There will be lots of people here to help if you need it. Just keep researching and honestly there are alot of things you can get that are not real expensive or things you can have on hand for emergencies. I am so glad my husband does not fight me on anything. I think I just got my third delivery of supplies from lambertvetsupply.com. Check out this website as it is wonderful and the prices are good. Some things I might insist upon having for sure would be some nutri drops, sterile lubricant, calsorb, and puppy formula. I prefer the probiotic puppy formula powder but there are many to choose from. Get some unwaxed dental floss to tie cords, a baby aspirator for clearing fluid, betadine for cords, cut up some towels in 12x12 pieces or I buy 18 white washclothes from walmart for $3 and use them to dry and clean off each puppy, and a heating pad for the whelping box after puppies are born. I consider these items to be a necessity if you are whelping. I also have hemostats, scissors, basically the whole nine yards. After reading the Myra Savant Harris whelping books and puppy critical care books I am also going to invest in an oxygen tank for deliveries and puppy care. I would just tell him that if you are going to do it you should only do it right. Why wait to see if it costs you the life of your dog or a puppy. My husband also built me beautiful whelping boxes with linoleum flooring for ease of cleanup. We have our puppies in our bedroom and lots of times we don't get much sleep for the first few weeks but we wouldn't have it any other way.
Best of luck to you. Have him read a few of the threads on here where things went wrong and the people didn't have the supplies or knowledge needed and he might change his mind!