Vegan First-Time Mom Pregnancy Purchases: My Essentials
Evann RyanBecoming a mom has a way of turning every Amazon scroll and midnight Google search into a full-on research project—especially when you’re vegan. So in this post I’m sharing my vetted list of vegan first-time mom pregnancy purchases for both me and my newborn: the gentle skincare that actually works, the non-dairy nutrition helpers I trusted, the low-tox baby basics, and the cozy postpartum gear that will hopefully make those sleepy, beautiful weeks feel easier. Because when your brain is already juggling kick counts, finding time (and energy!) to nest, and birth prep, we deserve a simple guide that cuts through the noise—and still aligns with our values.
You’ll find everything linked in one place—my Amazon Storefront, my ShopMy collection, and a few other brands I love—so you can compare quickly and choose what fits your routine and budget. While this is not medical advice, it is the honest, real-life list I leaned on from third trimester to the fourth. Grab a tea, settle in, and let’s build your gentle, plant-powered checklist together!
On a side note: While I'm a first time mom, my bestie and my sister-in-law aren't, and they were SO helpful in sending me basic lists of things I (actually) need to cut the noise and get back to the basics.Â
Please note: some links are affiliate links and I may make a small commission when you shop the link. Thank you for the support!
Pregnancy Purchases I've Made For Baby
I've tried to keep the list as organized as possible, as well as a seamless move through when it comes to what you'll need with what! But if you want to skip right over to my Amazon Storefront you can do so, and that allows you to see all the baby products in one place without my additional commentary ;) For mom purchases, like postpartum recovery kit ideas and loungewear options keep scrolling for the links below!Â
Here's the list (and links) of everything I bought for baby
Lulumoon Muslin Swaddle Blanket
I've been told to buy at least 10 swaddles for baby girl, and from the experienced moms I was told the basic swaddle is the best. But.. I also wanted to try some "easy" swaddles to see what works best for us.Â
The most important thing for me is that what touches baby is made from natural, non-toxic materials. And while that might sound expensive, I found some very good prices on organic cotton that's comparable to the polyester varieties. These are the swaddles I purchased.
10-Pack Organic Cotton Muslin Baby Wash Cloths
These little wash cloths are for bath time! The 10-pack seemed like the best idea so we're not doing laundry every second, and I love that they're made from soft, organic cotton.Â
Comfy Cubs Organic Hooded Baby Towels
A super cute way to wrap up baby girl after her baths to keep her warm and cozy in 100% cotton towels with a hood! Plus, they're large enough to use for 6 months+
Baby Bath Insert (for up to 6 months!)
With over 4 stars and 24,000 reviews this seemed like a great option! Love that is has a hook to hang in the shower for easy storage.
ATTITUDE Baby 2-in-1 Body Wash and Shampoo
I use Attitude products for everything around our house. Their non-toxic products are EWG verified, Canadian (bonus for us Canadians!), and unlike most non-toxic, healthier brands, they're super affordable! I use their shampoo and conditioner for myself, their face wash, stretch mark prevention belly oil (linked in my Amazon shop and below!), and ALL our household cleaning supplies are by Attitude. Another huge bonus is they have refillable boxes of almost everything so you can eliminate plastic waste. If you want to check out their other products I use you can do so here: cleaning supplies list, beauty products.
Add-on: the super convenient refill box!!!
This EWG newborn verified baby lotion is 99% natural ingredients, unscented, and vegan. I just LOVE all their products.
ATTITUDE Face and Cheek Hydrating Stick
My baby girl is due at the very start of winter so I want to have something extra for incase she has any extra dry spots due to weather. Plus, I like that this is small and very portable, if she likes it, I plan on keeping one in our on-the-go diaper bag as well.Â
Found this originally as an item on my list for my baby first aid kit, incase of cradle cap. But love that this is multi-purpose and can be used just as a gentle hair brush and shampoo brush on babies sensitive scalp too!
Safety First 3-in-1 Nursery Thermometer
I like that you can use this in three different spots on babies body to get an accurate read. The underarm method seems like the least invasive way to get a temperature read on a newborn. Plus, it's a best seller with tons of great reviews!
Non-toxic, BPA free, and instead of a straw you suck the snot out with -Â it's a bottle syringe! Great reviews and with two head replacements it's great for up to a year. Bonus: no charging needed!
Organic Cotton Changing Pad (Waterproof)
This purchase was a tough one to find for me. Amazon has a ton of options, but I was not happy with the toxic materials used for even the very "high-end" ones. I was very happy to find this Naturepedic one for a similar price to the easy-wipe options on Amazon. However this one is certified vegan, peta approved, green guard certified and is a part of the 1% for the planet initiative. Tip: Because it is on the pricey side, I found a discount code on the internet for us! Use code: LEAFSCORE15 and save 15%!
