Ben Myers and Tara Maziarz Myers, of Penn Township, hold a locally-made baby onesie on March 10, which features a Pittsburgh staple of chipped ham. Eddie Trizzino/Butler Eagle

With a few months to go before their due date, Tara Maziarz Myers and Ben Myers, of Penn Township, are in the throes of getting ready for their first child through the use of online resources and an online baby registry.

After picking out a room in their house for their baby, the couple compiled a list of items on the website Babylist, so they can alert friends to their needs and also keep track of their inventory in the months leading up to the introduction of their new family member.

Maziarz Myers said the website helped her and Myers ensure they get everything they need.

“Babylist has a checklist; the way we picked stuff was we Googled different parents’ magazines where they test products with real babies,” Maziarz Myers said. “We used a lot of that to figure out what they recommended.”

Some priorities for Maziarz Myers and Myers in preparing for their coming baby include practicality and cost-effectiveness. Maziarz Myers said she found a bassinet that can clip on to not only their adult bed, but a stroller, which is helpful because the infant won’t need its own crib for the first few months.

Additionally, the couple found a bed that can grow with their baby — they just need to make sure to upsize the mattress when it’s time to convert the bed.

“A lot of cribs out there are cribs that can be turned into like a toddler bed after and a full-size bed after that,” Maziarz Myers said. “You just have to make sure that when you put it on your registry, you are also getting attachments to go with it. We found when doing research that the things to convert it aren't included.”

Myers commented that he and his wife also have received recommendations from others with young children, which has helped the two create a baby registry that includes items practical for unexpected baby needs. Sleep is a common topic of discussion, he said.

“We also need a white noise machine and baby monitor,” Myers said. “The white noise machine is to hopefully make them sleep better.”

Maziarz Myers said she also is looking for sustainable diapers, which may be a little more expensive.

“I am specifically looking for diapers that are low plastic and sustainable, which are a little more expensive, but for us it's worth it,” Maziarz Myers said.

The other benefit of having friends with children is the couple has some help in getting gently used baby items that they don’t have to purchase.

“Certain things we’ve gotten from friends. We got high chairs, a bottle sterilizer and washer,” Maziarz Myers said. “I think for Ben and I, so many of our friends are finished having children, and they’re wanting to get rid of stuff. We hit that sweet spot where they want to just give it to us.”

Expectant parents must sort through a wide variety of baby products for their child’s first room. Metro Creative photo