Beyond the Registry: Getting the Gifts You Need at Your Baby Shower

Gift registries are a novel idea. You simply pick out the things you both like and need for your baby, and then you send a note in your invitations that says “registered at X store.” Simple enough, right?

Not really. There are several problems with gift registries that most soon-to-be moms never consider. First, the store you choose may not be convenient for all of your guests. Second, most moms go crazy with scanning items, leading to a registry that’s overwhelming to most of their guests. Most people don’t have time to stand around the store searching through a list of 100 items, trying to discern one from another. Finally, most stores don’t print a picture on your registry. This leaves your guests wandering around, looking at scan numbers. It’s all very impractical.

So, after you’ve spent hours and hours picking out the things you want, your baby shower comes and goes, and you didn’t get much of what you asked for. Instead, you received thirty baby blankets and enough newborn onesies to supply wardrobes for all of the children born the same day as yours. Now you have to sift through all of these things, trying to determine where they came from. Then, you have to pack it all up and lug it into the store. This is probably the last thing you want to do when you’re in your third trimester of pregnancy.

There are better means of getting the things you really need. Read this article for suggestions on how to get the gifts you really need at your baby shower:


Make Your Own List
Instead of relying on the store registry, why not just make your own list and include it in your invitations? Keep it as simple and short as possible. When you’re asking for a specific design, include a picture and the exact name of the product. Here’s an example of what your list might look like:

1. Bottles: Platex VentAire 8oz. 3-pack
2. Car Seat: Graco Snugride Infant Car Seat - Family Tree
3. Stroller: Graco Family Tree Glider Stroller
4. High Chair: Graco Contempo High Chair - Family Tree
5. Onesies and Sleepers: 3+ Months
6. Bibs
7. Bottle Brush

Baby Shower Gift

Credit: Dianne Mc Fadden

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