5 Must-Have Gifts for New Moms

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Every time I got pregnant (especially in those final weeks), my friends and neighbors would ask me if I needed anything. But after three kids, we had all the baby stuff we could possibly need. Here’s a little list of five must-have “gifts” for new moms — either experienced or first-timers. These are things Mama probably won’t ask for, but really could use!

1. Sleep

New mama is tired. She wants and needs a nap, but she’s probably too proud to ask for one or even agree to one. So offer to hold the baby and let her curl up on the couch while the two of you watch some trashy tv. Odds are she’ll fall asleep, and wake up in a much better mood!

2. Food

She may or may not be getting fed by her church/neighborhood, but frozen meals are always appreciated. Especially a couple of weeks after baby is born — when she is still tired and recuperating, but the brought meals may have already waned. Or even those last couple of weeks before she gives birth . . . I guarantee she doesn’t feel like cooking! If you don’t have time for a frozen meal, get her to text you her order and pick her up a meal from her favorite restaurant on your way over. Don’t forget about breakfast and lunch items. Sometimes some pre-cut fruit or muffins is just what she needs!

3. A Clean House

If you want to really splurge (or go in on it as a group gift), watch Groupon and other deal sites for cleaning service deals. New moms often want to nest and clean in the weeks leading up to the baby’s arrival but are too tired (and ginormous) to actually carry out all the tasks. For example, the night before my daughter was born, I insisted that we go to Target and buy a mop. I just had to have one, even though I went into labor and never got to use it before my baby arrived! Surprising Mama with a clean house during her hospital stay is a great and much-appreciated gift! If you can’t splurge on a maid service, helping with laundry (think about all those little onesies to wash!), dishes, vacuuming, or dog walking will also make you a hero!

4. Kid-sitting

If your new mama has other kids (or pets), this is a great idea as well! Offering to take the kids out for a couple of hours will be much appreciated. Mama can then get some much-needed bonding time with baby — something that’s really hard to do with constant visitors and siblings vying for attention! I recommend taking the kids somewhere for an experience with you, a memory. Don’t bring over the latest and messiest art project or noisy toy to spoil the kids with, and then leave shortly after . . . the kids will NOT entertain themselves with it, and most likely, will bug Mama even more for assistance with it. Instead, take them to the park, pool, museum, etc. Anywhere out of the house!

5. Pampering

Now that Mama has yet another responsibility in the house, odds are she is neglecting herself just a tad bit more. Not to say that she’s turning into a bum, but there are only so many hours in a day, right? So a gift certificate to a spa/pedicure/haircut (with babysitting, of course!) will earn you instant Brownie Points. For a free alternative, just watch the baby and instruct her to take a long shower. Encourage her to have some alone time upstairs to pamper herself!