What do 10,000 steps a day, Michelin star restaurants, and feeding you baby have in common?

Marketing.

Yep, that’s right. The idea that you need to walk 10,000 steps a day? Not science—marketing. A 1960s Japanese pedometer company created it as a catchy slogan, and it stuck. The Michelin star system? It was developed by a tire company to encourage people to drive more (and wear out their tires faster).

And breastfeeding? From milk supply to baby sleep to feeding methods, you are being marketed to.

➡️ Your milk supply: One day, it’s a tea. The next, a cookie. Then a supplement. The underlying message? Your body isn’t enough on its own—which, for the vast majority of parents, is simply not true.
➡️ Your baby’s sleep: Special weighted sleep sacks, “magic” swaddles, and promises of longer stretches—often based more on fear than actual evidence.
➡️ How you feed your baby: Bottles designed to mimic the breast (but often don’t), formula marketing that plays on guilt or exhaustion, and products that convince you you need more than just your body and your baby.

Does this mean every product is bad? Nope. Some things make life easier! But it’s worth asking:
✅ Is this product solving a real problem, or one I’ve been told I have?
✅ Is there actual evidence behind it, or just really good marketing?
✅ Is this making me feel more confident—or more dependent?

The truth? Your baby needs you more than they need “stuff.” And while marketing isn’t going anywhere, your intuition is stronger than any ad campaign.

What marketing did you fall for that was a waste?

#babystuff #babyshowergift #breastfeedingsupport