Today, very little research is put into the creation of a baby registry. This is mainly due to the convenient ready-made lists your store of choice hands you along with the zapper. Those generic baby registry lists are categorized, itemized and tell you how many of each item to get. While it’s a great guide, I’m going to tell you how to make it even better.

These three essential tips will ensure you are registering for the best, most useful and safest products to meet your individual needs:

1. Take a new mom with you
2. Three must-have books on baby gear
3. Online ratings and reviews