What would be the best service to ask for- after birth- from parents?

Question

I'm currently 7 months pregnant. My dad keeps trying to come up with an idea for a service that him and my mother can pay for to help out my husband and I after the baby is born.

First he wanted me to check on pricing for a maid. While that idea isn't completely out of the question it might be a little difficult. By difficult I mean he wants to pay for a maid that actually would do dishes and help with laundry, different things that would be helpful while getting used to the baby. The second thing is I really think a maid service like that is probably going to cost too much, in my opinion.

His second idea was to pay for a diaper service. My husband and I are doing cloth diapers for multiple reasons. After researching a diaper service I realized that you don't get to have your own diapers. You are using diapers that other have used. Plus I don't like the fact that someone else would be washing my baby's diapers with Lord knows what products. To be continued...

I know I sound a bit paranoid but it is our first baby.

Anywho.. the question is to all your experienced mothers and fathers out there. What do you think would be a good service my parents could pay for? What would've been helpful to you once your little one was born?


:o)

I will be a stay-at-home mom and my parents live in a different state.

Answer 1

To be honest the diaper service would have been a blessing!!! My son was my first also, and I was a bit paranoid about everything that came near him, touched him etc etc etc! The diaper services have done this for years and years and wouldnt be in business still if they didnt do their jobs well. They use special infant laundry soap to wash their diapers, which makes it so there is no problem with rashes..they also sanitize evrything so there is no germ transfer issue. When the diapers become stained they no longer use them...so no worries on the used diaper issue. You really have to keep in mind when you are talking about these types of companies that this is what they do for a living and they have gotten it pretty much perfected to keep the customers happy! A maid would also be sooooo helpful...you will be so caught up in trying to catch up on sleep or taking care of your little one that cleaning up will be the farthest thing from your mind, although you will still want things spotless because of germs. If you are home then you can work with the maid and let her know exactly what you want so she can do things to your liking. I think both services are a great idea and would take a lot of stress of your shoulders. One last idea...which I think takes the cake...is a service that will cook and deliver meals to you. I had a few neighbors who pitched in and made us dinner our first week home, and what a TREAT!!! You get different wonderful meals every night and you dont have to think about what to make, getting groceries or preparing it!! Or better yet, a maid that cooks!!!! Two in one! hahaha :) I hope this helps....congrats!!

Answer 2

I would think a diaper service would be helpful if you're really gonna do the cloth diapers thing. Don't they have some that will let you use your own diapers or somehow keep track so that you always get YOURS back (like how a dry cleaner keeps track of your stuff)?
One thing my sister did for me that was SO helpful was she made a whole bunch of dinners and put them in the freezer. So I could stock up on meals without having to worry about cooking, except to thaw and throw in the oven for 30 minutes. It was so helpful. I know in some areas there are places that you can pay for this service. (One is called Dream Dinners, but they may only be here in Utah.)
Another thing that's great is just someone to come be with the baby so you can SLEEP. Sleep is the greatest thing when you're a new parent, you don't really care about cleaning the house, you're just exhausted. Someone you can trust to be with the baby for a couple hours is worth more than gold. Plus if you have a colicky baby, you need that time to just get away from the kid for a while so you don't go crazy.

Good luck, it's an adventure for sure.

Answer 3

Not maid. That could feel like an intrusion, and the reality is, is that you are going to have to get used to the new load, baby and house duties and all. diaper service. I think i'd be feeling od about that also, and seems like that isn't going to be any cheaper than diapers in a store. So If I were you , I think what I would wan the most, is for them to maybe a couple times come over and hold the baby, while you take a nap. and maybe an evening after you get all healed up from having the baby, that you and hubby, go to a dinner date while they keep the baby. There is no service that is going to make this easier. It's a transition and you should learn how to make it, and not with others doing it for you temporarily. Just my opinion , mother of 2.

Answer 4

You might want to ask them to pay for a post-partum doula. This is exactly what you're talking about with his first suggestion. Post-partum doulas provide short-term household help (like cooking meals, dishes, laundry) so you can focus on your new baby. They typically aren't outrageously expensive, either. Your local birth center or La Leche League may be able to provide some referrals.

