Third Baby Registry

My first baby registries included things like cute little hooded towels, bottles with colic-free guarantees (Ha.) and all the cloth diapers. Third babies are a totally different ballgame. Other than a never ending gift card to Starbucks, here’s what to put on your list.

Baby gowns
With my first baby, I gave him a bath or at least a thorough wipe down after each blow out. On would go the cute outfit with 35 million snaps or even (gasp) real buttons. With the second baby, I switched to onesies and leggings. With the third baby, it’s about speed and those three snaps on the onesie won’t cut it. There’s two babies needing diapers and one big kid needing help in the bathroom so there’s not time for anything but roll up the gown, clean the bum, and roll it back down.12671929_10102779445635631_7222289544584438350_o (1)

White Noise Machine
I consider myself a connoisseur of white noise machines, and this one is our favorite. It doesn’t make any weird noises in between the static and it doesn’t play a randomly LOUD commercial like the YouTube version we used for #2. This little machine is essential for keeping baby asleep while her brothers play loudly around her. Also good for mama while she takes a nap (just kidding guys, I don’t get naps.)

Toddler Netflix Queue
That first precious baby wasn’t even allowed to be in a room with the TV on because of second-hand TV watching risk. Now I just aim for age appropriate choices, which I can contain in their own Netflix channel. Warning: Episodes keep on advancing so it’s possible you’ll get deep in baby tasks and realize Curious George is now a full grown adult monkey with his own monkey babies.

Vibrating Potty Watch
When baby girl came along, I didn’t anticipate the potty training regression in my preschooler who had been accident-free for at least a year. Suddenly, we had accidents every single day at school. The vibrating potty watch flipped this trend around. Parents can set it to go off multiple times per day (we started every two hours) as a reminder. And for kids, it just looks like a cool watch.

Dr. Smith’s Diaper Rash Spray
Perfect for quick diaper changes, especially on the go, when you don’t want the thick creamy mess of a traditional diaper cream. We’ve had great success with this clearing up mild diaper irritations when I…well…got distracted and forgot to change a wet diaper for a really long time…

Antiviral Masksantiviral masks
You know what happens when you have a winter baby as your third kid? The older two bring home ALL THE GERMS from daycare and school. And they take said germs and snot them all over your newborn’s face. Or, the come home with stomach flu and all you can think about is dad being out of town, coming down with the pukes yourself only to have to rally to take care of three kids under 5. The odds are not in your favor. Buy all the Lysol you can afford and strap on a mask. Then pray hard.

Extra baby camera 
If I could name a favorite baby luxury item, it’s my video monitor. I’ve almost maxed out the available channels, but we have a camera in every kid room to aid in discerning cries, real needs and obsessively monitoring baby’s breathing during sleep. I can confirm that the “OMG is she breathing?” paranoia does not ease up with the third baby.

New carseats
Did you know carseats expire? If you have a big enough gap between babies you need to check expiration dates. We ended up buying a double for every seat so we can a full set up in each car. And it is SO worth it.

Minivan
Look. I resisted it, too. Demanded we look at any kind of car but those clunky, giving in to the mom life vans. Turns out though, I’m fully a mom living a mom life. The fact my doors slide and the van is low enough my preschooler and newly 2 year old can get in the car themselves is a sanity saver. And the cargo space that fits my double stroller and the contents of a Costco cart? Heavenly. Give in, sister. Buy that van.

Sarah McGinnity
Sarah grew up in Manhattan, Kansas (Go Cats!), she moved to Minnesota where she met her husband, Shea. Realizing how much she hated snow in May, she convinced him to move to Kansas City in 2010. Together they have lived in Midtown, Waldo, the Plaza, and now Overland Park. Sarah is mom to 10-year-old, Henry, 7-year-old Clark and 5-year-old Lucy. She has her master’s in urban administration and is passionate about making Kansas City a more equitable and supportive community. In between the crazy, she likes to drink coffee, run, hike, travel as much as possible, and experience all things Kansas City!