10 Baby Products to Double Up On, According to Babylist Parents
Registering for extras of things like car seat bases, diaper pails and carriers can make your life a little easier.
By Amylia Ryan | Fact Checked by Shannon Vestal Robson
It’s no secret that babies need a lot of stuff, but even if you’re trying to go the more minimalist route, there are some things that may be worth having extras of. Whether it’s to make life as a new parent a little more convenient or to have those “just in case” preparations (think: a changing station both upstairs and downstairs, or an extra playard for grandma’s house), we heard from a lot of Babylist parents in our annual Best Baby Products survey that they doubled up on some of their registry items—and they were better off because of it.
Maybe you intentionally register for multiples of these items, or you accidentally receive the same gift twice from two different family members—don’t return it just yet! Here are all the things real parents recommend you have extras of:
An extra car seat base
One parent told us that their extra car seat base was the best baby product they registered for, “so we don't need to keep moving it to other cars.” If you’re a multi-car family or your baby sometimes rides with another caregiver, investing in a second base for your infant car seat can save you the time and effort it would usually take to swap one base between cars.
Not all infant car seats require a base, but even if the base is optional for your car seat, having that extra base already installed in baby’s secondary ride will still save you time on wrestling with seatbelts. But keep in mind that this trick only works with infant car seats, since they’re the only ones that use a base—convertible car seats, all-in-ones and booster seats don’t use bases, so you might consider registering for extras of those too if you’ll be swapping cars often.
Extra car seat bases come in a wide price range, but if you end up buying one yourself versus having it gifted to you off your registry, one Babylist parent says it’s still worth it: “An extra base for our second car didn’t break the bank!” And even after your baby outgrows their infant car seat, that extra base can be traded for discounts on other baby gear at a car seat trade-in event.
An extra playard
Playards make a great place to set baby down safely when you need to get other things done, and they can come in clutch as an extra changing station (which Babylist parents also had thoughts on below!). But if you travel to grandparents’ house somewhat frequently or if you live in a multi-story home, it might be worth considering having more than one playard.
“Having one upstairs and downstairs plus an extra for travel was so handy,” one parent said in our survey. Another parent specifically pointed out the Graco Pack ‘n Play Close2Baby playard (determined to be the best playard by our gear editor) as their favorite to have multiples of: “We use this CONSTANTLY. It is our downstairs changing table, our three-month-old uses it as a night bassinet, we use it to travel. We even bought a second one for the grandparents house. We LOVE this.”
An extra bouncer chair
Just like with a playard, a bouncer chair can be the perfect spot for baby to hang out when your arms need a break. But if you’re often going from room to room or up and down the stairs, bringing a bouncer with you every step of the way isn’t really convenient, as one parent learned with their first baby. “Despite the fact that we had multiple fancy baby swings, we used [a] bouncer as our primary seat and dragged it around to every room as we moved around. For baby #2, I’m investing in another for the second floor.”
An extra changing station
Here’s another double you may want if you have a multi-story home. Blowouts can happen literally anytime, anywhere, and if you don’t want to have to go very far to get your baby cleaned up and changed, some parents recommend registering for two changing stations.
Seriously. It may seem like just one more baby thing you’ll need to find space for, but as one Babylist parent discovered, it can be a major convenience for both changing and storage. “We were handed down a changing station from a neighbor and it came in clutch. Initially, we thought it was extra clutter/furniture we didn't need because we had a station setup in the nursery on the second floor, but then it became so handy on our main level where we spend most of our time. Organizes clothes, diapers, accessories, etc. and most importantly it's tall enough we're not hunched over when changing a diaper. A second changing station didn't even cross our minds when were registering for stuff!”
And it doesn’t have to be a full-sized changing table and pad—one parent recommends a portable changing station instead. “It was so nice to set up another changing station downstairs so we didn’t have to go up to the nursery for every change, and it will be easy to store away once baby has outgrown it.”
