Baby Planners: What They Do and Why You Need One
Congratulations on your pregnancy! Whether you are nearing the end of your first, second, or even third trimester ―you’re well underway with getting ready for baby’s arrival! By now you’ve quickly come to find this joyous time can be somewhat overshadowed by a lot of unanswered questions, decisions, planning and preparation. As all of these thoughts whirl around in your head, you may begin feeling a little overwhelmed ―stop right now! Take a deep breath. You should know that you’re not alone in feeling this way.
Today’s society leaves expecting parents with so much pressure to make quite a lot of choices in a short period of time. Let’s face it ―nine months is not a lot of time to prepare for one of the biggest and most important milestones in your life.
There are so many sources of information for expecting parents ―an abundance of books, web sites, magazines, products, baby gear, brands and general information on pregnancy, baby and parenting. It can be exhausting to think about on top of already being tired from being pregnant!
As the days, weeks and months pass quickly, while your beautiful belly continues to grow, so does your to-do list.
So, where do you start? What should you read? Where do you register? What do you actually need for baby? What is a birth plan? What is a doula? How do decide what baby products you need? Do you need a midwife? When do you start looking for a pediatrician?
How are you to decipher it all? The answer that many have happily found is a Baby Planner.
What exactly is a Baby Planner?
A Baby Planner helps expecting parents navigate through the planning process to prepare for the arrival of baby and beyond. A Baby Planner is a complete resource of all those books, web sites and general information in one place. A Planner will provide you with guidance that is tailored to your personal needs, lifestyle and budget. A Baby Planner can also provide the most up-to-the-minute information on baby gear, furniture, nursery design, non-toxic/green baby care, childproofing and more.
Why Hire a Baby Planner?
A Baby Planner can check off many of the “to-dos” on your ever-expanding list by simply being there! Some have used the comparison that a Baby Planner does for parents what a Wedding Planner does for engaged couples. Many expecting parents are hiring a Baby Planner in order to get the right products, simplify the preparation process and to have all details taken care of from A to Z.
For example, think of all the things you accomplish on a daily basis: a long day of work, running errands, cooking dinner, exercising, cleaning, chores, etc. By the time the weekend comes around, you prefer to reserve that time for relaxing and doing things you enjoy, spending time with family and catching up on the news and favorite TV shows ― not agonizing over each of the 20 bottles that are available to register for or buy!
So now you may be asking yourself, “Why can’t my friends and family just help me?” The answer is, they will! A baby brings families close together regardless of the distance that divides them; however, not everyone is lucky enough to live near friends and family to have help on a regular basis. Baby Planners make it their first priority to stay informed of new products and trends in the industry. And while your sister may have used a certain stroller that she highly recommends and your mother-in-law never needed “silly things” such as a bouncy seat or a swing when raising her kids, it doesn’t mean their advice is relevant today (of course always appreciated, though).
The knowledge, experience and unbiased expertise that a Baby Planner provides can easily cut out multiple trips to the store or endless hours spent reading over reviews of products on the Internet. A Baby Planner allows for more time to focus on you and truly enjoying your pregnancy rather than worrying about which is the best car seat or stroller for your needs.
What do Baby Planners do?
A Baby Planner wears many hats for you as their client. One day they can be assembling your registry and recommending furniture choices for your nursery and the next day they can be arranging interviews for day cares, nannies or baby sitters. After baby is born, they can find you a lactation consultant, find diaper laundry services and set up a newborn photo session ―all while ordering, labeling and mailing out your birth announcements!
How can I determine if my family needs a Baby Planner?
Most Planners offer an initial consultation to see how they can work for you to accomplish your goals, ideas and overall vision for your pregnancy journey. A variety of packages and services will be presented to you with many of the services offered a la carte. This allows your Planner to truly cater to what you need them to do and customize a plan that is a perfect fit.
Services can include, but are not limited to: providing individualized timelines and checklists, offering product recommendations, eco-friendly/green options, assistance with registry creation, child proofing, finding and connecting clients to medical professionals (pediatricians, doulas, lactation consultants, etc.), demonstrating products, nursery design, bed rest support, finding child care, concierge services and more.
Whether this is your first baby, you are expecting multiples, or you are expanding your family to baby number three (or more!); Baby Planning services are invaluable and extremely helpful in so many ways.
At the end of your nine months, you will have gone through one of life’s most amazing journeys. Having a Baby Planner with you each step of the way can offer extra peace of mind when preparing for the arrival of your newborn.
No comments:
Post a Comment