People expecting a child can now get professional help as they design their nursery, baby-proof their home and even shop for maternity clothes.

Baby planning services are apparently growing in popularity, according to a recent Associated Press story. The article noted that as many as 60 to 70 planners such as Nest Help in Chicago have sprouted up in the last few years.

One of those companies, Sweet Pea Baby Planners -- which offers its services in California, Colorado, Florida and North Carolina and is willing to travel wherever clients live -- can help parents during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Sweet Pea will do everything from decorate the nursery and shop for maternity clothes to finding a pediatrician and helping out once the baby is born. Its staff also can hire a nanny for you, provide sleep consulting and create a customized baby sleep plan, even assist with preschool placement.

"We're like wedding planners, but we're helping you prepare for your baby's arrival and all the information and research you have to deal with," a Portland-based baby planner told the Associated Press.

According to the article, the baby planners charge anywhere from $50 to $150 an hour. Some also offer packages that can cost as much as several thousand dollars.

Baby planners can help alleviate stress, parents said, especially as they juggle the demands of career and home.

If you had the extra money, would you hire a baby planner? Why or why not?

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