I Made This Mistake as a New Mom… So You Don’t Have To

It's baby season! Just kidding, but I did chat with a dear friend a couple of weeks ago and then again the other day, who just had her first baby girl.

(Her daughter is absolutely precious, by the way, I just cannot handle it 🥺)

She shared with me that she was feeling overwhelmed trying to figure out which baby products were actually worth it—and which ones were just hyped-up, overpriced nonsense.

She recently left her job and, like so many of us, is adjusting to living on a tighter budget during this big life transition.

Her family is in another state, but they also live on a tight budget, so she didn't have a ton of baby gear items leading up to this birth.

Her main worry? Only buying what they’ll really need in those first few months and not wasting money on things they'll never use. She asked me, "So, what would you get after having 2 kids and once being at this stage?"


And it instantly brought me back to those early newborn days with my babies. Man, how that time flies 😭



It also brought me to the time with my second baby. I had also left my job, trying to keep costs low while still feeling prepared—and let me tell you, I definitely bought a few unnecessary “essentials” that collected more dust than memories. Don't judge me. Some of them were marketed so dang well, you wouldn't have guessed otherwise.

That convo inspired me to update this post:
👉 Baby Essentials for the First 3 Months

I created a practical, realistic list of the items you’ll truly use—and included answers to some of the most common “do I really need this?” questions new moms have.


💬 Also, I’d love your take:

Seriously though, it's so wild and overwhelming how many new products are out there marketed to new parents that truthfully end up being SUCH A WASTE of $$$.

So, if you're an expecting parent or have an expecting friend, do yourself or them a solid and make sure they see this email.

Nobody needs the added stress of trying to budget for an item they'll never use for their baby 🤷🏻‍♀️

Until next time, beautiful friends,

Thanks for reading! If you loved it, tell your friends to subscribe.

My emails often include affiliate links. You can read my full policy here.

113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205
Unsubscribe · Preferences

Mom After Baby

Helping moms find community, support, and education throughout the difficult seasons of motherhood (like pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond)!