We Asked First-Time Parents About Their Registry Regrets
Here’s what they said—and how to make sure you don’t repeat them.
In This Article
When it comes to building a baby registry, there are two kinds of experts: the gear editor kind (hi 👋, it’s me 🙋🏻♀️) and the “I’ve just been-there-and-done-that” kind: thousands of first-time parents fresh out of the trenches.
We both have something to offer. (I shared my take in The 5 Biggest Baby Registry Mistakes, According to a Baby Gear Expert.) But there’s something especially useful about hearing it straight from the people who just lived it.
We polled our Babylist community in a recent newsletter with one simple (but oh-so-loaded) question: What’s your biggest registry regret?
You all had plenty to share, and seven themes rose to the top. These are the registry regrets that came up most—and how to avoid making these mistakes yourself.
1. Too Newborn-Focused 👶🏽
We heard from a lot of you—the most common theme across all replies, actually—that parents built their registries almost entirely around the newborn phase and were caught off guard when their baby grew out of it faster than expected.
💬 "When I made my registry, I solely focused on things I would need during the newborn stage. Which was great, until my baby started to transition out of the newborn things (i.e., swings, seats, wraps) and into bigger things (big crib, high chair, bassinet, etc.) and I didn't have any of those things!"
💬 "I received plenty of newborn and 0-3 months clothes but not enough for 6 months to a year."
💬 "I wish I had registered for items for the six to 12 month stage: sippy cups, toys, teethers, 6–12 month clothes."
💬 “That next stage car seat. Even though I am the one who ended up buying my car seat and travel system, I should have at least added it for the registry discount!”
💬 "I should've included feeding supplies, a play enclosure and a mat. These things are needed much earlier than anticipated!”
🔧 Here’s the fix
Think in phases, not just the first few weeks. Once your newborn registry is solid, scroll forward a few months and ask: What will I need at six months? At one year? This baby gear timeline of what you’ll need when can help.
A convertible car seat is one of the best think-ahead adds, as many parents don’t realize how quickly babies grow out of their infant seats. (Sometimes as early as a year old—or even before—if they hit the height or weight max, or if you simply don't want to lug around a heavy baby + a heavy car seat.) Adding a convertible seat from the start can save you stress later on and can remove a big-ticket item off of your to-buy list.
High chairs, sippy cups, play mats and larger-size clothing are also all fair game, and often go unbought because people assume you've got it covered.
2. Clothing Gaps and Sizing Mistakes 👕
The second most common regret: clothing gaps and sizing mistakes. (The eternal question: How many baby clothes do I actually need?) This includes registering for too many (or too few) of one clothing size, not accounting for season and asking for the wrong type of clothing altogether.
💬 "I wish I had added larger-sized clothes to my list.”
💬 "I was having a winter baby so I only put winter things. When spring and summer came, I had nothing, and some of the winter things I never even used."
💬 “I bought too many onesies.”
💬 "It's easy to buy pink everything when you have a girl and then be stuck when you have a boy for your second. I should have gone more gender neutral.”
🔧 Here’s the fix
Register sparingly for newborn and 0–3 months clothing (you'll get plenty of those as gifts anyway), and load up 6-12 months and beyond.
Think about what season your baby will actually be in those sizes, not just what season they're born in.
If you’re planning to save clothes for future babies, go gender-neutral.
3. Feeding Product Mistakes 🍼
Feeding gear was a major source of regret in both directions. Parents reported either over- or under-registering for feeding products like bottles and nursing gear, leading to either a pile of unused stuff or a lot of midnight panic-ordering.
💬 "I put a lot of breastfeeding/pump products on my registry and didn't end up using any of them because I couldn't breastfeed after one month. And then didn't put anything for formula. I would have put both products on and only a couple of each, rather than a bunch of products for only one option."
💬 "I ended up with bottles, a bottle warmer, a bottle cleaner, alllll the pumping supplies—and I exclusively breastfeed. I had to buy a lot of work-related breastfeeding clothes. When we built the registry, we were looking at all the possibilities broadly but not deeply."
💬 "Bottles! After doing thorough research, we invested in Philips Avent Natural Response glass bottles by putting a bunch on our registry (including multiple nipple sizes), but when our baby came along, he had a clear need for the Mam Anti-Colic bottles… only by the time we'd figured that out solidly, it was too late to return the Philips bottles! I'd say wait until you know your baby's preference for a bottle/nipple, before investing too much in one style/brand. Or try the bottle starter kit."
💬 "I didn’t include enough nursing/pumping items: bras, shirts, etc. Nursing/pumping was such a huge part of our life, and is where I was doing the most midnight purchasing. I also didn't think I would pump for a while, but due to medical reasons, I had to. Holding up your pump bottles while on no sleep isn't for the weak."
🔧 Here’s the fix
Predicting your feeding path before baby arrives is almost impossible. Don’t commit too hard to one lane; instead, register for a mix of nursing and formula gear.
Hold off on stocking up on one single bottle brand until you know what your baby will actually take, or consider a starter box (there’s a glass bottle starter kit, too).
