by GUEST BLOGGER Abby Kalter, Founder of Prepping for Peanut
When a loved one is expecting, it is only natural to feel excited, generous, and eager to share in the celebration. After all, there is nothing more worthy of fanfare than a new baby! However, as a baby planner and a mama, I’ve seen this urge to shower new and expecting parents lead to an excess of baby stuff, and ultimately to overwhelmed, yet under-supported, new parents.
Now, it’s not all doom and gloom! Gifting can be fun, and getting showered with gifts that support an early parenting journey is oh so valuable! Here are my top tips for baby shower and new baby gift givers:
Don’t forget about the parents - the most thoughtful gifts people remember and comment on are things to support the new parents. Think food subscriptions, services for mom, and prenatal courses. Some of my favorites: Mouth Box, Bodily, Hatch Bundles.
Organize support - Start a meal train, add to a diaper fund (you can never have too many), send a home cleaning service, or simply hold the baby for 30 minutes so the new mom can shower in peace! Support is always more thoughtful than a physical product and it never leads to clutter.
Stick to the registry or the preferred retailer - The soon-to-be parents took care, and many hours, to curate the list of products they would find useful. Buy for their needs and not what you believe their needs to be. If you aren’t local, avoid shopping at a location that makes returns or exchanges difficult for the gift recipient.
Avoid monogramming - Monogrammed items are super thoughtful, and can make for some of the best gifts. But unless you are extremely close with the expectant parents and know that the item you are monogramming is something they want, please avoid putting their child’s name on it. If not a desired gift, the item won’t be able to be returned.
We know clutter and excess, regardless of how it creeps into our home (gifting, online shopping, collecting), can contribute to anxiety and stress. What starts out as a well-intentioned gift, can actually contribute to postpartum mood disorders and additional new-mom stress.
If you would like a personalized gift recommendation or help curating a baby registry, Prepping for Peanut can help find the right gift for every family. Reach out for details and a complimentary consult to learn more!
About the Author
Abby is a NYC mama to son, Miles, and the founder of Prepping for Peanut — a personalized baby prep concierge service that makes nesting a stress-free, confusion-free, and clutter-free experience. Abby loves helping expectant families sort through the crowded baby market to find the products that are right for them, so they can spend more time enjoying pregnancy and less time shopping for the perfect stroller.
FB: @preppingforpeanut
IG: @prepping.for.peanut
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