Best Gifts for New Moms

 

1. An Hour.

   New moms generally are operating on zero sleep.  This is especially true for new moms with older children because your attention isn’t just on the new baby.  The sweetest thing my mom did for us as soon as we came home from the hospital with Finn was to come over so that Dave and I could lay down in our bed together {after 5 days of uncomfortable sleeping apart at the hospital} and take a very much needed nap.  I’m hoping she volunteers for this again when baby girl arrives!  Maybe your new mom needs an hour to just get out of the house.  Maybe she needs an hour to take a really long hot shower and blow dry her hair.  Maybe she needs an hour to go out to dinner with her husband.  Whatever she might need that hour for, offer it.

2. Boppy.

   This was by far my favorite baby product, it is at the top of my list.  Finn is soon to be four and he has used it every single day of his life.  It’s great for moms that have had a c-section because it doesn’t squeeze and it offers support while holding the baby.  It’s great for nursing.  It’s great for holding the baby if you bottle feed.  It’s also great for balancing during that wobbly learning to sit up unassisted phase.  Finn still uses it every night as his pillow and loves how it curls around him.  He’s so attached I bought a new one for baby girl.  I’ve used it for naps and it’s surprisingly comfortable. 

3. Food.

   I have written before about how I love taking dinners to new moms.  If you can cook there are endless ideas, shoot the new parents an email a few weeks before their due date and give them a list of choices to be sure they will love the meal.  If you’re going up to the hospital, the new parents might love a sandwich from their favorite deli just to avoid hospital food.  If you’re not a great cook or you’re unsure about what your new mom likes to eat, why not put together a breakfast basket?  Include items like English Muffins or Bagels, coffee, tea, jam, fresh fruits, Nutella, pancake mix, syrup, bottled juices, and other great items for a quick breakfast.  Or a how about a snack basket with nuts, crackers, fruit, and other easy snacks?  How about a gift card to their favorite pizza place, favorite takeaway place, or even to a market like Trader Joes or Fresh Market that has yummy ready-to-go items? 

4. Photos.

   I will preface this with, I am not even close to being a photographer, but one of my favorite things to do for new moms is to get some great shots of the new baby to give to the new parents.  As a new mom, I was always forgetting to get photos of Finn and they change so much those first couple months.  I especially treasure the ones of all three of us together as a new family that different people captured in those first few weeks.  You could always get them a session with a local photographer who specializes in child photography too.

5. House Cleaning.

   Either do this yourself if you’re close to the new parents or hire a service for a month or two of house cleaning.  When I was sick in November, Dave’s grandma did this for us and it was SO appreciated.  Come over and throw a load of laundry in.  Clean out the fridge.  Vacuum.  Change the sheets on the bed.  Clean the bathroom.  Take the garbage out.

6. Don’t be a pest.

   It should go without saying that {even if you are a new grandparent or other close relative} just stopping by without calling first is incredibly rude in those first few weeks.  New parents are often inundated with visitors and are sleep deprived, you don’t know if you’re interrupting precious sleep time.  Sometimes the biggest gift you can give to them is not being a pest.

7. Entertain the Siblings.

   This one is a biggie.  New moms are often trying to establish a routine with the new baby and still devote enough time to the siblings.  They often feel overlooked with the new baby around.   Why not pick them up for an afternoon at the park, a walk around the neighborhood, a trip to the zoo, a movie matinee, or another fun activity?  It gives the new mom a few hours alone with the baby and it makes the sibling feel special.

What are your favorite new mom gifts?  What did you most appreciate in those days and weeks after having your own baby?