Pro tip: even if you’re planning on nursing, add a few bottles to your registry. Even most exclusively breastfeeding parents pump occasionally and use bottles when they’re going to be away from baby or simply need a break. (The Best Bottles for Breastfed Babies has a good selection of options.)
4. Products That Went Unused 🙅🏼♀️
When you’re building your registry, it’s easy to spiral into believing you need every baby product ever invented. Many parents told us they regretted adding items to their registry that they either never used or used sparingly. The most common offenders: bottle sterilizers, wipes warmers, baby food makers, bottle warmers and baby floor seats.
💬 "Getting a bottle sterilizer! Never used it." (Multiple people said they should have gotten the combo bottle washer/dryer/sterilizer instead.)
💬 "A baby food maker, did NOT need it."
💬 “Bottle warmer. My kid didn't care about temperature and actually preferred colder formula."
💬 "Less of the big do-it-all type things like swing-bouncer. Baby never cared about it, it takes up so much space."
💬 "Registering for a Diaper Genie: should have registered for a Simple Human garbage can."
🔧 Here’s the fix
Before adding something, ask yourself: what does this do that something I already have doesn't? And can I find something that does multiple things instead of just one? Items like a wipes warmer, a bottle warmer or a baby food maker are very good at one thing and one thing only. They also sound useful in theory, but many babies don’t care, and most parents end up not using them.
When in doubt, leave it off and buy it later if you actually need it.
5. Registry Strategy Mistakes 🧠
Beyond specific products, we heard a lot about broader registry strategy mistakes—things like adding too much, leaving off big-ticket items out of guilt and not looping in a partner.
Too much stuff overall 💬 "I had a stockpile of things I forgot I even had bought. It was just coming from a place of fear as a FTM. I wish I had just gotten the essentials and seen what I needed from there."
💬 "As a first time mom, I added way too much stuff! I was acting like I wouldn't be able to buy anything once the baby arrived 🙃 Less is more and gift cards are always good!"
Leaving off high-ticket items 💬 "I didn't put the Mockingbird high chair on the list because of price. I put a cheap one and I hate it. I learned that people will buy the expensive item, and if they don't you can always buy the cheap item instead."
💬 "I wish I added more higher-end items instead of worrying about everyone else."
Following others’ registries too closely 💬 "Remember these are ideas… focus on the examples as something to look at and say, 'do I need this given my circumstances?' If not, leave it off!"
Not assigning research tasks to a partner 💬 "I should have assigned more items to my husband. Getting him to do the research and ask for opinions from his network on the one or two things I was too burned out for was actually good for him, and it was good for me. I should have made him take on more decision-making."
🔧 Here’s the fix
Sometimes, less is more.
But also: don’t be shy about adding expensive or luxury items to your registry if you really want them! (Especially if you have a large family or friend group who you know want to buy you gifts.) Many gift givers love to splurge on a new baby, and higher-priced items also offer the opportunity for multiple folks to contribute through group gifting.
Lean on gift cards for anything you're unsure about.
Loop your partner into the research whenever you can.
6. Leaving Off Categories Completely 🕳️
Some parents shared that they skipped entire categories on their registries, either because they didn’t think far enough ahead or assumed they wouldn’t need anything from them. A few they almost universally regretted leaving off:
Postpartum care 💬 "I wish I had put postpartum pads and bra pads on my registry!”
Toys 💬 "I wish I had toys on my list!! I had every baby necessity covered, but forgot to have fun with it and ask for toys."
Babyproofing gear 💬 "Not including (expensive) babyproofing gear."
Gear for growing families 💬 "Not thinking beyond the first baby—I wish I had registered for a stroller that could convert into a double and a narrower car seat so it would be easier to fit multiple across."
🔧 Here’s the fix
Postpartum supplies, toys and babyproofing gear are three categories that almost always get forgotten, so add them if you’d like.
If you’re planning on more kids sooner rather than later, focus on gear that grows with your family, like a convertible car seat and a convertible stroller.
7. Not Doing Enough Research 🔍
A few specific categories came up repeatedly as places parents wished they'd slowed down and dug in more on the research front. The biggies? Strollers, car seats, baby carriers and high chairs.
💬 “Car seat/stroller research. But it’s so overwhelming, and there’s nowhere in person to go look/test-drive strollers and car seats. Frustrating.”
💬 "I did not do any research on carriers or baby baths, and I wish I would've because I ended up buying like 5 of each after the fact."
💬 "I wish I'd done more research on high chairs, but instead I just put a random one that wasn't a great fit (it was tiny next to our counter height dinner table). Thankfully, we thrifted a better one, and the original now lives at the grandparents' house!"
🔧 Here’s the fix
Strollers and car seats are the two categories worth slowing down for; they’re expensive, safety-focused and you’ll likely use one (or both) every single day.
Our product guides are a good starting point for research, but try to touch, feel and test products in real life whenever possible. (This guide shares where to try baby gear in person.)
For carriers and high chairs, the same rule applies: a little research up front goes a long way down the line.