Ubbi On-The-Go Diaper Changing Pad
Then for an on-the-go option to stuff into our diaper bag, I found this super affordable, easy to clean, compact, and phthalate free diaper changing pad.Â
ATTITUDE Biodegradable Baby Wipes
Again, with the Attitude products for me! I just love their certifications, they have great reviews, and the price point in comparison to other non-toxic brands is very good. This link is for a 3 pack, which gives you one pack totally free!
Again - EWG verified, unscented, dermatologically tested, vegan, and the packaging is completely plastic free!
Finding a bassinet was one of the hardest baby items for me. What I knew for sure I wanted was a bassinet that sits next to the bed or could attach, and that I could see baby sleeping in when I wake up through the night. As a first time mom I have some anxieties about the sleeping, swaddling, and nursing aspects I'm about to embark on, so being able to roll over and visually see her anytime throughout the night was really important to me. I also want the materials of the bassinet to be as baby safe as possible considering how much time she might be spending in it during these first 6 months. And, yes, all bassinet should be created equally, but unfortunately they are not, and many bassinets use less than ideal fabrics and sprays on their furniture that can effect babies air quality. Lastly, given that our space is a one bedroom apartment, I've been trying to find nursery items that also look nice and will add to our space not become an eye sore. This Baby Bjorn Cradle covered absolutely everything for me.
100% Organic Cotton Bassinet Sheets
Soft, breathable, organic cotton sheets for her bassinet! Comes in a variety of colours and prints, and always in a 2-pack. These also work for my snuggle me lounger that was gifted to us!
As a stay-at-home working mom, I imagine I will get some good use out of this swing/bouncer when I have to get back to working my "regular" (whatever that looks like with baby girl) schedule. This one has great reviews and I like the way it looks, which is important since it will be in the living room 100% of the time.Â
Now for the big guns.. the stroller! This purchase is totally confusing to make as first time parents so what we decided to do was go-to a local baby store here and talk to someone about our needs, how we live, and how we plan on using the stroller mostly. We were incredibly lucky to get an incredible salesman named Josh who went through all the details with us and showed us what he thought would work best for us and our lifestyle. What we told him - we live in a one bedroom apartment so space is limited, we live in downtown so walking will be almost all sidewalks - no rough terrain, I go on walks daily, and plan to do so with baby girl so I wanted something that was smooth and great for walking long periods of time, it needed to fold easily and with one hand, it had to be small, and lastly vegan. His recommendation: the Bugaboo Dragonfly!Â
I've had a really hard time finding an all cotton nursing pillow, but this Momcozy Original Nursing Pillow has a remove-able/washable cotton cover, is a best seller, and has amazing reviews so I've decided to go with this one and see how we get along!
Not to be confused with the Phillips Avent plastic baby bottles, these are made from glass making them BPA free and non-toxic, making them safe for baby! Glass is especially the way to go since we're warming the bottles up for use, we don't want warmed plastic for our babies, or ourselves for that matter.
Bottle sterilization is incredibly important for babies, so we wanted something separate for a bottle washing station. I like the look of this drying rack on my counter, and love that you can remove the bottom piece where it catches all the water to clean throughly.Â
As I've never used one of these before, I went with my girlfriends recommendation. She's been using this manual pump for 8 months now and finds it easy and effective.Â
I know there is some debate about whether you should use these with your baby or not, but I want some on hand to make that decision for our family when we get to it. These are cheap, BPA free, and made from silicone!
I can't get enough of the H&M baby section!!! We went in person and found SO many incredibe 100% cotton baby sets, pants, jackets, socks, etc. for incredible prices. While we were there you could do buy 2 get 1 free, they had a set of 5 newborn onesies for around $40.00 CAD and the best part is everything was 100% cotton. I have been unable to find a majority of what we bought online to link for you, but I have linked some items and while my preference is a neutrals baby (lol) you can also shop these looks in colours!Â
Pregnancy Purchases I've Made For Myself as a First Time Mom
From nursing bras to cozy pajamas, over-indulgent water bottles, cozy slippers, and more practical items like postpartum recovery essentials, here's the pregnancy purchases I made for myself to make this next phase of life even sweeter. If you want to skip my additional thoughts and just see the shop links you can go straight here to my ShopMy for the clothing, bras, and slippers, then my Amazon Storefront for product links.
