Post-Partum Gift Basket Ideas For New Moms
Your friend just had a baby, but she seems to have everything. The multiple baby showers, gifts from co-workers, and impulse purchases made while perusing the baby isle, have ensured that she will want for nothing. But what do all of these things have in common? They are for the baby.
Pregnant women rarely think of themselves, especially after the birth of a child, so let’s make sure these women are getting the post-partum love they deserve. Putting together a postpartum kit is a great way to show her she’s still a priority, even when caring for a new baby.
Best Pants Ever
Two words. Compression leggings. After having three children, the best thing I ever had was a great pair of compression leggings. Postpartum life is full of its own struggles, but your clothes not fitting is a big one. If you’re trying to keep your gift basket simple, you can always stick with traditional leggings (because they will surely be worn), but if you are willing to drop some extra cash on that deserving momma, then compression leggings are the way to go. One pair that is worth the extra money is the ‘Mother Tucker’ made by Belly Bandit. Coming in at around $80, these may seem expensive for a postpartum gift basket, but they can be worn far beyond postpartum life, making them a great gift idea. You can check them out on amazon here.
Self-Care Essentials
Who doesn’t love a gift basket that is all about you? When shopping for a new mom, think of things that may fall by the way side; the biggest being sleep. Puffy, tired eyes are a tell-tale sign that a mother has had an all- nighter, so what better way to show her you care than to include Under Eye Patches. These little life savers not only feel great but can reduce puffiness. You can pick them up for as little as $10. But I recommend these LA PURE patches from amazon. So throw a few of these in there and keep shopping.
A great water bottle is a much more convenient way of staying on top of hydration. While breastfeeding, staying hydrated is essential, so including a great water bottle that keeps her water cold will come in handy during those late-night breastfeeding sessions. Check out the hydro flask from amazon.
Daily Shower? Only if you’re lucky. For days when she wants to go out but hasn’t had the time to wash her hair, throw in a can of dry shampoo. You can get a can for as little as $5 from your local drug store. You can also find dry shampoo on amazon here.
Milk and Cookies
When I had all three of my babies, one thing that I had on hand was a batch of lactation cookies. What a gem to have in a postpartum gift basket! They taste good, are full of yummy ingredients, and help with lactation.
With a new baby, most mothers don’t want to whip up a batch of cookies, much less head to the store to buy all of the ingredients, so making it easy for her is just plain thoughtful. Pinterest has loads of ideas for lactation bars and cookies that can be pre-made or have the ingredients pre-mixed in a mason jar with instructions.
If making lactation cookies just isn’t your thing, Mother Milk Tea is available at Target for $5, keeping it affordable and thoughtful.
Keeping it Cool
Let’s talk about postpartum sweating. It may sound unpleasant, but try experiencing it for weeks while your body recovers from pregnancy and delivery. Something I made sure to always have was a small fan by my bed. Some of those late-night nursing sessions had me drenched in sweat, but my trusty fan would make sleeping much more pleasant when I was so hot.You may not want a bulky fan that plugs in, but you can always purchase a clip-on fan like this one from amazon.
The fan works wonders, but so do cool pajamas. A lightweight pajama set with a stretchy waistband and oversized shirt will ensure that those postpartum sweats don’t keep them from the little bit of sleep they get in those first couple of months. I recommend these pajamas from amazon.
Hot Meals
Hot meals saved my life! Once I was on my second child, the thought of cooking was absolutely dreadful. Chasing a toddler, nursing a baby, doing the laundry; the list goes on. After all of this, I relished the thought of someone bringing me a meal. There are a few options when it comes to providing a meal.
The first is obvious; cooking it from scratch. Many people do this, and man, those are some of the best meals. You could also use DoorDash, Grubhub, or UberEats and have them a meal sent over from their favorite restaurant. Some people will have a meal train set up through your email and you have the option of paying for a meal to be sent to their home from a meal delivery service. Providing a meal for the entire family can be a huge financial relief and allow them to rest and be together as a family.
Healthy Snacks
There were so many nights that I would wake up to my stomach growling, or my day would be so consuming I would forget to make myself a meal, so healthy snacks were pretty important to have after I had given birth and was nursing a new baby. I truly enjoyed being able to reach for something I knew would taste good and be healthy for me.
When considering healthy snacks, try bars or fresh fruit. You can find something like Lara Bars or Cliff Bars for a calorie dense snack. If this new mamma likes to mix it up, you could gift her a homemade trail mix, full of nuts and fruit or you could make a delicious fruit salad full of her favorite fruits. Having something you can grab when you’re either out of time or just too tired to care is a big help in those first several weeks of postpartum life.
Trying to Stay Awake
My love language? Coffee. According to the Mayo Clinic, breastfeeding women are allowed 16 to 24 ounces of coffee a day, so for those mothers who long for that morning cup, coffee would be the perfect gift. You can buy a pound of coffee at your local Starbucks for about $15, have it ground and add it to your gift basket. If iced coffee is more her thing you can purchase several brands from your local grocery store and throw in a tasty coffee creamer as an added treat. Although she is only allowed a little bit of coffee, being able to have it as a treat makes the day that much better.
She Doesn’t Feel Like Cleaning
Dreaded chores. Some women enjoy cleaning, but I have yet to meet a new mother who is itching to get back to cleaning, washing and straightening her house. There are a couple of options here. If you’re looking to stay within a certain budget for a postpartum gift basket, then offering to clean it for her yourself is the cheapest option (and truly a labor of love). Taking the time out of your day to make sure her laundry is caught up, her kitchen is clean, and her bathroom feels like an oasis is a hug gesture of love for this new mother.
If cleaning just is not in the cards, or you barely have time to cook a hot meal, then an ideal gift would be paying for a cleaning service to come and clean her house from top to bottom. Try a well know service like Merry Maids where you can customize the order to fit her needs. If you choose to add this, you will certainly be her hero.
It’s the Little Things
Ah the little things. With each child I wanted some new thing to make me feel better, so I made it a point to have it! Candles. How can you go wrong? With a light, inobtrusive scent these are great for creating a relaxing environment that doesn’t stink of baby spit up and poopy diapers.
Lip balm. I kept lip balm with me at all times. EOS lip balm is silky smooth and costs less than $10. Hair ties or hair clips. Oh my, I always had to have one or the other. I didn’t have the luxury of washing my hair every day, so being able to keep it in a bun was essential. Gum. When people show up to see you or your baby, having gum on hand is great for a breath emergency.
Remembering the little things makes all the difference in the ease and comfort of her day, and the things on this list will surely be appreciated.
Conclusion
Keeping your basket affordable is super easy! There may be things you would add to this list, but for me, these were lifesavers. Make sure you splurge on something; that one thing you know she will love most of all. Postpartum gift baskets are the ultimate way to make her feel like herself in the midst of mothering a new baby.