Preparing for a baby means making a lot of decisions, from building your baby registry to planning for postpartum recovery. What many parents don’t realize is that your health insurance may already cover essential pregnancy and postpartum items and services.
Understanding what’s covered can help you avoid duplicate gifts, reduce out-of-pocket costs, and build a smarter baby registry.
Here’s what new moms should know.
What Does Insurance Typically Cover for New Moms?
Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), most health insurance plans are required to cover certain preventive services for pregnant and postpartum women. While coverage varies by provider and plan, many policies include:
1. Breast Pumps
Most insurance plans cover a breast pump at little to no cost. This may include:
- Manual or electric breast pumps
- Replacement parts and accessories
- Milk storage supplies
Instead of adding a pump to your registry and risking overlap, it’s worth checking your insurance benefits first
2. Lactation Consultations
Breastfeeding support is often covered, including:
- In-person lactation consultations
- Virtual lactation visits
- Ongoing breastfeeding support
These services can be invaluable in the first weeks after delivery.
3. Prenatal & Postpartum Care
Coverage may include:
- Prenatal visits
- Screening tests
- Postpartum checkups
- Mental health screenings
Some plans also cover additional maternal health services depending on eligibility.
4. Doula Support (Plan Dependent)
In certain states and under specific plans, doula services may be partially or fully covered. Coverage varies significantly by region and insurer.
5. Childbirth & Parenting Classes
Some insurance providers reimburse or cover:
- Childbirth education classes
- Breastfeeding classes
- Newborn care courses
Checking this early can save you hundreds of dollars.
Why This Matters for Your Baby Registry
Your baby registry should reflect what you actually need, not what your insurance already provides.
If your plan covers a breast pump, for example, you can:
- Allocate registry space to other essentials
- Focus on higher-priority items
- Add group gifting options for bigger-ticket items like strollers or nursery furniture
Being informed prevents over-registering and helps your friends and family gift more intentionally.
Making It Simple: MyRegistry.com + Covered Commerce
To make this process easier, MyRegistry.com has partnered with Covered Commerce to help expectant and new parents check what pregnancy and postpartum benefits may already be included in their insurance plans.
Instead of navigating confusing insurance portals on your own, you can:
- Check potential eligibility for covered pregnancy essentials
- See what items or services may be included
- Understand your options before adding items to your baby registry
This partnership is designed to support parents with clarity, not complexity.
Trusted and Secure
Security matters, especially when it comes to health and insurance information.
The MyRegistry.com and Covered Commerce experience is built to be:
- Trusted – Designed specifically for expectant and postpartum parents
- Secure – Information is handled with appropriate safeguards
- Private – Data is used solely to help determine benefit eligibility
You’re not guessing. You’re making informed decisions.
How to Build a Smarter Baby Registry
Here’s a simple approach:
- Check what your insurance may cover
- Remove covered essentials from your baby registry
- Add items insurance does not provide
- Consider adding cash funds or group gifting for bigger needs
- Share your registry confidently
With a universal platform like MyRegistry.com, you can add items from any store in one place, giving you flexibility while staying organized.
The Bottom Line
Many new moms unknowingly leave valuable benefits unused.
Before finalizing your baby registry, take a few minutes to check what your insurance may already include. It could mean one less expense, one less duplicate gift, and one more thing handled before baby arrives.
Planning ahead isn’t just practical, it’s empowering.
And when your baby registry and your insurance work together, you’re truly prepared. 🍼
