19 Must-Haves for Second Baby Registry - What You Need!
There are so many items you have to think about registering for when having your first baby - stroller, car seat, crib… the list goes on. When it’s your second child, you probably aren’t sure what you need on a second baby registry. Plus, if you’re like me, you probably saved the majority of the big ticket baby items in case you decided to have a second child and you won’t need to repurchase many of them.
While pregnant with baby #2, I started to think about (and create) a second baby registry. A baby shower isn’t common for a second (or third or fourth) baby but I do know some people have baby sprinkles, which is essentially a much smaller baby shower where you might receive smaller gifts, like clothing. I’m not opting to do that, but I did create a second baby registry for a few reasons.
To me, a baby registry is helpful in reminding me of what I still need. I kept mine private but as I would think of something we would need for baby #2, I’d add it to my registry list. I also created this registry because I wanted the completion discount offered. I created my registry on Amazon and 2 months before your due date they provide you 15% off discount on *most* items on your registry. This second baby registry also gave me a list of items I could suggest to the family members that were insistent on buying something, which we are very appreciative of!
What exactly is it that you need for a second baby? With many items being reused from baby #1, particularly if you have them close together, sometimes it’s hard to figure out what you actually need to spend your money on. First, I’d recommend checking all items you kept. Make sure none have been damaged and that they are all still function. Once you know, you can figure out your must-haves of anything you might still want or need. This can still be overwhelming - at least it was for me - so I’m sharing our 19 must haves for a second baby registry.
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Baby Monitor / Camera
Depending on the age difference between your babies, a second camera / monitor is a must-have for a second baby. We received the eufy Baby Monitor at our baby shower before R was born and since he’s only 2.5 years, we still use it for him. For baby #2, we purchased a second camera that will sync to our monitor. This particular monitor doesn’t do a dual screen shot, but it cycles between the two cameras. I actually prefer that so I can have the full view, rather than a small screen view of each. Plus, we would be able to hear them if they were upset or needed us.
Sound Machine
We absolutely love the Hatch Rest that we have in R’s room - so much that I wrote a whole post on what I love about it! It was a no brainer for baby #2 that a must-have item would be another Hatch sound machine for his room. We are happy to spend the money on this because we know how useful it will be for years to come.
Furniture
Since our oldest son is 2.5, we opted to upgrade him to “big kid” furniture rather than buying a new nursery set and we are completely happy with this decision! Whatever you decide to do, the must have furniture pieces for any baby are a crib, rocking chair, changing table and dresser.
Car Seat
Always, always, always check the expiration date on your car seat before you use an older one! Most expire ~6 years after manufacturing so depending on when you buy it and how long it is between babies, you may not be able to reuse your infant car seat. You also will probably end up needing a new convertible car seat. Since kids are in those for several years, you likely wouldn’t get much life out of them for a 2nd baby before it expires.
Most kids are in an infant car seat for a year (unless they outgrow the height or weight restriction) before moving to a convertible so it may seem silly to buy it so soon, but like I mentioned - that registry completion discount is so helpful! We have baby #2’s convertible car seat picked out and plan to buy it before our discount expires. We’ve also already purchased the new infant car seat.
Bottle Nipples
Whether your babies are born 9 months apart or 29 months apart, you should definitely be replacing bottle nipples for your second baby. They can wear down and have bacteria grow in them making them unsafe for reusing. If you opted for plastic bottles, I would consider replacing those as well. We used glass bottles with R and saved them to use with this baby as well, but are doing a full replacement of the nipples. A must have for our second baby registry is bottle nipples for each flow. That way, when it’s time to switch them out we don’t have to worry about whether or not the stores near us have them in stock.
Breast Pump
Health insurance typically covers a new pump for each pregnancy, so there’s no reason you really need to hold on to the one from your first baby unless you want to have two different options! I had a Spectra S2 for R and I loved it, but this time my must have breast pump is a Spectra S1, which is portable. These are really great at suction and get high marks according to my previous lactation consultant. You may want to consider a wearable pump, like the Elvie Stride, for when you are out and about. Many times this full price is not covered by insurance and you’d have to pay an overage. I think putting a bigger item like this on your second baby registry as a “group gifting” option is perfect so others can contribute to it if they would like.
Whatever pump you decide to go with, I recommend going through Aeroflow Breastpumps. They make the insurance process seamless! Enter your insurance information in and they will verify the coverage you have. From there, they’ll show you a list of your covered pump options or how much overage you would have to pay. They’ll also let you know if you are covered for any other support type items. Place your order and they ship it to you! I used them last pregnancy and what I loved most was they found out my insurance covered replacement tubing every 6 weeks and they automatically reached out to me at that interval to see if I wanted them to ship me more.
Pacifiers
Another item that should be replaced before baby #2 are any pacifiers. Again for hygienic reasons and safety reasons (they can breakdown) adding these to your registry is a good idea. We added a few different styles to our second baby registry since all babies are different and this one may prefer a different style than our first. For instance, our first son loved the BIBS pacifiers, so we got a set of those, but we’ve also picked up a few NUK Comfy (pictured) and the Philips AVENT Soothie pacifiers
Playpen
We created a closed off play area for our first son and it was one of the best things we spent money on. It was a “yes” space meaning there were no sharp objects, no hard toys, no anything in there that he could potentially hurt himself with or we would would have to say “no” to. This space was instrumental when we needed a couple minutes to go pee, stir dinner, whatever it might be! For us, we created a pen using this Toddler Playard as the “walls” and our playmat as the flooring. We lovingly nicknamed it baby jail. I know others who have this playpen and love it. Whichever you choose, you’ll definitely be thankful for the space when you need both hands.
