What Not to Put on Your Baby Registry: 10 Things You Can Skip

Building a baby registry is overwhelming. Everyone has an opinion about what you need, there are a million versions of every product, and suddenly you’re wondering whether your newborn really needs a wipe warmer, five different swaddles, and an entire wardrobe before they’re even born.

When I was pregnant with my first, I was lucky because my sister had her son two years before I had mine. She basically told me what to get and, just as importantly, what I could skip. That saved me from buying some of the classic registry items that sound essential but really aren’t.

Now that I’m a mom of two, my biggest registry advice is simple: start with less. You can always order something once your baby is here. You don’t need to prepare for every possible scenario or every stage of your baby’s first year before you’ve even met them.

If you’re wondering what not to put on your baby registry, I’ve learned that some of the most popular baby products are things you can skip, buy less of, or simply wait to purchase.

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Here are the baby registry items I’d skip, buy less of, or wait on.

1. A Wipe Warmer

This was one my sister immediately told me I didn’t need, and I agree. Your baby will be perfectly fine with room-temperature wipes, and it’s one less thing taking up space on your changing table.

It’s also one less thing your baby can get accustomed to that you won’t have when you’re changing them away from home. My vote: skip it.

2. A Bottle Warmer

Same idea. I never found a bottle warmer necessary, but this is one of those products that will depend on how you feed your baby and how they prefer their bottles.

You may eventually decide you want one, but I wouldn’t consider it a registry must-have. This is a recurring theme throughout this list: you can always buy it later.

3. A Diaper Genie

I actually used a Diaper Genie with my first and thought it was helpful at the time. Eventually, though, it got gross and smelled so bad that it just didn’t feel worth it anymore.

With my second baby, I don’t use one at all. Pee diapers go directly into our regular trash. For poop diapers, I put them into a small dog-waste-style bag and either put them in the trash or take them outside.

It’s simpler, and I don’t miss having another large item sitting in the nursery.

4. Tons of Newborn Clothes — Especially Shoes

I remember looking at my baby’s clothes before he was born and thinking, I don’t have enough. So naturally, I ordered a bunch more.

I did not need more.

In those first few weeks, your baby mostly needs comfortable, practical onesies. I’d rather have around 7–14 easy outfits that can handle the inevitable spit-up and laundry rotation than a closet filled with adorable newborn outfits they’ll outgrow almost immediately.

And baby shoes? Definitely skip them. Yes, they’re adorable for a photo, but your newborn does not need a shoe collection.

5. A Big Baby Swing

This one is very baby-dependent, which is exactly why I wouldn’t automatically put it on every registry. My first baby did not like the swing at all. It took up a ton of space, barely got used, and we eventually got rid of it.

I didn’t bring one back for my second baby. I much prefer our BabyBjörn Bouncer because it’s simple and you can manually rock it without having another giant piece of baby gear in the house.

The bigger lesson is that you don’t know what your baby will like yet. Something another mom swears her baby couldn’t live without might sit untouched in your house.

6. Every Breastfeeding or Pumping Gadget

This is a tricky one because you really don’t know what your feeding journey is going to look like. I intended to breastfeed my first, so I prepared for breastfeeding with the pump, breastfeeding pillows, and all the accessories.

Then I struggled with breastfeeding and ultimately switched to formula. A lot of the gear I’d bought for the feeding experience I expected to have went unused.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t register for breastfeeding supplies. Have the basics you think you’ll need, but you probably don’t need every accessory before your baby arrives.

I’d still register for bottles because they can be useful whether you pump, combo feed, or formula feed. Beyond that, give yourself permission to figure it out as you go.

7. Multiple Sleep Sacks Before You Know Your Baby

I would absolutely have swaddles ready for the newborn stage, but I wouldn’t stock up on a bunch of different sleep sacks for later. Babies can be surprisingly opinionated sleepers, and I know parents who have tried multiple sleep sacks before finding one that worked well for their baby.

Wait until you know what your baby likes and what stage they’re in before buying a drawer full of them.

The same philosophy applies to sleep spaces. We had both a SNOO and a separate bassinet. I liked having the bassinet because I could roll it into the living room or between bedrooms, but was it absolutely necessary when we already had the SNOO? No.

