Shannon Choe, Premier Baby Concierge
For Traditional Medicinals

Ah, the Baby Registry!  It’s a means of communicating one’s needs and desires to gift-givers; a tradition; a rite of passage; and let’s not forget- an overwhelming project that inevitably leads a new mom to wonder:  Is this some sort of test?  Why is this so much work?!

Well, never fear!  Your ability to navigate a “big box” baby store is not some crazy measure of your inherent parenting abilities.  But it is much more than a simple wish-list.  It’s a great tool that has benefits for both the parents-to-be and their guests.  

Obviously, a registry offers gift-givers a simple way to select items you’ve indicated you need and like.  It helps reduce duplicates and gives people who’d like to shop elsewhere an indication of your style and nursery colors/themes.  Many moms use the registry as their all-inclusive shopping list, adding everything they intend to gather before baby arrives so they can be organized and only have to go through this process once!  After their shower, they’ll have a tidy list of what is still needed before baby arrives.  

The registry itself is important for all of these reasons, but it’s almost secondary to the process of creating it!  New parents, who until now have probably been focused primarily on the excitement and logistics of expecting their new bundle, are in for a surprise if they arrive at the baby store with a decaf and a two hour window to knock out this project!   

While they may have started taking note of baby products or dreamily designing their nursery since they discovered they were pregnant, when the day comes to grab the registry gun (or  mouse!) in hand, many moms become overwhelmed by the sheer number of products to consider and that, in many cases, making selections requires decisions well beyond price points and color schemes.  Will the baby sleep in their room at first?  Do they need bottles?  Are they “Going Green?”  What’s the safest car seat?   

The task of creating their baby registry forces (ahem, “encourages”) moms to consider all of these things.  They will learn a lot about themselves and begin to define their parenting style as they research products, weigh parenting practices and make decisions for their new family.

Far from the simple gift guide it appears to be, the baby registry is more of a research paper than a test.  Thankfully, there are no universally “right” answers!  Moms-to-be who can take their time and try to enjoy this part of the journey into mom-hood often feel a sense of accomplishment and even a newfound confidence once it’s complete.  As they should! 

Want more on Baby Registries?  Stay tuned for Shannon's next article: "Ten Things To Consider Before Creating Your Baby Registry."