2022 Black Friday Shopping: 22 Essential Items for Moms’ Self-Care

Happy Thanksgiving mamas! I’m so grateful for my family and to be able to walk in my purpose of serving other families throughout their childbirth journeys. I know today many of you are gathered with family and eating lots of home-cooked delicious meals. And, some of you are listening to your partners talk about getting that new PS5 and discussing your plans for shopping tomorrow and catching all those back Friday deals.

For us moms, Black Friday is a time when we try to get our Christmas shopping done. I know our shopping list can get really long, but I encourage you to add yourself first on that list. I know you may be thinking, “well, I don’t really need anything.” While that may be true, I’m asking you to think a little bit differently. 

To provide some inspiration, I’ve put together this list of 22 essential items for your self-care. This list was created with your complete wellness in mind. There are items to help you stay organized, get relaxed, eat healthily, manage life as a new mom (or with a new baby), and feel great overall. Check it out and be sure to grab yourself a few items off this list, because you deserve them.

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22 Shopping Items for Moms’ Self-Care: 

1. Audible subscription. If your mom-life is anything like mine, it’s busy. I have three kids under the age of 5 and don’t have much time to sit down and read a book. But, I absolutely love listening to books on Audible. I listen to books for leisure but also as continuing professional development so I can continue to grow as a birthworker and entrepreneur.

2. Planner/organizer. Motherhood is a job, it’s legit hard work!  We are better at our jobs when we are organized and have routines. I like this planner because it is un-dated, which means you can use it when you want. And, if you get off schedule for a few weeks, you can pick up where you left off without wasting any pages. When I had my youngest baby (Ava) who’s now 6 months, I took off of work for about 8 weeks and didn’t stick to any routine. I focused 100% on healing, resting, bonding with my baby, and establishing a breastfeeding routine. I let my partner and postpartum doula do all the rest.

3. Bluetooth speaker. I use this speaker daily. If I’m not blasting a podcast, I’m remedying toddler battles with family fun dance parties. Music is like magic and does wonders for toddler tantrums and quickly turns those frowns and screams into laughs and giggles.

4. Earbuds. Don’t laugh but these things here are my best friends. I actually have a few pairs as I can not go without them. I absolutely love binge-listening to podcasts or streaming something on Audible. And, many times I just have them in my ear with absolutely nothing on. Toddlers are loud! And, as a stay-at-home mom, sometimes I can use a little noise buffering. 

5. Flameless Candles. There’s nothing like a clean house and a lit candle. But, because my hands are more than full with three kids—and I can’t keep my eye on all of them all the time—I rarely light candles when they are home. Instead, I have lots of these battery-operated candles. The girls also love these and use them in their rooms as night lights. I love that these flicker and give the appearance of a real candle.

6. Foot spa. Since COVID I haven’t felt much like going to nail shops. But, I still want to make sure that I’m taking care of my feet. A good foot soak with some Dead Sea Salt does wonders for easing the aches and pains of tired feet during pregnancy, postpartum, and life in general. 

7. Bath pillow. One of my favorite ways to relax and destress is to take a nice hot and full bath. But, during my last pregnancy, the tub just seemed so hard. So, I purchased this full-body bath pillow, and it is heavenly. I love that it comes with a nice mesh bag so you can throw your pillow in the washer, as needed.

8. Bath tray. While I’ll admit I like Grace’s Corner and find myself jamming to all those toddler songs, sometimes I want some adult TV. So, when I’m soaking in the tub, I use that time to catch up on my shows. I like having my bath tray to sit my phone on so I don’t have to worry about dropping it in the tub. It’s also convenient for my cup of tea, and bottle of water. Sometimes I’ll even grab myself a snack. Admittedly, before becoming a mom, I found eating in the bathroom disgusting; but now, I’m unbothered, probably because breastfeeding hunger is serious! I do make it a point to clean the entire bathroom before I run my bath though. 

9. Face brush. When I think about self-care, I think about taking care of all of me. My skin was so much clearer when I was using this silicone facial brush and making me a priority. Now that Ava is 6 months—breastfeeding is finally going well, and I’m beginning to get into my new routines—I must re-incorporate time in my schedule for regular grooming. 

10. Manicure kit. My hands are too frequently neglected. I’m honestly embarrassed by the roughness. If I’m not washing dishes, I’m wiping messes, and because I’m breastfeeding every two hours I’m washing my hands that frequently too. Having a manicure kit is nice for grooming. While I always keep my nails low for hygiene, I don’t give myself a full manicure enough. I’m going to run me a bath real soon so I can relax after all this Thanksgiving cooking. And, I’m going to be sure to use my manicure set to show my hands and nails some love.

11. Plush robe. I very rarely have on clothes so having a nice soft warm robe, especially during this time of year is nice. At first, I was just topless most of the time for breastfeeding convenience. But now, Ava is so easily distracted, I often have to retreat to my room where it’s quiet so she can actually focus and nurse. Since I hate sitting in my bed with clothes on, I don’t. So, having something quick to throw on like this nice plush robe is nice.

