My Mommyology

Learning from Motherhood.

The Benefits of Baby Registries

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Here’s a little food for thought on Baby Registries.

I decided to express my point of view because my husband and I have differing thoughts about it, and you may be going through the same thing with your husband (or vice-versa).  In our case, he is generally uncomfortable with the idea (just like he was with our wedding registry), because he feels it’s as if we are asking for people to give us things, and all the more with a registry, dictating what they should give.  Particularly the second time around, knowing that we were having another girl so soon and everything we got for Sam was still very much useable, he didn’t see the point in putting one up this time around.  Well, I actually put one up and he didn’t know about it until things started arriving at our door.  haha!

My Mommyology Baby Registry

These are a few of my favorite Baby Registries!

That’s because I on the other hand see the use of Baby Registries as follows:

1)  It is a personal list and reference of things you need (and definitely like);

I know a few friends who have put up multiple registries just so that they wouldn’t have to keep searching for the item(s) over and over again, in the event that they did decide to purchase them (or in the event that someone offered to purchase it for them).

2) When people find out you are having a baby (the first or the second or the third time around), naturally they want to help and give you something.  Wouldn’t it be better if they gave you something you wanted or needed?

Now even with Jamie’s registry, as I mentioned previously it contained a lot less of the things we put in Sam’s.  Most especially because we were having another girl there were a lot of things that we omitted.

The good thing about that registry was that a lot of people gave us Pampers, and so up to this date, I have not yet needed to purchase diapers for Jamie, and she is almost four months old!  That’s big savings right there!

3) Registries can contain gift cards as well, or items which you can get store credit for.

My Mommyology Britax Carseat

Got it brand new at an 80% discount!

I don’t know about the Baby Registries in Manila, but one of the reasons why I love the registries here is because if you return an item to the store, they are more than happy to give you store credit for it.  For instance, Jamie’s registry contained several items for the playroom.  At the time that I put it up we were still in the process of fixing it and I never really bothered to update it once the playroom was done.

Nonetheless we received several of those items a few weeks ago, and so I went into the store to exchange it for store credit.  That, coupled with a few discount coupons and gift cards, allowed us to purchase a brand new Britax carseat for $40!

4) Multiple registries give folks the option of choosing where to get it from.

Okay now here’s one thing my husband doesn’t understand:  Why have more than one registry, where some items repeat themselves (Or you have different items but they serve the same purpose?)?

I would have loved to answer “It’s a girl thing!” but I knew that wouldn’t fly.  No seriously, some stores carry better brands or alternatives to the same item.  Plus, you want to give folks who are buying for you the ability to get you what you need in the most affordable alternative.  For instance, we have coupons at BuyBuyBaby and discounts at Target, so if we know you need something from one of those stores, then it becomes a win-win situation.

5) The registry is for the entire family, not just the newborn.

With another girl on the way, what more could we possibly need? (apart from diapers and diaper pail refills)  Which is why some of the items in my registry were things for Sam.  I rationalized that with all the new things and all the attention coming Jamie’s way, big sister may need something for her as well.  Plus, toys for her meant new distractions, and therefore less pressure on me!  Besides, the registry items categorize things for the baby, for mom and for dad — so why not for the siblings too?

As a compromise my husband and I agreed to only tell people about the existence of the registry if they asked.  Somehow though it’s worked out well for us both times.

So to my friends and relatives who are expecting children in the next couple of months, be it your first or second or third childRegister away I say!

My Mommyology’s Favorite Baby Registries:

  • BuyBuyBabyCompared to Babies R Us, their registry welcome kit contains more useful things for you.  Plus they have more items in stock and a wider variety too.  Also, they give you additional discounts for items you would want to buy for yourself, both in-store and online.
  • Target:  Who doesn’t love Target for everything?! 😉
  • Amazon:  If only for the Prime shipping and 0 tax!  But seriously, Amazon has everything.
  • Pottery Barn Kids:  They have beautiful things.  Like the chairs!

If you have other registry suggestions or benefits you’d like to share, please do!

Author: mymommyology

I am the mom that I am because of my two wonderful little girls. They teach me everyday.

5 Comments

  1. A friend (Anna Mamon) directed me to your blog! 🙂 Feels like we probably should know each other, since I’ve definitely heard of you, and we worked at the same place at one point in time. Oh well. I saw this post and thought I’d add that we (Pottery Barn Kids) offer completion discounts for everything you register too! So that way, if the items you registered were not purchased, you can get it for yourself at a discount. So it’s a win-win! You seem like a big fan of PBK too so I must remember to send you Friends & Family Discounts whenever they come out. They usually come out in the fall around Thanksgiving.

    Cheers!

    • Hi Mae! Yes I do know you (and your husband and your son! Actually your hubby is a cousin of my hubby, hahaha) and yes aside from Ana Mamon, we know a lot of people in common!
      Thanks for that note — and waitaminute, you work at Pottery Barn Kids?! I LOVE! You must have all the cool things!

      • You know what, I don’t know if we ever met at ULP! Everyone we know in common seems to think that we should know each other. Haha. At least, on my end. I work for Williams-Sonoma, Inc. which is the parent company of Pottery Barn Kids. My cube on the same floor as the nursery concept floor models right now, so I constantly drool over the stuff they have there. I don’t have all the cool stuff (mahal eh), but there are times I get stuff at deep discounts. 🙂 I’ve never met your husband but I worked with his brother a lot at one point.

        Your post just struck a chord in me because the PBK Gift Registry functionality was one of my projects. 🙂

  2. I love registries from a giver’s point of view 🙂 To your point, I’m giving what the receiver needs! So I’m all for it… now if only there are registries here in Sri Lanka 🙁

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