I am about 28 weeks along now and honestly I am losing my mind looking at these registry checklists. My husband and I just moved into a smaller apartment in Chicago to save money before the baby gets here in early November and I feel like I am totally drowning in choices. Every website says something different and it feels like everything is just a huge money grab or an ad. Like I was looking at the SNOO because everyone on TikTok says its a lifesaver but then I read these other forum posts saying its actually bad for their sleep patterns long term or that their kid hated it and now I am terrified to put a sixteen hundred dollar bassinet on a registry where my family might actually buy it and then it just collects dust in our tiny living room. We dont have much space so I really need to be super careful about what actually comes into the house.

Then there is the whole stroller situation which is its own nightmare. I saw some people say the UppaBaby Vista is the absolute gold standard for city living especially with the wind and snow we get here but its so heavy and expensive and then other moms say just get a basic Graco frame and call it a day. I dont want to be that person struggling on the bus with a giant tank of a stroller but I also dont want the wheels to fall off in a snowdrift on Michigan Ave. Im really trying to keep the total registry value under 3k if possible which feels impossible when a car seat alone is like four hundred bucks these days. I just need to know what is actually a must have versus what is just fluff that influencers get paid to talk about. Like do I really need a wipe warmer or a special trash can for diapers? My mom says just use a regular bin with a lid but people online say the smell is killer without a Diaper Dekor or whatever. I am just so worried about wasting peoples money or ending up with a house full of junk we never use. What are the absolute non-negotiable items that saved your life in those first three months?