What’s a Snoo bassinet and why do I need one? I’m currently staring at the hand-me-down bassinet that a friend of a friend gave me. I don’t even know what brand it is. As a first-time mom and proud Zillennial (in between Millennial and Gen Z), social media occupies a lot of my time. After all, my generation witnessed MySpace, Instagram, Facebook, Vine, Twitter, and Tik Tok all from the beginning and at a very impressionable age. As I’ve navigated pregnancy and prepared for motherhood, I’ve used social media as my main source for information. Some of you may be cringing reading this but hear me out. I’ve filled my newsfeed on all platforms with nothing but mommy influencers, positive birth accounts, and women who seem to be experts in the topic of motherhood. I have definitely had a positive experience learning from influencers like Karrie Locher, but also have been filled with anxiety by following others. As I watch these women purchase the top-of-the-line products for their babies and fill their baby’s closets full of cute clothes, I look at my own nursery and feel inadequate.
At 35 weeks pregnant, I have about enough stuff to fill half the diaper cart every influencer insisted I needed. There aren’t enough clothes to hang in the closet, and how on earth do they afford name-brand diaper rash creams, lotions, and wipes to fill a caddy in every room of their house? Just last week I only had one tube of diaper rash cream and ran to Target after watching one Tik Tok and panic-bought three tubes (of Target brand, of course). I watch the women on my social media swear by these top-of-the-line products and wonder if I’ll struggle more as a parent if I don’t buy them because that’s really what it boils down to. Will I fail at being a mother because I don’t have the things these women have? As silly as that sounds, I know the answer is “Absolutely not!” But a piece of me will always question this. Before I realized the anxiety social media had given me over parenting, I felt very unprepared for my next stage of life. No, I still haven’t purchased the $100 Frida Mom Postpartum Kit and probably won’t, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to successfully recover after birth any less than the mom that did (or could afford it with ease). During this time, I have leaned on the mantra “I have everything my baby needs.” I am not less prepared for motherhood, I am well equipped to care for my baby without splurging on a momaroo or Baby Bjorn bouncer. Success in motherhood has nothing to do with the “stuff”. If you’ve noticed you’ve been caught in the same spiral, don’t worry mama! Take a deep breath and remember: Everything you need to take care of your baby is already within you.
