What Not to Register For

There really is tons of advice out there for moms-to-be on what to register for, so I thought I'd throw my hat into the ring with a very subjective list of the less-than-necessary items you can feel free to leave off your registry.

Diaper bag
Who among us does not already own a large purse or tote bag? You really can just throw a changing pad, diapers, wipes case, extra clothes and a bottle (if you need it) into whatever tote you deem appropriate.

Baby shoes
Pretty impractical and usually expensive, especially considering that babies don't even walk. Nearly completely useless for summertime newborns. I submit to you slippers as an alternative. Your child's feet will stay warm and they can get used to wearing something shoe-like for later.

Hooded towels
Good luck getting the hood on your Slippery When Wet baby's head. Plus, I found that baby towels in general aren't very thick or absorbent. A regular ol' adult towel provides better coverage for your rapidly growing baby anyway.

Baby bathrobes
See above about the hooded towel. They may be cute, but you can skip the middleman here. Babies aren't hanging out around the house in their robes and diapers. They go straight from bath, into towel, into clothes.

Bassinet
I say save your money and invest in a pack-n-play instead. Pack-n-plays are ultra-portable for those nights away from home and usually come with a changing table attachment. Brilliant! And your baby will only fit in a bassinet for a few months, at most. The pack-n-play will be useful for a couple of years.

Bottle warmer
Really, putting your bottle in a pitcher of warm water will suffice and it doesn't take any more time.

Diaper genie/diaper pail system
A plain covered trash can will do the job here. There no need for "freshening" cartridges or anything. Just take out the trash as needed.

Changing table
In reality, you can change your child's diaper just as easily on the floor, the bed or a couch if you have a simple changing pad, etc. There's no need if you have a pack-n-play with a changing table attachment, either.