I got from my baby shower and continue to use today, and my daughter is now three-and-a-half!” She uses them for everything from bathtime to post-meal cleanup to on-the-go messes.

“They’re basically the wipe version of cloth diapers,” she says.

Whether you’re streaming a show while nursing or texting newborn questions to your group chat, your smartphone becomes (even more of) a lifeline during early parenthood. To make sure it always has enough power, Toronto mom-of-two Samantha recommends an “obscenely long" charging cable. It's one of the best things to add to your registry, and you'll really use it every day.

We're talking between six and ten feet long. “As a mom who was in and out of the hospital and on home bed rest for extended periods, I needed to charge electronics and stay connected with plugs in awkward spots,” she says. “I never had to worry about being out of touch during long snuggle sessions.”

If you plan to try body-feeding, it’s a good idea to have a non-electric pump or two. For collecting “let down” (the released milk) from the side you’re not using, Mary, mom to a 17-month-old in Picton, Ont., recommends silicone suction.

“You can get up to three to four ounces per breast per feed, and use your freezer for breast milk storage for when your boobs need some alone time.” If you need a quick release when you’re out sans babe or are in weaning mode, try a hand-powered pump like the Medela Harmony Breast Pump, says Renée, a Hammond, Ont.-based toddler mom expecting her second. “I found it easier to use than setting up the electric pump,” she says. “It helped to avoid mastitis when my son was weaning.”

When focused on planning for all of the baby’s needs, it’s easy to forget your own, but birthing parents are quick to point out the need for down-there care (and there’s no reason to feel the least bit embarrassed requesting these items as part of your baby registry).

Michelle, a mom to a five-year-old in Toronto, highly recommends period underwear. "I hated the feeling of the XL pads the hospital gave me to wear postpartum,” she says, recommending at least three pairs. She swears by Knix’s leakproof styles. Another popular option is disposable undies from Frida Mom.

“They’re soft, stretchy and seamless, moving with you while still holding everything in place, including overnight pads,” says Mishal, a mom to an eight-month-old in Toronto. “They come in a few different styles, including a high-waist version designed for C-sections, which I could wear comfortably without irritating my incision.”