That is so sweet of you!! I agree with Carrie in her comments, but would also add: especially with my first baby, I was always so grateful when a secluded nursing nook was offered, especially at the beginning. But as I got more confident nursing I was also super appreciative when people we were visiting would offer a private room for nursing AND say "but we're totally comfortable if you want to feed her/him out here." Sometimes the break in a back room was nice (especially with a fussy baby), but I turned into a pretty public nurser (with a cover), and appreciated when people felt like that was no big deal.

If you REALLY want to go all-out...my parents (and in-laws) keep a pack-n-play at their houses. It's great for naps, but also nice at night - we would put the baby down, and still be able to play a game or hang out and have some adult time.

fresh.air's suggestions are great! I would also add, once the baby starts crawling, having a relatively baby-proofed room for everyone to hang out in. I find when we are at someone else's house I spend most of my time chasing the little one around so that she doesn't grab/chew on/throw/otherwise destroy something. Putting breakables (or anything you dont want the baby playing with) up high, blocking off TV/DVD players, hiding remotes, etc. can allow the baby to safely explore a new environment, and give the adults space to relax and enjoy socializing.

Wow this is so thoughtful of you! I agree with having an area to nurse and some toys. Maybe a container of diaper wipes? The travel containers that are in diaper bags don't hold many and I ran out once at my in laws. Luckily they have almost anything a young child could ever want or need-including wipes. Also maybe some soft cloths, like cloth diapers or burp cloths in case baby makes a mess.

Other than that I would say keep it simple. Babies don't need much-especially young babies. You sound like you will be a great aunt!

How sweet! I totally agree with fresh.air's comment on nursing - a secluded chair AND "but we're totally comfortable with you nursing out here." It gets lonely always feeling like you should go off to a room without other adults. If they are flying distance a pack-n-play is super helpful. Cheap outlet covers and moving any valueable/breakable nicknacks out of reach is probably most helpful. No matter how much our hosts say of don't worry about if he breaks that its nice knowing that there is nothing my son can damage within his reach. I feel like I have to constantly on gaurd when we are in someone else's house because my son can grab a magazine and shred it in no time flat or worse damage something irreplacable.

Honestly, you already have the thing a new parent needs the most: an understanding and supportive attitude! How lucky your friends are to have you!

Also, I agree wholeheartedly with knees about a childproof space. It is no fun to have to spend all of your time chasing a child around pulling things from their hands.

I would recommend having sippy cups or other unbreakable dishes on hand. It is no fun to have a hungry or thirsty child and have to worry about breaking grandma's wedding china or have shards of glass everywhere.

Great suggestions above....beyond those, you can just be a nurturing host to the new parents. Offer to hold the baby while the mom eats. Make sure she has a glass of water within reach when nursing (nursing can make you extremely thirsty). Send the parents home with leftovers they can heat and eat later.

I loved when my friends would have a pack and play on hand, doesn't need to be a fancy one by any means but someplace comfortable for baby to be while napping or at night.

Make sure that when the baby becomes mobile that the cat food and litter are well out of reach. Also that the floors are extra clean (my son was king of finding litter in our house) as baby spends a good deal of time there.

It would be sweet to have a small basket of toys on hands, something that will grow with the child, like Haba stacking blocks, or Gertie balls.

Great ideas all! I suggest a night light. Good for checking on the baby, getting ready for bed without waking the baby, and for little ones finding the potty in a strange house.

We visit my mom and dad often... things they provide that are wonderful: pack-n-play, high chair, sippy cups, baby spoons, spare wipes/diapers, bibs. They have a baby gate for the stairs (it is actually for their puppy), a drawer of toys and books, and they've made the effort to baby-proof. They also provides a secure drawer for us to use.... nothing worse than walking into the guest bedroom and seeing a two-year-old playing dress up with my makeup.... well, ok, seeing her eating medications would be worse. They also try to have the kid favorites for food.... juice, crackers, junky cereal.

And, because my mom is the best grandma ever, she plans special snacks for the drive home.... diet pepsi for my husband, gatorade for me, and snack bags of marshmallows, mini-crackers, craisins and m&m's for the kids. How lucky am I?

Agree with all above.

With a newborn, the nicest things were: a private space to nurse and an ok to do it with the other adults, too; a quiet, dark space to get baby calm/asleep; a changing area - which can be just a towel/wipeable mat and some wipes; and snacks - I was constantly hungry from nursing and missed meals. Oh how I loved one-handed snacks like granola bars, apple slices with cheese, etc.

As the baby gets a little older, the number one thing is a vacuumed floor and a relatively baby-proofed space. If you can move your coffee table when they come and make sure that breakable/sharp/dirty objects are out of the room, they’ll have a place for baby to play. It’s fun for the kids to have special toys at other homes. Don’t go overboard, though (unless you really want to). A set of stacking cups and a rattle are sufficient. If you expect frequent or extended visits, a highchair or booster seat and a pack-and-play or portacrib will be very much appreciated. “Dishes that bounce” as my family says and baby spoons are a bonus. You can also have some baby snacks on hand, as appropriate to the child. They don’t have to be anything foreign to you - applesauce and cheerios or pretzels are great and most people have them anyway.

definitely the number one thing for me is no breakables! A vacation is no fun at all if Mom is constantly on edge, following 2 feet behind Baby at all times, constantly saying "no". That's no fun for Baby, either! Please reassure the parents that anything Baby can reach is OK to play with and/or gum. General babyproofing is, of course, a good idea, including baby gates, so the parents can relax.