I take the prenatals, choline, and omega's with DHA and EPA all throughout my pregnancy and will continue to do so until I'm finished breast feeding. I love that their vitamins come on a subscription plan so I don't have to worry about picking them up or ordering them, they just arrive on my doorstep every month. The way I chose my prenatals was with a LOT of reading, and the Ritual Brand made me feel confident in choosing their supplements for me and my family. They're entirely transparent about their ingredients, they third-party test, they're formulas are very well thought out and use high quality ingredients and of course, they're vegan. While everyone absorbs vitamins differently, and eats differently throughout pregnancy, I had great blood test results from start to finish. Using the link above will get you a one-time discount on your first subscription order!
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As a girlie who has always preferred no bra over any bra, having an entirely new chest due to hormones and milk production is absolutely new to me. I've managed to get away with thin bralettes and tight tanks as my "bra" for almost my entire adulthood and if I'm being honest I wasn't looking forward to actually needing support, until, I found these Embrace Bras. These bras are made without underwire, from organic, super smooth and soft fabric, and unlike the hideous 5 pack of nursing bras I originally purchased from Amazon (and promptly returned), they're beautiful on. I bought two different varieties from them, starting with their Soft Cup Bra, which also skips the front clips often seen on nursing bras and instead uses a fabric so soft and smooth you can simply pull it down under your breast for easy feeding.Â
The other option I bought from Embrace was the Luxe Nursing Bra. This one has the clips on the front straps making it easy for breastfeeding baby. I went for the cocoa brown colour on this one, and I am absolutely in love with how beautiful it sits, and how it makes me feel. Our bodies change and go through a lot during pregnancy and postpartum so spending just a little more on intimate items like this is totally worth every penny if you ask me.Â
Embrace Soft Ribbed Nursing Tank
So I haven't purchased this one yet, because with the price point being a little higher on the Embrace brand products I wanted to try the bras first. However, now that I have the two bras (listed above), I know for sure I will be adding these tanks to cart. My thought with these beautiful nursing tanks is that once baby girl is a few months old and I'm spending more time out of the house these beautiful tanks will be a go-to option for me to pair with loose fittings pants and leggings. I already know the material and fit is going to be amazing, and for me quality basics are a huge focus in my closet.
As I mentioned above, the Embrace Tanks are going to be for my "finally going back out into the world" nursing tops. But for those first stages of postpartum where me, baby, and dad are at home soaking it all in, I went with these cheaper, 100% cotton nursing tanks to pair with pajamas and sweats in those first few weeks and months. These are comfortable, however the lower price point shows in the cheaper straps. That being said I'm happy I bought them and have already started to wear them around the house. Tip: buy your usual size, I sized up and they're much longer and a little bit looser than I prefer.
One of the notes my best friend left me when sending me a Google Doc Spread Sheet on "What To Buy," yes we're spread sheet people, ha! Was that button down pajamas was a must have item for nursing and resting at home with a newborn. She also suggested pajamas that are cute enough you don't mind people seeing you in them for all those first week visits when you'd rather not find outfits to wear because family or close friends are coming by to meet baby. These 100% muslin cotton pajamas in navy blue totally hit those marks for me.
 H&M Mama Before & After Cotton Muslin Pajamas
I also grabbed the muslin pajamas in a different colour and in the shorts version. I hear those night time sweats can be heavy those first few months so a shorts option seemed like a good second option. Again, I recommend sticking to your true size on these, I sized up, and while comfortable, I have to roll the shorts a few times for my waist.
Warm, Lined H&M Slippers in Dark Brown
I started wearing these the second they arrived, and let me tell you, they are SO comfortable!!! I already plan on ordering a second pair because these are going to get worn well beyond their $20 price point. My plan for these is also to bring them to the hospital with me, as I've been told my feet will likely be swollen and the goal is to walk around as much as I can while labouring. I'm also giving birth in winter, so cozy, comfy, and warm is the idea.Â
Non-Toxic (Affordable!) Stretch Mark Prevention OilÂ
You'll notice while scrolling this page my obsession with Attitude Products, and their stretch mark prevention oil is just one more item to add to the list. I've been using this oil since about 20 weeks, I'm now 33 weeks, and so far no stretch marks! However, and this is a big however, genetically my mom didn't get any during her pregnancies either and I do think that plays a big role. That being said, the bigger your belly gets the more itchy your skin gets from all the stretching so a good quality, non-toxic, and EWG verified oil to rub on your tender skin just makes sense.
