The Ultimate Gift Guide for New Mom and Baby
Two of my sisters are pregnant and due NEXT MONTH. Ten days apart. It’s the absolute sweetest gift to our whole family and I’ve been doing a whole lot of directing in the baby gift department. One of my most popular posts on the blog is my Hospital Bag Essentials list which has some favorite baby items in it, but I’ve yet to compile a list of my favorite gifts for the new mom and baby. Here are the things I always gift, have received and loved myself or would have loved as a new mom. As always, grab some tea and a pen-gift giving is my love language and I’m sparing no words.
As a pregnant mother I was so thankful to receive every single thing gifted to me. I loved every stuffed animal, every little shoe and bottle and blankie and toy that was sent my way. It meant someone loved me and this baby enough to want to bless us and that in itself was a gift. However, there were gifts that really stood out and they tended to be 1. A gift from another mother sharing something she loved in her own experience 2. Something I really wanted but would never purchase for myself 3. Something “other” than the typical baby gift. I like to gift from those three categories, so that’s our starting point.
The things I loved in my own experience that I know may not be the most exciting but will absolutely be useful and helpful.
A Postpartum Kit: I love to gift a the not so fun items that tend to be overlooked. This isn’t glamorous or cute in any way but MAN will it be put to use. This is great in a little pouch or basket because let’s be real, this particular gift won’t be a looker. Tucks pads, numbing spray, Earth mama healing spray, “mom washer,” disposable or washable nipple pads, sitz bath, “down there” balm, scar balm for a c-section mama and a great stool softener never hurt. I like to give at least 3 of these items no matter what because they may not be cute or soft or snuggly but let’s be real, they’re the real MVP’s!
A Breastfeeding Station Kit: This is a fun one to gift when the baby is here and the nursing has begun. Nursing really sucks the life from you (no pun intended) (…okay, just a little bit intended) in those first few weeks and just knowing someone is thinking of you really helps. An Apple gift card to support the movie-binge, a cute water bottle to remind them to stay more hydrated than ever before, disposable or washable nipple pads, protein bars that don’t have dairy just incase the baby doesn’t tolerate it well, trail mix, dark chocolate, lactation cookies and more lactation cookies, Milk Supply tea and also a great lotion or chapstick because I wasn’t kidding about the dryness.
Both of these kits can be gifted in a cute container that can be used in the nursery or somewhere else in the house like these:
Haaka Manual Breastpump: this miracle contraption catches the letdown on the opposite side while the baby is nursing. It sometimes catches an entire 5oz of breastmilk that otherwise would have just been wasted into a towel (or shirt) and no mom knows how much they need this til’ they’re trying to pump 5oz for date night. This is a phenomenal no-brainer gift if you know the mom is planning on breastfeeding.
Magnetic Baby Pajamas: Let me just say that these were a complete game changer when my babies were little. There is nothing worse than fussing with buttons in the middle of the night so zippers always win but having a few of these magnetic onesies on hand feels like striking gold. I always used to put the kids in these for travel days-whether in the car or on the plane-to make changing as easy as possible.
Kickee Pants Baby Pajamas: If you’ve been around for any length of time at all, you’ll know how I feel about these pajamas. They are the absolute, hands down, no questions asked BEST EVER. There is nothing in the world as soft as this bamboo fabric. I love to gift a pair of these (click the link just to see the hundreds of patterns to choose from) to introduce the mom to how soft and lovely they are. These pajamas washed in Dreft detergent? Try to find something better on this planet. Just try. (Click the link at the start of this to shop. It doesn’t have as many reviews but I chose that one because if you click this one with the 9,559 five star reviews, nearly everything is sold out. Click around the colors for a while- it’s more than worth it to find a 3-6 month one which I recommend!)
Books: Books may not be all that exciting but they do make such wonderful gifts. I love the Bibles and stories friends and family gifted me with a prayer or note written in the front. I like to gift books that have made an impact on our littles or things we enjoyed as a family in hopes that this new baby will enjoy the book just as much as mine did. This is the first Bible we read them cover to cover and as babies, this book and this book were also a big part of our nighttime routine.
Something they want but likely wouldn’t purchase for themselves:
The One-Off Splurge: You know the one. I’m talking about the higher priced special item the baby won’t get all that much wear out of but is so special and precious and makes for the perfect gift. As a first time mom, I fell into the trap that babies need lots of shoes. BABIES DO NOT NEED SHOES. Both my kids were walking by the time they were 10 months old and sure, they needed shoes then but up until that point they are more than fine in booties, socks, and maybe one hideous soft-bottom thing. That doesn’t mean babies don’t look so stinkin’ cute in shoes, though, which is why they make a wonderful gift. I also love to gift special sweaters or cozy things to keep them warm depending on the season.
A Personalized Piece of Jewelry: I gifted my friend who made it clear her new baby was her last baby this necklace with the initials of all four of her children to mark how momentous the occasion was. It also can be a great tradition to gift a new letter with each subsequent child and make that your “thing.” Those necklaces are my favorite gift to give. If I want to gift it before the baby comes, this one tends to be the winner but if it’s a gift I’m giving once the baby is already here, initials and dates can be even sweeter. On another note, if you have a friend who had a miscarriage before this baby, this rainbow necklace would be a beautiful nod to the miracle.
The World’s Best Blanket: I cannot begin to describe the gift this blanket is. I received this from a friend of mine in the weeks before Oshiolema was born and laid it over myself to sleep with-it was just that lovely. It’s no surprise that I wear the robe made in the same fabric by the same company just about every single day of my life now. It’s a bit of a splurge and I wouldn’t have thought to get it for myself but when Keogena was born less than two years later, I bought her one too.
Something besides the typical baby gift:
A Pamper Kit: A gift I love to give a new mom (or any mom in general) is a reminder to rest and recharge. This will have any combination of the following: Makeup wipes for those nights were a full on face wash just isn’t happening, a great bag of bath salts or bubble bath (that one is my favorite to gift because it feels extra special) for the first relaxing bath post-birth, under-eye masks for the nights the baby doesn’t sleep, a wonderful sleep mask to make the most of early morning sleeps after that 4 or 5am feed (BEST EVER) and a face mask or two just for fun. This is possibly the gift that sparks the most excitement when I give it.
A 10ft Phone Charger: Do you know how many times I’d wake up in the middle of the night to feed the baby to find my phone had 5 percent battery? I often fount myself with no phone battery, no access to my charger or stuck sitting uncomfortably near the charger. Don’t let that happen to a new mama you love. This phone charger is the things dreams are made of and will ensure a full charge and silent Story watching is never out of reach!
Acts of Service: These are obviously the best and most important gifts of all. Pray for this new mom and baby and continue to do so once that baby arrives. Regularly ask what she needs specific prayer for and how she needs help-but also, anticipate what those needs are. Bring a meal and leave it on the doorstep. Call and ask what day you can bring her family takeout. Offer to take her older kids for a few hours. Go sit on her couch and hold the baby so she can rest. Serve and love on her like never before in whatever ways you can. That first phase of motherhood marks some of the hardest and most beautiful moments of our lives-seek to be a blessing.
There you have it! These are my tried and true favorites for any mom or new sweet baby and I hope you’re able to use this list to make someone in your life feel extra loved!
My favorite places to get Baby Gifts:
Anthropologie Beauty/Wellness and Kids/Baby Shop
