When to Set Up a Baby Shower Registry (And What to Do First)

1. The ideal time to set up your registry

The sweet spot for starting a baby shower registry is between weeks 16 and 20 of pregnancy — the second trimester.

Here's why that window works:

• The anatomy scan (around week 18–20) has happened. You have confirmation that everything is developing well, which most parents want before committing to a registry publicly.
• You still have months before the due date. This gives you time to research products properly rather than adding things in a rush, and gives guests plenty of time to shop without pressure.
• Baby shower planning is underway. Most showers happen in the seventh or eighth month of pregnancy (roughly weeks 28–32). Starting the registry at weeks 16–20 means it'll be well established by the time invitations go out.

2. Timing by trimester

Stage	What to do
First trimester (weeks 1–12)	Too early to share publicly for most parents. Start a private draft list if you want — researching big-ticket items (pram, cot, car seat) takes time and it's useful to start early.
Early second trimester (weeks 13–16)	A good time to begin building the list in earnest. Research what you actually need, read reviews, and add items from multiple stores. Keep it private for now.
Weeks 16–20 (ideal)	The anatomy scan is done. Make the registry public and share with close family. This is the ideal window — plenty of time before the shower, and you've confirmed the pregnancy is progressing well.
Weeks 20–28	Still excellent timing. Refine the list, add items you've since identified as important, remove things you've since bought yourselves. Share with the wider circle as the shower invitation goes out.
Third trimester (weeks 28–36)	Perfectly fine to set up now — this is when many parents do it. Just check delivery times on larger items to make sure everything arrives before the due date.
After week 36	Late, but not pointless. Focus on essentials, note delivery times carefully, and keep the list lean. A shorter list of genuinely needed items is better than a rushed comprehensive one.

3. What to do before you start adding gifts

Before you add a single item to your registry, a little preparation makes the whole process much less overwhelming.

Take stock of what you already have

If this isn't your first baby, you may already own a lot of what's on a standard registry. Go through what you have and identify genuine gaps — things that are worn out, have been recalled, or that you genuinely didn't have last time. Don't add things to the registry that you already own or are planning to buy yourselves.

Research the big-ticket items first

The pram, cot, car seat, and baby carrier are the items that take the most research, have the most significant price variation, and often need to be ordered well in advance. Decide on these before you build the rest of the list — they anchor the registry and are often the items guests most want to contribute toward as a group.

Read real parent reviews, not just product listings

Baby product marketing is aggressively enthusiastic. Actual parents are more useful. Look for reviews on parenting forums and communities for honest takes on what gets used daily, what stays in the box, and what you'll wish you'd registered for instead.

Decide whether you're finding out the sex

If you're not finding out the sex, build the list with gender-neutral items. This is easier than it sounds — most of the functional items (sleep gear, feeding, bathing, getting out) are completely neutral, and white, cream, grey, and sage are perfectly lovely colours for a newborn regardless.

Think about your lifestyle

A registry that suits an urban apartment is different from one for a house with a large garden. A family who entertains a lot has different needs from one who travels constantly. Think about your actual life and what will be useful in it — not what every baby product list suggests is essential.

4. Timing it around the baby shower

Baby showers typically happen in weeks 28–34 of pregnancy — early enough that the parent isn't exhausted by late pregnancy, late enough that the baby's arrival feels real and imminent. To time your registry well around the shower:

• Have the registry live before invitations go out. Shower invitations typically go out 4–6 weeks before the event. Guests will start shopping the moment they receive one — if the registry isn't ready, some will buy something anyway (usually something generic) and then feel awkward when the list appears later.
• Include the registry link in the invitation. Unlike a wedding or birthday registry, including a baby shower registry link on the invitation is completely standard and expected. Guests are actively looking for it.
• Keep the registry updated until the shower. Remove things you've since bought, add things you've since thought of, and reorder so the most-wanted items are visible first.

5. What if you're already in the third trimester?

Don't panic. A registry set up at 28–34 weeks is still well timed and perfectly workable. The main things to watch:

• Check delivery times on large items. Prams, cots, and furniture pieces can take 2–6 weeks to arrive. If you're at 32 weeks with a 40-week due date, you have roughly 8 weeks — which is workable, but only if you order promptly.
• Keep the list focused. A tight list of the 20–30 things you genuinely need is more useful than 60 items you're not sure about. Guests shopping under time pressure appreciate a curated, prioritised list.
• Prioritise the essentials. Sleep gear, feeding equipment, nappies, and car seat — add these first. You can fill in the rest as you go.
• Consider marking some items as high priority. Use categories or position your most urgent items at the top of the list so guests see what matters most.

6. Do you need to know the sex first?

No. A gender-neutral registry is completely practical and increasingly common. The functional items that make up the majority of a baby registry — sleep gear, feeding, bathing, pram, car seat, carrier, nappies — are all fully neutral.

For clothing and soft items, sticking to neutral colours (white, cream, oat, sage, grey, soft yellow) gives you a cohesive wardrobe that works regardless of sex. Many parents who find out the sex still prefer a neutral registry so that siblings and subsequent children can use the same items.

If you do find out the sex midway through building your registry, you can always go back and add sex-specific items — there's no need to wait or rebuild from scratch.

7. Setting up a registry for a second baby

A second-baby registry is deliberately shorter. Most parents already have the big-ticket items (pram, cot, car seat) and the bulk of the baby gear. The registry fills in what's genuinely missing:

• Safety recalls: check whether anything from the first time has been recalled or is too old to be safe (car seats have expiry dates; mattresses should ideally be new).
• Worn-out items: baby gear gets used hard. Bouncers, play mats, and cloth nappies often need replacing after a first child.
• Sex-specific items if the second baby is a different sex from the first.
• Sibling gifts: some parents add a small gift for the older sibling on the registry — something to open on the day the baby comes home. Guests often appreciate having the option.
• Practical support items: meal delivery gift cards, a cleaner for the first few weeks, a grocery delivery subscription — the things that help parents survive the fourth trimester.