First trimester (weeks 1–13): do almost nothing
Seriously. The only registry-related tasks worth doing now:
- Pin down your due date. Everything else on this timeline keys off it. Our due date calculator gives you your date and current week — and remembers it, so the site tracks your progress with you.
- Start one shared note with your partner for products friends swear by. Don't research yet; just collect.
- Check your insurance for a free breast pump. Most US plans cover one. Knowing this early stops you from registering for one you'll get free.
Everything else can wait. Registering too early means re-doing it later when products discontinue and your priorities change.
Early second trimester (weeks 14–20): open the registry
This is the sweet spot — energy is back, the 20-week scan is coming, and you're far enough along that the registry won't go stale.
- Pick one primary registry (Amazon and Babylist are the usual picks — both let you add items from any store).
- Work through a checklist, not your imagination. Our registry checklist covers every category with "essential vs. nice-to-have" labels, so you don't forget bottle brushes or register for three wipe warmers.
- Add more than you think. A registry with 60–80 items across every price point gives gift-givers real choices. Sparse registries get you five blankets.
The 2-2-2 rule for big items: for the stroller, car seat, and crib, shortlist two options each, read two in-depth reviews, and decide in two weeks. These three purchases eat 80% of registry stress; time-boxing them keeps you sane. Stuck on strollers? The stroller quiz narrows it to a match in six questions.
Late second trimester (weeks 20–27): the big three
- Finalize crib, car seat, stroller. Order the crib yourself if nobody's bought it by week 30 — shipping on furniture is slow.
- Plan the nursery budget before you fall in love with a $1,400 glider. The nursery budget planner shows realistic setups at every price level.
- Share the registry with the shower organizer around week 24 — showers typically land between weeks 28 and 34.
Third trimester (weeks 28–36): close the gaps
- After the shower, buy the unpurchased essentials yourself. Most registries offer a 10–15% completion discount — use it once, on everything left.
- Install the car seat by week 36. Many fire stations and hospitals check installations free.
- Wash one batch of clothes in newborn and 0–3 month sizes. Not everything — babies skip sizes unpredictably (our clothes size guide explains how many of each you need).
- Pack the hospital bag by week 36 — here's the no-overpacking checklist.
What can wait until after birth
High chair (6 months away), baby-proofing gear (they don't move for months — but bookmark the room-by-room checklist), size 2+ diapers, toys, and most "toddler" anything. Your future self will know more about your actual baby than your registry-building self does.
Hatch Rest Sound Machine~$80Amazon ↗
DaVinci Kalani 4-in-1 Convertible Crib~$250Amazon ↗
Newton Baby Crib Mattress~$350Amazon ↗
Nanit Pro Smart Baby Monitor~$300Amazon ↗As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.