How Co-Founder Phoebe Simmonds Would Redo Her Baby Registry

I wouldn't change a thing.

I wasn't going in blind. When you start a business that strives to sell everything you need and nothing you don't for life with a newborn, you'd hope you'd have a pretty accurate idea of what to get. But no journey to parenthood is straightforward.

To build my registry, I used the Lists, and added to my Gift Registry as I went through each one. Easy, I could do it bit-by-bit when I had time and could easily keep track of what I'd ticked off. Running four businesses between myself and my partner, I knew that my postpartum wouldn't be a total slowdown, so anything that would make parenting life easier, I added.

As someone who truly believes in a registry, less waste, less back and forth with friends kindly checking in to make sure they get you something you actually need, I surprised myself in being unsure if I should have one. I cofoundered a baby gear business, would people assume I should just get it all myself? I was quickly shaken out of this when, just like anyone else, I had friends asking what they could gift me, my fellow co-founder Kate Casey planned a baby shower for me, and I needed some things, but not a lot of things, just the right things. You know? So I got wise, set up my registry, got excited and promptly got put on bed rest for months of my pregnancy. For a long time, making it to the baby shower still pregnant, was up in the air. There's a lot I could say about that time, it was hard, it was frustrating, but the generosity of my village really shined through. The baby shower, when it came, I was surrounded by all those amazing people, and all the gestures of support they gave me, felt extra significant. I was glad I’d involved people in my journey.

Once Remy arrived, my Gift Registry was immediately put to use (I made sure to add a lot of my postpartum aids to the list), and while I came in with prior knowledge, in truth, many of the things that became my top parent supports, came as a surprise.

Cocoonababy Nest

Having the SNOO, I didn’t thing I would use it as much as I did, but being portable (it weighs 1kg), I could use it everywhere we were. It was amazing. I used it like a nest, but also for all his day sleeps. From day one, in The Memo office, at friends' places, in every room in our house, outside. It was amazing.

SNOO

I always believe things are going to work, so I wasn’t surprised when Remy responded to the SNOO so well. We were definitely getting the extra hours of sleep promised because of the resettling being done by the SNOO. After his one or two overnight feeds, I would put him back in the SNOO without needing to calm or rock him to get him back to sleep. I strapped him back in the SNOO and he went to sleep. Shaun, my partner whose done the newborn thing before, was so impressed.

Baby Bjorn Bouncer Bliss

We’ve used this so much. It’s a safe place for him to rest/place and in the early months as a way to rock him into naps. It also became really useful when he started taking a bottle more because he could sit in it to feed.

One Simple Concept Pear Night Light

I kind of thought this was a bit stupid, until I started using it at night feeds and realised it’s just so much better light amount than a lamp, or your phone. And I know as Remy gets bigger, becomes a toddler who’s getting out of bed at night, or a preschooler wanting to read his stories before bed, we’ll use it more and more.

Silverette Nursing Cups

I wore these always, for the first 6 weeks postpartum. The only time I didn’t wear them was when I was feeding. I had a lot of nipple pain in the first few day, Silverettes were the only thing that gave me comfort. They took away a lot of the pain but then, I was too scared to stop using them, so I just kept them in so they could do the most.

Baby Shusher

Remy’s crying would escalate pretty quickly and shushing was the only thing that calmed him. Having the Shusher took the effort out of that for me, and also meant he could have that same comfort when he was in the car or pram. This and my portable YogaSleep Hushhh Portable White Noise Machine went everywhere with us.

Minbie Bottle Warmer

Remy is fussy with bottles, it took a few different designs before we got one would work — BIBS Glass Bottles turned out to be the one. He was also really particular about the milk temp. If it wasn’t exactly as he liked it, he wouldn’t have it. We were boiling kettles and dealing with all that, and it was just too slow. The bottle warmer gave really turned the dial for us, the consistency and reliability of having it ready and perfect in 10 minutes was everything. Couldn’t be without it now.