Baby Gear Timeline: When to Look, Register, and Buy

Pregnant and trying to figure out your baby gear timeline? Although everyone approaches buying their gear differently, here’s our rule of thumb: Daydream for the first trimester, look more seriously after the 20th week and register, and then buy and build your registry between month five and seven. When it comes to delivery, third trimester is king!

In this article, we’ll give specific advice for getting your baby gear ducks in a row, so that you’re ready to roll when the big day comes!

Key Takeaways

1. Get an overview of the baby gear world and jot down products and brands of interest during your first trimester. You might want to register (keeping it private) just so you can use the list functionality to keep things straight. This is a time of exploration and imagining what your life will look like.

2. During the second trimester, it’s time to face off your favorite models and make some decisions. Generally, parents-to-be do this after week 20, when they’ve confirmed whether their little one is a boy or a girl. Some make their purchases at this time (especially the bigger essentials like crib, glider, stroller, and car seat), while others add their favorites to their registry. 

3. By the third trimester if you haven’t purchased the important stuff it’s time to do it. It’s the best time to plan delivery, so you have a little time to set up the room, and practice with  your gear. 

Table of Contents

• Setting Your Baby Gear Timeline

• First Trimester: Daydream & Explore

• Second Trimester: See, Try, Register

• Third Trimester: Buy and Take Delivery

Setting Your Baby Gear Timeline 

When it comes to figuring out your baby gear, there are the planners and the seat-of-the-pantsers. Some people like to get it all figured out from the second they learn they’re pregnant (or even before!) and have charts and checklists, floor plans and tear sheets on the ready, while others put it all off until the end, trusting that the universe will have their back. 

Here, we’re diving into what we see as the “norm” so you can keep yourself on pace. But don’t worry, this is for guidance only – You can deviate from the path whenever you want to!

First Trimester: Daydream & Explore

You see that precious pink line and you know it’s all real! Pretty soon you’re jonesing for some pickles and daydreaming about what’s to come. Then morning sickness strikes. (Don’t worry, it’s typically short lived). 

Get a Lay of the Baby Gear Land

The rest of the first trimester is a blur, but you do get in some time to get a lay of the land. What baby stores are in your neighborhood? Do a quick walkthrough and talk to the associates about a good approach. Then take a look online - what are people saying is good, bad, and ugly on Reddit? (Be sure to take it with a grain of salt!) 

All the while canvas your neighborhood: what gear do you see the new parents a little ahead of you on this whole baby thing with?

Take it all in, get familiar with some of the brands and models, and make a note or two of a couple contenders to start with, once the time is right. If you want to make a basic registry and set it on private to keep track of your thoughts, go for it, though at this point, you can just print out a registry checklist and keep track of your research. For now, though, it's best to let things percolate.

Second Trimester: See, Try, and Register

OK, now you’ve hit the second trimester and you’re feeling much better. This is the perfect time to dive into what really will make sense for you. 

Check out Reputable Websites, Read Reviews, and Community Comments

Remember, no one online can tell you what’s good for you - everyone’s lifestyle and priorities are different. 

What if that Reddit poster singing the praises of a model is chilling in the Bay Area? They’re not thinking like a New Yorker. Or what if the poster waxes on about the impossible weight of a stroller model. You live in an elevator building. Close your ears. 

Take what advice is most applicable to your area and lifestyle with you for a good starting point when you're ready to see it all in person. 

Visit a Store IRL

Now it’s time to put all that research into action. Go to your local baby store (like Babesta!) and check out models for yourself. Whether it be strollers, car seats, carriers, or travel cribs, get your hands on them, push them around the store or on the street (where applicable), try all the features, pick them up — test and ask questions about everything that you care about so that you really get an idea of what they’re all about. 

If it's a glider you're after, sit in it, recline and see if it's comfy. If it's nursery furniture, check the construction, the hardware and the materials. If you have a furry "first baby" bring them in and test the your chosen stroller's under basket. Woof!

While you’re at the store, be ready to share details about your lifestyle: what part of town you live in, whether you’re in a walk up, and what you envision for life after baby. Establishing your priorities is key as baby gear is all about tradeoffs, whether it’s price, weight, or features. You need to find your sweet spot where you get what will fit at least 80 percent of your day to day. 