Mom's Baby Bottle, aka Stanley Cup with Handle
Now, listen, buying a $50 water bottle for myself isn't really a necessity, but it was highly recommended to me to get a water bottle with a handle as I would be one-handed a majority of the time once baby gets in the other hand. I've also been told that breastfeeding makes you incredibly thirsty, and a large bedside bottle seems like a good option. Lastly, it's pink, it's cute, and I deserve it :)Â
Organic 100% Certified Cotton Postpartum Pads
When it comes to postpartum recovery, the quality of pads and what's touching my skin is highly important to me. The recovery period has enough unknowns already so keeping focused on what I can control is what's keeping me focused. These organic certified pads are free from chlorine, bleach, latex, parabens, perfumes, SAP, plastics, or man-made materials. While still providing maximum absorbency and coverage. I'll be using these along with witch hazel and aloe vera gel (linked below).Â
Using a combination of this and all natural aloe vera gel in your pads, then sticking them in the freezer, is said to help greatly with your postpartum recovery down there. The key is to buy alcohol free witch hazel and a high quality aloe vera. I'll be prepping myself a bag full of these for the freezer, so I can easily replace my pads after every bathroom experience, while cooling everything down, down there.Â
Step two for the postpartum pads recovery blend is unscented aloe vera gel. I've used this brand before and always enjoyed it so I'll be sticking with it for my postpartum recovery. To check out how I'll be making what they call "padsicles" for recovery, head here.
High Waisted Postpartum Briefs
Another tip from my bestie was to go high waisted when it comes to postpartum full coverage underwear. The comfort feeling around your still soft belly of a high waisted brief she felt was best, which makes perfect sense to me. These affordable 95% cotton, 5% spandex panties on Amazon look like the perfect fit, and the reviews are confirming.
I've been told that the peri bottle they give you at the hospital looks more like a ketchup bottle, and doesn't give you great access to spray yourself clean down there. One women even said that you basically have to put your hand and bottle in the toilet to aim up, and I just have no desire for that kind of gross and unnecessary effort. These Frida Mom bottles have the perfect upwards curve so you can spray freely from a better position. I'll be taking this with me in my hospital bag to use right away.
My goal is a natural, vaginal birth, but I know all options are on the table which is why my birth plan is basically, healthy mom and healthy baby first. This belly band is great for whatever kind of birth experience you plan or don't plan on having for recovery. Great for diastasis recti (ab seperation during pregnancy), posture, and overall comfort when your stomach suddenly feels empty but not back to regular. This is the best selling option on Amazon so it's good enough for me!
This last one is totally unnecessary, but a nice luxury item to add to the list if you can afford it. We hadn't replaced our sheets in a very long time and these were on sale when we bought them, and they're soo nice. They feel like hotel sheets and they've made our bed just that much more comfortable. Because postpartum is a lot of time in bed nursing and hopefully sleeping next to baby, this felt like an add-on we were happy to include.Â
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Postpartum Meal Prep Recipes To Make Your Life Easier!
Here's the thing, I love meal prep, but I don't love freezer prep. I just find thawing food doesn't give it the same texture as it once had and it's just something I would rather skip. That being said - I realize how difficult it will be to cook home cooked meals, not to mention ever eating them hot again, or at least for awhile, so I'm trying to compromise with myself and sort out some recipes that can be kept for a long time, like the first recipe, or recipes I actually like from the freezer like energy balls. Here's my blog recipe round-up I'm going to lean on for postpartum meal prep.
My quickie, homemade muesli can sit on the counter at room temperature for a long time. It's basically just toasted oats, seeds, and a little bit of sweetener if you like, then when ready to eat add soy milk or another high protein milk for a well-rounded breakfast or midnight snack. Not to mention oats, nuts, and seeds are incredibly powerful nutritional powerhouses for your recovery and breastfeeding journey!
Vegan Sheet Pan Protein Pancakes
Now here's a recipe I can get down with from the freezer. Pancakes are the perfect freezer item. Just whip up a batch or two of these easy sheet pan pancakes, slice into squares and place parchment paper between each one. Thaw a whole container overnight for the week ahead and pop 'em in the toaster when you get hungry!
Vegan Freezer Breakfast SandwichesÂ
Breakfast sandwiches are another great option when it comes to freezer prep. English muffins, and bread in general, is something I keep in the freezer all the time anyways! And these tempeh breakfast patties thaw really well. I'll definitely be whipping up a batch or two of these for my postpartum meal prep. To note: While most recipes shared are on my blog, these breakfast sandwiches are from my weekly high protein vegan meal prep plans on Substack!Â
Leaning into vegan pregnancy essentials is not about perfection; it is about supporting your body and your baby with as much nourishment, intention, and kindness as you can. As you move through each trimester, your needs will shift, and that is completely normal! You can always come back to these vegan pregnancy essentials during any time of your pregnancy, or for baby shower gift ideas for the new mom-to-be in your life!
If this guide helped you feel even a little more confident in your vegan pregnancy essentials, I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment with your questions, your favourite must-haves, or what you wish you had known at the beginning of your journey. Your experience might be exactly what another plant-based parent-to-be needs to read today, myself included.
