"As a mom, I know there’s a reason ‘nesting‘ comes naturally for many moms-to-be. In anticipation of baby’s arrival, many moms will feel an overwhelming desire to clean, organize, and put together the house, especially the baby’s nursery. Much like a mama bird waiting for her eggs to hatch, many moms will feel the strong desire to make a comfortable space for their baby to come home to.
Of all the excitement that comes with awaiting the arrival of a new baby, putting together a nursery may be the most fun. This is a time for new parents to be creative. Whether we choose to find out the baby’s gender or keep things neutral, pick a theme or go with the flow, putting together a nursery is our first attempt at creating a space just for them.
But, among the excitement may also come feelings of uncertainty, especially for those of us who are becoming parents for the first time. It can be difficult to know everything that a baby will need and all the nursery essentials we should have on hand. While the benefits of having a baby registry are plentiful, if we don’t know what to include on them, they may not be as helpful as they should be.
That’s why we’re providing some registry guidelines when it comes to the nursery department. Consider this a blueprint (or pink-print, yellow, green—whatever color scheme you prefer) to follow for all nursery essentials to include on a baby registry. These product options are tried and true, and many are hand-selected and approved by our editors at The Everymom, who have personally used and recommended them. When it comes time to put together a baby registry so you’re prepped for the nesting stage, look no further than this list for all of the best nursery essentials.
Creating your baby registry can be overwhelming, but we’re here to help with editor- and expert-approved picks for everything you need for your new baby (and for you!) with our second annual Baby Registry Awards. Click here for our top picks for everything from bouncers to baby bottles.
Nursery Essentials to Add to a Baby Registry
Cribs
After baby grows out of the bassinet stage, they’ll need a crib to sleep in. These options are tested to be of the highest safety quality and free of toxic chemicals. Plus, they’re designed to fit seamlessly into any nursery theme or color palette.
Many of our editors used this convertible crib with their littles. It’s easy to put together and grows with baby from the newborn stage through toddlerhood.
Many cribs transition from a crib to a toddler bed, and The Wave Crib takes it one step further, starting as a mini crib. The mini crib is super compact and comes with a mini crib mattress—it’s an amazing alternative to a bassinet.
You might think the $130 price point on this mini crib and mattress bundle is too good to be true, but hundreds of glowing reviews suggest otherwise. It can be adjusted to two different heights as baby grows—and can even be converted to a twin bed as well!
This Greenguard Gold Certified 4-in-1 convertible crib grows as baby does with four adjustable mattress positions. It’s beautifully made in several color options, meaning there’s an option for every nursery design.
The classic design of this crib that grows with baby ensures you won’t want to replace it after the first year as style preferences evolve. Meeting the highest level of safety standards, you can rest assured that your LO will always be safe and sound while sleeping in this crib.
Crib Mattresses
When it comes to finding the perfect mattress for the crib, look for one made of high-quality, non-toxic materials. Every parent wants peace of mind while their little ones are sleeping.
This crib mattress tops our list for most innovative design—not foam or coil—this hypoallergenic mattress is made with a Wovenaire core that’s 90 percent air and 10 percent food-grade polymer, providing the same comfort with more breathability.
Knowing that baby is sleeping on the highest quality materials is imperative for a parent’s peace of mind. That’s why we love the Naturepedic organic cotton mattress that is made of 100 percent waterproof, food-grade polyethylene. The customer reviews speak for themselves on this one.
Crib Sheets
We love crib sheet options that are made from organic cotton and non-toxic materials and come in a variety of patterns like these.
These Burt’s Bees cozy jersey knit crib sheets come in many prints and solid colors and are so soft for your sweet little one’s skin.
This is our readers’ most-shopped crib sheet—and for good reason: They come in adorable patterns and are made with certified, non-toxic dyes.
Humidifiers
When nasal congestion inevitably rears its ugly head, be sure to have a humidifier on hand in the nursery to help baby sleep better.
Everyone’s favorite brand for must-have baby and mom products, FridaBaby just launched a new humidifier!
We love that this humidifier has both cool and warm mist options. The warm mist allows for greater and quicker relief of congestion.
Dressers
With all of the stuff babies come with, we’re going to need a space to store it all. A sturdy dresser will not only hold all of the baby clothes and other essentials, but it can also hold a changing pad atop for diaper changes. Plus, the right dresser will last long after the infant stage and transfer into a big kid room seamlessly. Remember to anchor baby’s dresser—along with any other heavy furniture—as part of baby-proofing.
If a changing table is on your list, you can’t go wrong with this Babyletto convertible dresser that looks just as good in a baby’s room as it will as a dresser in a big kid’s space.
For a dresser that matches baby’s crib (the DaVinci Kalani linked above), consider this highly-rated, six-drawer option. With the same great color options as the crib, the nursery will look more put together than ever with this set.
Setting up a nursery can be overwhelming, but these reader-favorite drawer dividers can take some of the stress out of it. They come in a pack of four and are expandable, meaning they can be adjusted to fit almost any dresser.
For a minimalist design option, the Storkcraft dresser might be the perfect option. This modern dresser is built with the highest of quality and includes features like roller glide drawers with German cam locks.
Investing in a quality nursery piece that can then transition into a dresser your little one uses for years is always a good idea. That’s why we love this option from Delta Children—that’s not only great for styling a nursery but would be a great addition to a big kid’s room.
Recliners and Gliders
A functional chair is one of the most important nursery essentials—especially for late-night feedings. You’ll want supportive armrests and the ability to rest both your head and feet while holding your little one. The best chairs, known as gliders, rock back and forth noiselessly so baby doesn’t wake up after drifting back to sleep.
A comfy glider can make all the difference for a new parent. The Namesake Crewe has our vote because it’s quiet, comfortable, durable, and stain-resistant—plus it reclines and swivels.
While this glider doesn’t have an attached footrest, it does come with a matching ottoman. Also included is a lumbar pillow for added comfort and support.
This chair is unique and beloved for having an electric footrest (AKA, less noise), soft fabric, and USB charges built in for the ultimate level of convenience.
Storage Shelves
Like any bedroom, storage is a must in a baby’s nursery. Not only will you have endless amounts of baby clothes but also baby grooming essentials, toys, books, blankets, and more. So, have a sturdy place for storage in the room with one of these options, like cube shelves that offer a lot of space and the option to either house items on display or tuck them away in storage cubes.
For a larger room or a nursery meant for twins, consider this larger cube organizer for additional storage space.
These fabric cubes are lightweight, sturdy, and perfect for storing any items we don’t want on display in the baby’s nursery.
many colors and patterns available
Bookracks
No doubt baby will receive a small library of books whether at your baby shower or as gifts as they grow. We love having plenty of options for books as reading to baby is a wonderful learning and bonding opportunity. Store baby’s books proudly in one of these stylish bookracks.
A bookrack is one piece that can seamlessly go from a baby or toddler’s room into a big kid’s space. You’ll need a chic place to store all of those books that your little is bound to receive as gifts over the years.
Including this bookrack in a baby’s nursery is a great option for a shelf that will come in handy in the future. As baby grows into a toddler, they can reach each shelf on this rack made of fabric to safely grab out their book of choice on their own.
5 colors available
Another option beloved for its size is this bookrack by Delta Children. It’s also known for being sturdy and easy to assemble at home.
5 colors available
The birchwood material of this bookrack makes it both chic and modest. It will fit into any design preference seamlessly and hold plenty of books.
3 finishes available
