Check out the last post in this series about the baby registry process at Target!

When exactly should you set up your baby registry? 

There is no exact science to this, and I know that's probably not what you wanted to hear right out of the starting gate. But the beauty of starting this process is that it's happening during one of the most exciting times of your life. You don't need to worry too much about when you get rolling on your registry, you just need to get it in motion before...

Well, I guess you'll have to keep reading to find out what I suggest as far as a drop-dead date is. I have found some helpful guidelines to get you through this process, and I hope they get you there in the right timing! 

What do other people say about when to start your baby registry?

To sum up in the beginning, again, there is no right or wrong answer, you do it when you have time. A lot of people seem to land on right around 12 weeks. On the Baby Center forum, we found that this is the most common and also on The Bump blog it was the most common as well. 

The second most common time frame was to start it after the 20-week ultrasound, which also makes sense. Mainly this would be a good time because you may know the gender and that can help you register more accurately.

The results? Either 12 weeks or 20 weeks are excellent options! Just be a bit wary as if you start too early, you may accidentally tell people you didn't want to be told yet about you being pregnant! 

When should you start your registry with all these opinions?

In my mind, we would suggest starting your registry shortly after 12 weeks, adding gender-specific items after your 20-week ultrasound and then being finished by the drop-dead date of... right before your invitations go out for your baby shower. Because as soon as those invites land in the hands of your aunt, your best friend, and others, it's off to the races!  

Get out there and start registering! Be careful to check your registry often as some items may fall out of production over time and don't forget... 

Have your registry done by the time you send your invitations out!

Check out the first post in this series about baby registering and my top picks for including on your registry list!