Toiletries & First Aid Set
Another hygienic replacement…now is the time to replace the brush/comb, finger toothbrush, nail clippers, etc that you used with baby #1! It’s also smart to add more baby shampoo and baby wash to your second baby registry. You know you will use it, even if you currently have some!
Changing Pad
This is a must-have if you have more than one child in diapers or if you have more than one level to your house and want some convenience. Since our oldest is only in diapers at night time now, we’ve moved the changing table/pad into the new nursery. That saved us from buying a second to have one in each room; however, all of our bedrooms are upstairs while we spend a majority of time downstairs. Having a second diaper changing area is so nice for us especially since the only added cost really is that of a diaper pad. You can keep it tucked away next to your couch or bookshelf also and pull it out quickly so it doesn’t take up space. Another option would be to keep one of these portable changing pad sets in an easy to grab spot.
Teethers
Another one for hygiene’s sake! We’re including a few of the favorite teethers on our registry this time. Especially Sophie the Giraffe and the Itzy Ritzy Teething Keys.
Bigger Diaper Bag
If you are running out of room in your diaper bag with just one kid, imagine how it will be with two! My toddler doesn’t require too much anymore, but we like to have 2 spare sets of clothes, a book and a snack for him, along with wipes (to clean hands/face), a bib and flushable wipes for use when we’re out. This doesn’t completely fill the bag, but adding a new baby who will need diapers, formula and their own change of clothes will definitely overstuff the bag. Sizing up to a bigger bag is a necessity! Personally, we’re still on the hunt for our perfect bag. If you’re a parent of multiples and have one you love, please share!
Baby Carrier
If you didn’t get a baby carrier with your first, absolutely get it for your second! For starters, baby wearing can be extremely comforting to your baby. On top of that, it is awesome for parent’s to be able to carry the baby hands free! We opted to get both a soft carrier wrap - the Moby wrap - with our first and I loved it for around the house! (Read our review on this wrap here) We also got an Ergobaby carrier, which we tend to use more when we are outside. I'd recommend either. A baby carrier is definitely a must have for your second baby registry if you don't have one already!
Hip Carrier
We used our hip carrier more than we ever thought we would and recommend one to all parents! A hip carrier is essentially a seat that you are able to strap around your waist. It is designed to be a place for your little one to rest while you are holding them and keep the weight off your low back. It allows you to put their weight on the seat and just keep an arm around them, without having to put any weight in it. We love bringing this with us when we travel and go for hikes in case our son decides he doesn’t want to be held anymore. It was also great when trying to cook meals in the kitchen. Since having one child already means you’ll need free hands as much as possible, we consider this a must have for baby number two item. It’s ideal to use once your baby has head control. There are tons of options for hip seats out there, but we personally have a Tushbaby and can attest to the quality of it!
Double Stroller
If you didn’t get a stroller with baby 1 that can convert to a double stroller, for us it’s a must have to upgrade before baby 2 gets here. Our son is 2.5 and while he prefers walking or riding in a wagon, we know that he’ll want an option of sitting in the stroller if we have it with us…especially when he sees baby brother riding in it!
Humidifier
One of our most used items in our son's room is his humidifier. Whether the air is dry from running the heat/air conditioner or he's got a stuffy nose from any of the germs he's encountered, it's crucial to have. This is one item you would definitely want more than 1 of and is a must have on your second baby registry. Without, you might be left to choose who gets it in their room if/when you have more than 1 sick kid. We have this humidifier (3 of them actually) and find it to work AWESOME and would highly recommend.
Baby Detergent
You know how kids go through clothes like crazy and how it feels like you are constantly doing laundry? Well, now double that! Putting baby detergent on a 2nd baby registry isn’t really a “fun” option, but since you know you’ll use it there is no harm in having some gifted to you or using your completion discount to get some!
Postpartum Supplies
Let’s not forget about the mama here! Stocking up on postpartum supplies is a must have so why not put them on your registry? Yes, the hospital will typically provide you with what you need there and even send some home, but postpartum is a long recovery process whether you have a vaginal birth or a c-section. I remember going through more pads than I thought I would, more underwear than I thought I would and wearing way more ice diapers than I EVER thought I would. These are great items to put on your registry for people to buy when they really want to contribute something!
Lounger / Snuggle Me
Our final must have for a second baby registry item is a baby lounger, such as a snuggleme (this is the one we have!) These are a must for a moment when you need to safely set your baby down and will come in handy so often now that you’ll have more than one babe running around. As a bonus, we love that you can personalize these to your style or decor by buying a specific print or picking up a cover on Amazon or Etsy.
Now You’ve Finished Your Second Baby Registry!
There you have it - our list of essentials for a second baby registry! We realize that a few of these items on here are more for convenience than necessity, but with more than one child to take care of now we believe these items will help increase quality time with them by saving you time! If there are any other must-haves in your opinion, we’d love to hear your input below!
