Baby Planners
Helping to Prepare Parents-to-Be
Today, parents lead increasingly demanding professional, personal and social lives. This creates unique challenges and so more parents are turning to baby planners to manage this phase of their life. A good baby planner will help in three key areas during this incredible time: sifting through the overwhelming selection of products and services to find what will work best for you, balancing your professional and personal life, and freeing up your time to enjoy pregnancy and prepare for parenthood.
A simple walk through a store or online search can quickly overwhelm parents with the extraordinary selection of products out there. There are so many choices for car seats, strollers, bottles, cribs, swings, diapers (cloth versus disposable or hybrid), travel gear, toys, baby carriers, laundry detergent and so much more. Add to this selecting a hospital for delivery, childbirth and newborn classes, books to read, baby proofing, furniture set-up, ultrasound and newborn pictures, pediatricians, and childcare options. The lists can seem endless. Baby planners use their experience, knowledge and provider resources to guide you through the sea of choices and plan your activities in the right sequence.
Couples expecting their second or third child can also become overwhelmed with all of the things to do for the new arrival. Baby planners are not just for first time parents. Trying to plan for a second, third or fourth child can be just as stressful if not more. Deciding on how to integrate a new addition to the family can be challenging. A baby planner can add value by providing pros and cons of products such as double strollers, or simply providing guidance on how to maintain a balanced household.
Most professional parents try to take some time off to care for their newborn. That’s right, Moms and Dads. Preparing for your birth likely means having to work even more to make sure as much gets done to minimize the impact of your absence. The reality is, the work still has to get done. It is important for Moms’ long-term careers to overcome the stereotype of the absentee employee and retain their value and worth. With that pressure, a baby planner working closely with you to simplify your choices allows you to maintain your career momentum. Some baby planners will also work with you to manage the transition back to work.
With your planner at your side, you can now take the time to step back and connect with the new life growing inside. You and your partner can take the time to prepare for the next phase of your lives and relationship. Make no mistake, as rewarding as parenthood is, it will be challenging and exhausting. You need to be as ready as possible. Now is the time to take the stress out of your life, not add to it. Now is the time to strengthen the bond with your partner, not spend weekends wandering through the neighborhood mall. As parents-to-be, you need to focus on taking care of each other and the baby. Attending childbirth classes, reading to the baby, deciding on whether or not to breastfeed or use formula are more rewarding ways to spend your time than trying to read hundreds of stroller reviews.
A lot of parents are fortunate to have family nearby and can expect many helping hands. Bear in mind, though that in the fast-moving world of baby products and safety standards, information can get outdated fairly quickly. What worked for Mom when she was raising you or your older sister’s experiences just a few years ago may not apply to you and can even be counterproductive. A good planner will work your entire family to get everyone involved. They will make sure that your information is current and that you are spending quality time together.
Baby planners are not handymen, pediatricians, or lactation consultants. They are resourceful counselors who help identify the services and products you need, and how to get them. They bring an intimate understanding of what you are going through and what is to come. Baby planners balance the wonder and joy of parenthood with the practical realities of dealing with a newborn. They give you the time and confidence to focus on your life—and the life to come. That makes them a very good investment for many families-to-be.
