Best Gifts for New Moms

28 March 2011

 

  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?

11 comments:

April said...

Best list ever! I would have never thought of a few of these until my 2nd baby came along. Oh, friends should NEVER underestimate the power of giving a new Mama (especially of 2) just one hour! Or entertaining the sibling(s) too! I hope get get all of these on your list when your new addition comes along =)

Yostee said...

Thank you so much for posting this! I wish I had it to hand out before my second child was born. I would have put huge emphasis on not calling before stopping by!!!!! I have grandparents from out of state. To this day (my children are 3 and 18 months) when they are in town, they just show up. They blame it on the fact they have no cell phone. It never fails they come during nap time or even worse, just as I am laying them down. I love your blog!!! Thanks so much for all the awesome advice and posts!!!

MommyLisa said...

Oh the DINNER was the best ever. My friend brought me dinner on a night I had my stepkids to feed and no husband to help. It was awesome. I do that all the time, but I just go to Target and get a chicken, rolls, a frozen bag of steamfresh veggies, and a treat...and a six pack of the mother's favorite gatorade if she is breastfeeding. that stuff rocks to keep your supply up.

@JessEsco said...

Amen on the no pest thing. And do not think you're coming to visit me in the hospital unless I've specifically requested your presence. If not? Thanks but pass.

Morgan Owens said...

I agree with all of these..especially the Boppy, love them!

Stacy Kaye said...

This list is PERFECTION! Just last night I ran to the grocery store on my own and I was telling Kevin how much I enjoyed walking in and walking the aisles sloooowwwwllly! He just laughed. It was time on my own! I also LOVE my Boppy! I demanded a new one for baby #2 and I really think it is the best pillow ever!

As for the house cleaning...AMEN! I think one of the best baby gifts you could purchase would be a one time house cleaning. Seriously! Even just little things are awesome though. When Caden was born, my friend came over with dinner and when she left not only had she brought dinner but our towels were folded, our beds made up, and our dishes done! It was AWESOME!

Another thing on my list is a massage! I think that once the baby has arrived and is at a point where mom can leave for just a few hours then a massage is a wonderful gift! I still haven't had one since Jack was born but plan to book one soon! Gets all of those knots from breastfeeding out of the back and neck!

Liz Mays said...

Those are really great tips! I had my mom come and stay with me after my first and it meant so much to me that she did the laundry, the cleaning, the cooking, etc. so that I could just rest and take care of the baby. It was incredibly helpful!

Amy said...

That is a perfectly compiled list! I'll never forget how good it felt to take a shower (without having to rush) or take a much needed nap. And the Boppy -- couldn't have lived without it!!

I can't wait for your little girl to get here! I don't know about about the cooking, taking photos, or not being a pest part, but you can definitely count on me for #7.

Just A Normal Mom said...

That is a fantastic list that I'm going to bookmark for future reference. I remember being so happy to have food prepared for me that I didn't really care what it was, so the meals were a definite plus! And an hour to shower and dry my hair - that would have been divine!

Lindsay said...

After going through this right NOW, I agree agree agree! I would add: don't ask what you can do - just say "I'm GOING to do such and such for you, when is the best TIME?" I say that because I can never think of any one thing I'd like to "bother" other people with...but if it's THEIR idea, by all mean - have at it!! :-)

Jolinar of Malkshur said...

I wish someone had dome some of the things on this list for me when my three kids were born. Instead it was just come over, see the babies and take off. Even when I had mastitis with the first and third, no one ever offered to help me with anything and I had to beg a ride to the hospital with #1 to get to my appointment and antibiotics. Oh well, I'm planning on doing some of these for my SIL when her baby comes in February.

Post a Comment

Thanks so much for taking the time to add your thoughts! Comments on older posts are moderated, so if they don't get published immediately, don't despair.

Related Posts with Thumbnails
*