Baby registry checklist: what you actually need, what's nice to have, and what to skip

Most registry checklists are written by people who sell the things on them, which is why they run to 120 items and include a wipe warmer. This one is sorted by category and split into three tiers: what you'll genuinely use in the first weeks, what's nice to receive, and what can wait or be skipped. Quantities are ranges, because how often you do laundry matters more than any list.

Where an item has a safety angle — sleep, car seats, bathing — we've followed official Canadian guidance and linked it at the end. Readers in the US: the broad advice is similar, but product rules differ, so check local guidance too.

Sleep

Need:

• One safe sleep space: a crib, cradle or bassinet that meets current Canadian regulations. Health Canada recommends keeping it in your bedroom for the first 6 months, so either a bassinet or cradle now and a crib later, or a crib that fits in your room from the start.
• A firm mattress made for that product. Health Canada's limits: crib mattresses no thicker than 15 cm, cradle and bassinet mattresses no thicker than 3.8 cm, and no gap bigger than 3 cm when you push the mattress to one side.
• 3–4 fitted sheets in the right size.
• 2–3 sleep sacks or simple fitted sleepers. If you use a sleep sack you don't need a blanket — just make sure it fits, because one that's too big lets baby slip down inside.

Nice to have: a few muslin swaddles if you plan to swaddle (the Public Health Agency of Canada says to stop around 2 months, before baby can roll), a cordless blackout blind, and a spare waterproof mattress protector made for your mattress.

Skip:

• Bumper pads, pillows, quilts, sleep positioners, crib wedges, loungers and baby nests. Health Canada says to keep all of these out of the sleep space — which rules out most matching 'crib bedding sets'.
• Weighted swaddles, sleep sacks and blankets, which the Public Health Agency of Canada says are not safe for babies.
• Inclined sleepers and baby hammocks.

Feeding

Register for a small starter set rather than a whole system — babies have opinions about bottles and you won't know theirs yet.

• Need: 8–10 burp cloths (muslins double up).
• If breastfeeding: two or three nursing bras and a box of nursing pads.
• If bottle-feeding or pumping: 4–6 bottles from one brand, a bottle brush and a drying rack.
• Nice to have: a nursing pillow for feeds (never for sleep — Health Canada lists nursing pillows among things to keep out of the sleep space), and a breast pump if you expect to pump regularly. Check whether your workplace benefits cover one before anyone buys it.
• Wait: the high chair, bibs with sleeves, and anything for solids. You have months.
• Skip: a formula stockpile (buy one container to start — your baby may need a different one) and single-purpose gadgets like bottle warmers unless you know you want one.

One thing to ask your provider about rather than register for: the Canadian Paediatric Society recommends that breastfed babies get a 400 IU vitamin D supplement every day.

Diapering

• Need: one pack of newborn-size diapers and two or three of size 1. Don't stockpile newborn; many babies outgrow it quickly.
• Need: unscented wipes, a barrier cream, and a changing pad with two washable covers.
• Need: a lidded bin or diaper pail.
• Nice to have: a second changing spot or caddy on another floor, and cloth diapers if you're planning to use them.
• Skip: the wipe warmer.

A changing pad on the floor is perfectly good. If you do use a change table, Health Canada's reminder is worth taping to the wall: in the moment it takes you to reach for something, a baby can roll over and fall. A diaper fund on your registry is one of the most genuinely useful cash asks there is.

Bathing

• Need: a baby bathtub or sink insert, 2–3 hooded or soft towels, 4–6 washcloths, and a mild unscented wash.
• Nice to have: a kneeling pad for your knees, honestly.
• Skip: bath seats and bath rings. Health Canada does not recommend them — they have been linked to infant drowning deaths in Canada — and says to keep babies in sight and within arm's reach in the tub at all times.

Health Canada also recommends that hot water from the tap be no more than 49°C, and testing the water before your baby goes in. If you're renting, that's a question for the landlord.

Clothing

• Need: 6–8 bodysuits and 6–8 zip-up sleepers in 0–3 months, plus just a few in newborn size.
• Need: a few pairs of socks, one warm outdoor hat, and an outer layer for the season. Babies don't need hats indoors — the Public Health Agency of Canada notes a hat can make them too hot.
• Nice to have: sizes 3–6 and 6–12 months. Guests love buying tiny clothes, so ask for bigger ones on purpose.
• Skip: baby shoes, outfits with lots of buttons, and anything that only works for the photos.

Winter babies: Transport Canada notes that bulky snowsuits can compress and interfere with a car seat harness. Check your seat manufacturer's advice before you register for a puffy suit.

Travel

• Need: a rear-facing infant seat or a convertible seat used rear-facing, with Transport Canada's National Safety Mark. It's illegal to import, sell or use a child car seat in Canada without it. Register the seat with the manufacturer so you hear about recalls.
• Need: a stroller that suits how you actually get around — one that takes your car seat, or a standalone one if you mostly walk.
• Nice to have: a carrier or wrap. Health Canada says baby's face should always be visible and clear of the fabric, and never to zip a coat around a baby in a carrier.
• Nice to have: a second car seat base if you have two cars, and a diaper bag (a backpack is fine).
• Skip: car seat accessories that didn't come with the seat. Transport Canada says these may not be safe to use.

Car seats are the one big item where second-hand is complicated. Our infant car seat guide covers expiry dates, collisions and what to check.

Health and safety

• Need: a digital thermometer. The Canadian Paediatric Society says not to use mercury thermometers, and lists a rectal reading as the most accurate for children under 2.
• Need: baby nail clippers or a file, a nasal aspirator, and a basic first-aid kit.
• Nice to have: a baby monitor, if your home layout means you can't hear baby from where you are.
• Wait: gates, cabinet latches and outlet covers. You'll want them once baby moves, not before.
• Skip: baby walkers, which are banned in Canada, and teething necklaces — Health Canada says never to put a necklace, string or ribbon around the neck of a child under three.

Worth knowing before you need it: the Canadian Paediatric Society says babies younger than 6 months with a fever should see a doctor, and babies younger than 3 months should be seen urgently.

Nursery

• Need: the sleep space above, somewhere to change diapers, and somewhere to keep clothes. A dresser you already own works.
• Nice to have: a comfortable chair for night feeds and a dim lamp.
• Skip: matching furniture sets and decorative crib bedding.

Two setup checks from Health Canada: keep the crib away from window blind and curtain cords, which are a strangulation hazard, and remove mobiles and toy bars once baby starts pushing up on hands and knees.

What to wait on

• High chair and feeding gear for solids.
• Baby-proofing hardware.
• More than a handful of toys — our toys-by-age guide covers what suits each stage.
• Swings, bouncers and playpens. Useful for some families, but none of them are for sleep, and you'll know whether your baby likes them soon enough.

If your list spans several stores, a universal registry keeps it in one link. MyBabyBase's registry works from any product link and puts cash funds for things like diapers alongside the gifts — but any list your guests can find easily will do the job.