Baby Registry Must Haves: Changing Table Essentials

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Just a couple weeks ago, I ventured to Babies “R” Us with my cousin and her husband to help them get their baby registry started for their first baby due in the summer. After going department by department, it really brought me back to when T and I compiled our registry. When we were registering, there was SO much to consider and it made things pretty overwhelming. How was I suppose to know what wipes are best or what diapers would be a good fit? What kind of diaper cream should I have? Do I need a wipe warmer or those Pee-Pee TeePee things for boys? (FYI- no and no.)

Sometimes planning for a baby feels a lot like planning a wedding. There are a hundred lists out there for all of the things you need. Most of them are really great, but in the midst of such a life changing season, sometimes lists can be too much, even for habitual list makers like me. But when you think about a wedding at its very core, you really only need two things: the couple getting married and an officiant.

So similarly, in terms of preparing for a baby, there are really only a few things you absolutely must have before baby arrives. Yes, you’ll need a lot of things for a baby.  But to simplify things, focus on making a small manageable list of the things you truly need. Everything else can be added in the days or weeks afterwards.

So if you think about it in the same way as a wedding, what are the absolute essentials? Well, changing your baby is definitely one thing you’ll be doing a lot, so starting there makes sense. Here’s what I consider the essentials to be:

 
Onesies
You’ll need a lot of these. Blowouts, spit up and drool are bound to happen, and you’ll want a stockpile of onesies on hand so you don’t have to do laundry constantly.

Blankets/Swaddles
Depending on what your baby likes, a set of blankets (soft flannel in winter or light muslin in summer), or zipper/velcro swaddles are key to helping baby sleep comfortable as the next layer after their PJs.

Diapers & Wipes
Seems obvious, but don’t underestimate just how many you’ll need. It’s a lot. You’ll be buying these for what feels like forever but having a good stash right away will make things a lot easier. Definitely add several of each to your registry, and even consider doing a diaper raffle where guests can bring a pack of diapers to get an entry for a prize!

Creams & Ointment/Medicine & First Aid
Having a basic supply of things like a thermometer, nasal aspirator, nail clippers, diaper ointment, petroleum jelly, etc. are great to have on hand so you have it when you need it. Check out my list of essentials here.

Diaper Changing Pad + Liner
Of course, you’ll need a changing pad and a liner to put over it. And get a couple liners in case you get one messy, you can quickly switch it out and be ready when it comes for the next diaper change. Or get one that is made of wipeable fabric for easy clean ups.

Hand Sanitizer
From personal experience- the last thing you want to do at 3am after a diaper change is go to the bathroom to wash your hands. Just use some hand sanitizer and get to bed!

Playtex Diaper Genie® Complete
The last item to make your changing table area complete is the diaper pail to hold those dirty diapers. And you’ll want a good one to seal in the odor. The Diaper Genie Complete is my pick, and evidently others as it was selected as a “Mom’s Pick Best of 2017” award winner in the BabyCenter Awards, along with ranked 1st place in the Diaper Pail category. These are great distinctions because the BabyCenter awards are determined by a vote of moms on BabyCenter.

What I love is that their ultimate odor lock system features a 7-layer refill bag. And the pail contains a Built-In Odor Controlling Antimicrobial AND double-air tight clamps to help seal in odors.  Trust me, you’ll want that protection.

Plus, it’s easy to use. When you have baby in one hand, stinky diaper in the other you simply step on the foot pedal and toss the diaper — no need to even touch the pail. And the height is perfect too, I didn’t have to bend down to get to it.) And changing out the bag is super easy. Plus, you can determine if you want to take out the bag after a particularly smelly diaper or wait with their continuous diaper refills.

It even comes in multiple colors to match your nursery like blue, pink, green, gray and white. I got mine at Babies “R” Us, the one-stop shop for all things baby, including lots of Playtex Baby products.

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And in terms of creating your registry, make sure you take advantage of the Registry 101 and Completion events offered nationwide at Babies “R” Us stores.

The Registry 101 event is for prenatal moms who are setting up registries or exploring the registry process and is on the 1st Saturday of the month where registry experts help guide mothers through the registry process.

Then the Registry Completion Event is the 3rd Tuesday of the month where you can close out your registry your baby arrives. Babies “R” Us offers a completion discount for all items on registry not purchased so definitely grab any items you still need for a nice savings!

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Having all your diaper changing essentials at arm’s reach is so helpful and makes for an efficient, streamlined process during changes. And knowing you have all the essentials covered on your registry will give you a little peace of mind too!

What else would you add to this list?

To get a full tour of Bryce’s nursery, click here. And for a tutorial on the pegboard diaper organizer, click here.

And be sure to create your baby registry at Babies “R” Us and add one of these essentials to your list!