Registering for 2nd Baby?

[Anonymous]

To OP - I am about to have baby #2, which is a different sex than baby#1, but I still hadn't planned on registering because I didn't feel like I needed much and most people would just send clothes if they chose to send a gift knowing it is a different gender.

However, I did choose to register at BRU in the end because of 2 reasons: they now send a 10% off "anything left on your registry" coupon towards the end of your pregnancy and my DH's coworkers insisted on throwing a "baby sprinkle" to celebrate our upcoming arrival and kept asking where we were registered. Before the sprinkle, I only put a few little gender-specific items on there (blankets, bath towels, boppy cover) and after I put items I knew I would need that I don't normally see on sale (milk storage bags, etc) so I can use the 10% off coupon to buy some of the more personal items.

I didn't tell anyone else about the registry and don't believe anyone else knows about it so I didn't feel like it was tacky.

To the poster who insists it's so tacky even for baby #1, I find it funny that you have such strong convictions, but still managed to register for your wedding. Just like you didn't want people driving your mom crazy asking about what you wanted for your wedding the same can be said for having a baby. I was constantly asked what theme we were doing for the room or the baby items.

I'm usually a stickler for manners (handwritten thank-you notes, etc) but registries for life-changing events such as weddings or births seem okay to me. You always have the option of not buying from the registry, but it gives you an idea of themes or tastes. For babies, I usually make a quilt and some blankets and not use a registry, but it helps to know what colors/theme the parents like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually think registering for baby things is tacky regardless of the which child it is. Its a horrendous, materialist, incurssion of the wedding registry phenomenon into the birth arena. There are people who even say bridal registries are tacky, but perhaps a necessity to save the MoB from answering a million questions about what the couple wants. I woudl tell them that you just are not comfortable with this and they should not feel that they need to get you anything. If they are insistent, you can always discretely tell your mother and have her pass it on.

What a very strong opinion to have! I couldn't disagree with you more.

Personally, as a guest, I am GREATLY RELIEVED to have a registry for an event! It is very difficult to decide what to buy for most people, and I think it is courteous to be given a suggestion IF ASKED FOR ONE (As OP was). If the things on the registry are beyond my means, I can give a gift card to that store instead and at least I know the recipient enjoys that store.

As for being rude or tacky, don't you think adding hours of extra work for your own mother ("always discretely tell your mother and have her pass it on") just because you deem a registry list unseemly is itself rude? Without a registry you rely on tons of work for your family member and guests. Okay, but what if those suggestions are out of the price range of the guests? Isn't that rude, too, since most registries have gift cards and a range of prices in the items?

And without direction of any kind, would guests give only cash gifts? Or the guest of honor would receive either 100 boppy pillows or 100 candlesticks, most without gift receipts? Seems like a horrible waste of money, time and effort to leave guests (most of which want direction, otherwise they won't ask for the registry and will do their own thing anyhow) in the dark. Doesn't seem to help anyone, all for the sake of "not being tacky."