Hellobee Boards

Most useful: Skip Hop changing station. I've been gifting this to expecting moms lately because we still use it almost 2 years later. Our activity gym is a close second. We used it a lot when he was small. Our RNP was super useful during colic and as a bassinet in the early days.

I wish we didn't receive the Sleep Sheep. Totally useless for us. I also didn't use our Boppy much because the Brest Friend was far more useful. We got a ton of blankets and newborn clothes. We didn't dress LO in newborn clothes, but in kimono tops for the first couple of months.

We still use our diaper genie. It's been useful for us. When he was small. It was in our living room. Once he moved into his room, it's next to his changing table and hamper.

Best things I registered for and received: Foscam, FP rainforest jumperoo

Best things I didn't register for but received: Winkel, A+A dream blanket

Wish I hadn't registered for: K'tan (she hated it...this will depend on your LO, though), bottle sterilizer (the medela steam bags are much easier/don't take up counter space)

@lawbee11: effing Foscam. We just call it our $100 brick.

Speaking of video monitors, we got ours when LO was almost 6 months old as my motherly overreaction to an event in an Internet friend's life. It's been the best purchase for us. I love our Motorola one so much. Well worth the money and peace of mind.

Best things we registered for:
- Fisher-Price whale bathtub
- activity mat
- Moby wrap (don't use it anymore but used it every day for the first four months
- pack 'n play with bassinet
- Munchkin arm and hammer diaper pail (diaper pails/diaper genies seem to be very love it or hate it. I love this one because it has a baking soda anti-odor capsule so even though we're past the constant diaper change stage it still works great)

Best things we received/ bought:
- Beco gemini carrier
- wubbanubs
- miracle wrap swaddle
- breastpump + bottles
- bulk pack of terrycloth bibs

Things I wish we hadn't bought/registered for:
- muslin wraps/receiving blankets. I have a billion of these exploding out of my linen closet. one or two muslin wraps are great to throw over a stroller, but I could never get a tight enough swaddle to make them useful for sleep and I certainly don't need ten! receiving blankets were utterly pointless
- baby swing
- infant seat/stroller combo. I wish we had just decided on a good infant seat, bought a snap 'n go and figured out a stroller later. its really hard to tell what you'll need stroller-wise until the baby arrives
- changing pad cover. It just got gross so we stopped using it and just change her directly on the plastic changing pad which can be wiped down easily.

Registered: graco sound machine

Didnt register for but received: a&a swaddle blankets

Registered: A+A Swaddles! They were useful for EVERYTHING!
Did not Register:Diaper Pail - Was just going to throw them in the trash but this totally contains the smell!!!!
Not useful:Baby bathtub & pacis.

I'd skip the Bumbo, it's money we could have spent elsewhere.

@snowjewelz: Me too! Thanks @runnerd for starting this thread

@runnerd: I don't know about that one, but I've read some bad things about the bumbo not teaching them to sit correctly and being bad for their spine.

@runnerd: @looch: my kid was never chubby enough to sit in it, and other kids I know were too chubby to fit! We never used it. Thankfully we got it for free (hand me down).

Favorites: foscam video camera, A&A blankets, a place to set him down - like a swing or bouncer. He liked the swing a little better. And we spent a ton of time in the rocking chair - we loved it.

Not used/least favorite: we received four devices for making baby food! Eek! I like them all but the easiest to use was the hand blender. It's cheap, easy to clean and use and efficient. We got the whole baby bullet system and hardly ever used it since we also had a blender, food processor and immersion blender. My husband would say that a changing table was useless, but I did like it and used it for a year.

Oh and my other favorite item was a baby wrap/carrier. We used the moby for the first few months and then switched to the beco and just absolutely loved them.

I'd day the best was the snuggle bunny bouncer from FP...Worst was the bumbo and boppy pillow...We got almost no use from either. LO just didn't like them.

Best registry picks: This changing pad by Soft Gear (http://www.target.com/p/soft-gear-deluxe-changer-espresso/-/A-14001572#prodSlot=medium_1_8) is awesome. No covers to wash and no pee coming out the end during open air accidents. We could hose it down in the tub and could use it for sponge baths in the early days. Other winners were our K'tan, Halo Swaddle sacks and our FP Rainforest Jumparoo.

Off registry picks: A wubbanub that I would have thought was silly but DD LOVES and Lansinoh gel pads that were amazing in the first few days. We also loved the Beco Gemini when she outgrew her k'tan.

Regrets: DD couldn't have cared less for the Rock N Play or her FP lamb bouncer.

@runnerd: I just wrote a crazy detailed run down of our registry hits and misses for a pregnant friend that I'd be happy to send along if you'd like, but it seemed like overkill for the thread

@runnerd: It's totally awesome! I didn't love the colors, but the functionality was worth it, and the brown works fine with wood tones if you're using those. We originally wanted the Cooshee, but it was out of stock or discontinued by the time I was registering. I actually think this one might have been better in the end because it's open on the end and less likely to be outgrown. We're still using it with plenty of room to spare at 14 months.

@Modern Daisy: @Foodnerd81: can I ask about your bath towels? Do you know which you got, and what worked better instead?

I'm currently registered for two of Carter's hooded towels, but I'm wondering if it might be better to just try to get one good one from PBK or elsewhere. Thoughts?

@LovelyPlum: I got these: http://www.buybuybaby.com/store/product/Spasilk-Hooded-Towels-Pack-of-3-Duck/1018134691?Keyword=spasilk

I can't actually say there is anything wrong with them-- I never opened them! After she was born we received the 2 embroidered PBK ones so I just never needed the others. My favorite is this one:
http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/gingham-hooded-towel/?pkey=bbath-baby-wraps&

We also have the 'little critters' one from PBK but the gingham is bigger so better to wrap her up. Both are just so darn cute though.

I think having 2 good ones would be sufficient, but you definitely would want more than one, just in case.

Registered for:
Best: swaddles, Britax stroller & infant seat, diapers & wipes go without saying!
Worst: tons of receiving blankets ( oops, registered for like 15)

Got by surprise:
Best: bibs of all sorts, sound machine!
Worst: tons of I love mommy/daddy" "go michigan" "big guy" onesies

Got later but wish I had gotten sooner: a&a blankets & foscam

Got right away but could have waited: high chair

BEST: Ergo... best baby product ever by far!

WORST: bottle warmer, wipe warmer

@Arden: I feel like with girls, there is a bigger variation and so much opportunity to go wrong. With our son, we never got anything too ugly.