Convenient and necessary are two different things, and that’s worth remembering throughout your registry.

8. An Entire Finished Nursery

This isn’t technically a registry item, but I wish more first-time moms heard this: your nursery does not have to be completely finished before your baby arrives.

If creating a beautiful nursery makes you feel calm and prepared, absolutely do it. There’s something really special about getting that space ready. But your newborn doesn’t actually need very much from it right away, especially if they’re sleeping in your room initially.

That also means you don’t need tons of nursery bedding or blankets. I ended up with so many blankets. Handmade and sentimental blankets are wonderful, but you only need so many, and loose blankets shouldn’t be placed in an infant’s sleep space. Follow current safe-sleep recommendations from your pediatrician and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

9. Tons of Newborn Toys

Your newborn really doesn’t need many toys. For us, the Lovevery Play Gym was more than enough in the beginning. It gave my baby something to look at and interact with as they became more alert without filling our house with toys.

I also liked the Lovevery subscription as my babies got older because developmentally appropriate items arrived as they reached different stages. It made me feel like I knew what I was supposed to be doing with my baby without trying to predict months in advance which toys we’d need.

You don’t need to register for your baby’s entire first year of toys before they’re born. There will be plenty of time for toys later.

10. Fancy Bath and Grooming Gear

Keep this category simple. I’d have a baby nail kit, thermometer, washcloths, simple bath seat, and gentle shampoo/body wash ready to go. Those tiny fingernails grow shockingly fast, so the nail kit is one I actually would have from day one.

But you don’t need fancy baby towels, five different lotions, an elaborate grooming kit, or necessarily even a full baby bathtub. We liked having a simple bath seat, and that was enough for us.

You’ll also accumulate medicine and other health items as you go. It’s good to have the appropriate basics on hand, but you don’t need to build an entire baby pharmacy as part of your registry.

The Biggest Baby Registry Mistake I See

The biggest mistake isn’t registering for one particular product. It’s building your registry based entirely on everyone else’s recommendations instead of your own lifestyle.

An influencer might tell you that you absolutely need a Doona. I love our Doona, but we travel a lot. If you’re a homebody who rarely travels, would it be as valuable to you? Maybe not.

The same goes for something like the UPPAbaby Vista stroller. I love ours because I was able to add adapters and another seat when we had our second baby. Now I can use it with a bassinet and toddler seat at the same time, so we’ve gotten years of use out of it.

But if you know you’re only having one child, spending that much on a stroller may not make sense for you. There’s no universally perfect baby registry because there’s no universally perfect setup for every family.

Start With Less

If I could give a first-time mom one piece of advice while she’s building her registry, it would be this: don’t register for something just because someone on the internet told you that you need it.

Think about where you live, how much space you have, whether you travel, how you hope to feed your baby, whether you’re planning on having more children, and what you’re actually willing to spend.

Most importantly, remember that you don’t have to have your baby’s entire first year figured out before they’re born. Start with less, meet your baby, and then buy what your baby—and your family—actually needs.

FAQs

What should you not put on a baby registry?

I’d skip or limit products like wipe warmers, bottle warmers, diaper pails, newborn shoes, excessive newborn clothes, bulky swings, lots of blankets, too many toys, and sleep products you won’t use until months later. What you can skip will ultimately depend on your lifestyle and your baby.

What are the most unnecessary baby registry items?

For me, some of the least necessary items were a wipe warmer, bottle warmer, baby shoes, and a large swing. I also wouldn’t get a Diaper Genie again after using one with my first baby.

How many newborn outfits should I register for?

I found that roughly 7–14 practical onesies (in newborn, 0-3m) gave us enough to rotate through laundry and spit-up without having a closet full of clothes our baby outgrew before wearing.

Should I finish the nursery before the baby is born?

You certainly can, especially if having it finished makes you feel more prepared, but don’t feel pressured to. Your newborn needs surprisingly little at first, and if they’re sleeping in your room initially, you may not use the nursery as much as you expect during those first months.

Want to know what I would register for? Read my Ultimate Baby Registry Guide, where I break down the products I’d actually buy again after having two babies.