A New Mom Gift Basket is a great after-birth gift idea! In fact, it might be one of the best ways to support the soon-to-be new mother in your life. But what to put in it? If you haven’t given birth in a few years (or at all!) you might not know what a new mom needs. Don’t worry – I got you covered! Basically, I will help you prepare the ultimate gift basket to welcome and support this new mother.
How is this possible? After giving birth myself, I kept track of every gift or item that I found to be useful, necessary, or just relieving. Or what I wished I had while I was healing. I’m hoping that you can take these ideas and offer another new mother a little bit of love and support! Because every new mom deserves it (even if it’s not their first child!).
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New Mom Gift Basket | After Birth Gifts Ideas
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- Massage Gift Certificate
This was one of my most favorite gifts that I received at my baby shower. New mothers in the postpartum period have a lot of strain on their bodies. They are carrying a new little baby everywhere. If they are nursing, they are in this new and uncomfortable position around the clock. Not to mention all of the bending down that they do when picking up and setting down their baby, any dropped items, etc. - A much-needed break
A massage is also just a nice excuse to leave the house and take a break from parenting. New mothers don’t get many breaks, especially ones outside of the house. I had no idea just how wonderful this massage gift certificate would be. I even managed to squeeze TWO massages out of that one gift certificate! - Facial
Skincare takes a backseat when you are so overwhelmed with caring for a new life. All of your hormonal changes during this time can make your skin do weird things. Weird things that you don’t know how to care for on your own! If you are in the Seattle area, I highly recommend checking out the talented and knowledgeable Esthetic Society for a one-of-a-kind, customized facial! - Spa Gift Certificate
Sensing a theme? Some much-needed pampering can help rejuvenate new mothers. Their cups are empty enough as it is (see The Postpartum Period for more info) and a day at the spa might be just what they need to replenish their cups. Hot stone massages, pedicures, mud baths, etc. Sign her up! - Coffee or tea
New moms are tired. Like next level tired. They are up all night feeding their baby. As for sleeping when the baby sleeps? They are too busy tending to their healing bodies, refueling with food, or attempting to clean. We need caffiene STAT. Even a Starbucks gift card helps!
Pro tip: Keurig Pods are soooo much easier than messing with french presses, pour-overs, or regular coffee pots. - Journal
There are so many emotions and new experiences happening for the new mom in your life. A journal with guided prompts (like this one) helps their mom brain work through some of those difficult moments without a little extra help! - Gift Cards for Food Delivery
Places like DoorDash, UberEats, or GrubHub are great options. Just make sure to research which delivery service is available in their area! - Meal Train
This website is great for arranging a meal train for the new mother in your life. They are already so busy working to feed their little ones that they won’t have much time to feed themselves! Rally support (and meals!) from their loved ones. - Grocery Store Gift Card
These can be for pick up but better yet if they offer delivery. If not, you might consider being the one to pick up their grocery order! Walking through a grocery store with a new baby while your body is still healing is not fun. This will be a lifesaver for them! - Printable Coupons
While we are on the subject of offering a grocery run… Use these printable coupons as a way to offer your services during this busy and challenging time for new moms. Offering to take care of tasks, such as laundry, vacuuming, or just holding their baby for an hour so they can shower or nap. - Coupons that Offer Additional Support
I had my baby at one of the worst times during the pandemic (read more about that here). And was on an island with very strict travel restrictions. This prevented me from having any help and it added to my postpartum anxiety and depression. These tasks may seem small or simple, but new moms don’t have time to keep up with everything (nor should they be doing it alone!). - Maternity Robe
I spent a lot of time in my robe after giving birth. It was cozy, easy to breastfeed in, and would provide enough coverage for any unexpected guests.
- Cute Loungewear
Learning to love my new postpartum body was a challenge. I wasn’t quite the size of my pregnant body and definitely not back to pre-pregnancy clothing yet. Having some new cute clothing really helped me work through those body image issues. I recommend loungewear because who wants to wear real pants durng their maternity leave?! - Skincare Items
As I mentioned earlier, postpartum hormone changes can do some crazy stuff to our skin! Buying a nice moisturizer (this one is my favorite!) or hydrating mist can help to work through some of these new changes. Even a good eye cream can help hide the fact that they aren’t getting any sleep. - Face Masks
Who doesn’t feel better after a good face mask?! This one is affordable, long-lasting, and amazingly moisturizing! I use it in the shower for a quick mask. You also can’t go wrong with sheet masks! - Nail stickers
I am still using these nail stickers because they are so fast and convenient! No one has time for nail polish to dry when you have a newborn that could wake up any minute and will need you right away. My go-to time for applying these was while my husband was driving us around! It’s that quick and easy. - Slippers or cozy socks (with grippy bottoms!)
