44 Registry Products You Need for Having a Baby via Gestational Surrogate
This curated baby registry is a great place to start if you’re using surrogacy to build your family.
There are lots of products that are universal to all baby registries. Things like diapers, baby clothes, a car seat and lots more are essentials no matter how you form your family.
But if you’re building your family via surrogacy, there are some specific things you’ll want to add to your list in addition to the usual baby essentials. This surrogacy sample registry is a great place to start.
We spoke with two couples, Bryan and Chris, who used a surrogate to have their twins, and Katie and Chris, who added a second child to their family via surrogacy, about their registry favorites and the gear they’d suggest to other families if they’re pursuing surrogacy and building a baby registry. We also added our own recommendations from Babylist’s gear experts.
Nursery
“We knew we wanted bassinets for our twins that were safe and easily accessible,” said Bryan. This bassinet from Snoo more than fits the bill. It comes with a firm, water-resistant mattress, features mesh sides for breathability and has five unique motions that mimic the natural bounce and sway movements babies love.
This bundle combines two bestselling nursery must-haves: babyletto’s Hudson Crib, an iconic mid-century modern design that works in any space, and the Newton Baby Breathable 2-Stage mattress, a crib mattress with a core made from 90% air.
Finish the look with this whimsical sheet from Rookie Humans. Inspired by storybook illustrations, the designs are fun, unique and add a style statement to any nursery space.
“I was so nervous bringing our baby home and a video monitor helped ease those nerves a lot,” said Katie. We love this smart monitor because it can be used as a traditional video monitor with the parent unit or remotely via Wifi on your smartphone or tablet.
After the surrogacy process, extra snuggles can help you bond with your new addition. This beautifully modern rocker is sustainable (the fabric is made from at least 30% recycled fibers) as well as stain-resistant and water repellent to help make clean-up from the inevitable mess a little easier.
Swaddling your baby can be daunting, especially if you’re a first-time parent. This unique zip-up swaddle is straightforward and quick. It also allows baby to sleep with their arms up, a natural position that lots of little ones really like.
It’s also helpful to have a few traditional swaddles on hand for wrapping as well as to use as an on-the-go playmat or changing pad or as a car seat blanket. Copper Pearl swaddle blankets have just the right amount of softness and stretch and come in a rainbow of beautiful colors and prints.
This handcrafted quilted playmat is a comfortable spot for your baby to lounge and play. It’s also machine washable so it’s easy to keep clean.
“I have so much extra storage, I just don’t know even know what to put in it,” said no parent, ever. (Bryan and Chris agreed, especially with twins!) These baskets are perfect for toys, clothes, extra bedding and so much more and will last for years. They also come in the most adorable prints and designs.
On the Go and Gear
“Our surrogate lived out of state so we had to travel for every appointment and for the delivery,” said Katie. This large overnight bag is a good item to add to your registry if you’re in a similar situation. We love that this one is baby-friendly (lots of space to pack all the things, a removable changing pad and an insulated bottle carrier) but will also work well beyond the baby days.
Another travel must-have is a lightweight car seat and a sturdy stroller. This travel system offers both, featuring Nuna’s popular Pipa Rx car seat and Tavo Next Stroller. The car seat is travel-friendly at under eight pounds (and one of our top rated infant car seats) and the Tavo Next stroller has lots of features to love including a good suspension system and a more compact fold than many other similar strollers.
If you’re expecting twins, Bryan and Chris’s stroller pick may be a good choice for you. (And it’s one of our faves featured in our best strollers guide.) “I researched a ton of strollers and ultimately landed on the Vista because I loved the front-to-back setup and that I never have to worry about fitting through doorways,” Bryan said.
If you’ll be spending time away from home for your baby’s birth (or plan on traveling as a family while your baby is young), a travel crib is a great investment. The Lotus weighs 13 pounds, making it about 50% lighter than most travel cribs, and converts into an easy-to-carry backpack.
You’ll want to toss this car seat cover into your bag whether you’re traveling to meet your baby or if you’re simply out and about with your baby in tow. It’s easy to pop on your car seat, doesn’t interfere with the seat’s straps or buckles and is ultra-breathable.
One more must-have if you’re hitting the road: a travel sound machine. This portable white noise powerhouse creates a soothing environment for your baby no matter where you are. We love how easy it is to loop around a car seat or stroller and that it can operate on a single charge all night.
Babywearing as a surrogate family can help you bond and increase skin-to-skin time with your new baby. Bryan and Chris chose Ergobaby’s Embrace carrier and have loved using it with their twins. Designed with the softness of a wrap combined with the support of a more structured carrier, the Embrace is one of the best and easiest to use baby carriers for the early days (and beyond).
