What's on my baby registry as a second-time mom

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As a first time mom I tried to be really practical when building my baby registry, but I had no idea what I needed! I consulted my mom friends and sister-in-laws to see what they found most helpful, but I still wasn't sure what would actually be helpful once we had our baby.

Building my registry as a second-time mom has been so great because I know which items I don't want to live without and which items I can pass up. I'm also excited because there a few products that I didn't include on my first baby registry that I really want this time!

Baby products I won't live without

• Bottle Brush: My sister-in-law gave me this bottle brush when I was pregnant with Benson and I put it on my registry again for baby girl because it was a life saver! It's great because it also works on sippy cups! I bet I'll have one of these in my kitchen for years to come!
• Car Seat Cover: I love car seat covers because they keep people away from your newborn, especially when it's germ season! My car seat cover with Benson was a little more accessible than I would have liked, I had one mom lift it up and let her daughter, who had snot running down her face, look at Benson when he was barely a month old. I got all kinds of momma bear crazy. I love that this one keeps baby completely covered and that it triples as a nursing cover and cart cover. Plus it's light weight and easy to pack in your diaper bag. 
• Burp Rags: My friend made me the most amazing burp rags when I had Benson and I asked her to make me some again this time around because I seriously can't live without them. They are a towel on one side so they hold up and clean up so much more than a conventional burp rag! I wish she sold them so you could all enjoy the amazingness! These terry cloth burp rags might be similar, but I've never used them-fair warning. 
• Hooded Towel: I did not think this was a necessity when I had Benson, but luckily someone smarter than me gifted me one! We used a regular towel for the first few months but I always felt like Benson was freezing after his bath. The hood really helped keep his head warm when we transferred him from the bathroom to the bedroom. I love all the styles, or animals, that this line offers. Isn't the fox so cute?
• Pumping/Nursing Bra: I bought a couple of nursing bras before I had Benson but ended up buying this one after a couple days at home. I wasn't able to nurse Benson, I but pumped for five months (you can read about my breastfeeding journey here). Having a hands-free pumping bra is a must. I love that this one also works as a nursing bra, so that I don't have to buy two separate bras; I can just use this one until I decide what will work best.
• Baby swing: This is an item that I didn't get as much use out of as I thought I would with Benson, but I still wouldn't pass up. When we got home from the hospital and got Benson out of his carseat I had no idea where to put him. I didn't want him on the floor and I didn't want him tucked away in our room in his bassinet where we wouldn't get to be with him. It finally dawned on me to put him in the swing! #FirstTimeMom A lot of babies love swings so it's definitely nice to have on hand. Plus it's a great place for baby when you need to use your hands...or go to the bathroom!

What I didn't use the first time, but want this time

• Video Monitor: As a first-time mom, I did not see the value in a video monitor. I figured I would be able to hear Benson and go in and check on him. Now, I know how much it stinks to walk into the room when you aren't needed and then your baby wants nothing more than to get up. I have been price comparing video monitors and decided to add this one to my registry because the Amazon reviews are really good and it's fairly inexpensive, compared to other video monitors. 
• Pacifier Clip: Although Benson wasn't a huge pacifier baby he used one when he slept for the first few months and I spent way too many hours during the middle of the night holding Benson's pacifier in his mouth because he would spit it out and then be upset. These pacifier clips from Baby Refuge are so cute and are all made from real leather so you know they'll hold up. But better yet, a portion of the profits from each clip is donated to help children refugees. The cute husband and wife team behind Baby Refuge just had their first child, a beautiful little girl, and I think it's awesome that they're working so hard to help other children throughout the world. They're also offering all Rebekah Anne readers a discount that will drop everything to just $10!! Use the code: "under10!" for 32% off your order. The code is only good for 5 day (expires Sept. 3) so don't wait! For $10 it's totally worth it!
• Diaper Cream Brush: I actually saw this on my friend's baby registry and was insanely jealous! First, applying diaper cream is just gross. Second, we buy the big jars of diaper cream and I can't use it without getting it underneath my fingernails, which is one of my biggest pet peeves. My friend said that it saves her from that exact problem, so this was quickly added to my registry. It's definitely something you can live without, but it's so nice to have! 
• Baby formula dispenser: If you formula feed I would highly recommend getting one of these. I tried to be thrifty and just use tupperware to hold our formula when we went out and it was a mess. Every. Single. Time. I love that you can scoop the perfect amount of formula into these then just dump it into the bottle later. 

What I'd skip 

• Toys: I carried around a rattle in my diaper bag for months that Benson didn't touch. Newborns aren't really into toys for a while and people will get them for you no matter which ones you register for. The only toy I would register for is a play mat. Benson spent so much time on his and he used it for a long time. He still pulls it out and tries to play with it! 
• Books: I got so many books at my baby shower with Benson and I am so grateful because I had no idea which ones were good, but again he didn't touch them for a long time and every time I tried to give him one he just chewed on it. I'd save this as a first birthday present and then get all the books you loved as a kid. Your one year old is a little less likely to destroy them. 
• First aid kit: For the most part you will get everything you need from the hospital. Our hospital gave us a bulb, nail clippers, thermometer, brush and comb, sponge/scrubber for baths and more. The only things we needed to buy ourselves were medicine like gas drops, saline solution and Tylenol. I would definitely buy these before baby comes, even if you don't plan to use them for a while. It's nice to have it on hand when you need it.

Good luck to all you mommas out there compiling registries!