Sometimes a value pack of diapers isn’t quite what a new mom is looking for.
I think we all know, by now, what kinds of things should go on a baby registry: round pillows that are “for breastfeeding” and thus approximately three times the price that a round pillow should be. Tiny plastic milk-collecting bags that will vex you endlessly, and rip at extremely inconvenient moments. One of these unfortunate-looking (but genius) gizmos.
But there is apparently another type of registry that you might not be especially familiar with: the “Mom Registry” – useful for sprinkles, for fourth trimester gifts, and for moms who seriously do not want another onesie and would much prefer a nice big slab of brie, please and thanks.
To explain what, exactly, a Mom Registry is – and to give you some recommendations for your own – allow me to introduce Monica Banks, the founder of the online personalized registry service Gugu Guru, and one of the single most in-the-know people around when it comes to out-of-the-box mom & baby products. (Seriously, follow her on Instagram – she comes up with the coolest suggestions ever.)
– Jordan
Let’s Whip You Up A “Mom Registry” (And Let’s Have It Include Vodka, K?)
Some of my favorite things to see on registries, hands down, are things for MOM. That’s right. Baby gets mountains of stuff – and will continue to be the recipient of mountains and mountains of stuff in the coming years – so let’s not forget about the one who made that human, because she deserves a little pampering, too.
As the founder of a universal baby registry website, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing moms add some really unconventional and clever things to their registries not only for their newborns, but for themselves, too. Here are some of favorite finds to add to your own Mom Registry.
Munchies. I always thought it was hysterical when moms told me that they dropped all the baby weight “just from breastfeeding!” I actually didn’t lose weight until I stopped breastfeeding, because I was so damn hungry all the time. Sure, you can go for a healthy snack service like Graze – which is awesome – but come on, you know what you really want is a basket of goodies like the one from foodie website Mouth.com. They have a Fourth Trimester gift set curated by our awesome friends at Cool Mom Picks, and it is phenomenal. Spoiler alert: it includes vodka.
Netflix Subscription. When I had my son, who was (and remains, six years later) the Worst. Sleeper. Ever. – I remember a friend of mine telling me that while she fed her baby, she never had any distractions. No TV. No music. No nada. She wanted to be laser-focused on every moment of that special bonding experience.
Ummm…you know what I did while breast-feeding? Binge-watched multiple seasons of The Bachelorette. As a new mom I was nervous about judgment, so I kept this to myself – but by baby #2 I was nursing while posting real-time episode commentary about Jake the pilot on Facebook. That postpartum lockdown period is about survival, and if Keeping Up With The Kardashians keeps you feeling human, I say go for it.
iRobot Roomba. One of the biggest pieces of advice that I can give a new mom is to limit guests during those first six weeks. Not just because your house may be more unkempt than usual; it’s because you just don’t need more bodies in the mix. As helpful as a cleaning service sounds, sometimes a new mom just wants to walk around the house in all her “postpartum glory” (naked). Add a Roomba to your registry, and let it clean for you while you sleep (hahahahahaha). It doesn’t Windex your countertops or do your laundry (yet), but clean floors is a start.
Stylish Loungewear. You could wear your partner’s t-shirts and boxers for weeks (I did), but don’t underestimate the emotional impact of putting even the tiniest bit of effort into how you look. Feeling (somewhat) put-together can make you feel more productive and confident, and those are feelings we all need – even if only for a moment before our baby has a diaper explosion all over the crib sheet that we just changed (on that note, I also highly recommend the genius QuickZip Sheet to all new parents). Having a handful of pieces from a brand like Lou & Grey also helps when those unexpected guests do happen by (and when a new baby is there for the holding, they will).
Assortment of Life Hacks. When you’re a new mom, finding time to shower can be…challenging. In that tiny window when your newborn is neither eating nor sleeping and you can choose between a shower and a nap, choose the nap – and then freshen up your hair with a dry shampoo like Acure Organics.
Don’t know if you’ll ever make it back to the nail salon? No problem. Perfect Formula Pink Gel Coat gives your nails a polished, manicured look in seconds – with the added bonus of strengthening your nails (if your prenatal vitamins didn’t do the trick already).
Lastly, breastfeeding or not, a girl’s gotta eat. Before your due date, be sure to read up on crockpot cooking (the top life-hack suggestion from our Gugu Guru mom community) and add a bunch of Veetee Rice to your acquire-before-baby list. The rice comes in a variety of flavors, microwaves in just two minutes (but tastes like the fluffy, gourmet rice-cooker kind of rice), and stays good in your cupboard for up to 12 months.
Ed. note: Now I want a Roomba so badly I am tempted to have another baby so I can register for one, except that would require having another baby.
Monica Banks is the founder of Gugu Guru – the first and only online baby registry that makes free, highly personalized, unbiased product recommendations based on each mom’s unique individual lifestyle and personal style. She currently lives with her husband and two children in Long Island, New York.
