With an 18-month-old in one hand and a positive pregnancy test in the other, the nerves and the excitement were hitting at the same time. I was thrilled to be growing our family, but nervous at the thought of how I was going to handle having two little ones.
After we announced our pregnancy on social media, it was time to start prepping for baby number two. I wasn’t sure where to begin or what new things I would need. I even thought, “Should I bother making another registry?” If you’re wondering the same thing, my answer is YES! It’s helpful, keeps you organized, and the process can be quicker the second time around, too
Wondering what you really need for the newest addition to the family? We asked the experts, our Real Moms, for all their suggestions for welcoming baby #2 or #3! Read on for their practical must-haves and get ready to add them to your registry!
What You Really Need for Your Second Baby:
Double Stroller
Almost all of our Real Moms suggest a high quality double stroller. Real Moms Natalie and Val both are moms of two under two, and agree that getting out of the house requires a double stroller.
If you received a convertible stroller with your first (like I did!), you can just simply attachments to your registry. I personally love the MockingBird Single to Double stroller: it will grow with our family to fit up to 3 kids at one time!
If you’re looking for a whole new stroller setup, many of our real moms recommend the Zoe Double Stroller. It can easily fold in and out of your car and fits your bigger toddler and your baby once he or she is out of their infant car seat. Real mom Megan says, “I love our Zoe Double Stroller because my boys like to be right next to each other, and the stroller fits through small door frames with EASE.”
Carrier
Even if you didn’t utilize a carrier with your first, staying hands-free will be essential with your second baby! Real Mom Victoria C. says, “Number two will be on you like glue while you chase your oldest! Make sure you have a super comfortable carrier for you and your babe.”
Finding the perfect carrier is a personal choice, and may require some experimentation. Add a few to your registry so you have options on hand! I used the BabyBjörn Baby Carrier One Air and found it to be supportive on my lower back and easy to wear. Real mom Madison C. says she loved the ErgoBaby Omni Carrier, because baby can face inward or outward depending on their preference.
If you want to try a carrier that keeps your newborn even closer try the Ergobaby Embrace. Real mom Amanda says that it’s so comfortable and keeps her little girl sleeping soundly for hours.
We also love the Baby K’Tan baby wrap because of its functionality (it’s not a tying wrap; it simply slips over your head like an infinity scarf and offers multiple modes of wearing).
Portable Crib or Bassinet
Real Mom Chelsea recommends a high quality pack-and-play or portable crib. “For my first baby, I registered a fancy bedside bassinet. As convenient as it was during the first few months, when I moved my son into his room and large crib I had nowhere to store this bulky bassinet. I ended up just giving it away to a friend. However, for my second baby, I decided to use our pack-and-play and kept it next to my bed. It worked out so well and was easy to store once she moved to her crib.” Chelsea suggests registering for the Graco Day to Dream Pack-and-Play. It has 5 different set-ups and is easy to store when not in use.
If your second baby will be close in age to your first, our Real Moms recommend registering for a second. Two pack and plays will come in handy especially while traveling with multiple little ones. If you’re looking for a smaller compact pack-and-play, Real Mom Pamela recommends the BabyBjörn. “It’s super easy to fold up and pack!”
Clothes
If your second baby is going to be the opposite gender as your first, then you’ll want to register new baby clothes. Even if you’re welcoming the same gender as your first, make sure the sizes you have align with the time of year. Real Mom Sami, who lives in a Northern state, emphasizes how important it is to make sure you have the right sizes for winter and summer! Don’t forget to also add some fresh sleep sacks and swaddles to your registry.
Swing
My oldest loved our swing, however, my second spent even more time in it than she did. It was so helpful to have somewhere safe to put him in while I played with my daughter. If you never got a swing with your first baby add it to your registry. Real Moms (and myself) recommend the 4Moms mamaRoo swing.
Baby Tech
If you registered a monitor for your first, check and see if you can add another camera to your monitor system. Many baby monitors make it easy to sync up an additional camera. If not, you will want to register a new system with dual cameras. Hubble Connected Dual Vision Baby Monitor is an awesome monitor that has a split screen feature and can be accessed through your phone as well.
If your second baby will be in a separate room, you’ll want to register an additional sound machine, too. Real moms recommend the Hatch sound machine as it is Bluetooth controlled and both kids’ rooms can be turned on and off from your phone.
A Few To-Dos
If you chose to store all of the bigger essentials from your firstborns, make sure you start taking them out and double-checking to make sure they still work and are safe. You may even want to start by cleaning them all to see what you have or may need to update. Start with some laundry and wash your crib sheets, Boppy pillow cover, Dockatot cover, burp cloths, washcloths, and blankets. You’ll want to add some new necessities to your registry as well such as baby shampoo, gripe water, diaper rash cream, and infant Tylenol.
We hope that you feel a bit more prepared to organize what you have and know what you need to add to your registry. No matter how long your to-do list may seem, be sure to soak in all these moments with your kids and husband. Your second or third pregnancy flies by, and you won’t want to miss any moments you have before your little baby turns into a big brother or sister. Even though it may seem impossible, our Real Moms stress the importance of resting before your baby gets here. Don’t forget to enjoy those little kicks and movements that only you get to bond with! This is such an exciting season of life, and you won’t want to forget it.
If you have any more questions, our Real Moms have the answers you need. Read more blogs to help you prepare on our GiveIt Blog. Once you have finished your new registry, remember to direct your friends and family to RegistryFinder.com.