Hi! My name is Coco and I'm a mom. My journey to motherhood has been filled with happiness, love, excitement, and many challenges. From Trying to Conceive to Postpartum and now caring for my 2-year-old son, I’ve been seeking support to make my transition to motherhood easier. Here on Owemama, I share real stories, maternity-related tips and honest reviews. Let's navigate this journey together!
During the pregnancy stage of our journey, we're already dealing with changes to our bodies, preparing for a new baby, and striving to maintain our sanity. On top of that, there's a seemingly endless list of products to purchase for ourselves and our baby.
I know the feeling of having 15 tabs open, each with different product reviews, comparison articles, or shopping lists. From pregnancy to postpartum and breastfeeding products, and baby products, the resources are scattered online, making it challenging to find what's useful.
You're not just shopping for maternity and baby products online; at this point, you're searching for a needle in a haystack.
Remember this: Focus on essentials first! At the beginning, you only need a handful of items like maternity bras, pregnancy underwear, and "pharmacist-recommended" prenatal vitamins. You can also consider Kits for convenience.
I know, we all have that one (or multiple) friend or family member who has an opinion about what we must buy. Your best friend swears by one baby carrier brand, while your sister swears by another. You know it’s all coming from a good place! But then there’s the unsolicited advice from that mom at the park who you just met... and hey, she had a point, right? - Word-of-mouth can be a great way to discover products, but it can also be stressful when reconciling multiple opinions that may not feel tailored to you.
To simplify that whole process, here is what I recommend you to do:
- Start with a personal checklist: When considering what products to use, I would go by stage (Trying to Conceive, Pregnancy—1st Trimester, 2nd Trimester, 3rd Trimester, Postpartum and Beyond) and make a personal checklist of my specific needs before even seeking advice from others. If you don’t know where/how to start, I shared my First Trimester | Essential Products guide.
- Create a Budget: Maternity and baby gear can be costly; there's no way around it. However, careful planning makes it much more manageable, and you'll feel less stressed. One thing I also did that I don't regret was exploring secondhand options available on platforms like Facebook Marketplace. You can find great deals on oversized items such as cribs and strollers.
- Build a BabyShower List: Hosting a baby shower is an excellent way for family and friends to celebrate the arrival of your little one. They will be happy to give you a gift that you will need and use, and it will alleviate some of the stress that comes with the financial aspect. I still remember my baby shower like it was yesterday! It was truly magical to see all my girl friends come together to organize such a beautiful event, now filled with memories.
Finally, remember to trust yourself in this process. You, more than anyone, knows what’s best for you and your baby!
My 2-cents on the maternity and baby retail industry:
Big retail stores have made shopping convenient for almost everything, but they fail to offer a mom-centric experience for the maternity and baby sector. Shopping for a stroller is different from shopping for shoes. We need trusted recommendations and a simple shopping process. Unfortunately now, the typical retail experience just doesn’t cut it.
That’s one of the reasons why we are building Owemama - a platform designed by and for moms. Imagine being able to shop based on where you are in your motherhood journey. Whether you're in your first trimester, preparing for labour, or adjusting to life with a newborn, Owemama will simplify the entire process by offering you exactly what you need, when you need it.
Coco