Mothering with Less | An Intentional Registry Guide
honoring the sacred portal of new motherhood through simplicity + savoring.
Marketing has it’s corner on mothers. Triggering the primal fear brain with scare tactics, moms can often feel the pull for MORE stuff. The marketing tactics of “must-haves” is everywhere, and it can feel like your mothering journey will be lacking / more painful / missing something without said “must-haves.”
We are welcoming baby no. 02 into our family this fall and after mothering for 2 years with slim to no gadgets and a small list of true “must-haves” I am evermore convinced that the most valuable, irreplaceable must have is your presence as a mother. Supporting the bond between you and baby far outweighs the need for stuff, and sadly most times, these “must-haves” are designed to replace the comfort of your chest, the safety of your arms or the nourishment of your milk. A less is more approach has served me as a mama, making the focus nourishment + nurturing rather than “stuff management.”
More than sharing what my minimal essentials are, this is an invitation to breathe deep, lean into your knowing, and ask what is right for YOU. Only you can hear this voice and tune into its authority. This will always lead you along the right path for you + your family.
All of these brands are shared out of my own genuine love for them, but a few of these are affiliate links which blesses our family + supports my ability to share intentionally in this space -- a gift I don't take lightly!
MINIMALIST MUST HAVES
01. Cloth Diapers + Tiny Potty
I decided with our first to full on commit to cloth diapering. For me, it was a threefold choice, primarily about the fabrics touching my baby’s skin, as well as setting us up for a simpler potty training journey and overall just using a more sustainable, cost effective product. We were able to go diaper free through the night starting at a year, home potty trained by 18 months and out + about potty trained by around 2. I loved the ease + simplicity of Esembly’s diapering system, and plan to use their organic cotton inners again + along with these organic wool outers for our second baby. Something I’m trying more intentionally this time around is elimination communication, basically a process of slowing down, listening to your baby’s cues and allowing them to try the tiny potty when they express needing to go. It makes so much sense to me biologically that a baby would not want to sit in a wet or dirty diaper and while I’m not married to full-time EC, it feels honoring and simple to try it! I learned from this book, and have this potty + cozy to try.
02. Baby Carrier
Keeping baby close was a value I held dear, especially in the early days, for attachment, for connection, and to be able to get a few things done while baby is on me. Using a natural fiber baby carrier is important to me as it keeps connection central and provides a soothing, comfy space for baby to rest. Malama Bebe’s carrier is a blend of organic cotton + pure linen, so it’s a cozy, safe space for baby to rest. It’s also been tested for proper hip development + alignment. One thing I’ll be doing differently this postpartum is waiting until after the first 40 days to wear baby to protect the healing of my body + pelvic floor, but I cannot wait to wear baby close after our period of rest.
03. Cotton Blankets
While I don’t swaddle my babes (for many reasons, but primarily to encourage primal reflex development) these blankets are so multipurpose in uses. From blanket to burp cloth to changing mat, the multifaceted uses make these a staple in my book and eliminate the need for several different items.
I primarily used these as reusable cloth wipes, the gentleness for baby’s skin is unmatched. We had two different colors to differentiate the usage, but from a little cloth bath to wiping spit up, the softness and versatility of these cloths make them a staple for me.
05. Clean Carseat
When we first had Meritt I was not as aware of the nature of fabrics + frequencies, so I just registered for a random carseat. A few months in, after learning about both the health benefits of high frequency fabrics and the offgassing that occurs in a hot car, we switched to a Nuna carseat, which is still polyester, but not sprayed with toxic flame retardants. For moms who are creating registries + shopping for their first babes, I would highly recommend looking into brands like Clek and Nuna for natural fiber or greenguard certified carseats. I’m using this wool newborn insert with our second for temperature regulation and natural fibers touching their skin.
06. Mattress Protector + Natural Fiber Sheets
No matter your birth and sleeping choices, you and baby will inevitably be in bed together. From milk to food spills, protecting your mattress helps keep things clean and peaceful for healing and rest. Along the lines of rest, sleeping on natural fibers will only aid in your postpartum healing and coregulation with your baby. Everything around us carries a frequency. A healthy human body generally resonates at a frequency of 100, while a sick or dead body is closer to zero. High vibrational fabrics like linen and wool (frequency of 5000) as well as organic cotton (frequency of 100) aid the body in restorative rest and healing. Linen is my favorite to sleep on, we love these linen sheets from Quince over this organic mattress protector.
07. Milk Collection
When I learned about how the commonly used Hakka has suction that can lead to milk overproduction + clogged ducts and mastitis, I quickly switched to these suction free milk catchers. These are smaller, and simply catch extra milk that leaks from the other side. I loved how much simpler and how they didn’t spill nearly as easily as the hakka. Just stick them in your bra + you’re good! I never pumped, but I loved these silicon milk storage bags for any extra milk I caught to put on baby’s skin or add to a bath.
08. Wool Sheepskin
This is something new I’m trying for baby no. 02 but I already believe in the regulation + peace a high quality sheepskin offers. Ancient societies before us knew the benefits for calming the nervous system, increasing blood flow, regulation of temperature and healing through frequency. The natural softness + texture acts as a sensory experience for baby too! East Perry kindly gifted me one of their naturally processed sheepskins, and they’re giving one away to one of you! Follow along on Instagram for more details + how to enter!
09. Healing Herbs
Given the length of this very short list of baby centric necessities, I could talk forever about the importance of maternal mind, body and spirit nourishment as the main priority in this season. Herbs have been so supportive to me in this pregnancy, providing an intuitive lens into my body’s nutritive needs and nervous system desires. I source many of my organic, bulk herbs through my favorite bulk grocer, Azure Standard and plan to share a more in depth post about herbs for pregnancy, postpartum and breastfeeding. A few of my favorites this pregnancy have been nettle, rosehip and calendula.
10. Deep Freezer + Prepped Meals
If you do anything to prepare for a new baby, let it be investing into the slowness + rest of your first 40 days together. This time period is essential for healing, bonding and restoration. Having a deep freezer full of bulk meat, prepped meals and snacks is a gamechanger for a smooth postpartum. Companies like Eat Mama Meals help ease the meal prep load and can be added to your registry or gifted to friends + family. They kindly offered me a code to share — shop with KAYTLYN to save $20 off. This is an amazing gift to send a mama friend who is far away!
“Yet simplification is not just about taking things away. It is about making room, creating space in your life, your intentions, and your heart.”
LINDA ROSS
