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Wondering when you should start your baby registry?
Well, I think the best time to start a registry is around the end of your 12th week of pregnancy, which is essentially the end of the first trimester.
This is the point at which most moms-to-be can relax a little more knowing that all is well with their pregnancy and really start to plan.
Now for my top tip for getting ahead with your baby registry planning. START AN AMAZON BABY REGISTRY RIGHT NOW AND THEN ADD EVERYTHING YOU WANT AS YOU GO. The Amazon Baby Registry is a universal registry, which means you can add ANY PRODUCTS from ANY WEBSITE.
Given that most of us have an Amazon account, this is a super-easy way to keep track of everything you research and decide you want for your new baby. It literally takes less than a minute to sign up – see the form below – CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP NOW.
BUT IS 12 WEEKS VERY EARLY TO START A BABY REGISTRY?
12 weeks may still feel very early to be starting your baby registry, but it is well worth giving yourself plenty of time to plan what you are going to add. This is especially true if you are a first-time mom.
Yep, the biggest benefit to starting your registry early is that you have plenty of time to research everything you need to buy.
THINGS TO DO WHEN YOU START A BABY REGISTRY
Don’t underestimate the importance and the power of research!!! There is an overwhelming amount of baby stuff out there and every brand is busy shouting that their baby products are the best. So make sure to spend time:
- Comparing brands
- Reading product reviews from experts and real moms (who are also experts!!)
- Speaking to friends who are a couple of steps ahead of you with motherhood for their recommendations and take a look at the baby kit they have
- Visiting a real-life actual shop to see baby items in real life!!
The more you research the more likely you are to end up with things you will really find useful once you are a new mom.
WHAT ABOUT IF YOU PLAN TO FIND OUT THE BABY’S SEX?
The scan that can determine the baby’s sex usually takes place at around 20 weeks, so you can still spend time putting together a list of the baby essentials you will need and then add more specific items later.
COMPLETING YOUR BABY REGISTRY
The other big thing to keep in mind when you’re working out when to start your baby registry, is when you want to have completed your registry by. There are a couple of things to consider here.
Firstly, it’s not unusual to feel really tired and heavy during the last few weeks of pregnancy, so you don’t want to be worrying about adding stuff to your registry at that point.
Oh and of course a due date is only ever an estimate, so you want to make sure you have everything bought and to hand in time for your baby arriving.
The other big thing to think about is the timing for sharing your registry with family and friends. Are you planning to have a baby shower?
If so, you will want your registry complete before you send out your baby shower invites.
Baby shower etiquette dictates that you don’t include the registry details on the actual invite, the most accepted thing to do is to include a separate insert or note, that way your guests don’t feel obliged to buy from the registry.
Most moms-to-be tend to have their baby shower between six and eight months (24 to 34 weeks) of pregnancy, with a lot of moms-to-be having them from four to six weeks (32 to 34 weeks pregnant) before their baby’s due date.
So bear these timings in mind when you’re deciding when to start your registry.
THE BIG BENEFITS OF USING A BABY REGISTRY
One of the biggest benefits of using a baby registry like Amazon is that you get an extended returns period.
For example, Amazon allows you a whole 365 days from the day you receive a gift bought via your baby registry and you have 90 days from receipt of shipment for anything you buy yourself from the registry.
The other big benefit of having a registry and planning it well is that you can make use of the completion discount. Amazon has a 10% completion discount (15% for PRIME members)
CAN YOU START MORE THAN ONE BABY REGISTRY?
Baby Center did a survey of moms-to-be and discovered that nearly 60% create more than one registry. There are some good reasons why you might want more than one:
- One main registry for you and another for gift-givers (particularly good if you don’t want to put big-ticket items on a registry for friends)
- Take advantage of welcome incentives and completion discounts
- Mix and match brands and retailers
Whilst you are at liberty to start as many registries as you want, I’d suggest you stick to starting either one or two.
One great way to manage multiple registries is to use a universal baby registry, like Amazon, that allows you to add items from anywhere.
Take a look at my guide to the best baby registries to discover the best universal baby registries.
IS IT OK TO START A BABY REGISTRY FOR A SECOND BABY?
Yes, yes and yes!!!! It is totally fine to start a registry for your second baby or any subsequent babies you have.
You may well decide to not have a baby shower, but you will more than likely have friends and family who will want to buy a gift for your second baby and you may well need to update existing baby items that you have or swap them for better items.
The world of baby products is ever-changing, innovations are plentiful.
Plus adding everything to a registry means that you get another chance to make the most of welcome gifts and completion discounts, who doesn’t want gifts and discounts!!!
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BABY REGISTRIES
One of the most popular posts on Mums Make Lists is my epic post containing everything you could ever need to know about baby registries. It’s got info on:
- The different types of baby registries
- The benefits of having a registry
- How to plan your registry
- A guide to the best baby registries
- How to plan and manage your baby registry
- The ultimate baby registry checklist of all the kinds of items you need to research and add
- A free printable PDF baby registry checklist
- And finally, some baby registry advice
POP OVER NOW AND READ UP THE ULTIMATE BABY REGISTRY CHECKLIST
I’ve also got a super popular post on all the essentials you need to buy for a newborn baby, items that will get you from birth through the first six months.
READ NEXT:
- STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO WRITING A BIRTH PLAN
- FIRST TRIMESTER PREGNANCY TIPS
- 5 FIRST TRIMESTER PREGNANCY MUST-HAVES
- WHAT TO PUT IN A MORNING SICKNESS SURVIVAL KIT
- 30 NATURAL REMEDIES FOR MORNING SICKNESS
- WHAT TO PUT IN A FIRST TRIMESTER CARE PACKAGE
- HOSPITAL BAG ESSENTIALS CHECKLIST: AKA THE THINGS YOU ACTUALLY NEED FOR YOU AND YOUR NEWBORN BABY
- FREE HOSPITAL BAG CHECKLIST PDF PRINTABLE
- COPING WITH POLYHYDRAMNIOS
- THE ULTIMATE BABY REGISTRY CHECKLIST AND BEST REGISTRIES GUIDE
- NEWBORN BABY ESSENTIALS CHECKLIST LIST. PLUS FREE PRINTABLE CHECKLIST
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Luci is the founder of Mums Make Lists (Est. 2011). Over the last decade or so, she has used her experience as a mum to create useful guides to organising family life. During that time, she has found the most joy in creating lists of ideas and inspiration to make it easier for busy parents to plan and host kids’ parties and find great gifts. Read more.