Be a true friend!

Having two children, 10 nieces and nephews and a surplus of friends with babies I have come to know a few things. One of the most important is to know how to really help out a new mother. Believe it or not, but a lot of friends and family think helping means "take care of the baby"... this is NOT HELPING A NEW MOTHER!! Mothers and fathers want this time to bond with their baby, what they need help is the other stuff. So if you are going to lend a hand, here are some basics to follow.

1. Bring food, preferably something that doesn't require much but opening and heating.

2. Wash your hands upon arrival, and only hold the baby when you are given permission.

3. Do not bring pets or sick children along with you.

4. Offer to help with laundry, cleaning, cooking... or just do it without asking.

5. Call before you come, sleep schedules are not consistent the first few months, so make sure you come during a time when baby and mom will be awake.

6. Do not stay long, typically when the mom says she going to put baby down that is your cue to leave. She is tired and needs to rest when the baby does.

7. This is not the time for you to tell mom that she is doing things incorrectly. If she chooses to bottle-feed then let her. Mothers have enough guilt to deal with on a daily basis, this is not the time to put your two cents in... unless asked!

8. If asked, be honest! Do not sugar coat things for her but let her know it gets easiest and every mom will find a system that works.

8. Make her a play list of good music to listen to while nursing!

9. Let her know that one day she will sleep again!

10. Tell she looks beautiful and that she is doing an awesome job!

11. Make sure to take a photo with her actually in it, candid moments are the best!! So many end up being of just the baby.

12. Offer to keep an eye on the baby if she would like to take a shower, be careful here and do not suggest she NEEDS a shower!

13. If you do bring a meal, make sure you serve it and clean it up. 

14. Offer to walk and feed pets, and if you are really nice clean a litter box!

15. If she is nursing, her eating habits are almost more important now then when she was pregnant. Offer to stop at the store and pick things up. Nutrition bars, water, fresh fruit, yogurt and nuts are all good things to have on hand for her.

If you really want to show how much you care, purchase one of my services! Working moms especially, really want to focus their leave on baby. Not cleaning, cooking, shopping, party planning, childcare placement, nanny interviews, and who to use for a newborn shoot! I have done all the work and research; my packages offer vendor discounts that you will not see elsewhere. I can accommodate any mother’s unique needs so that she can enjoy this time with her baby. So if your best friend from college is having a baby and you cannot drop everything to help her- hiring me will be a godsend! Or if you daughter or daughter-in-law is in need of help... she will love you for this!

Stephanie Antoinette 

480-717-2795

byVictoriaAntoinette@gmail.com 

Registry Assistance

One of the services I offer is a "Customized Baby Registry"... trust me, you do not want to waste your money on things you really don't need or won't use!

Here are a few of my favorites~

The Breast Friend nursing pillow as seen below. If you plan on nursing I highly suggest registering for this pillow vs. The Boppy (also seen below).  The Breast Friend gives you and baby a proper angle for breast feeding! The Boppy, or ones like it, are more of a multipurpose pillow. I had registered for The Boppy and the day Ella was born the nurse told my husband to go get the The Breast Friend immediately! It has a flatter surface so that the babies head is elevated to the breast better for feeding. It also claps aroung your waste for a nice snug fit, and if you have to get up and move, you can without unlatching your baby from feeding. Now since I ended up with both anyway, I found uses for the The Boppy. It was good for when Kiana would hold Ella, or to prop Ella up before she knew how to roll over. Get both if you would like, but if you are breast feeding make sure you get The Breast Friend! 

My Brest Friend Pillow

The Boppy Pillow

Blankets... OH MY- the endless selection of receiving blankets & swaddlers! They come in all shapes; sizes, materials and prints which make it a bit overwhelming to know which one is best (and at which age). As Ella got bigger other blankets worked better, but for this blog we are talking about 0-3 month stage. I ended up with an entire drawer full of blankets, and in the end these were the only ones I used for the first 4 months. 

The Miracle Blanket® 

This blanket was fantastic for swaddling!! It takes a little getting used to it since it has the pre-made flaps, but it tucks nicely and gives baby a secure feeling. I would suggest registering for two so you can keep one in the wash! This blanket is really only good for the swaddle, so after the first four months you will not need to use it as much. However, it keeps baby's hands and feet tucked in perfectly!

aden™ by aden + anais® 

I really like this blanket, like the one above, this blanket give baby a great swaddle! It comes in several different prints, and is a little more versatile then the Miracle Blanket. You can use this to cover car seats while out and about, and since it is so big, babies can lay on the floor with it for tummy time! It is very breathable, so if your baby is born during the hotter seasons this is a great options for outside. Again, register for a couple of these!

Both are a bit more spendy then your typical receiving blanket, but it is much better to have 4 blankets that you use, then a drawer full of ones you don't! 

A couple other tips as you register, or for friends and family who want to buy gifts! 

Your baby will not necessarily be in a 0-3 month size for the first 0-3 months! So make sure you don't buy a boatload of clothes your baby could end up growing out of faster then you think. During these first few months your baby really only needs onesies, cotton pants & jackets, and some socks. You end up swaddling them a lot so all those expensive cute clothes I would wait on! Tell grandma to start buying 3-6 months sizes or even 6 months up! 

Burp clothes, I had a stack of the cloth diapers on hand for spit ups, messes etc... But the one I used most was the aden burpy bib.  

A white noise machine!!!!! I cannot stress this enough and I didn't even break down and get one till Ella was one. It is a lifesaver; forget the CD's, the app's on your phone, and the light up musical mobiles! A simple noise machine that can stay where baby sleeps, and you can take it with you when you travel, is all you need!  I got mine at Bed Bath & Beyond as seen here.

Marpac The Original Sound Conditioner™

Registering for baby can be a daunting task for new moms. You get caught up in all the cute stuff, and you get tons of advice (wanted or not) from everyone who knows you are expecting! The thing is, registry does have some basic guidelines, but needs & wants are different for every mom. All of my packages include this service, I also offer this as an A la carté option.

For more information, or to purchase a service please email me at-

ByVictoriaAntoinette@gmail.com or call me at 480-717-2795

www.JLVbebeconcierge.com

Stephanie Antoinette