What Is a Baby Registry and Why It’s a Lifesaver for First-Time Parents (2025 Guide)

Welcoming a new baby into the world is such an exciting time, and chances are, your friends and family will want to celebrate by showering you with gifts. That’s where a baby registry comes in.

Think of it as a helpful wish list that lets your loved ones know what you actually need (and avoids you ending up with 12 pairs of newborn pyjamas but no changing mat!). It gives everyone a chance to pick something special to gift, while giving you peace of mind that the essentials are covered.

Creating a registry makes things easier for everyone. You get the right things for your little one, and your friends and family get to give a gift they know you’ll truly appreciate.

Why use Moonsift to make your Baby Registry?

We know you've got a million things to think about, and making a registry isn't the top of your priorities, which is why we created the Moonsift baby registry, so you can make your list as quickly and simply as possible, and share it with the people who want to shower you and your bump in gifts.

You can pull together things you love from anywhere on the internet by just clicking the Moonsift button on your browser - whether that's the practical stuff from Amazon, cute keepsakes from Etsy or something a little fancier from a boutique.

Add everything to your Moonsift baby registry, share it, and your loved ones can tick off items when they get them, so you don't end up with multiples.

Create your Baby Registry today

Why should you make a baby registry?

More and more, parents are opting out of making baby registries, feeling like they're a little bit old fashioned, or it seems rude to ask for certain things. But in reality, your loved ones are probably going to give you things - and they would much rather buy the stuff you need than things you're not going to use.

Baby registries are clear and helpful and save time for both you, and the people giving you gifts. And let's face it, a little bit of help stocking up for the new arrival is always welcome.

The main reasons parents-to-be make a baby registry are:

1. Gifting: to help inform friends and family that want to buy gifts which items they actually need

2. Planning: to keep track of all the things they need to buy before and after their baby arrives

3. Avoiding duplicates: to avoid receiving multiple versions of the same gift for the baby

Creating a registry also helps new parents evaluate all the things they need for the baby, so they can be more prepared for the arrival of their newborn and budget accordingly.

What do baby registries do?

A baby registry is comprehensive list of items made by expectant parents of what they plan to buy, or would like to receive as gifts for their baby.

Help with gifting:

Parents-to-be add all the items they think they will need for the arrival of their baby to a registry and then share this with any friends and family. A baby registry is typically shared with guests before a baby shower, but you don't need a baby shower to create and share a baby registry. It's likely that friends and family will say "we'd like to get something for the baby, what do you need?". This is where a baby registry is very helpful.

It not only informs them what items are most wanted or needed by the parents to be, but also shows what items have already been purchased by other well wishers. Using a registry like Moonsift, you can also mark off items as bought yourself, and even continue to add and remove items from the registry after it has been shared.

Traditionally, parents would create this list in a physical store that specialise in baby products. Nowadays people prefer to make their gift lists online so they have more choice and it’s easier to share with family and friends.

Act as the perfect checklist:

People also find that a baby registry acts as a helpful checklist. It's a great way to make sure you have everything you need before your baby arrives.

Whenever you or anyone else buys an item from the registry, they will be a prompted to mark it off as ‘bought’. This makes it easy to keep track of what has and has not been bought yet. Then, as the due date nears, you can check the list and make sure any remaining must-have items are acquired.

Ultimately baby registries act as a shared checklist of all the things you need for your newborn and help to ensure that between you (the parents), your family and friends, everything you need is in place by the time the baby arrives.

Check out our baby registry checklist here.

Example items on a baby registry:

A registry will usually include items that relate to the baby’s:

You may also keep a second registry, for example to capture items that the expecting mother may need, such as maternity clothing or a nursing pillow.

Is it necessary to have a baby registry?

While it is not absolutely necessary to have a baby registry, and comes down to the preference of the parents, it is very helpful to have a list of all the items you need and want for your new baby. Not only for the parents, but for friends and family, who may be unsure about what gifts are appropriate to give the expectant parents without one. Ultimately making a baby registry is free on platforms like Moonsift and will only make life easier for you before and after your baby arrives.

Particularly good for first time parents

It is especially recommended for first time parents. The process of creating a registry can help them think about everything they need and budget for the items they are going to need to construct a nursery in preparation for their baby’s arrival. When it is your first child, there is a lot more equipment you will need to acquire. You may well be starting from scratch.

It is very easy to for first time parents to underestimate how many things they are going to need as they have not been through the process before. Without a registry it is easy to lose track of what you have already acquired and all the items you still need. Also, it’s the easiest way for parents to communicate what they already have and what they still need to people wanting to buy a gift.

First time parents are sometimes unsure which items they actually need and which items are a just ‘nice-to-have’. With a registry provider like Moonsift you can make a second registry that you keep separate (and private) from the one you share. On this private registry you can keep track of items you may or may not need, or simply items that you would prefer to buy yourself. Then on the registry you share with friends and family, you can simply list the items you know you definitely need and want others to buy for you.

Still very helpful if you already have kids

For parents that already have children, while a baby registry is less essential, it is still extremely helpful. Friends and family are still going to want to buy gifts and will be looking for guidance on what to buy. In fact the issue of being gifted duplicates when you already have a lot of items from your previous baby is even more common. So while your registry is likely to be shorter because you already have a lot of the items from a previous child, it is still very helpful for all parties.

How does a baby registry work?

How a baby registry works from the parent's perspective:

Step 1: Choose a registry provider to make your baby registry on. More on this later in the article.

Step 2: Browse baby products and pick out the items you want to add to your baby registry. If you're using a 'universal registry' like Moonsift, you can add items to your registry from any store you like.

Step 3: Share your baby registry with friends and family. Ideally, do this a few months before the baby is due so that they have time to buy the items. Do this by simply sharing a link to the registry e.g. in an email, a message or as part of your baby shower invitation. You should still be able to edit the directory after it has been sent.

How a baby registry works from the gifter’s perspective:

Step 1: Browse through the items on the baby registry you have been sent.

Step 2: Once you’ve decided which item you'd like to gift, purchase it and mark it off the registry so other people do not buy the same item.

Step 3: Have the item delivered to the parents or receive it yourself so that you can wrap it and give it to them in person.

How does a baby registry work on Moonsift?

Add items from any store in the world

Moonsift is a universal baby registry. This means it allows you to add products from any store in the world and combine them together in your registry - from big department stores to local boutiques.

There are no limits on what products you can add, or which stores you can add them from. This means you can add items from the stores you know offer the best prices, returns policies and warranties.

Clever new technology means that you can add products to your Moonsift registry directly from any online store. You can do so from any device; your computer, laptop, iPhone or iPad.

Curate and organise the items

Moonsift is acclaimed for its clean modern design. Organise all the items you've chosen on a clean online board and add additional information, such as notes, as you like. For example, you might want to include a welcome note or instructions on where to send gifts.

Share your registry with family & friends

Once you’ve added all the items, you can share your registry anywhere with a simple link. For example, you might share it via email, on WhatsApp or Messenger, or add it to your baby shower invite.

People you share your Moonsift baby registry with will be able to browse all the items from any device. Once they decide what to buy, they will be directed to the store to buy it and told to mark it as bought so that you don’t get any double-ups.

Choose when to reveal which items have been bought

You can reveal which items have been bought and who bought them at any time. So you can choose whether to keep it as a surprise or track the items that have been purchased and which you still need to get in real-time.

Create your free baby registry online today