While millennials continue to get fair amount of flack for the things they do [job hop, travel, kill off napkins, love the color pink], more millennials are becoming parents each day. According to Pew Research over 17 million moms in the U.S. are Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) and that number continues to grow.
Millennial moms are unique from other generations. They grew up technology first, but still remember a world with dial up internet. They focused on their education and are now having children later in life. They have unprecedented access to information about parenthood with all the realms of the internet giving advice on pregnancy health, child safety and the benefits of breastfeeding vs. bottle. Becoming a parent as a millennial is overwhelming!
For Millennial moms building the best baby registry is a must. There’s an abundance of information about how to build a baby registry and we’ve picked out our favorite items based on how Millennial moms are raising children differently from generations before.
Gifts That Belong on the Best Baby Registry: A Good Car Seat
The number one item mom’s need to register for is a car seat. With all the options on the market, how do you decide what seat belongs on the best baby registry?
Read More: Why You Should Keep Your Baby Rear Facing As Long As Possible
All car seats sold today meet strict federal guidelines related to safety, but that does not mean all car seats are one in the same. Selecting a car seat that fits your family’s needs is the most important part of the car seat selection process. Most car seats last several years before expiration, so if you are planning to have multiple children in a row, investing in a good infant seat means you will have one large purchase out of the way for years to come.
When selecting a car seat we recommend considering the weight, ease of care, installation process and longevity of the seat itself. Our pick for millennial mom’s is the Nuna Pipa Lite.
Coming in at just 5.3 pounds the Nuna Pipa Lite is the lightest infant seat on the market. Made from extremely lightweight aeroflex foam and aerospace aluminum the Pipa doesn’t sacrifice safety for convenience. When you are planning to keep your little one rear facing as long as you can, having a light car seat can help as that baby starts to feel more like a bowling ball!
With the ability to go up to 32 lbs., you’ll be able to comfortably keep your precious cargo in their Pipa seat longer. Once you move baby #1 out of their Pipa a 7 year expiration date makes planning for baby #2 that much easier.
Gifts That Belong on the Best Baby Registry: A Stroller Set that Grows with the Family
Married women in the U.S. typically have children later in life, starting at around 28 years old. College educated women are waiting even longer, and not having their first child until closer to 31. Waiting later in life to start having children means that if you’re planning to grow your family beyond one child you may need to have those children closer together.
When you register for your first baby picking a car seat and stroller set that will grow with your family is the perfect way to plan for the future ahead. For families who wish to have more than one child we love the Nuna Demi Grow stroller. It is the perfect fit as you build out the best baby registry for your family.
The Demi Grow is truly a smart seat, allowing you to easily convert from infant carrier, to toddler, to a double stroller all with one set of compatible component parts.
Why the Demi Grow belongs on the best baby registry:
- Converts from single seat to twin with the addition of a second sibling seat.
- Extendable UPF 50+ Canopy.
- All terrain tires and duel suspension.
- One touch breaking and large storage space.
- Compatible with Nuna Pipa infant seat.
SHOP:
Pipa Lite | Demi Grow
EXPLORE AND CONNECT:
Nuna | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube
Gifts That Belong on the Best Baby Registry: Technology that Gives You Peace of Mind
An abundance of information can easily result in sleepless nights. Luckily one of the benefits of millennial parenthood is the wide variety of technology that simply didn’t exist when their parents were raising children and the best baby registry includes some of those items. The smart home has led to the creation of a smart nursery, and keeping tabs on your baby is just the click of a button away.
Read More: Owlet Baby Monitor Guide
There are many smart nursery options to consider with everything from smart monitors to lighting operated through voice control. You can even track feedings with smart bottles or babies weight through smart changing pads. While most of the smart nursery falls into the ‘nice to have’ category there is one item we feel millennial mom’s must put on their registries – the complete baby monitoring system from Owlet.
Owlet originated with the Smart Sock, a simple to use tech device that tracks babies heart rate, oxygen levels, and sleep through pulse technology. The sock pairs to a base station that notifies you with lights and sounds if heart rate or oxygen levels are outside of safe zones.
Paired with their new HD 1080p video, Owlet has created a complete baby care ecosystem. Secure encrypted wifi means your child is completely safe from any outside hackers accessing the device and as a parent you have full awareness of 130 degrees of the room, ability to hear background noise, talk to your child, and monitor the room’s temperature.
