I'm going to be so real with you right now…you don't need most of this stuff. Consumerism has shaped pregnancy, birth, and postpartum in a way that often plays on fear and uncertainty. It’s easy to feel like you have to buy everything to be ready, but that’s just not true!

Many of these products can enhance your experience, but they’re not essential. You can DIY a lot of it, use what the hospital provides, or get creative with what you already have at home. Talk to your doctor, do your research, check out Buy Nothing groups, thrift stores, and ask friends for hand-me-downs. You might be surprised by how much you already have or can repurpose.

If family or friends are asking for gift ideas, my number one recommendation would be a postpartum doula. Everything else on this list is just a nice bonus! ;)