Building a Thoughtful Baby Registry
We know you’ve got a hundreds things on your list of “what to do before having the baby”, so we are going to keep this one short and sweet. Here is our quick and dirty and HONEST guide to building a thoughtful registry for YOU to thrive in postpartum.
Do not get bogged down by the crazy spreadsheet that someone shared with you at work. There are a MILLION things you can buy if you want to go down that road, but will you need half of them? Probably not. And here’s the really good news- anytime you need anything you pretty much have it at your fingertips with all the quick shopping options we have these days.
If you’re trying to cover the big ticket items think big and keep it to a few- your crib, a great stroller, a pump, your infant carseat and even your toddler/convertible next steps carseats!
Don’t get distracted by the shiny cute things! You don’t need a ton of clothing a ton of wraps and blankets and soft cloths in a million sizes. PLUS so much of this can be found when you do need it- either from other friends ready to pass theirs down, facebook groups for trading or low cost, and of course, online shopping.
Instead of overloading on the MILLION onesies that might fit for a couple weeks consider the following.
a) Gift cards to your favorite places to stock up. Target? Amazon?
b) Gift cards to your favorite meal delivery or local restaurants for easy eating in pregnancy and postpartum
c) Our personal favorite … adding the dream team to your registry. Read on for more info.
Add a doula to your birth or baby registry.
We’re not going to lie, we love an adorable onesie and a soft gauzey blanket as much as the next mom, but what we are really going for here is that the SINGLE most important and luxurious thing you could possibly add to your list is the gift of real comfort and support. By adding a birth doula, postpartum doula and lactation consultant to your registry you can make sure that you’re set up for success - plus when the time comes and you realize you need it, you won’t have to struggle with justifying the cost, making room in your budget or figuring out how to pay for it.
How to pay for a doula or childbirth education?
Some ideas… add a cash fund to your registry that explains who your doula is and what she’ll be doing for you. Register for a gift card for childbirth education or a pregnancy support group, ask your best friends to pool resources as they are comfortable and set it aside for a postpartum doula fund!