SHOP:
Sock + Cam Bundle
EXPLORE AND CONNECT:
Owlet | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter |Pinterest | YouTube
Gifts That Belong on the Best Baby Registry: A Wearable Breast Pump
For moms who plan to breastfeed a good breast pump is a must have. Luckily, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies are required to cover the cost of a breast pump. Each insurance company is unique in what they will provide so checking what options you have available is an important part of building out a baby registry.
Read More: Seven ways to make time for yourself when exclusively breast feeding
When you are on-the-go traditional breast pumps can be cumbersome and frustrating to a new mom’s breastfeeding experience. Most stationary breast pumps require that you remain tethered to a wall or table, make a substantial amount of noise, and are heavy to haul back and forth from home to work for cleaning each day. Even if you are not returning to work right away it’s hard to get much done around the house when you are tethered to a pump/plug for several hours everyday.
Wearable breast pumps are the solution to the modern mom’s need for a breast pump that keeps up with her! Our favorite wearable breast pump is the Willow 2.0. Recently relaunched with a clear flange, the 2.0 takes all the things we loved about the original Willow and makes it an even easier to use product.
Completely mobile, the Willow comes with 2 pumps that easily tuck away in your favorite nursing bra. Without cords tying you down and no loud sounds it’s easy to go about your day while simultaneously taking care of your new number one responsibility, caring for your child.
Milk goes directly into the spill proof Willow storage bag, ready to go into the fridge or freezer for safe keeping. We love that the Willow is one of the only pumps on the market that allows you to pump in any position, meaning you can relax while catching up on the latest Game of Thrones, finish that load of laundry, or even continue working at your desk, all while no one knows that you are pumping away.
SHOP:
Willow 2.0
EXPLORE AND CONNECT:
Willow | Facebook | Instagram | Youtube
Gifts That Belong on the Best Baby Registry: Educational Baby Toys
From the moment a baby is born they begin to learn. Taking in the world around them, differentiating between sounds, and studying the environment for the first time. From early infancy babies learn the sounds of language which lead to language skills later in life. Books are a great way to to encourage learning at a young age and build a routine that you can continue as they grow.
Read more: 8 Tips for Avoiding the Summer Learning Slump
In addition to books, toys that are designed specifically for child development can help newborns and toddlers achieve their milestones as they grow. For learning toys that begin with infancy, parents will love the Tiny Love brand. Designed specifically to help with the seven stages of development these high quality and colorful toys are not just fun to play with, but present a learning opportunity at every corner.
For newborns through 6 months the Close to Me Bouncer is a must have for any millennial parent. With the ability to cycle through three varying levels, babies can go from a high position in line with a couch or loveseat, to soothing and bouncing. By keeping baby at eye level he or she can continue bonding with the family all while maintaining a safe and comfortable place for baby to sit. Completely portable and stylish, the neutral grey fabric ensures that the Close to Me Bouncer fits perfectly into your decor.
Tummy time is an important learning opportunity for babies. Spending time on their stomach will help develop neck and shoulder muscles while preventing flat spots from developing on their head. While it’s possible to facilitate tummy time on a basic blanket, millennial moms should add a colorful and educational play mat to their registry list.
The Into the Forest Gymini Deluxe is a must have for babies growth! Designed with bright colors and engaging dolls, babies will enjoy their Gymini for months on end. Multiple modes of use allow for the practicing of gross motor skills while laying on their back, or interacting with the mirror or other toys while on their stomach.
SHOP:
Into the Forest Gymini | Close to Me Bouncer
EXPLORE AND CONNECT:
Tiny Love | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Gifts That Belong on the Best Baby Registry: A Secure and Comfortable Baby Carrier
Baby wearing is a great opportunity for bonding with a baby while continuing to be able to address the tasks of the day. Free hands ensure that groceries are put away, laundry is folded and emails have been replied to. Picking the right way to wear baby is a personal choice. From wraps to carriers there are solutions designed for every body type and every size baby.
Mom’s who choose to baby wear with a carrier need to intentionally select a carrier that helps distribute the child’s weight evenly while also ensuring that their hips are protected from dysplasia. Keeping babies hips, legs and spine similarly situated, as if you were holding them in your arms, is key to proper hip health.
The MOBY 2-in-1 Baby Carrier and Hip Seat combines the support of an ergonomic carrier with a hip seat that will take you from infancy through toddlerhood. Designed to be one size fits all, the 2-in-1 carrier is another great product that will hold up to multiple years of use, fitting children all the way up to 4 years old.
