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When I made my baby registry as a first-time mom, I was completely overwhelmed by how much stuff the internet made it seem like I needed.
I didn’t have a strict budget for my registry. After all, part of the point of creating one is giving friends and family a way to gift you things you genuinely want and need for your new baby.
But I definitely put too much stuff on mine.
Looking back, I think I would spend with more intention. There are some baby items where I was really glad I chose the nicer version, plenty of things I’d happily buy secondhand, and quite a few things I could have skipped altogether.
And sometimes my version of a “splurge” was actually finding the expensive thing used.
If you’re trying to figure out where it’s worth spending more, this baby registry splurge or save guide is based on what I actually used, what I happily bought secondhand, and what I realized I didn’t need at all.
Baby Registry Splurge or Save: Where Should You Spend More?
Quick answer: I think it’s worth putting higher-quality versions of the baby gear you’ll use constantly on your registry, especially when certain features matter to your lifestyle. Save by accepting hand-me-downs, shopping secondhand for things you can safely clean and inspect, and skipping items you aren’t sure you’ll use. You also don’t need to buy everything before your baby arrives.
Baby Registry Items I Think Can Be Worth the Splurge
A Stroller That Works for Your Lifestyle
My Nuna Mixx stroller is probably one of my best examples of something I was glad to have a nicer version of.
I love the big wheels. I’m outdoors a lot, and I’ve taken that stroller “off-roading” down trails more times than I can count.
Another mom might want a true jogging stroller. Someone who mostly uses a stroller for stores and paved sidewalks might not care about those features at all.
So I wouldn’t tell every mom that she needs an expensive stroller.
But if there are specific features that will make a stroller work better for your lifestyle, this can absolutely be worth putting the one you really want on your registry.
And here’s the funny part: I bought my Nuna stroller used on Marketplace.
Sometimes you can splurge on quality without actually paying the splurge price.
A Good Baby Bouncer
I had both a nicer BabyBjörn bouncer and a much cheaper bouncer, and this was one category where I genuinely noticed a difference.
The cheaper one worked when my son was tiny, but as he got heavier, it was so lightweight and flexed enough that I wasn’t as comfortable using it.
The BabyBjörn felt much sturdier, and I was able to use it longer.
That doesn’t mean every baby needs an expensive bouncer. But if there’s a piece of baby gear you expect to use constantly, quality can be worth paying more for.
Just remember that bouncers are for awake time rather than infant sleep. If baby falls asleep in one, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends moving them to an appropriate sleep space.
A Diaper Bag You Actually Want
I put the Product of the North Elkin Diaper Bag Backpack on my registry, and I’m really glad I did.
It wasn’t the cheapest diaper bag, but I liked the style and wanted something I’d actually enjoy carrying. I still use it all the time more than a year later, so for me, spending a little more on the one I wanted was worth it.
That’s really my definition of something being worth the splurge: I’m still glad I chose it after actually living with it.
Baby Sleep Essentials
For newborn sleep gear, I personally leaned toward buying new.
I wanted a new bassinet and sleep surface when my son was tiny. Later, I was comfortable accepting a very clean Pack ’n Play from a friend because I knew where it came from and trusted its condition.
With secondhand sleep gear, I would be more selective than I am with something like baby clothes. CPSC recommends using products specifically intended for infant sleep, checking secondhand products for recalls, and following the manufacturer’s instructions for the sleep surface that belongs with the product.
This doesn’t mean your bassinet needs to be the most expensive one on the market. I’d prioritize safe and appropriate over fancy.
Where I’d Save on Baby Gear
I love thrifting, so I’m definitely not someone who thinks everything for a newborn has to come straight out of a box.
There are plenty of baby things I’d happily get secondhand.
Baby Clothes
Baby clothes are one of the easiest places to save.
Babies grow ridiculously fast, which means there are tons of barely worn baby clothes floating around thrift stores, Marketplace and other families’ closets.
I received plenty of secondhand clothes from family, too.
As long as they’re in good condition and can be washed, I’m all for it.
Honestly, if I made another registry, I’d probably leave most baby clothes off altogether. People love buying cute baby clothes whether they’re on your registry or not.
Nursery Furniture
I didn’t buy a crib or create an elaborate nursery before my son was born. He primarily slept in my room anyway, so it wasn’t a priority for me.