The expert at the baby gear shop should be able to match your lifestyle needs and priorities to a few models that could be good matches. Pro tip: Be sure to go to a multi-brand store if possible, so you can compare brands head-to-head while getting individualized attention. This will help you separate the marketing hype from the real deal. Babesta even offers private appointments!

Register

Once you’ve narrowed down your key gear, it’s time to talk registry.  Baby planning is just one giant checklist (and a bit of a mindset shift). The goal is to get all the checks before baby arrives!

Whereas many shops have their own registry (like Babesta does), many people like to make a universal registry like Myregistry (which can aggregate and sync any number of registries) or BabyList which works by adding links to any shop you'd like to. 

If you choose to do BabyList, where you link each product to matters. It's best to source what you need from the shops that offer the best advice, are nearby for post-service support, or that offer lots of useful services. 

Some of the most popular that we offer include “hold it til you need it” as well as free stroller assembly and training.  

Keep in mind, every store has its special sauce, so be intentional as to what matters most. Find out what the benefits are of registering with a shop. For many, convenience and peace of mind can be more compelling than an extra $10 off or some free diaper cream samplers. 

Third Trimester: Buy and Get Delivered

By the third trimester, it’s time to add anything else on your registry that you think you might need, have your shower or sprinkle (yay!)*, and take delivery of the big stuff. 

You want to give yourself time to set up the room or get to know how the gear works before baby comes.

Depending if you’re handy or not, shopping from a company that offers white glove can be a lifesaver. This means you know that an expert is doing the building of your nursery furniture so that you can have breathe easy. 

Oh, and don't forget your baby's coming home outfit! It's nice to plan something special for those pictures bringing baby home for the very first time!

Register at Babesta

Whether you have a Babylist registry and you’re just adding links, or you're registering with Babesta full-stop, we’ll always give you our honest opinion, with the glows and the trade-offs. We are like your baby concierge, where we’ll try to put our feet in your shoes and knowing what we know about all the choices out there from over 20 years of experience, help you narrow it down.

Keep in mind everything in the shop has been selected for city-readiness, as we are constantly evaluating the best choices for an urban lifestyle --- from the wheels, to the storage, to the fold.

Not only that, for the same price, we offer a suite of free uber-convenient services that resonate with city folks who are short on time and space. These include hold it til you need it, free stroller assembly and tutorial at pick up, and post-sale support, be it a facetime call to show you how something’s done, or warranty help if you’re in a pinch. We also have white glove services so you don’t need to worry about being handy. 

Think of us as your superpower, offering you confidence through education, convenience through services, and support as the local expert happy to chat with you seven days a week. 

Don’t lose your cool shopping for baby gear. Babesta’s got your back!

*Just a little aside: If you need baby shower location ideas in the NYC area, we'll just say we're crushing on Maxwells in Tribeca these days (just visited, gorgeous baby shower room). More on this to come. Tres Chic!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are common baby registry mistakes?

One common mistake with a baby registry is registering for something without considering your own living situation and lifestyle. Just because other moms in your network love it doesn't mean it will be right for you. 

Another mistake is not considering the services you get with a registry. For instance, you may be chasing the dollar, when you could save a lot of time and effort registering somewhere that will make the before, during and after much easier for you (priceless). 

A last possible mistake is over-registering. You don't need everything right away. Think like a New Yorker. Short on time, short on space. Separate the quality must-haves from the rest. You can always pick up extras after baby's born, and you'll probably appreciate a little neighborhood stroll to your local shop. 

What not to include on a baby registry?

This is a personal question --- some people put everything on a registry, while others make different registries, one for close family and another for friends. The later strategy would allow you to get the "big stuff" done with your fam, while the fun clothing, feeding, accessories and the rest can be done by your friends (being mindful of different budgets, etc). 

 What gear should I research sooner, and what's OK to leave to later?

We advise that you choose mobility items (car seat, stroller, carrier) and nursery furniture like cribs, dressers, and gliders earlier in the process. The mobility items are the most important decisions you'll make as a city parent, as you're going to be really reliant on them. And, of course, you'll need the car seat before leaving the hospital.

The good news is that stores like Babesta will hold these items until you need them, so you can check them off your list, know they're here for you, but can manage your timing as far as delivery is concerned.