Most retailers have a registry option – think Target, Pottery Barn, and Amazon. Sometimes, you’ll want to create your registry at a physical location if possible (and it’s fun because baby things are CUTE!) that still allows your friends and family to shop online. Most also include guides & checklists for how to build your baby registry, complete with product suggestions and special discounts on their brand items or bundles.

I’m a fan of Babylist, which is a registry aggregator and allows you to add items from any online retailer and even gift cash for services – like babysitting, date night, dog walks, groceries, etc.

A similar option is MyRegistry, which I’ve used to create registries for other occasions, like our housewarming, and G’s birthday parties.

My mom added probably 80% of the items on my first baby registry – baby things I never would have thought of because I hadn’t been a mom yet. By giving her access to add and edit my registry, I was also in for some surprise baby gifts at our baby shower because I didn’t know everything that she had added to our baby registry for us.

For example, Amazon baby registry perks include a “completion discount” (15% discount when I’m writing this in 2024) so any items that aren’t purchased and gifted by friends and family for your little one you can buy for yourself and still save some money (trust me, you need those savings for all those diapers you’re going to go through!) You also get a welcome box, free returns for 1 year, and group gifting.

Target Baby registry benefits: a free welcome kit that includes products and coupons, a registry checklist, 15% registry discount, and its easy for anyone to shop online and in-person.

1. Make your registry in more than one place! You’ll get the benefits and perks unique to those retailers (see above) and with a tool like Babylist, you can then aggregate all your registries into one list and destination for shoppers and easy management.

2. Before your guests make any of their online purchases, check and see if there’s cashback available via Rakuten for them! If you yourself don’t already use Rakuten, you can sign up for free with my link and we each make $30! (after you make a qualifying purchase within 90 days of joining).

Yes, your baby registry is primarily for baby but when a baby is born, so is a mother!
Add items that you think you might want post-partum: breastfeeding-friendly dresses and tops, a giant water bottle to track your hydration, mama jewelry, aromatherapy candles or oils, a fun Polaroid camera to capture all those moments to come, gift cards to your favorite restaurants that’ll make delivery or eating out with your new tagalong a little bit easier.