My strength is administrative work. Don’t make fun of me. Here are the key “administrative” things that I highly recommend to do when you’re about to become a first time parent. This includes things I did do or wish I did before I had my two little ones.
BABY REGISTRY
Create registries for both Amazon and Target. Both of these registries allow your friends and family to ship things directly to your (concealed) address. Below are a few more essential features but one of the most important is that they both give an opportunity for you to buy everything that’s leftover from your registry at a generous discount!
15% off everything left in your registry and 8 weeks before baby’s expected arrival (1x use)
Group gifting option for items starting at $100
Free registry returns or exchanges up to one year
Free 1-year Shipt trial (free same day Target delivery for orders $35 and up)
Free welcome kit
A year of extra coupons through Target circle for baby-related products (especially keep an eye out for Cat & Jack coupons; we love their clothes and shoes and they have a 1 year return policy!)
15% off Completion Discount (up to $300) for eligible items from your registry beginning 60 days prior to baby’s arrival date and expiring 90 days after baby’s arrival date
Group gifting option for items starting at any price
Cash fund or diapers (basically an Amazon gift card fund that people seem to really like contributing to in lieu of a specific gift)
Free registry returns up to one year (must be purchased by friends or family, not yourself)
Free welcome kit
Additional recommendations:
Make a note on your registries:
If you prefer cash or gift cards instead of gifts
If you are open to hand-me-downs for sustainability or whatever other reasons.
Get this book: The Simplest Baby Book in the World. I wish it was around before I had my first.
For recommendations or ideas of what you may want to add to your registries, check out this list.
FORMULA SAMPLES
If you are open to formula feeding and even if the primary plan is to breastfeed, I always recommend signing up for baby formula samples. They are a great back up to have for unforeseen circumstances, such supply shortages, baby preferences, etc. Also, you continue to get very good coupons (several $5-10 off coupons each time) for formula over the next year and even beyond that for toddler formula, which has come in handy for when my toddler would get hangry.
Extra benefit of their Ask a Nurse service where you can chat one-on-one with a certified pediatric or OB-GYN nurse especially helpful if your medical group does not have that feature available.
Please note this contains (lots of) affiliate links from which I can earn a commission.
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