Registries balloon because fear is a great salesperson. Here is the short list that actually gets used in the first three months — and what can wait.
Feeding: fewer, better
Two or three bottles, a brush, a drying rack and a place to put them. You can always add more once you know how your baby actually feeds — most families never need the twelve-bottle starter fleet.
Sleep: layers, not gadgets
Three or four swaddles, two sleep sacks in the right season weight, and a firm, flat sleep space. The wind-down routine matters more than any machine that plays whale sounds.
Out the door
One good diaper bag packed the night before, a carrier you can tie half-asleep, and the rule of thumb: diapers equal hours out, plus two.
What can wait
Shoes, toy arches, the wipe warmer, month-by-month outfits. Newborns need warmth, milk, sleep and you — the rest is decor for the adults.
