Registry Update: The Nursery

Now that Bee’s eight months, I’m slowly updating my registry guide to share which products made our lives easier and which fell flat. Today’s update is the nursery, where I totally missed the mark in SO many ways (but fared surprisingly well in a few departments!):

1. CRIB
I fell head over heels for the Oeuf Robin Crib, but if you’re not quite sure what you might want/need or what options even exist, BabyCenter has an amazing crib buying guide. Highly recommend!
Update: We love, love, love this crib. It was easy to adjust when Bee started to grow tall and pull herself up (and later, chew marks into the wooden railing like the tiny beaver she is…). But for the first few weeks, we weren’t quite ready for her to sleep in her own space. We purchased this co-sleeper (in natural), which transitions into a pack-and-play later (which we LOVE). She still naps in the pack-and-play when we travel, but will be outgrowing it soon. Still – a solid purchase! I give us an A+ here.

2. CRIB MATTRESS / PAD
There are a few studies toting the benefits of organic crib mattresses, so we opted for the Oeuf Organic Crib Mattress as well. It’s an investment piece, but I’m always a fan of splurging for safer and smarter alternatives. Plus, a must for messy leaks, I love this organic crib mattress pad that’s hypoallergenic and PVC free.
Update: The mattress and pad have also served us well. Bee has crazy sensitive skin and she hasn’t experienced a reaction with either of these products. Also, it should be noted that we’ve had a few accidents in the crib and the pad is virtually unleakable! Another A+ here.

3. DRESSER
Dressers are a must for keeping your baby’s room free of clutter. I love the Maple Andersen Dresser because it includes a tip restraint kit for when your child grows older (and less predictable!). Whatever you choose, opt for a dresser with a top that you can install your changing table pad onto. No sense purchasing a changing table when a dresser top will do the trick just fine!
Update: I still love that we opted for a changing-pad-friendly dresser. The system works great for quick-and-easy changes and we don’t have to clutter the space with additional furniture. One note about this particular dresser is that the drawers stick a bit (perhaps due to the tip restraint safety feature?). It works fine for adults, but time will tell if Bee’s tiny fingers are strong enough to use it. I give this selection a B!

4. CHANGING TABLE PAD / COVER
Speaking of dressers and changing table pads, I chose a contoured changing pad because it can safely secure onto most dressers. I also registered for two basic changing pad covers in white for easy (safe) bleaching of any stains.
Update: Changing pad covers, in my opinion, are super unnecessary. Whenever our cover was in the wash, we really didn’t miss it. I do like having a cute version so the room feels a bit more put together, but it definitely wasn’t necessary to have multiple sets. C- for me!

5. LIGHTING
Choose a soft, easy-to-access lamp for late-night feedings. I love Blu Dot’s Stilt Floor Lamp. Night lights are also must-haves, so I immediately snagged this sweet “Love You” nightlight for a steal at Etsy.
Update: I still love both of these selections. A+!

6. CRIB BEDDING
I like to mix and match my own bedding, so I chose to do the same for baby. I chose striped sheets from Land of Nod’s Not a Peep line to mix with a floral crib bumper for an eclectic, feminine look. I also registered for a set of organic white fitted sheets – easy to bleach (safely) and easy to throw on while laundering her everyday striped sheets.
Update: I don’t know if I do an inordinate amount of laundry, but I found that two fitted sheets were plenty for us. We switch them out interchangeably, but Bee has had fewer accidents than I anticipated, so it’s not a huge issue to launder-and-replace within a matter of hours. We still haven’t used the white set, and instead, have relied on the striped and floral versions linked above. Long story short? Two fitted sheets will probably be plenty! B- for me here!

7. HUMIDIFIER
This certainly isn’t a must for everyone, but Ken and I both have allergies and congestion, so we’re going to go with our gut and order Crane’s drop shape humidifier. Bonus? It’s cute.
Update: We still haven’t used our humidifier, so I’d call this an unnecessary purchase. A humidifier is easy enough to purchase locally, so we could have easily waited until Bee was congested to buy this. C- for me!

8. SWADDLE BLANKETS
I love aden + anais’ swaddle wraps because of their breathable fabric and multi-purposed design. No need to register for multiple receiving blankets, stroller blankets and swaddle wraps – 8 of these will do the trick just fine!
Update: Oh man, we love-love-love these swaddle blankets. This is one of my go-to favorite products, as I used them for nursing covers, stroller blankets, swaddle wraps, burp cloths and more. 8 was the perfect amount for us – we used them constantly, keeping a few in the diaper bag and the rest stashed throughout the house for quick use. A++++!

9. GLIDER / ROCKER
A glider or rocker is definitely worth the investment for the many sleepy nights we all have ahead of us. I love the Monte Joya Rocker (and matching storage ottoman) because the clean, modern design will fit seamlessly into the rest of my home when it’s no longer needed in the nursery.
Update: To be honest, we hardly ever used our rocker for the first few months (I nursed on the couch in front of the TV instead!), but now that Bee’s older and naps in her crib regularly, this rocker is a Godsend. It’s perfectly cozy, and I love that the arms are upholstered (Bee went through a phrase where she threw her head back, arched her back and screamed to avoid napping). A for this one!

10. SOUND MACHINE
Again, this is a “want” more than “need,” but I love the idea of rocking the little one to the sound of her favorite lullabies, or even white noise when she’s younger (she’s used to lots of white noise, after all!). The First Years Sound Machine has a sleep timer and over 12 different tracks for maximum listening pleasure.
Update: This sound machine broke in the middle of our second night with Bee, so we replaced it with an iPhone white noise app, and eventually purchased this sound machine (which we LOVE)! It has a great mobile projector, which is perfect for traveling if you want to offer consistency to the nighttime routine without lugging around an actual mobile. F for the initial pick, but A for the replacement!

11. ADDITIONAL STORAGE
I love these yellow gingham floor bins for additional storage to house diapers, creams, spare blankets, toys and the like.
Update: Sadly, this is sold out, but we use it as a hamper for outfit changes – it’s the perfect size! (This one is a close alternative that I also love!)

12. CLOTHING HANGERS
Assuming your nursery has a closet, Joy Mangano’s kids’ hangers are a must for the influx of cute threads and hand-me-downs you’re about to receive.
Update: I’m giving myself an F here, because hanging baby clothes seems crazy to me. We rarely dress Bee in anything but footed pajamas, which fold in her dresser just fine. I’m not sure why I imagined we’d need hangers (maybe I assumed she’d wear more dresses?), but it was a pretty unnecessary purchase. The bonus, of course, is that she’ll have plenty of hangers for future dresses and outfits!

13. DIAPER PAIL
My take on diaper pails? Avoid the complex solutions and stick to the basics: a simple trash can will do fine. You won’t have to mess with fancy liners and chances are, you’re going to be emptying those diaper pails daily anyway. (We plan to dispose of messy diapers in our exterior garbage immediately.)
Update: Ken and I lasted maybe a week before purchasing a diaper pail? Total F here. (For the record, we bought a simple Diaper Genie and it works great!)