Congratulations on your growing family! Whether you’re expecting your first baby or adding another little one to the mix, this is such a thrilling time. Amid all the excitement, building a baby registry can feel overwhelming. I know: been there, done that—twice!
I often think back to the meticulously organized baby registry spreadsheet I compiled for my first baby and laugh. We often get caught up in cute outfits, trendy gadgets, and magical bassinets that promise a full night of sleep. But it’s the practical, stress-reducing items that can make all the difference in the first few weeks with a newborn.
Here are five baby registry essentials for new parents to help make life with a newborn a little easier.
Lactation Support & Breastfeeding Education
Breastfeeding support and education is an invaluable resource for new and expecting parents. Not only can it help with physiological challenges like latch issues, nursing discomfort, milk supply issues, and more through evidence-based education, but support from a professional can also make a huge impact on your emotional connection to breastfeeding and your baby.
Breastfeeding was by far the most challenging and stressful aspect of new motherhood for me. I don’t know why I assumed it would come naturally, but it didn’t. I loved nursing my daughter, but I also needed help and reassurance from a professional. After striking out with a few different hospital IBCLCs, milk supply issues (for me), and weight gain issues (for my baby), I was ready to give up on nursing. I finally found a wonderful lactation consultant named Jessica, of Love and Wellness Lactation, who offered home visits (pandemic days!); she was warm and encouraging and her support helped tremendously in my breastfeeding journey.
How to include lactation support in your baby registry essentials
We are lucky to have many amazing lactation support and breastfeeding education options here in Cleveland! If you are looking to hire a professional to help you on your breastfeeding journey, I highly recommend:
Get in touch with a breastfeeding educator who fits your needs and ask if they offer baby registry options or gift cards. If they don’t, many of the popular baby registry sites allow you to collect money through a cash fund to use toward breastfeeding support and education services!
Postpartum Doula Support
While a postpartum doula wasn’t in the cards for my family, I’ve had many friends and clients sing the praises of their postpartum doulas.
From nighttime feeding to newborn care to postpartum recovery and more, a postpartum doula is there to support you with all things new parenthood during the first few weeks with your baby. They play a huge role in helping you adjust to your new routine with a little one and feel more confident and rested. With their guidance, you can navigate the challenges of early parenthood more smoothly, allowing you to focus on bonding with your baby and taking care of yourself.
How to include postpartum doula support in your baby registry essentials
We are lucky to have many amazing postpartum doula support options in Cleveland! If you are looking to hire a professional to help you after your baby is born, I highly recommend:
- Sarah Berridge of Aunt Sarah Doula
- Fourth Down Birth & Newborn Care
- The Womb Wellness Doula Services
- CLEbaby
Find a postpartum doula that fits your needs and ask if they offer baby registry options or gift cards. If they don’t, many of the popular baby registry sites allow you to collect money through a cash fund to use toward doula services!
House Cleaning Services
This was another baby registry essential I didn’t even think about with my first, but took full advantage of with my second baby.
Managing the neverending list of house chores is hard as is; add a newborn—and toddlers!—to the mix and it is nearly impossible to keep up with. Having a house cleaning service come every other week was a lifesaver during the first few months with a new baby. It allowed me to focus on my newborn, toddler, and myself instead of constantly stressing out about cleaning up.
How to include housecleaning services in your baby registry essentials
I’ve had the best luck sourcing referrals for house cleaners from local friends and family, but you can also look for local cleaning services in Cleveland like The Maids of Northeast Ohio or Merry Maids that offer gift cards or registry options. Consider the frequency and type of cleaning that would best support your family during those early days and weeks at home and go from there!
Meal Delivery
Having nourishing, well-balanced meals is key for energy (especially when breastfeeding!) and postpartum recovery, but let’s be honest…you don’t exactly feel like whipping up Alison-Roman-level recipes right after giving birth.
For someone who enjoys cooking as much as I do, I didn’t realize how something as simple as making dinner could become such a daunting task with a newborn baby. Neither of my babies wanted to be put down long enough for me to prepare a meal. When I did get a chance to pass the baby to someone else, cooking was the last thing I wanted to do.
I heavily relied on my husband and our weekly HelloFresh delivery in the weeks following my first birth. And for my second, I prepped freezer-friendly family meals like a crazy person to ensure we had healthy options that I could pop in the oven for dinner. Honestly, I never want to look at a casserole again.
I wish I would’ve saved myself the headache and just stocked the fridge with prepared meals. Yes, you can rely on corporate meal delivery services like HelloFresh, Factor, or Sunbasket. Or you can support local and look for a meal delivery service in your area, like Unrefined, which delivers healthy meals right to your door and even offers grab n’ go options around Cleveland.
How to include meal delivery services in your baby registry essentials
First, find a meal delivery service that offers healthy, balanced meals that include protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats that you need during the postpartum period. Many services (like Unrefined!) offer first-time customer discounts and gift cards, and some services are even included as options on the baby registry websites.
Birth and Newborn Photography
Professional birth and newborn photography is the perfect way to honor your journey to parenthood and document this new chapter in your life—and this big milestone for your family. However, it can be more of an investment than you may be willing to spend, especially if you’ve got other big-ticket items to buy like nursery furniture, the fancy stroller, a top-of-the-line car seat, etc.
Including birth and newborn photography as an item on your baby registry lets your friends and family know that it’s important to you and something you’re really hoping to get.
How to include birth and newborn photography on your baby registry essentials
Including a birth and/or newborn photography fund on your baby registry essentials list is simple!
Here’s how it works if you have an online registry like Babylist or MyRegistry.com:
- Click here to get to Mackenzie Romagni Photography’s digital gift cards.
- Copy and paste the gift card site to your online registry.
- That’s it! Now your loved ones know birth or newborn photography is important to you and they can contribute cash directly to your photo fund!
Here’s how it works if you are only registered at specific stores (Target, Crate & Barrel, etc.)
- Click here to get to Mackenzie Romagni Photography’s digital gift cards.
- Copy the gift card site link and add it directly to your baby show invitations or include an additional piece of paper along with the invitations letting your family know birth or newborn photography is a priority.
- That’s it! Now your loved ones know birth or newborn photography is important to you and they can contribute cash directly to your photo fund!
Preparing for your baby’s arrival is exciting, and creating a baby registry is a big part of it! It’s tempting to fill your list with adorable outfits and trendy gadgets, but don’t forget to include practical items that will truly ease your transition into parenthood. By adding essentials like lactation support, postpartum doula services, house cleaning, meal delivery, and birth and newborn photography, you can make those first few weeks and months much more manageable.
Cleveland offers a wealth of local resources to help new parents, so take advantage of these amazing local services to create a more joyful and stress-free experience. Here’s to a smooth and wonderful start with your new baby!
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