Four months into being a mom, I’m contemplating the perfect gifts for new moms. Anybody who is a new mom for the first time will probably agree that baby clothes are the number one gift they get.
I was inundated with numerous outfits for the various stages of babyhood. Don’t get me wrong – it’s a welcome gift as baby clothes can be expensive and he/she grows so fast.
But what about mom herself? What kind of unusual but thoughtful gifts for new moms should you consider?
When our baby boy arrived, we had much support from family and friends. Gifts of clothing and toys, and even diapers, were extremely useful.
Getting them saved us a trip to the store. But there were a few that I would have loved to receive to make me feel alive again (I was Zombie Mommy for about 2 months).
I’ve pulled together a list of thoughtful gifts for new moms that are perfect for a baby shower or after the baby is born.
Gifts For New Moms That Pamper And Offer Escape
The lack of sleep and scheduled feedings take a toll on the body and mind. I, like many new moms, craved a moment to myself. My husband gifted me with a shopping excursion and a few hours of pampering at the hair salon (I went blonde!). Consider some of these gifts for a new mom to get back to feeling good about herself. They do help chase the baby blues away.
- A gift certificate to a hair salon or nail salon as well as the offer to babysit while she has her appointment. Keep it simple considering the maximum amount of time she can take away from her baby.
- Give her time and money for a shopping excursion to purchase new a few key clothes such as a few nursing bras, comfortable tops that work for breastfeeding if she’s feeding her baby this way, or a new pair of shoes for her wider feet. Babysit while she escapes for a few hours to shop away.
- If mom doesn’t want to or can’t leave the home, provide her with a gift basket of high-end bath products, shampoo and conditioner. Makeup such as a nice mascara, lipstick, nail polish and a manicure/pedicure set also make for great ‘pick-me-up’ gifts. Visit and watch the baby while she pampers herself.
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Gifts For New Moms That Entertain
One of the best gifts for new moms is a fun one – entertainment! Late-night feedings that last anywhere from 20 minutes to almost an hour can be boring if you have not much else to do.
During the late-night feedings and breast pumping sessions, I often watched TV to keep myself entertained.
Being on maternity leave can also cause ‘cabin fever’. Gifts that entertain and help pass the time alone are always welcome. The only side effect can be binge-watching!
- Netflix and my favourite, Crave TV, are some of the streaming offerings available that offer numerous popular TV shows and films. Purchase a subscription for a new mom so that she can enjoy her favourite series. Package the subscription with a gift basket of snacks.
- iTunes cards are amazing gifts because mom can choose to purchase her favourite TV series, movies, books, music, apps and so on.
- For Jane Austen fans and those who love period pieces, Amazon has a great selection of BBC-produced series (search for BBC series to see a number of modern and older series) in DVD and Blu-Ray format.
- For the mom who wants to record everything, a high-quality notebook and pen are a fantastic gift. There are many options out there for cute, flowery notebooks and pens. Make it pretty.
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Gifts For New Moms That Soothe
As my little guy started growing heavier, I noticed certain muscles in my back that I never knew existed. They were aching!
Mom needs soothing too. While the postpartum pains will fade, new ones will pop up over time. Add sleeplessness and you have perfect conditions for one grumpy mommy. I love the idea of gifts that relieve pains and stress.
Here are a few more unusual gifts for new moms that soothe:
- A Magic Bag (available in Canada) is wonderful on sore neck muscles due to carrying baby around (got one from my in-laws before baby arrived and it’s been awesome!).
- If you can’t get your hands on a Magic Bag, consider gifting her with a shiatsu neck massager. Those shoulder and neck muscles get a workout holding baby for hours.
- Comfortable slippers with arch supports are also a welcome gift for all that running around the house.
- An eye mask for better naps during the day when the baby is asleep, along with a comfortable nursing pyjama set, is a welcome gift.
- Consider booking a 15 to 30-minute at-home massage session. There are specialists who can do house calls, including those who have easy to set-up chair massages focusing on the back muscles.
- A cute mom-themed t-shirt or sweater makes for a fun gift.
- For moments of private me-time, a bath kit including bath salts, a bath caddy and essential oils with a diffuser are a perfect gift.
These are only some of the gifts for new moms, that I wish I had received. There are many more that fit specific likes and hobbies.
You may consider colouring books for stress relief! The most important thing to consider is how will this gift make the new mom’s life just a bit easier during a sometimes difficult adjustment period.
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Don’t Forget About Dad
Dads deserve something nice as well. After all, many of them wake up in the middle of the night with mommy to help quiet baby, feed and change him or her.
- Consider a his and hers eye mask set along with earbuds to muffle baby’s cries.
- A lavender sachet can seem girly, but if you can do it yourself, place dried lavender in a simple, masculine-looking sachet to place under his pillow.
- Dads also deserve massages, especially if they are helping to lug around baby in his/her car seat, or doing regular runs to the store for diapers and groceries.
- Get Dad high-quality coffee, pre-ground so that he can brew good coffee for himself and mom. Gift the coffee with fancy mom and dad coffee cups. Also great and convenient is a pour-over carafe for their very own at-home coffee bar.
| Related: Cool Gifts For Fathers Day 2018
| Related: What Moms Really Want For Mother’s Day 2020
QUESTION: What are some gifts for new moms that you’ve given?
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14 Comments
I haven’t been a new mom in a while as my boys are teenagers. But one of the main things I remember about being a new mom was that all the attention was focused on the baby. It was like, “wow your pregnant and the center of the universe” to “what? you’re still here”. I think this post was a great idea. Although babies are great, taking care of yourself is also important. Not to mention, if you have a full-time career you won’t get a lot of time with yourself of your baby after you return to work. The weeks I took off after having my sons was a time I spent learning about myself and figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. As a new mom, I would’ve liked to use that time to take a few extra classes (for personal growth as well as new motherhood) or to go out on a date. Date night is extremely important after children. Anyway, thank you for this post.
I love this post. Great ideas and suggestions. We get so focused on the new baby and what he/she needs that we often forget about the mommy and daddy.
I have like 4 friends who became new moms this year and this post is perfect! I want to make sure the gift is not only pretty but also something they can definitely use! Eyeing that magic bag as one of the options, thank you for this :)
Awesome! The magic bag is in Canada but there are similar ones in the US.
Great list! YES on the mani-pedi. That will always be my favorite gift :) Bonus if the salon has a wine bar :)
I have to find this kind of salon in my area. I truly need a little mom me time break that includes a nice glass of wine! Great idea.
An at home massage is such a blessing and wonderful gift for new moms! A hot pack sounds great as well, I had so many sore muscles and aches after delivery.
Yes!!! Those muscles got a workout at birth.
What a great list of gifts for new moms. I’m not a new mom but I need the magic bag!
The magic bag or anything similar is a Godsend! I use mine so much, especially since my son is a big 3 year old and loves to roughhouse.
This is great! A hot meal is my go to gift for a new mom!
It’s probably the best thing ever. No cooking is a huge time saver.
This is such a good list of gifts for new moms! I have never seen that magic bag before but I’m pretty sure I need one!
Hi Heather, thank you! The magic bag is made in Canada. There are probably similar heating bags in the US. Comfort Bags would be a similar type of heating bag.