If I were building a nursery, though, I’d be perfectly happy looking for things like a dresser or changing table secondhand.
I’d be more selective about a used crib or other sleep product and check its model, condition and recall history before using it.
You can spend a lot furnishing a beautiful nursery, but you don’t necessarily have to.
Easy-to-Clean Baby Gear
This is where Marketplace and secondhand stores can be amazing.
I found my Diaper Genie at a secondhand store, and I loved it. I know plenty of moms think diaper pails are completely unnecessary, but mine got a ton of use.
I’m much more comfortable buying something secondhand if it’s easy to thoroughly clean or if it comes from someone I know.
Babies spit up on everything, so there are definitely some things I’d rather just buy new than take on a major deep-cleaning project.
And things like burp cloths? Just get those new. They’re inexpensive and they’re about to have a very rough life anyway.
Would I Buy a Used Car Seat?
I actually did.
My Nuna car seat was secondhand, but there’s an important distinction: I bought it from a mom I knew.
I knew it hadn’t been in an accident, and I checked the date on the seat to make sure it still had plenty of usable life left.
That’s very different to me from picking up a random car seat from someone I don’t know just because it’s cheap.
NHTSA says a secondhand car seat may be okay to use if you can verify that it hasn’t been in a moderate or severe crash, has its model number and manufacture-date labels, hasn’t been recalled, has all of its parts and has instructions available. The manufacture date and model are also what you’ll need to determine whether that particular seat is too old.
So I wouldn’t make a blanket rule that a car seat has to be new. But it’s one secondhand purchase where I’d want to know exactly what I was getting and where it came from.
What I’d Skip or Wait to Buy
This is probably the biggest lesson I learned from my first registry.
Saving money isn’t only about finding a cheaper version.
Sometimes the cheapest option is not buying something until you know you need it.
A Dedicated Changing Pad
I registered for a nice Skip Hop changing pad.
I think I used it twice.
Most of the time, I changed my son on the end of my bed instead.
Obviously another mom could set up a changing station and use it ten times a day. That’s why baby registries are so personal.
For me, though, this was something I could have skipped completely.
Lots of Clothes, Blankets and Towels
I’d leave most of these off my registry next time.
They’re easy to buy, easy to find secondhand, and they’re also the kinds of gifts people tend to give you anyway.
I’d rather leave more room on my registry for the less exciting things I actually need.
Anything You’re Only Buying Because a Registry List Says You Need It
This is the big one.
You do not need to predict every single thing your baby will ever need before they’re born.
I tried.
It didn’t work.
Some of the things I thought I’d need barely got used, while other things became important enough that I ended up buying them after my son arrived.
I’ve already shared the baby products I regret buying, along with what I’d leave off my baby registry next time, because there were definitely things I could have waited on.
And some of my most useful purchases ended up being things I bought after my baby was born.
It’s okay to wait.
My Biggest Baby Registry Splurge or Save Advice
Don’t assume that “splurge” means you need the most expensive version, and don’t assume “save” means you should buy the cheapest one.
Think about what matters to you and your lifestyle.
I’m glad I had my nicer stroller because I use it outdoors and on rougher terrain. I’m glad I had the sturdier bouncer and the diaper bag I actually wanted.
But I also bought my stroller secondhand. I thrifted baby gear. I accepted hand-me-down clothes. And I skipped an entire nursery setup because it wasn’t something I needed.
Another family might make completely different choices.
That’s the point.
Your baby registry doesn’t need to look like every giant checklist you find online. Put the things you genuinely want on it — including a few nicer items if they’re important to you — and don’t feel like you need to fill it with stuff just because you’re having a baby.
Start With a Baby Registry Checklist
If you’re still figuring out what actually deserves a spot on your registry, my free Baby Registry Checklist is a simple place to start with the essentials.
I wish I had approached my own registry that way the first time: start with what we actually needed, choose the things that mattered most to me, and leave some room to figure out the rest after my baby arrived.
Final Thoughts
If I created my baby registry again, I wouldn’t necessarily try to make it cheaper.
I’d try to make it more intentional.
I’d put the nicer version on my registry when the quality or features genuinely mattered to me. I’d happily buy certain things secondhand. I’d accept the hand-me-downs. And I’d leave off a whole lot of stuff I wasn’t sure I’d use.
Because after actually having a baby, I learned that you don’t need the premium version of everything.
You also don’t need everything.