Four carry options allow parents to select from forward facing or front outward facing, along with various hip seat options. The hard structured hip seat allows for even distribution of the weight of the baby, ensuring that parents can comfortably carry through a full day at the zoo, shopping around town, or even taking a stroll through the neighborhood.
SHOP:
MOBY 2-in-1 Baby Carrier and Hip Seat
EXPLORE AND CONNECT:
MOBY | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube | Pinterest
Gifts That Belong on the Best Baby Registry: A Comfortable Place for Baby to Rest
When a new mom is tired from a late night with baby there is nothing more exhausting than continuing to hold that baby for hours on end. Using a pillow to assist with positioning can help take strain off of already exhausted parents. The simplicity of a “baby body pillow” can be a lifesaver when a fussy baby needs to feel comfort and closeness.
Supporting infants and parents for over 30 years, a millennial baby shower registry would not be complete without a Boppy. Available in over a dozen patterns and styles, the original Boppy feeding and infant support pillow helps position babies for comfortable feedings and provides support for propping baby up, tummy time and sitting as they grow.
The Boppy Luxe takes the classic Boppy and adds a comfortable and soft fabric that babies will love against their skin. Paired with a water-resistant protective slipcover, moms will love being able to easily keep their Boppy clean while tossing the slipcover and outer shell in the wash when accidents happen.
For the littlest babies, the Boppy Newborn Lounger is the perfect solution for allowing babies to enjoy alone time under supervision. Recessed in the middle, babies can relax in comfort knowing mom is nearby. Easy wipe fabric and the ability to completely machine wash when necessary makes the newborn lounger a staple item in the home of a new parent.
SHOP:
Boppy Luxe | Boppy Newborn Lounger | Boppy Protective Slipcover
EXPLORE AND CONNECT:
Boppy | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube | Pinterest
Gifts That Belong on the Best Baby Registry: Instagrammable Goodies
With more access to technology than ever, the children of millennial parents are photographed more often than any generation before. Every baby shower needs its fair share of instagrammable gifts that new moms will love showing off using their baby’s personal hashtag.
Even before baby is born, baby bump pictures are a Millennial mama must and the perfect props for those pictures are items that baby can use later. We love bump pictures that feature Freshly Picked moccasins, and these first responder collection booties are the perfect ode to mom or dad’s profession.
Finding baby shoes that properly fit growing little feet is challenging. Constructed with soft leather and delicate elastic, Freshly Picked’s collection of moccasins are the perfect comfortable, high quality shoe for babies and toddlers just learning to walk.
SHOP:
Police Car Moccasins
EXPLORE AND CONNECT:
Freshly Picked | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
There is nothing sweeter than a photo of a sleeping babe. Proper swaddling means babies sleep better and are safer while they rest. From newborns who need to be swaddled to rolling babies who need sleep sacks a sleeping baby means a happy mother.
When wrapping up your baby registry, selecting a few fun patterned swaddles is the perfect way to ensure that baby and mom sleep happy. Manufactured in the U.S. using eco-friendly products, no Instagram nursery is complete without the sleepwear and swaddles from SwaddleDesigns. With sweet patterns that reflect your personality and style, baby will be getting as many like’s as your last beach selfie photo.
SHOP:
Omni Swaddle Sack | Transitional Swaddle Sack
EXPLORE AND CONNECT:
SwaddleDesigns | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest
No matter what items you choose to put on your registry, the most important thing is choosing a place to register that will be easy for your family and friends to find. There is nothing worse as a baby shower guest than looking for a registry and not being able to locate it.
One of the easiest registries with the best benefits, is the Amazon Baby Registry. We love how easy it is for family and friends near and far to send gifts showering you with love. Who doesn’t enjoy seeing the Amazon smile show up on their doorstep? Gift givers can choose to send items directly to your home or ship them to themselves for wrapping before your in-person shower. For large items it’s easy for groups to pool together and contribute towards one of your more expensive must haves.
Picking out items is easy and the best baby registry is one that you created without wandering through a store when your feet are already swollen. You can complete your registry all while sitting on your couch, catching up on the latest episode of the Bachelorette.
WANT TO READ MORE?
Still searching for all that perfect baby gear, check out one veteran mama’s take on the 5 items second time mom’s wish they had with their 1st babies.