12. Slippers. I’m kind of a germaphobe. Even before COVID, this was a shoe-free home. So, having comfy slippers to throw on is a must. I have very narrow feet so the slip-on style of slippers never worked for me. And, because during pregnancy and postpartum I tend to always stay hot, I really don’t care for full-coverage slippers as they make my feet sweaty. These thong slippers keep my feet at a nice temperature and the memory foam feels nice to walk around in.

13. Cozy socks. While I wear my slippers 99.9% of the time, sometimes I like to slip my feet into some soft socks. They make me smile, and self-care is all about finding your happiness. But, not soon after I put on some comfy socks, I always end up stepping in something wet. Sometimes it’s just a little water from one of the girls washing their hands and other times they may have actually had a spill that they didn’t clean up all the way. Regardless of the cause, wet socks are never fun. So, I find myself quickly reverting back to my plush slippers. But, if you only have a little baby, you might just get to enjoy these comfy socks. These are nice because they have grips on them so you won’t slip.

14. Back massager. Mama! You gotta get yourself one of these, it will change your life! Those pregnancy aches and pains are no joke and postpartum isn’t any better. Breastfeeding, baby-wearing, and constant cleaning all take a toll on your back. I know some of you have lovely partners that give you daily massages, but, for some of us, getting a massage is like pulling teeth. While there’s no comparison to an actual massage with some nice strong hands, sometimes you may not feel like begging or trying to convince your partner for a massage. Having a massager that you can use 100% by yourself is a game-changer. I got this when I was pregnant with Ava and still use it frequently. This is also an item that others in your home can use as well.

15. Foot massager roller. Ok so you may have noticed, I like Amazon. On top of my chiropractic care and regular in-home massages, when I was pregnant and achy, I went all out and purchased all the things I needed to ease my discomforts. I made it a point to do so because I deserved it, and so do you. I like to use this foot roller when I’m sitting on the sofa and watching Netflix. I used this a lot when I was pregnant.

16. Juicer. Healthy eating is self-care. I feel my best when I fuel my body with healthy foods and drinks. I love juicing because it’s a good way to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. This is actually a purchase for the whole family. I bring the girls in the kitchen with me a lot, and juicing is one of their favorite things to assist with. Our favorite is “ABC Juice” with apples, beets and carrots. We also add some ginger and lemon, it’s delicious.

17. Instapot. This appliance is a lifesaver. OMG, I love this thing. Mine was a gift and probably one of my most favorite gifts ever. It was gifted because of the air fry feature, but, honestly, I use the pressure cooker feature the most. I have three kids, homeschool and run a business, time is not my friend. But, with this Instapot, I can whip up meals in no time. And, absolutely delicious meals. I make lots of soups for my family and my doula clients. I also have cooked whole chickens, roasts, and pots of greens just to name a few. You can honestly cook anything in this multipurpose cooker. 

18. New pots and pans. This is actually what I’m shopping for this Black Friday. I cook all the time, and I’m overdue for some new pots and pans. The ones I have now are non-stick and the non-stick coating is wearing off. We all know that having that coating in your foods is not good for you, at all! To avoid this situation in the future, I’m looking to get some stainless steel pots and pans this go-round. I also considered a cast iron set but I decided to go with a full set of stainless steel and just a few cast iron pieces to add to the ones I already have. 

19. Deep freezer. If you’re in early pregnancy you may be thinking why in the world would I need a deep freezer? But, if you’re postpartum planning and making all your freezer meals, or, if you’ve had your baby and have started with your freezer stash of stored breastmilk, you know exactly why a deep freezer comes in handy. I actually purchased mine during my first pregnancy. This isn’t the exact one that I have but it’s the same size and I honestly don’t know what I’d do without it.

20. Wireless pump. These pumps that you can wear in your bra did not come out until 2018, so they weren’t around for my first baby. And, I wasn’t even aware of them for my second baby. But, I definitely got myself a wearable pump this go-round. I agree with the masses that the suction isn’t as good as a double-electric breast pump. But, it’s perfect for those rare times that I do pump. I really don’t like pumping and prefer to just put my baby to the breast, so, I don’t use my pump often. It is however super helpful when I’m running quick errands or going to appointments. 

21. Nursing bra. Nursing bras are must-have items for breastfeeding moms. My breasts grow a lot during pregnancy so I always make sure the new bras I purchase are nursing bras so I can use them after my baby is born. Nursing bras make nursing in public easy and are also helpful when using your wearable breast pump. Anything that makes mom-life easier is self-care to me.

22. New plant. When I’m feeling down, a nap, a good meal, and a clean house are sure to cheer me up. I find that the energy in my home is instantly more positive when things are in order. And adding a live house plant (or many plants) to a clean home recharges me in a way like nothing else. I love these plants, they are beautiful and don’t require much care. 

I hope you found this list helpful and gained some inspiration for YOUR Black Friday shopping. Don’t forget to make your self-care a priority. Self-care is NOT selfish. By taking care of you, you’re able to show up as your best self for your new baby and other loved ones. 

If you haven’t already, check out our blogs—15 Breastfeeding Essentials for New Moms and 16 Essentials for Introducing Your Baby to Solid Foods—for more shopping inspiration. 

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