The Absolute Essentials, “No Frills” Sample Baby Registry

Topping this list as an absolute non-negotiable is an infant car seat—the hospital won’t let you leave without one. This car seat from well-loved budget-friendly brand Evenflo offers reliable safety features, including side-impact protection, at a low-end price. It's also lightweight and clicks easily in and out of compatible strollers and bases, making it super convenient for both quick errands and long road trips.

At the bare minimum, you only need one way to carry your baby while out and about. Whether you’re going for a walk or running errands, either a baby carrier or a stroller will do the trick. A baby carrier is much less expensive and way more portable, but it does come with a (literal) weight on your shoulders. This carrier from Infantino is well-padded and pretty comfortable, especially for the price point. Some baby carriers come with extras like built-in pockets or a hood to cover baby’s head, but the Infantino Flip keeps things to a minimum, which is perfect if you’re looking for “no frills” gear. And with four ways to carry, it’ll last you all the way through the toddler years. One thing to note is that the minimum weight is eight pounds, so if your newborn is smaller than that, you’ll have to wait until they’re big enough to ride in the carrier.

If you’d rather have the ease and versatility of a stroller instead of a baby carrier, it’s much more cost-effective to get a travel system. Buying this infant car seat + stroller bundle from Evenflo saves you $80 versus buying the two products separately. You can use the infant car seat inside the stroller until baby is big enough to sit in the stroller seat itself (usually at six months old), or you can lean the stroller seat totally flat to use it in the infant bassinet setting, making this stroller last from birth all the way through preschool. The stroller also has extra goodies like a parent storage console, child snack tray and extra large storage basket.

These Amazon-brand diapers strike a great balance between cost and effectiveness. They’re hypoallergenic and certified free of harsh chemicals, so they’re safe for even the most sensitive newborn skin. Their absorbency holds up well for heavy wetters, though they do tend to sag, even at just halfway full.

These are hands-down Babylist editors’ and parents’ favorite wipes. They’re unscented and gentle on sensitive skin, not to mention large, thick and durable enough that you’re not at risk of accidentally wiping baby with your bare hand. And you’ll use them for a long time—they're great for wiping sticky toddler hands and cleaning up coloring messes once your baby gets older.

One thing to keep in mind: These wipes are a Costco exclusive, so you'll need a membership to get them. An annual Costco membership is $65, which can feel like a luxury to some, but the savings you'll get (on more than just baby wipes!) may be worth it for your budget.

All babies need a safe sleep space, and while many new parents opt for a bassinet to start, a crib will get you farther for your money—especially one that transitions into several stages, like this one. This crib transitions from a crib to a toddler bed, daybed and even a full-size bed, so your little one can use it for years (like, until they’re an adult). Compare that to the four to six months of use you’d get with a bassinet, with the length of time depending on the size of your baby—bigger babies means less time they can use the bassinet.

If you’re getting a crib, you also need a crib mattress. This one has a machine-washable outer cover, so you don’t even need crib sheets.

Playards are often less expensive than traditional cribs and bassinets, though the bassinet attachments typically have a lower weight, height and age limit than regular free-standing bassinets. But the good news is that you don’t have to worry about having two separate pieces of furniture—once baby outgrows the bassinet portion, just remove it and have them sleep in the lower part of the playard. It works just as well as a crib, only (much) lower to the ground. Playards are also way more portable than cribs, so you can move baby’s sleep space from room to room as you need to (this comes in especially handy if you don’t have a baby monitor), and they’re great for travel, like if you’re visiting the grandparents.

Swaddles are essential for helping your baby sleep. They keep baby feeling snug, secure and warm—without them, baby is much more likely to wake themselves up (thanks to that newborn startle reflex) and end up overtired and fussy. If you loved the cotton swaddle blanket that baby got in the hospital or birthing center, then great news: you can find the same ones (though probably with a different pattern) online for less than $5 each.

If you’d prefer something a little faster and easier to wrap, these winged hook-and-loop swaddles stay secure with no need for swaddle origami. This three-pack is enough to last you about a week before needing to do laundry (barring any blowouts, of course).

Even if you’re breastfeeding, it’s a good idea to have at least a couple of bottles available just in case there are changes with your nursing. And while there are even more basic bottles out there, these ones have a venting system that helps reduce colic and gas (for really not much more cost than non-vented bottles). They work well whether you’re pumping, using formula or combo feeding, and the wide neck makes them easy to clean.

Depending on where you give your baby a bath, you only need either an infant tub (to go in your full-size tub) or a sink insert (to go in your kitchen sink). This infant bathtub includes a mesh sling so you can use it with your newborn, and the spacious tub base works well for that in-between stage when baby is still too small for the full-size bathtub but too big for the sling.

If you don’t have a bathtub in your home, or if you’d just prefer to use your kitchen sink, this plush insert turns any standard-size sink into a safe, newborn-friendly bath space. The insert dries quickly and folds up for easy storage, so it’s also a great option if you’re tight on space (which most infant bathtubs aren’t).

Babies need clothes, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend money on them. By putting on your baby registry that you’re open to secondhand clothing, you give your friends and family the opportunity to share some of their own best-loved baby clothes with your little one. It also gives your gift givers the green light to shop sustainably at secondhand stores, which can be a gold mine of brands that are usually much pricier.

Getting a week’s worth of footie pajamas can save you money by not needing several separate pieces of clothing. They do the job of a bodysuit/shirt, pants and socks. And at about $5–6 each, these bundle packs from Gerber are a perfect starting place for baby’s wardrobe. This set comes with four footies, so for a week’s worth of clothes, plan on needing about two or three bundles for a total of eight to 12.

If the weather is warmer, then just a short-sleeved bodysuit will do. These bodysuits are made with 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton—without the typical organic clothing price tag.