“We are both working dads and it was very important to us to have a place for our babies to relax and chill if we had to get something done or hop on a call,” said Bryan. The Snuggle Me hugs baby’s body and provides a calming, comforting sensation when your arms need a break.
Feeding
Don’t invest in a giant gift set with bottles from the same brand. Instead, add this bottle sampler box to your registry. Your baby (and you) will have the chance to test out five of the most popular bottles and figure out which one is best before you commit.
Many surrogate families choose formula feeding, and if that’s your plan, this formula mixer is about to make your life a lot easier. “This was something we didn’t think we needed until we got it,” said Bryan. “And now I wish we had two of them!” It makes up to eight 20-ounce bottles at the perfect temp with the touch of a button.
“We were so fortunate that our surrogate wanted to pump for us so we could feed our daughter breast milk,” said Katie. Nanobebe bottles are specifically designed for breastmilk, with a profile that more efficiently heats and cools the milk to help preserve nutrients.
This freezable cooler keeps bottles chilled if you’re traveling to meet your baby but can also be used whenever you’re away from home and it’s time to eat. “We used this all the time both for breast milk and formula,” said Katie. We love it because there’s no need to add a separate ice pack; just pop the entire thing in the freezer and let the built-in freezable gel get to work.
A travel brush and drying rack may not sound like necessities until you’ve tried to clean a bottle away from home without them. This compact brush + rack bundle will work if you’re away from home welcoming baby or for anytime you’re traveling.
“We tried a ton of the “fancier” pacifiers,” says Bryan, “but our twins ended up loving these, the same ones they got in the hospital.”
A feeding pillow is a helpful registry add even if you’re a surrogate family who isn’t breastfeeding. It can be used to support bottle feeding but also as a prop for supervised sitting and tummy time.
Diapering
A diaper bag backpack holds everything you need and gives you your hands free, a winning combo in our book. We love the gender-neutral look of this Parker Baby bag and the functional design.
Overwhelmed with all the diaper choices? This diaper box lets you try three popular eco-friendly brands to see what works best. It includes 100 diapers and 200 wipes.
No matter how you start your family, there’s one universal truth: dirty diapers smell. Help contain the stink with this diaper pail that keeps the lid sealed even when the lid is open. There’s also a spot for a lavender-scented baking soda insert.
This diaper clutch makes changing diapers away from home a lot easier. The fold-out changing mat is oversized and there are plenty of pockets to stash a few diapers, wipes and more. You can use it solo or toss it in your diaper bag.
Health and Safety
If you’re bathing your baby away from home, a sink bath makes things a lot easier. (This one also folds compactly so you can toss it in a travel bag or even a backpack.) The Soft Sink tub fits in most sinks and dries quickly.
Keep your little critter warm and dry after bathtime with this adorable (and oh so soft) hooded towel. It’s made from quick-drying bamboo and measures 35” x 35”.
Baby first aid supplies are essential, but it’s a pain to track them all down separately. This curated kit, filled with hospital-grade medical supplies, was co-created with doctors and contains everything you might need for all the “just in case” moments over baby’s first year and beyond. “I liked that it had everything I might need all in one place,” said Katie.
One more bundle to add to your list: FridaBaby’s Baby Basics. It’s packed with four of the brand’s most popular products: the SnotSucker (just trust us on this one), the Windi (for those gassy nights), a nail clipper and a silicone baby bath brush.
Clothing and Accessories
This newborn bundle is the perfect kick-starter for baby’s closet. It includes essentials like bodysuits, socks, a wearable blanket and more—and everything’s organic.
Magnetic closers make this footie easy on and easy off and make diaper changes a breeze, which is why we love it, especially for the first few months. It’s made from soft modal and the newborn and three-month sizes also feature mitten cuffs.
Cute and functional, these bandana bibs come in five different colorways and do a great job at keeping your little one dry and comfy. They’re made from organic cotton on the front and a soft polyester on the back.
Play
This picture book provides an introduction to surrogacy for even the littlest of readers. The author is a family therapist specializing in reproductive issues with over 20 years of experience.
There are all types of different people and all types of different families, and this curated book collection celebrates them all. It’s the perfect starter set to build your baby’s library of diverse books.
“As two gay dads, we didn’t know much about infant development,” said Bryan. “Our twins love staring at black and white images.” These double-sided cards can be propped during tummy time, taped up to a wall or window or simply held in front of your little one to help them get a good look.
Lots of babies show signs of teething long before you’ll see that first tooth pop out. This teether and teething mitt are made from food-grade silicone and can help soothe sore gums.