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For many city women, getting pregnant often means reevaluating their living situation. Can you keep on with a baby in the city? Or is suburban life in your immediate future? At Well Rounded, we not only think having a baby in the city is possible, we actually think it’s pretty awesome. But we know it’s not without it’s challenges.

In honor of our annual City Baby Registry Event, hosted in NYC partnership with the registry experts at Babylist, we put together a list of tips that every city mama should know before that baby arrives. Read on, then check out some photos from our event and the cool products and brands we can’t get enough of for city living.

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Here’s how to have a baby in the city.

1. Register for the right gear. City baby life also comes with some pretty specific gear requirements that your friends in the suburbs might not know about. From small spaces to subway stairs, from bathtub-less apartment, to eating out (a lot), us city moms have our work cut out for us. Take a look at our City Baby Registry Essentials here, and register for them over on Babylist. Want to win them? Enter our City Baby Registry Essentials Giveaway here.

2. Find your mom community. They say motherhood takes a village, and when you live in the city, your village is just outside your door. Join a local mom group when you’re pregnant, and make an effort to meet up with them even if you’re feeling tired and cranky, especially after that baby comes. Not sure if you’ve got a local mom group? Sign up for a baby activity, hit up a local baby shop or head to your library or bookstore for story time. Where there’s babies, there’s moms.

3. Get out of the house. Often. Even the most mundane daily activities can be an adventure when you live in the city, from riding the subway to people-watching from a park bench. But your city has a ton of not-mundane things to do that people travel from all over the world to see! Hit them up while your kid is too little to complain (or before you have to buy her a ticket). And if “get out of the house” simply means heading to your neighbor’s apartment for a glass of wine at 10am, well, that’s ok too.

4. Pack wisely. Unlike our suburban counterparts, us city mamas don’t have a car to stash our baby necessities throughout the day. Before you leave the house, think through any and all situations that might arise during your day, from feeding to napping to an emergency blowout. Make sure your diaper bag is filled with the right tools, from a multi-purpose swaddle to extra diapers, wipes and pacifiers.

5. Ask for help. And know that help can come in many different forms. Sure, cities are filled with a variety of agencies and options for professionals like baby nurses, postpartum doulas, nannies, mother’s helpers and more. But there’s also services galore, from food delivery to valets to home-hair stylists (no judgement) and more. Also, don’t be shy enlisting the people sitting right in front of you: your mother-in-law, your best friend without a kid, your best friend with a kid, your partner. Most people want to help, they just don’t know how, so be direct in your ask.

Now go ahead, scroll through our City Baby Registry photos and get excited about that city baby to be.

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Make your life simpler with some products from our event sponsors, curated specifically for city living: Bugaboo stroller; Dyson air purifier; Primary baby fashion; Loyal Hana breastfeeding fashion; Babyganics diapers and skincare; Babynes formula dispenser; Britax car seat; Nanit Baby Monitor; Tula Baby Carrier; Paintzen nursery paint; Bamboobies breastfeeding accessories; Munchkin diaper pail and feeding basics.

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To make our party beautiful, we brought in some of our favorite nursery decor brands. Check them out and pick up some stuff for your own baby: Natti Natti pillows and blankets, Baby Jives mobiles, Nook Sleep Poufs.

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We had some pretty great experts in the room you might want to call on when you’re pregnant or postpartum:

Bump Envy booth photographer Amy Frances Photography for beautiful pregnancy or newborn photos.

Event designer B. Lee Events, can plan the the perfect baby shower, Sip & See or other important event.

Our Mama Moments lounge expert, Birth Day Presence, provides birth classes, doula services and lactation support.

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image 3170 MotherlyAnd thanks to our gift bag sponsors: Blanqi, Munchery, LeSportsac, Modern Burlap, SmartyPants Vitamins, Bebe au Lait, Luxe Valet and Dapple.

Want to attend our next Well Rounded event? Sign up for our newsletter here!

Photography by Jonica Moore Studio.