Preparing to have a baby takes a lot of thought. You need to plan for all the things that may be completely unknown and new to you. One of the biggest concerns for new parents is safety in the home. With the pandemic, overall safety is more important than ever. Your baby registry is a great place to get the items needed that put safety first. Here are some suggestions for your baby registry checklist.
Putting together a baby registry during COVID-19
Things you'll need to bring baby home, and keep them clean once they get there
Items for safe travel
You won’t be able to leave the hospital without an approved and installed car seat. When traveling short or long distances with baby, you’ll want to be prepared for just about anything. I affectionately named my diaper bag The Armageddon Bag because it was ready for anything from diaper emergencies to fever reducers if needed.
Here is the gear you’ll need for day trips or longer excursions:
- Infant car seat: Make sure this is FAA compliant if you plan on traveling with baby. All newborns need a rear-facing car seat to leave the hospital.
- Stroller: Strollers come in all shapes and sizes. Find one that isn’t too big or too cumbersome to handle. Most moms are happy when things are simple, like being able to put the infant carrier from the car right onto the stroller to allow baby to continue sleeping safely.
- Stroller bunting: You won’t need this if it’s the middle of summer, but winter babies will need the bunting to protect them from cold or rainy weather.
- Travel crib: Keep baby safe while you put her down for a nap while at the park or at a friend’s home. A travel crib should fold conveniently but be sturdy when baby is in it.
- Baby wrap or carrier: There will be times that wearing your baby will be easier (not to mention helps with bonding). If you’re in the grocery store or running errands, keeping your hands free while baby is safe and snuggly is a great option.
What you’ll need to bathe your baby
Once baby is home, you’ll want to social isolate as much as possible with COVID around. A regular bath is important not to just protect against COVID but to keep baby healthy and prevent rashes and infections from happening. Your baby registry should have safe bath items to help baby get clean and be entertained.
Bathtime essentials to put on your baby registry include:
- A baby tub: A tub that sits up on a counter that is small, where you have complete control over baby while she is in it. This should be one of the first things on your registry list.
- Washcloths: Small and soft is the key with baby washcloths. You’ll be using them frequently, so stock up to prevent needing to do more laundry loads than necessary.
- Body wash and shampoo: Make sure this is baby-safe, meaning it is gentle on the skin but will still get baby clean.
- Body lotion: Babies can get rashes very easily. Keep their skin soft with baby-safe body lotion used after their bath.
- Faucet cover: A protective cover that prevents baby from hurting her delicate head if she accidentally bumps into the faucet.
- Hooded towels: Keep her out of drafts and get her snuggly in a soft hooded towel that dries her and keeps her warm.
While hand sanitizer is all the rage, keep in mind that baby’s skin is soft and sensitive. Using the alcohol-based sanitizer could cause a rash for your little one if used too often. Children’s Hosptial Los Angeles suggests wiping the sanitizer until it is completely dry, and make sure you don’t let baby lick her hands. Give her a good bath to keep her healthy.
