One of the first questions we ask ourselves once we find out we are expecting a new baby, especially as first time parents, is what do I really need to buy or register for and what are those essential products that’ll truly make a difference in those first few months of my baby’s life?
To answer this we recently spoke with Sarah Hollingsworth, fellow mom of 2 and founder and CEO of the baby registry site Poppylist. After having her first baby and going back to work, Sarah realized that there was a disconnect between her needs as a new mom and her career. She also realized that there was a need for a better way for parents to get the support they need to set themselves up for success in their parenting journeys. Products on a baby registry were simply not enough.
After several poor product choices and a difficult postpartum period, Sarah realized that most new parents put a lot of attention to preparing for the birth of their babies and registering for products for the baby, and not as much time and energy on finding and choosing products and services to support themselves as new parents. This realization made her re-evaluate her career, leave her job, enroll in an entrepreneurship class, and start Poppylist.
All products on Poppylist have been tried by real parents and have been reviewed and recommended by them to other parents. It takes the guesswork out of registering and choosing baby products that may or may not fit your parenting style and may or may not help you gain confidence in your new role. While also shifting the focus from what the baby needs, to what the family, especially the parents, will need to succeed. This is a fundamental paradigm shift, because as we all know, the moment a baby is born so are their parents, and happy parents = happy babies.
The biggest takeaway from Poppylist is that you should give equal weight to registering for products for the baby, as for products to support the new mom and parents. It’s not about the number of products you register for (in fact less is probably more when creating your registry) but about the quality of those products and how they support you as a parent and the type of parent you want to be.
Your mental health and sense of confidence as a parent is more important than the stroller, diapers or onesies your baby will use. A parent’s overall health and positive outlook will make it so much easier to create the loving environment we and our babies need to thrive as a family. This can only be achieved when the parents are at ease and feel comfortable in their new roles.
Poppylist makes it easy. Take their quiz to see what your parenting style is and have them recommend products based off of that or start building from scratch, with the confidence that it’s a no-nonsense approach and real parents are behind it.
It may seem trivial, but the products and services we buy to support us on our parenting journeys do have an effect on our daily lives as parents, for better or worse. Make sure to register for all the things you need, and nothing you don’t. Poppylist simplifies this for you and enables you to set yourself up for success.
Lilu is a Women’s Health company building tech-enabled devices to empower new moms. Our first product, the Lilu Massage Bra, mimics compression massage, so you can empty your breasts fully to establish, increase and maintain your milk supply. Pump up to 50% more milk each session, all while going hands-free.
Introducing the revolutionary Lilu Lactation Massager Bra - designed to make your pumping sessions more efficient and comfortable than ever before. With our lactation massage cushions, you can experience the benefits of hands-on compression motions recommended by lactation experts, without using your hands. Our bra holds the cushions securely in place, massaging both breasts while you pump, helping to increase milk flow and maintain your milk supply.