A few sort of all-ages toys are a good idea, too, and some other accessories, depending on how often they will be visiting. Diapers, wipes, baby monitor, etc.

In the guest room, it's always nice to have a way to unpack a little without subjecting the contents of your suitcase to baby-rifling. It's brutal to have to try and get everything back into a suitcase, and zip it, after retrieving anything. The family will feel more at home if they can put some things on shelves or in babyproofed drawers.

as a mom to a 13 month old, I agree with a lot of the other suggestions--a pack n play is great, someplace to set out all of the baby paraphernalia, and just a generally safe place for the baby to do their babyish things.

also, material things aside, I love it when people offer to help and when they are understanding that babies have good days and bad days (or teething and non teething days...) and that they have their own schedules.

I hate to feel like someone has gone to a lot of trouble to plan a visit with activities and really my daughter just wants to roll around or chase after cats.

Wow, I think this is such a considerate idea. I agree with the other posters on providing a private place to nurse or even offer the new mother a place to lie down and grab a quick nap. Once the baby becomes mobile, I think having your breakables placed out of reach or stored away before each visit will be appreciated. Having a small basket of toys, a few board books and a couple of kid friendly DVD’s or music CD’s would also be great to play softly in the background while the adults visit and coo over the little one.

definitely snacks! munching kids are happy and occupied kids.

peachypear left some great suggestions, especially about having a quiet/dark space for calming and putting the baby to sleep. I have one of those babies that only other people have--that scream around the clock--and she defintely needs a low-stimulus area for falling asleep and calming down (so do I!).

Great idea for the snacks for a nursing mom--and for a pregnant mom. Both are hungry people! One-handed snacks, calorie-dense options like granola, nuts, dried fruits, are all great. And a glass or water bottle she can keep bedside to fill up. Knowing that I'm not someone who's comfortable foraging in other people's homes, when I had guests recently, I put snacks in their rooms--just a couple of boxes of crackers, water, and some cookies I made. Something small and simple might be great to keep in the guest's space.

I would add monitors, especially for a first-time parent. Even if I'm in a nearby room, I still like to have a monitor to hear the baby. It makes me feel less nervous, and it's nice not to have to travel with one.

A porta-crib of some sort would be great, too, as well as an extra baby blanket (thin, large) for when the baby is young would be very thoughtful.

Good job starting out being so accommodating!

Too many suggestions to read...BUT this is so awesome that you're so motivated to make them feel welcome.

For naps or nighttime, having a very dark room, that's either very quiet or sound-insulated with white noise (fan/air filter) is awesome. Baby sleeps better and longer that way.

Babies' needs change often, so don't spend tons of money. But we LOVE having a place where hazards are minimized (i.e., no wide-spaced railings, unblocked stairs, left-open basement doors, uncovered outlets, and low-lying breakables). It's exhausting to chase a baby or toddler around, moving stuff out of the way, etc. Do a "crawl-through" of your apartment and see what they could break, or what could hurt the baby.

A fold-flat clip-on high chair, like Phil & Ted's MeToo, would be awesome. As would a plastic bowl, plate, cup, fork, spoon, and bib with a pocket.

Another thing that makes overnight visits much better: a place to sleep away from, or at least out of sight from, our baby. This depends on the family, of course, but we all sleep better if we can be separated, at least around the corner. We've used a friend's walk-in closet with the door open for the baby.

Seriously, though, just knowing that you're making an effort will go a long way! You might even tell them what you're already doing to get ready, and ask what would make their stay easier. Your friends are lucky to have you!!

Lots of super suggestions! For me, the key things to have at a frequently-visited home is a place to change the baby (ie. a portable mat and wipes) and a lack of judgement. For instance, we co-sleep with our little guy and it's almost a fight at Grandma and Grandpa's to have them NOT haul out the pack and play. I know they are trying to be helpful, but it's actually not so helpful.

I would just state at the outset of their visit that you are ok with whatever parenting/babying they do, whether that is breastfeeding in the living room, pumping where-ever, sleeping where-ever, and that you understand that sometimes babies just cry -- they don't need to freak out because their baby is being a baby.

Beyond that, just a nice relaxing and relaxed place will be perfect for the family.

I have a four year old and a one year old, and I think it's AWESOME that you're willing to make changes to your home for the new baby who's going to be in your lives.
My biggest suggestion is to have a babyproofed main space so the baby can crawl/play while the adults talk. Crawl around your living room and grab everything you can - that's what the baby will do! Even if you have special toys, they will become boring and the baby will play with cords, picture frames, remotes, phones, etc.
Your family probably won't mind bringing most of the stuff they need, but they WILL mind having to chase the baby around and constantly take stuff out of his/her hands.
Good luck and have fun!

I still remember that my Aunt and Uncle had a special drawer of fun little toys and games that I (and their many grandkids) could play with when visiting. It's just a little thing, but it made visits seem extra special!

Adding to everyone's great suggestions depending on how comfortable everyone is maybe offering to help watch the baby. Especially if they are staying overnight a night out for the parents that's just the two of them can be great. The only time husband and I get alone going out time is when we visit my parents or they stay over our place.

Also when baby gets to be a toddler knowing where the toddler friendly parks or having/knowing a place for them to freely run around.