Babylist Tackles Birth Anxiety With First-Ever Original Podcast

EMERYVILLE, Calif. – January 22, 2026 – Babylist, the dominant e-commerce and registry platform for growing families, today announced a significant expansion of its media strategy with the launch of its first original podcast, Birth with Babylist. The new 11-episode series is designed to cut through the noise of online misinformation and provide expecting parents with free, expert-led guidance on pregnancy, labor, and postpartum recovery.

The move signals a strategic deepening of the company's relationship with its audience, moving beyond its foundational role as a product registry to become a comprehensive educational resource during one of life's most transformative periods. Hosted by journalist and author Jo Piazza, the podcast aims to demystify the birthing process by combining medical expertise with candid stories from real parents.

From Commerce to Content: A Strategic Media Pivot

While best known for its universal baby registry, Babylist has quietly built a media empire that has become its fastest-growing revenue stream. The company, which facilitates over $1 billion in annual gross merchandise value (GMV) and reported more than $500 million in revenue for 2024, is leveraging its massive audience of over 9 million annual shoppers to solidify its position in the $320 billion baby product industry. The launch of Birth with Babylist is a calculated step in this evolution from a retail-focused platform to a full-fledged media and service ecosystem.

This strategy aligns with a broader industry trend where consumer brands are becoming content creators to foster deeper engagement and build trust. By providing valuable, free content, Babylist strengthens its brand loyalty, positioning itself as an indispensable guide for parents from conception through early childhood. The podcast serves as a powerful top-of-funnel entry point into the company's world, which now includes e-commerce, health services, and even a physical showroom in Los Angeles.

"Helping parents be prepared is the heart of what we do at Babylist," said Natalie Gordon, Founder and CEO of Babylist, in a statement. "Birth comes with a lot of decisions, and parents are often expected to make them without clear, accessible education or real context. With Birth with Babylist, we're breaking down those choices, sharing real stories and bringing in trusted experts so families can feel informed and confident advocating for what's right for them."

An Antidote to Online Anxiety

The podcast arrives at a time when expecting parents are inundated with information. Social media feeds and online forums present a dizzying, often contradictory, array of advice, personal anecdotes, and outright misinformation, making it difficult for parents to form their own confident birth plans. Birth with Babylist is positioned as a direct response to this challenge.

The series promises to tackle the questions many are hesitant to ask, creating a safe and informative space for listeners. Episodes will explore topics such as: "Will I know when I'm in labor?" "What do contractions actually feel like?" and "How do I handle an unexpected intervention?" The content is designed not only for the person giving birth but also for their partners, encouraging them to become active and informed participants in the process.

"There's so much information around giving birth that it can feel overwhelming and hard to navigate," said host Jo Piazza, a journalist, author, and mother of three. "Having a baby shouldn't feel like a mystery. Parents and partners deserve to feel informed, supported, and included as they prepare for one of the biggest moments of their lives. We want Birth with Babylist to be as accessible as possible, so it fits into real life and invites partners to be active participants in the birth process."

The Curated Voices of Modern Birth Education

A core component of the podcast's value proposition is its curated lineup of credible and relatable voices. By blending professional expertise with authentic lived experience, Babylist aims to create a more holistic and less intimidating form of birth education.

The series features a roster of trusted medical and mental health professionals, including board-certified OB-GYN Dr. Jennifer Lincoln; labor and delivery nurse and childbirth educator Liesel Teen, the creator of Mommy Labor Nurse; birth educator and RN, IBCLC Lo Mansfield, known as The Labor Mama; and psychotherapist and author Vanessa Bennett. This panel ensures that the information provided is medically sound and grounded in professional practice.

Crucially, these expert insights are interwoven with "real stories from real parents who have been through it." This format of honest conversation is intended to foster a sense of community and shared experience, reminding listeners that they are not alone in their questions, fears, and hopes. The combination of expert authority and peer-to-peer storytelling is a powerful tool for building confidence and empowering parents to navigate their unique birthing journeys.

Building an Ecosystem Beyond the Registry

Birth with Babylist is not an isolated initiative but a key component of the company's broader ambition to support families at every stage. This move into original audio content follows other strategic expansions, such as the 2024 launch of Babylist Health, a service created after the acquisition of telehealth platform SourceMD and the perinatal mental health app Expectful. This service aims to connect families with insurance-covered lactation, nutrition, and mental health support.

By offering a free, high-value podcast, Babylist creates a powerful touchpoint with its audience, building a foundation of trust that can extend to its other commercial and service-oriented offerings. The podcast reinforces the company's mission "to connect growing families with everything they need to thrive," positioning the brand as a central, reliable hub for information, products, and support.

New episodes of Birth with Babylist will be released weekly on Thursdays and are available across all major podcast platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio, ensuring wide and easy access for its intended audience of expecting parents and their support networks.