Finding a good gift for a new mom is not easy. Are you doubting getting something for the mother or the baby? Rightfully so! Here is why.
Although it sounds very counterintuitive, the best gift you can give a new mom might be a non-baby-related gift. Why? Because after being a “baby carrier” for the last 9 months, she would love to be acknowledged as a person. And after all that hard work, she also deserves something nice.
Interested to learn what you can buy a new mom that that will make her feel like a beautiful woman again? Keep on reading…
The idea for this post came to me after visiting my brother and sister-in-law, who also just had a baby, and organized a little event for all the friends and family. While all the presents were being opened, one thing that stuck out was that only 2 kinds of gifts were being given: stuff for the baby and cool items for the dad.
Yet, despite the mom having just experienced the most exhausting and physically demanding period of her life by carrying and delivering a baby, she didn’t really get anything for herself that day. And although she tried to hide it, you could see the disappointment on her face every time her dad got something.
Afterward, this kept on bothering me, so I did a quick check on Google. And you know what? Many new moms have experienced precisely the same thing, and although they are, of course, happy with the gifts for their baby, it did bother them as well that they didn’t get anything for themselves.
At this point, you are probably thinking, “Ok, got it, the mom deserves a gift as well.” But I have no clue what to buy her! “
Don’t worry, while doing the research I found that when asked, new moms were actually hoping to receive one of four types of gifts.
Want to know what they are? Keep on reading…
#1
Book Her A Pampering Experience
Although both parents don’t have it easy with a newborn baby in the house, moms do have it worse. On top of having to breastfeed every couple of hours, the few hours they are allowed to sleep aren’t so great due to the physical pains left from giving birth.
Add to this the day-to-day diaper changes, screaming fits, and the overall feeling of never being clean again, and you will understand that more than anything, a new mom would love to have a relaxing moment to herself.
Enter, the opportunity for a thoughtful gift!
By booking her a massage, manicure, or pedicure session, you will not only enable her to leave the house but also relax and finally feel beautiful again.
Most local massage parlors and spas will offer gift certificates for any kind of pampering treatment. So you can easily acquire them without too much hassle.
PRO TIP : Align with the dad upfront on the exact date and time of the treatment and book the slot. If you just give a voucher and she needs to reserve the slot herself, the chances are higher that she will feel too guilty and hesitate to make the appointment. This way, she will have to go, no excuses!
#2
Buy Her A Pampering Gift
New moms might not always want to go out of the house, especially if there is nobody else to help them, so giving her something to pamper herself at home is definitely also a good idea.
By doing so, she will still be able to create small, relaxing moments for herself without having to leave the house for a more extended period of time. Even if she cannot take a full hour to herself but only has 10 minutes to treat her skin with a relaxing oil or balm, it will do wonders for her overall state of mind.
Great gifts for pampering are skincare products, comfy clothing, and relaxation items. In a previous post, we already gathered the top 10 relaxation products for her. You will definitely want to check it out if you are looking for inspiration.
PRO TIP : Go for a gift basket rather than a single product. This adds the pleasure of being able to try different products. On top, the presentation of a nicely wrapped gift basket will come across as a “bigger” gift. Trust me, she will love it!
Which pampering products should I put into a new mom gift basket?
It’s perfectly fine to include items for the baby in the gift basket like soaps and creams, but the most important item should be a luxurious spa or pampering gift for the new mother. She will be delighted with your present and will thank you for your thoughtfulness.
You will want to start with the centerpiece product of your gift basket:
- A premium scented candle
- Luxurious hand balm
- Bath salts with essential oils
- Bath Bombs
- Scented Lotions
- Oil Diffuser
Based on your budget, you can add more products. Personally, I would stay away from ‘motherhood survival items’ like lip balms or nipple creams. Although those items can be useful for a new mom, you will score more points if you also add products that will make her feel good.
A good example of a gift basket can include for example diapers, a luxury bath bomb gift set, and an essential oil diffuser. Diapers are always handy for a couple with a newborn baby and aromatic items are great to create a spa feeling at home!
#3
Offer to Babysit Her Child
This might sound too simple, yet you have no idea how difficult it is to find a trustworthy babysitter for a newborn baby.
Even if only for an hour or two, by offering to babysit you will not only allow a new mom to leave the house but moreover dad can come as well. This means they can have a brief moment with just the two of them again, and spend it enjoying something small like they used to do.
Again, it sounds very simple, but one cannot underestimate how much young parents crave those simple moments with just the two of them.
In fact, with all the strain that is being put on a relationship during those hectic, no-sleep first months after the baby is born, a small getaway could do absolute wonders to restore the balance of a healthy relationship.
All you need to do is offer a couple of hours of your time, perhaps top it off by presenting the gesture through a nice little voucher or beautiful card, and you are set to see a couple of beaming mom & dad faces!
PRO TIP: If you want to go the extra mile, you can already add an activity for mom and dad to do. Give them a voucher to try that new Italian restaurant if they love food, or perhaps tickets to the ballet or theater if they used to enjoy those cultural getaways.
#4
A Gift Certificate For Her Favorite Clothes Brand
After a 9 month of pregnancy where nothing fits anymore, followed by a period where it doesn’t matter what she wears because it will get dirty because of the baby, it is an understatement to say her wardrobe will be a mess.
For those few moments where she would love to feel pretty again and reaches for that cute dress or top she used to wear before she got pregnant, she is hit by immediate disappointment as most often pre-pregnancy clothes won’t fit either anymore.
You can see where I’m going with this…
Give her a gift certificate to go out and buy something nice again. Ask dad what her favorite brand or store is, and she will absolutely love the fact that she can go out and go shopping for herself once again.
Pro Tip: Get her best friend(s) in on the gig, and make a full day out of it. She will go shopping with her friends, followed by a nice drink or lunch. She’ll be able to disconnect fully, while finally having something nice to wear again. Two birds, one stone kind of deal.
So there you have it! Although new moms will always love to receive gifts for their babies, I hope you can now agree that sometimes they deserve a little something for themselves as well. And after reading this post, you should be fully set to buy her the perfect thoughtful gift to treat herself!
Share your experience! Did you follow the above advice, or perhaps you went a different route? Please do share your personal experience in the comments below. I will regularly go through them and add the most creative & successful gift ideas to the post. This is so we can all continue to pamper new moms as they rightfully deserve.
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Last Updated on August 7, 2022 by Emily Scott