You might want to reconsider a diaper service, at least for the newborn period. Diaper services are more ecologically sound than washing your own diapers (since they wash so many at once in larger machines). They can also use hotter water so there's less risk of bacterial contamination. And most are very willing to tell you what products they use on the diapers. They'll also do extra rinses if your baby is allergic to their normal products. It will save you time and energy during those early days when you'll have very little of both, then you can switch to washing your own once your baby is out of newborn diapers.

What about a meal service? There are lots of options for ready-made meals now, and it would be so helpful to have freshly made meals delivered in the first few weeks.

Congratulations on your pregnancy! It sounds like your parents are really excited and interested in helping out, which is wonderful. Any sort of help will be appreciated when you have a newborn.

Answer 5

What if your mother just took a week or two off and stayed with you for a couple hours a day. Or maybe she could go to part time or somthing. Other than that, or if that is not an option, what about a good nanny? Someone that is a little older and sweet. She could help clean a little and help with the baby a little (because you will pry definitly need and want a break every now and then) She can also help take care of the baby while you shower and stuff like that. She could come for just 2-3 hours a day every day or every other day. I'm sure there is an elderly retired lady that still has all her whitts about her and would love to come help and earn some extra money :) I think you would be brightening her life/day, and getting a little bit of peace and quiet for yourself! Just make sure if you need a little break from the screaming, crying, hungry dirty little thing, that you take it. It doesn't mean your a bad mother or anything like that. We ALL need breaks :) Good Luck and Congrats on the baby!!

Answer 6

I just had my first baby in April. The best thing I got from my parents were their time. They came out when the baby was 3 days old. My dad could only stay for a couple of days - but my mom stayed for 3 weeks. She helped with everything - from cooking and cleaning to taking care of the baby.

My MIL also gave me a wonderful gift - a housecleaner. I can't tell you how much having someone else clean my house has been a lifesaver for me. My housecleaner (my MIL started paying for that when I was 2 months pregnant and continues) does mainly the big stuff - bathrooms, vacuum, dusting, mopping, sweeping, etc. I do things in between cleanings like dishes, laundry.

I have my house cleaned every 3 weeks - and she charges $50 for the 2 hours it takes her. I do small cleaning in between, but leave the big stuff to her.

I say, check out the maid service for pricing. In the first week or two, having someone else do cooking and cleaning (including laundry and dishes) is a wonderful gift. It helped me so much to have Mom there to do those things for me while I was getting used to the baby.

Now that my baby is 8 months old, I still appreciate having a housecleaner. It is a great help to me (I hate to clean) and allows me to spend more time with my baby.

So I suggest you look into it. Have someone help you more during the first week or two (dishes and laundry). Then you can have them come less often and just do the big jobs.

Answer 7

Two things come to mind:

1. Housecleaning

I had a cleaning woman come in every 2 weeks. She didn't do dishes and laundry, but having all the other stuff taken care of was really nice, and not too expensive.

2. A cook, or maybe certificates for some nearby restaurants.

I really had a hard time feeding myself with a newborn who wanted to be held and/or nursed pretty much constantly. My aunt stayed with me for the first 3 weeks, and having someone else cook for me was heaven! After that, I went out to eat quite a lot. I just tucked the baby in a sling and let her nurse or sleep while I enjoyed a good meal.

Answer 8

My mother had 4 of us and the best thing for her was someone to bring food. Dad was and is useless in the grocery store and even moreso in the kitchen. If your parents brought over a few cassaroles for you and your husband to eat from for a couple of weeks, you'll rest easier. And if a family member could pop in and do laundry for you, then even better.

My mom washed her own diapers since they didn't have disposables and couldn't afford a diaper service. Ask the service what products they use and if anyone has reported skin problems on their babies. Otherwise, you'll be washing a lot of diapers.

Answer 9

I used to wish that I could have someone come just for an hour or two a day and watch the baby while I took a nap. They say you sleep when the baby sleeps, but I can't nap when I know the baby might wake up any minute and need me...I'd rather have no sleep than interrupted sleep. So I would have had someone there to give the baby a bottle or play or whatever while I took a nap. You'd be right there in the house, so it's a bit easier to trust someone for a short time while you're there if the baby needs you.

Answer 10

Maybe a green maid service. That way there is no harsh chemicals around the baby.

OR Maybe a postpartum Doula, they could help wash the cloth diapers, and help you get a good start on breast feeding.

We're not doing a diaper service, because you cant use your own prefolds, etc.

Good Luck.