Moms-to-Be Want Cash at Their Baby Showers, New What to Expect Survey Shows

Key findings

• More moms are creating registries now than in the past decade; 86% make one, including 80% of moms who've already had kids.
• Moms are prioritizing their sanity, simplifying the process by registering at just one place — and requesting more self-care items for themselves. 
• The economy has made moms adapt; they're shopping second-hand and wishing for funds, subscriptions and cold, hard cash to get baby-ready.

Just like outgrowing your jeans and getting unwanted parenting advice, making a baby registry is pretty much a pregnancy rite of passage. In fact, 86% of women have or will make one for their current or most recent pregnancy, according to a new What to Expect poll of 4,325 moms.

But whereas parents used to test out the five strollers in the Babies 'R' Us aisle, moms today face a bewildering array of choices on their phones — as well as increasingly higher prices due to inflation. Here's how they're shopping for the next generation — and what you should know about making or buying from a baby registry in 2024. 

More moms are making registries, whether it's their first baby or fourth

More women (86%) are making registries now than in the past decade, per years of What to Expect research, and moms who've already had children account for most of that growth. In 2024, 80% of this cohort made them — up from 67% in 2022 — but sprinkle registries aren't totally normalized just yet. 

Most "been there, done that" moms (82%) are concerned about the optics of making a registry and not wanting to ask for too much. In fact, 1 in 4 moms overall don't share their registry with gift givers, and 41% say they just use their registries as a checklist or to get extra perks, like a completion discount. 

Most moms register at only one place now

Ten years ago, most moms crafted multiple registries, but today the majority create only one baby registry, usually because they want everything centralized in one place (53%). And gone are the days of wielding a scanner at a Babies 'R' Us and buybuy Baby — nearly all moms (98%) today register at one of the same four online behemoths, usually on their phones. 

Amazon, Target, Walmart and BabyList top the list of best baby registries because they allow for moms to curate pretty much everything they need in one place, which can make shopping simpler. (Check out What to Expect's Baby Registry Builder to find out the best place for you to register!)

Those still creating multiple registries most commonly say it’s because they want to utilize perks and discounts, up from 50% two years ago to 54% in 2024. Convenience for gift-givers is a declining reason for doubling up, indicating that moms are prioritizing their own sanity versus their gift givers'.

Tech and self-care products for mom are showing up on more baby registries

Essentials like diapers, wipes and baby clothing still consistently top moms’ registry requests, but new additions have also made their way onto lists. "Smart" toys (e.g., the stage-based Lovevery play kits) and baby health trackers (think: the Owlet sock) are both trending, up 14% and 23% respectively from 2022. 

Products for moms' own health and self-care also appear on more registries now as well, with birth recovery products up 15%, self-care products or services up 11% and postpartum clothing up 13% over 2022.

Perhaps in response to these increasingly popular categories, registries have crept up in size over the past couple years, now averaging 59 items (up from 56 in 2022). 

Almost all moms really want non-product gifts

Moms are looking to max out the utility of their registries and are thinking way beyond material items these days. Nearly all (97%) say they'd like to receive non-product gifts from loved ones, with their top requests including: 

• A diaper stash or fund 
• Cash
• A diaper subscription
• Grocery delivery
• House cleaning services

Gen-Z moms in particular want these funds or services, with 59% saying they wish they could add non-product gifts to their registries (compared to 52% of Millennials). They're also more likely to want contributions towards a babymoon and postpartum recovery than older moms.

Most moms are buying baby items second-hand

Ultimately, moms receive about 36% of their total registry as gifts, and they're left trying to fill in the gaps. Most moms (64%) say they're purchasing more baby items themselves (up from 52% in 2022), and 67% say they're concerned about how they will afford all they need for their baby.

One way moms are making do is by sourcing items second-hand: 61% say they will likely acquire more used baby products than they otherwise would due to the state of the economy. In fact, most moms and moms-to-be (55%) have already acquired second-hand or borrowed baby products

Gen-Z moms in particular source used gear, maybe because they enjoy the thrill of the hunt. Two in 3 say it's fun for them to thrift items to get ready for a baby (21% more than Millennials).

So what should you do if you're in the midst of compiling your own registry? While making a one can certainly feel overwhelming (and expensive!), know that there are lots of ways you can hack your list — whether it's requesting diaper funds or using a completion discount — to feel more baby-ready.

Methodology

Everyday Health Group Pregnancy & Parenting surveyed 4,325 women between January 28, 2024 and February 14, 2024. Respondents were U.S. women, age 18 and up, who were either pregnant or have a baby 0 to 6 months old. The data was compared to the 2022 Top Trends in Baby Registry Study.