Amazon's baby registry is easy to use and offers tons of benefits to expecting parents - here's how it works

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider, Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• There are many places to start a baby registry, but Amazon is an increasingly popular option.
• The huge selection of products on the site, great discounts, return rates, and Prime shipping deals make Amazon a great choice for many expecting parents.
• If you're considering starting an Amazon baby registry, we've outlined everything you need to know below.

Becoming a new parent is an exciting, albeit stressful, time for many. Preparing for your little one to enter the world is no small task. There are a lot of products to consider buying, but luckily, you don't have to take on the process alone.

Making a baby registry clues your family and friends in to what products you actually want and need as you prepare for your baby's arrival. There are many retailers where you can start a baby registry and each offers a different model and benefits for parents-to-be.

Amazon's baby registry is becoming an increasingly popular option. It makes sense - Amazon Prime has over 100 million subscribers globally and many people admit that they're most likely to start their online shopping search at Amazon. So, chances are some (or all) of the people who'll be purchasing gifts from your registry have Amazon Prime, or are at least pretty familiar with the shopping experience on Amazon. The familiarity, along with Amazon's huge selection of products, low prices, and some special bonuses, make the site a great choice to start your baby registry.

If you're an expecting parent who's looking to create a baby registry and are considering using Amazon, keep reading for an overview of how the service works. If you're someone who will soon be buying gifts for a parent-to-be, we'll cover how you can use the service too.

Read more: 38 clever baby shower gifts that new parents will undoubtedly appreciate - all under $100

Amazon Baby Registry for expecting parents

Head to the Amazon baby registry landing page and click the "get started" button. You'll be led to the sign-up page, which asks a few questions that cover pretty much everything surrounding the registry, from where gifts should be sent to your due date.

Once you've created your registry, start adding the gifts you'd like. Amazon has a selection of millions of products, but if there happens to be something you want that isn't on the site you can add it using Universal Registry.

Simply add the Universal Registry button as a browser plug-in, and you can add items from any site to your registry. With the Amazon app you can access and update your registry whenever you want, from wherever you are. Once your registry is full, Amazon will organize it by categories to make it easy for gifters to search and decide what they want to buy.

You can choose to make the registry public, so anyone can find it by simply searching your name. You also have the opportunity to make it visible to only the select people who you've shared the link with. You even can make it completely private and only visible to yourself, in case you just want to keep a running list of the products you need but aren't looking for gifts.

Other benefits of registering with Amazon

Beyond how easy it is to make a baby registry on Amazon, the retailer offers a few other great benefits if you choose to use their service.

When you sign up, you'll get a welcome box filled with up to $35 worth of baby products. They also offer the option for group gifting. If you plan on choosing particularly pricey items, this is a great feature, as it allows your friends and family to contribute to bigger gifts together.

The Diaper Fund is another unique and practical feature. Amazon realizes that one of the biggest costs parents will incur while caring for their newborns is diapers - the average annual cost of diapers is $550. In anticipating that cost, you can choose to opt in to the Diaper Fund, which allows friends and family to contribute any amount of money, up to $550 total, toward diapers. You'll get this money in the form of an electronic Amazon gift card, which can be used toward diapers and a variety of other eligible baby products as well.

Amazon Baby Registry for gifters

You have the easy part - simply head to the designated baby registry, and pick what you'd like to gift them. If they've opted into group gifting, you can go in on a gift with other friends or family members.

If you don't have Amazon Prime, you'll have to spend at least $25 to be eligible for free shipping. If you have Prime, you'll get the regular, two-day free shipping rates you've come to know and love.

Read more: 29 useful Amazon Prime benefits to know that go beyond free two-day shipping

What's next?

Congrats on welcoming you're new little one to the world.

Once you're registry is closed, you may wonder what will happen to all of the items that were never purchased. If you still want them, buy them yourself and Amazon will give you a discount to help you out.

The registry-completion discount is 10% normally, but 15% if you're a Prime member. This is a great way to stock up on baby products for less, so definitely take advantage of the savings.

You'll likely be pretty tired taking care of a newborn and returning gifts from your registry will probably be one of the last things on your mind. Amazon totally understands and gives you a full 90 days to make free returns of the items on your registry. Plus, you don't have to drive to a store and return it; you simply have to ship the box back.

Amazon's baby registry wants to make it easy, so when your baby comes you can just sit back, (try to) relax, and enjoy the time with your little one.

Start your Amazon baby registry today

Read more Insider Picks parenting buying guides

• The best diapers you can get delivered straight to your door
• The best baby wipes
• The best travel strollers
• The best double strollers
• The best video baby monitors
• The best baby-safe laundry detergent
• The best breast pumps
• The best playpens you can buy for babies and toddlers