My feet got cold walking around at night when my newborn woke up (and they wake up often!) - Pillow spray
Finding a relaxing and comforting scent, such as lavender, can help to make bedtime a lot more calming. She won’t be getting much sleep, so anything that can help is great! - Thermal mug
No more cold coffee!! As a new mom, it’s all too easy to make a cup of coffee in the morning and not be able to drink it while it’s still too hot. Fix that with a good, solid, thermal mug. - Shower bombs
Although sharing is hardly self-care (it’s a basic need!), showers provide a quick and relaxing break for new mothers. It’s a moment to step away from all of the postpartum demands and be able to wash away the stress. You can find aromatherapy shower bombs such as these labeled for Calm and Relief. - Donut cushion
Depending on how well you know the new mom, a donut cushion is a huge source of relief for a lot of new moms. Because let’s be real – healing from delivery is painful. I’ve mentioned this item in my list of Postpartum Care Must-Have Items. It is one of the items that helped me the most and one of the items that most moms don’t know they need! - Dry shampoo
I have mentioned it before and will mention it again, new moms do not shower as much as they want (or should!). Anything that helps them feel refreshed and clean is a win in my book. Coffee and dry shampoo literally held my life together during the first few months of motherhood. - Body wipes
Postpartum or not – these are a lifesaver. Consider getting yourself some too. That is all. - Hand cream
Between all of the diaper changes, spit-ups, and feedings, new moms are constantly washing their hands. Add some messed-up hormones into the mix and you have the perfect recipe for dry hands! Really good hand cream can help with that. You might even consider this Burt’s Bees gift set for dry hands. - Face wipes
Have I mentioned that new moms don’t get to shower enough? - Kindle subscription or gift card
Reading really helped me get through some of the late-night nursing sessions and long days at home alone. It gave me an opportunity to unwind while the baby was napping. - Freezer meals
I wished I had stocked up on more of these before my baby was born. They were so handy after a long day of caring for a newborn. Not needing to worry about shopping for meals, putting them together, or cooking was truly something special. Here is a list of 150 Freezer Meals to choose from!
- Eye masks
Yes, the ones to hide under-eye bags are great, but I’m talking about eye masks for daytime naps. Because there will be so many night wakings, there will be a lot of day sleeping. Having a good eye mask that can help to block out daylight can really help to promote good sleep! - Body Armor Drinks
This is great for all postpartum moms but a necessity for breastfeeding or pumping mamas. Body Armor drinks have been said to help keep milk supply up (I have noticed a difference in using it while breastfeeding as well!). - Cute water bottle
Along the same lines as Body Armor drinks, all new moms need to stay hydrated! Buying them a cute water bottle will help to motivate them to keep drinking their water throughout the day. This motivational water bottle even has markings on the bottle reminding them to drink a certain amount each hour! - Snacks
…on snacks on snacks on snacks. Anything easy to eat, packed with nutrients, and yummy! And if they are breastfeeding or pumping? Add more snacks. They are most likely insatiable. - Tasks
Honestly, just showing up (and I don’t mean unannounced!) for them is one of the best things you can do. Offering to hold their baby, do a load of laundry, pick up groceries, or give them a break can take a load off of them.
- Mom Friends
Peanut is a really great (and completely free!) app for making mom friends. It matches you with other moms in your local area based on if you are trying to conceive, your stage of pregnancy (or the age of the child), and your personal interests. I’ve made some wonderful mom friends through that app.
As a new mom, building your “mom tribe”, as silly as it sounds, can help you in motherhood. Having other strong mothers who can relate to your experiences will keep you from feeling alone in the challenges of motherhood. Sometimes just hearing another mother validate your feelings is enough to keep you sane on the hardest of days.
Suggest that the new mom in your life check out the Peanut App to help her expand her local support system. It really does take a village to raise a child (and keep a new mom sane!). - Honest Motherhood
Give this new mom the gift of honest motherhood. How? By sharing this blog. I do my best to be raw, vulnerable, and honest about the motherhood experience. You won’t find any sugar-coating here – just gentleness. All too often, these new mothers (myself included!) are surrounded by perfect Instagram shots and stories from people wanting to be the perfect mom. That doesn’t serve new mothers. - Resources That New Mothers Need
New mothers need to be prepared for The Postpartum Period. They need to know How Motherhood Changes You, The Challenges and Struggles of Motherhood, and How Motherhood Empowers You. It’s my ultimate goal to be the motherly figure, sister, or friend that new moms need. I have built an entire online community filled with support for new moms. And I would be honored if you shared my blog with them
Don’t Forget Dad!
- Robe
There won’t be a lot of venturing out of the house for a while, might as well have something comfy on hand! This also helps him cover his boxers from any unexpected visitors. - Eye mask
Because it’s not just the moms who are losing out on sleep! - Thermos
To help keep his coffee hot (and drinks cold!).
You’ve Got a Friend in Me
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