Shannon Choe, Premier Baby Concierge
For Traditional Medicinals

So you’re feeling a bit more comfy that you know what you want to put on your baby registry, from color schemes to stores; but what about the baby shower?  Should you register for everything, or just gifts?  What about “big ticket” items – how big is too big? And should you only register for immediate needs only?  Consider these points to make the process go that much smoother:

1. Register for everything or just for gifts?  Some people register just for the purpose of the shower, while others treat the registry list as their personal shopping/to do list with everything they’ll need for baby to keep them organized.  It’s really up to you and what you feel comfortable with.  One tip to consider: some big box stores will send you a coupon after your shower has passed, offering you a percentage off of anything you purchase from what is left on your registry. 

2. Gift cards.  Some wonder if it’s greedy to register for big ticket items, realizing this may be out of the price range of gift-givers.  It’s not.  Everyone understands that a small group may make a purchase or that there may be one or two relatives who want to buy you that one significant item, no matter the cost.  Further, many people will now register for gift cards in smaller denominations, allowing someone who wants to contribute to your stroller, to do so easily. 

3. Immediate needs only?  If the goal is to be prepared, how long do you plan for?  Should you register for the high chair or other feeding items you won’t use till 5 or 6 months or the baby gates you may not need until baby is 6-10 months, or focus only on the newborn phase?  It’s totally up to you.  Do you have the space to store these items?  Might your tastes change or some new item come to market?  Will you be moving and not know what will be the best fit in a new home?  If you’re concerned about having the basics and money is tight, you may want to focus your registry on your most pressing needs, which will steer gift-givers towards those immediate needs.  On the other hand, remember that items can be discontinued, so if you really want the high chair that matches your swing, it would be safer to pick it up now, rather than waiting.

4. When to create your registry.  Many parents-to-be start their registry about mid-way through the pregnancy once they find out the gender of their baby.  Others are motivated by their shower hosts, who often need details before sending invites!  It really boils down to whatever works for you!

5. Where?  Of course there are several options and many people will register at two or more stores to accomplish gathering the mix of big items they love and the nitty gritty stuff they need.  Consider also if you have some family that are “old school” and either don’t shop online or that would rather walk into a brick and mortar store to touch and select that special something!  One great option is one of the new online “all store” registry options like myregistry.com that allows you to create a single registry and add anything you can find online to it.  You may select one single item from a boutique in town that has online shopping and may also get the bulk of little must haves from the big box store and while you’re at it, you may add a piece of artwork for your nursery from an artist’s website.  All can be on one registry, making it simple to keep track of and to communicate to guests.  This also allows you to select exactly what you want and not need to make compromise when a store is limited in options for certain items. 

Happy shopping!