Often, as I’m helping families prepare to welcome their baby they want to know if there is anything else they need for their nursery. Is there anything they’ve forgotten to add to their baby registry? Most of the time they’ve remembered the essentials – tiny little newborn outfits, somewhere for baby to sleep, diapers, etc. However, there are a few important things that I find are often overlooked when creating a list of what will be needed once baby arrives. Below are three things you may not have thought to include on your registry that can play a big part in making life with your newborn a bit easier.
1. Food
Life with a brand new baby can be chaotic. I encourage parents to make plans to simplify life as much as possible before baby arrives. One major component of this is planning meals for yourself and the rest of the household during those newborn days/weeks. Recruit help from your village by asking someone to organize a meal train, let people know what your favorite places are for takeout, or ask for contributions toward a grocery delivery service. Not having to prepare meals or run out to the grocery store will certainly make life with your newborn much simpler. And the less thinking/planning you are required to do once your baby arrives, the better!
- Meal Trains & Freezer Meals
- Online food delivery such as Uber Eats/Door Dash/Grubhub
- Gift cards to your favorite restaurants
- Grocery delivery service
2. Education & Support
Whether this is your first baby or your fifth, a little added education and support can be invaluable. If you’ve taken a childbirth or breastfeeding class previously, many educators and facilities offer refresher courses on these topics. And if you have older children who will be welcoming a new sibling, there are also classes geared toward preparing them for baby’s arrival. A birth doula will offer information and support for you and your partner throughout your pregnancy and during your birth, and a postpartum doula will be there for your family with hands-on support once your baby comes home. Contributions to cover these types of classes and support are a very wise addition to your baby registry.
- Childbirth Education
- Breastfeeding Education
- Newborn Care Education
- Sibling Preparation Classes
- Birth Doula
- Postpartum Doula
- Lactation Consultant
3. Hands-On Help
Along with simplifying your newborn days by adding meals to your baby registry, hands-on help around the house can be a very smart addition. Take a few minutes to run through your typical day in your mind and create a list of any chores or tasks that you might be able to enlist help for and add this type of help to your registry or ask for contributions toward paying for a professional service for these tasks.
- Housekeeping
- Childcare for older siblings
- Watching the baby so you can spend some quality time with older siblings
- Laundry service
- Pet care
- Lawn maintenance
Friends and family members are usually eager to find ways to help you as you welcome your baby. Share with them the ways you think their support can truly be the most helpful by letting them know exactly the kinds of support you and your family need. If you are just getting started on creating your baby registry and need some ideas (or if you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of the baby products out there), you can check out my post about the minimalist must-haves for newborn care – it’s a short, simple list of baby items you might need in those early days.
What do you plan to add to your baby registry? Or if you’ve already welcomed your baby, what were some of the most helpful things gifted to you? I’d love to know!
Birth & Postpartum Doula Services 