Skip the fancy stroller, many new parents want cash for down payments and day care.

Why it matters: It often takes a village for a growing family to buy their first home.

Driving the news: Baby's First Home Cash Fund, launched by Opendoor and Babylist this year, saw 1,060 total registry adds in the first half of 2024.

• Meanwhile, some physical items are on the decline. For example, requests for Dyson vacuums decreased by 30% from the first half of 2023 to 2024, per Babylist.

By the numbers: More than 6,000 child care-related GoFundMe pages have started in 2024, raising nearly $18 million.

• And more than 5,000 fundraisers have been started related to home-buying costs, according to figures shared by the crowdfunding platform.

What they're saying: This growth signals the normalization of asking for home-buying financial support on baby registries, says Lee Anne Grant, head of growth at Babylist.

• Parents are thinking longer term and more holistically, says Allie Cote, head of brand growth at Opendoor.

The big picture: The share of income a typical household would need to spend to buy a median-priced starter home in the U.S. has nearly doubled since 2012, according to Redfin.

• The average annual price for two children at a child care center exceeds the cost of annual mortgage payments in the majority of U.S. states, Axios' Emily Peck reports.
• For these reasons, housing and child care costs are top of mind for many people.

The bottom line: Stick to the registry.

Here's a data point that helps explain the trend: The median down payment on a Twin Cities-area home is nearly $50,000.

• That's about $19,000 more than it was in early 2021.

Last week, we asked readers to share their go-to gifts for new parents.

In addition to your favorite blankets and books, you dished up these creative ideas:

💐 Michelle T. makes a "baby clothes bouquet" out of rolled-up socks and onesies.

• "It feels like giving flowers to the couple, but it is actually very practical."

💩 Karleen K. goes for an "ample supply of diapers" — she gave two years' worth to her grandchildren!

• "It's not a very 'cool' gift, but I have had a lot of parents tell me how helpful it was."

🧖‍♀️ Roshini R. likes to buy expectant mothers a gift card with a candle, lotion, or body wash. 

• "The smile on their face when they see something for them is priceless."

👯‍♀️ Multiples on the way? Luke H. says this pricey feeding system is an essential splurge for parents of twins.

🦷 Kathy S. likes to get parents ready for a big future milestone with a "tooth fairy kit" made of a roll of Sacajawea coins and a tiny jar of glitter in a vintage small box.

🧼 Christine F. said she prefers gifting support like cleaning services and meal trains over unnecessary items.

• She tends to give cash or self-care items for mom — think face masks and epsom salts — at showers.

🪴 As a young parent, Burkhard T. most appreciated money and help like babysitting and gardening from family and friends.

• Now their family splits a gift "between the baby (cute outfits) and the parents ($$$)."