Right now, I am 22 weeks pregnant. And even though I’ve been a birth and postpartum doula for the past six years — supporting someone through an experience and experiencing it yourself — two very different things.

One thing I really didn’t expect to take up so much space in my pregnancy brain has been my registry. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. In some ways, it’s exciting, like making a birthday or Christmas wish list (which I’ve never really done either, lol). In some ways, it’s overwhelming and frustrating. What do I want on this list? What do I need? How do I stay minimal? And stay realistic?

Sucked into this vortex of parent-and-baby-commercialism — how can I maximize this opportunity for more than just… buying stuff?

Asking myself that question while looking at the first draft of my list, I thought, “I know there are more Black-owned businesses out there offering some of these same things, that have way less promotion.”

So that led me down this rabbit-hole, looking to discover Black-owned businesses to add to my registry. Here are just some of the items I found + where you can find them!

Why does it matter to support Black-owned, you ask? Here’s a good read.

Cosmo Ring Sling
MY PEEKABOO

I absolutely adore this rich burnt orange baby carrier. Some baby carriers just look like baby carriers, but this looks like something you could even wear as a statement piece off of the ring. Beautiful and versatile. I continued to fall in love as I learned that each ring sling is handmade in Baltimore by moms. I was really surprised to read that this company was founded by Sakia Stewart in 2020 — so recently! — who gave birth to her daughter that same year!

Sunrise Swaddle
THE ROOTED BABY CO

Opening the shop window for The Rooted Baby Co was like a breath of fresh air. I love their sheet and swaddle patterns so much. They are colorful, and the designs are so fitting for little ones, but I can also appreciate their beauty as a grown-up and I can enjoy seeing them draped over my bed or sofa (or floor or laundry bin lol). I actually have multiple swaddles on my registry.

The Rooted Baby Co was started by Alfreda Abena, who created the brand to celebrate and share her Ghanaian culture with her children and families all over.

Reusable Breastmilk Storage Bags
JUNOBIE

I hope to mostly breastfeed, but I know I’m going to want to be able to take a little break once in a while, so I knew I would need to look into some milk storage options. I actually discovered Junobie while watching Shark Tank with my husband. We were both so excited watching Nickey represent her brand and get a shark deal! What drew me immediately to this product was that Nickey created a sustainable, safe, and more convenient way to store milk. And when I looked up reviews online, I saw lots of people confirming all those points were true for them.

Handwoven Changing Basket
DESIGN DUA

My husband can attest to the fact that I really love baskets. Arguably a little too much. Nevertheless, I could not resist Design Dua’s absolutely gorgeous woven baby products. Because I already knew I wanted a cosleeper versus a bassinet, the changing basket felt like the perfect way to add this brand to my postpartum space.

Design Dua was founded by Coretta Owusu, who is also a lawyer and an advocate. She aims to create opportunities for the rural artisans in Africa who create these products with her.

Lion Doll
YINIBINI BABY

This lion doll just looked so so sweet as I was browsing through the Yinibini Baby store. I could immediately imagine it being carried and snuggled and tossed (with love) around the house by our tiny little human.

Yinibini Baby was created by Soyini, who began the brand after graduating college, inspired by her great aunt Jean who was a seamstress and her uncle Reggie, who curated a vibrant garden full of color and texture, in Guyana, South America. Yinibini also sells clothes, sunglasses, books, bibs, and more!

Sunshine Teether
PRETTY PLEASE TEETHERS

I became aware of Pretty Please Teethers through a partnership bundle they have with The Rooted Baby Co! When I went to their site, I was just filled with glee. I love the colors, and the styling. The vibe is minimal and warm and all-around lovely. The sunshine teether stood out right away, and I’m sure I’ll be back in future months for their dinnerware sets and more.

Pretty Please Teethers was created by Kelli — while she was on bed rest with Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG, or severe morning sickness) during her pregnancy with her youngest. The majority of PPT products are handcrafted in Utah with local parents in the community.

Baby Skincare Essentials
COCOLENE

I learned of Cocolene through my husband, who met founders Sajata and her husband Jose at a trade show. A few months ago, we traveled to meet them and their five children — ages 4 to 13 — on their farm in North Carolina, where they live with 2 horses, over 30 chickens, 3 dogs, 2 cats, and a turtle! — And where, as a family, they produce the organic, natural skincare products Sajata formulates. It. Was. Amazing! Previously a model, Sajata started Cocolene after struggling to find a safe and effective eczema treatment for her son and has been making organic skincare + wellness products ever since.

I’ve used Cocolene since about my third month of pregnancy — from head to toe. I use the stretch mark oil on my belly and chest almost daily, sometimes twice in a day. I loooove the smell. And how I feel after. Though honestly I won’t really mind if/when I do see a stretch mark, it really just feels good to know my skin is being well taken care of. I’m confident Cocolene will take wonderful care of my baby’s skin too.

Little Lingo: A Language Book for Kids
MONTESSORI IN COLOR

I could totally imagine reading this little lingo book to my baby from an early age. As I’m looking more into Montessori, I’ve been attracted to how educational and mentally stimulating the related crafts, activities, toys, and decor are for little ones. In this online store, I found all of that educational value intertwined with diversity and representation.

I couldn’t find the names of the creators of this business on the website, but their “About Us” page confirmed that it’s owned by Black parents who share those values.

Wooden Baby Gym
LITTLE NOMAD

*UPDATE* New addition to the list on 03.18

Just after I finished getting a trim + condition in downtown Richmond — I’m walking to my car and I remember that I’m not that far away from this really lovely baby and children’s store and I think — “Wait a minute, that’s a Black-owned store, too!”

So when I get back home I look them up and I’m browsing through their IG and I see this adorable, modern, minimal baby play gym (hanging pieces sold separately). I look back at my list and I’m like — yep, this is totally going on here.

Little Nomad was created by parents Anthony and Nora Bryant. Nora is an early childhood special education teacher and Anthony has an extensive retail background. The name “Nomad” is actually almost an acronym of all the names in their family — Nora, Myka, Anthony, Devan.

While the above brands are the ones I’ve included in my registry, there are plenty more Black-owned businesses in the baby and parenting space! Here’s a short list of some others that I’m aware of:

ADE + AYO | The Yoruba (Nigerian language) words for “crown” and “joy,” — this brand creates vibrant, beautiful African-inspired clothing, toys and accessories for littles — very affordably! They also just got a deal on Shark Tank this month!!

LITTLE MUFFINCAKES | Founded by mom and grandma Debra Raney in 2017, inspired by the need for more representation in merchandise for infants and small children. Shirts, bibs, blankets, onsies — all seriously adorable.

SHINE CLOTH | Black sewn and Black-owned cloth diapering! These cloth diapers have beautiful designs that truly do shine — Created by Deja, inspired by her baby, Jay.

MYLK BY COOKIE | Created by Cookie Abamu, a breastfeeding mom, retired pastry chef, full-spectrum doula, and IBCLC. Combining her grandmother’s oatmeal cookie recipe with proven natural lactation ingredients, she creates cookies that support milk production!

MODERN MAMA | Truly visually pleasing baby dinnerware with a modern and natural vibe created by mom of two, Taira. I am absolutely in love with their speckled collection.

That’s all for now! Curious about what else is on my registry? I’ll be sharing more in upcoming posts!