An extra diaper pail
Babies generate a lot of diapers (literally 2,500 to 3,000 in the first 12 months!), so you’re going to need somewhere to put them all. Many parents swear by diaper pails as registry must-haves to keep your nursery from smelling like, well, dirty diapers, but you may be surprised how quickly you can fill a single diaper pail.
The solution some parents found is to have a diaper pail in each room where baby spends the most time. “I received a second diaper pail,” a Babylist parent said. “I didn't anticipate how incredibly useful it is to have a diaper pail for the nursery and the first floor, where we spend most of our time during the day.”
Having multiple diaper pails means changing out the liners less often, not to mention keeping that dirty diaper smell from permeating the rest of your house. One parent recommends doubling up on the Ubbi diaper pail: “We loved it so much we got a second one for another room. That thing really holds in smells and looks pretty.”
Spare parts for baby feeding gear
Whether you plan to pump breastmilk for your baby or feed them formula, there are going to be appliances involved. And as much as we’d love to say that those appliances never break down, we’re here to be real with you: pump parts need to be replaced every so often to ensure proper airflow and hygiene, and formula makers can get clogged if you don’t do regular maintenance.
That’s why some parents recommend registering for those extra parts—they’re not the most fun gifts for people to buy for you, but they’re practical, typically inexpensive and will come in handy right when you need them. One response to our survey of Babylist parents said they appreciated spare parts for the Baby Brezza formula maker in particular. “Couldn’t imagine life without it! The only trick is to purchase a second funnel for 10 dollars so you always have one on hand!”
Extra monitors
Video monitors are great for helping you keep an eye on your baby, and having an extra camera can double your visuals. Some video monitors allow up to four cameras on one screen, so you can monitor multiple rooms or angles at once.
And if you’ve already decided you want to use a video monitor at home, it can be a good idea to also have an inexpensive audio monitor to use for travel. Setting up video monitors away from home—not to mention just lugging them around in your suitcase—can be a hassle, so having an extra audio-only set can save you time, energy and luggage space.
An extra baby carrier
Baby carriers are a must-have if you want to keep your hands free while still keeping baby close, but if babywearing is going to be shared between different-sized adults, it’s a good idea to register for two carriers.
Some carriers can be adjusted to fit a wide variety of sizes, but having to readjust every time it switches between wearers can be time-consuming. Having two carriers means each adult can have their own that stays fitted their size. One parent did exactly that with the Lillebaby carrier: “Loved it so much I bought a second. Works for both me and my husband with over a foot in height difference.”
Other carriers, like the Baby K’Tan, are based on your shirt size, in which case you’ll need to register for an extra if caregivers are different sizes.
An extra milk catcher
Many breastfeeding parents rely on milk catchers to collect any milk that may leak on one side while baby is nursing on the other or that may leak throughout the day. While just one milk catcher can get the job done on one side, if you plan to collect milk on both sides, an extra will come in handy. “Ended up getting a second one,” one parent told us. “I use the Haakaa on the other side every time I breastfeed, and I put a Haakaa on both sides to use as a manual pump!”
An extra milk collector can also be convenient if you use them frequently and want to make sure you always have a clean one ready to go.
An extra sound machine
Sound machines are a good way to help get your baby to sleep...and get you to sleep, too! “I thought it was overrated but registered for it anyway,” one parent said. “And then I loved it so much I bought a second one for our bedroom.” So no judgment from us if you put an extra sound machine on your registry just for you—you deserve a good night’s rest, too.
Another Babylist parent recommends getting an extra portable sound machine. “I received one as a gift from my registry, and ended up purchasing a second. We use them every day. One is on the car seat and the other is by his crib, and I switch them out when one dies.”
Amylia Ryan
Associate Editor
Amylia Ryan is the Associate Editor at Babylist, specializing in the topics of health, wellness and lifestyle products. Combining a decade of experience in writing and editing with a deep passion for helping people, her number one goal in her work is to ensure new parents feel supported and understood. She herself is a parent to two young children, who are more than willing to help product test endless toys, books, clothes, toiletries and more.
