Best Gifts for New Moms in Postpartum

Whether you are the husband, partner, parent, friend, relative, neighbor, acquaintance or a colleague of the new mom or the mama shopping for herself, here are our best new mom postpartum gift ideas that you just can't go wrong with.

Gifts do not have to be big or expensive to show that you care. A thoughtful gift is enough to make a new mom feel blessed to have you in her life.

Whenever we visit a newborn, we make sure to get things for the baby; thoughts about new mom postpartum gifts seldom cross our minds. But the mom is important too!

We understand that gift buying for a new mom can be a challenge (we swing between gifting something practical that would be useful and something luxurious that might not be as functional for life postpartum but is a great gift nevertheless).

This is why we've jotted down some gift ideas after doing our own research and talking to a lot of moms.

Think about how long have you known this person, how close you are and whether your relationship is at a personal, professional, or acquaintance level. This will determine how general or personalized your gift can be. Think about how frequent or infrequent your visits will be to this new mom. On that will depend the size, budget, and appropriateness of your gift.

If you are visiting often mainly to care for the new mama, you don't need to get a big gift every time. For example, you could get soup one time, or maybe a nail-polish some other time. Your time and care are the larger gifts.

However, if you are going to be visiting just once or twice a year, then a gift basket makes more sense.  A nipple cream sounds good if you are her family or best friend, but if you are a colleague then maybe a comforting throw would be a better choice.

We tend to spend more when we are close to somebody. But that does not mean you need to spend a lot of money every time.

A good gift is one which comes with a bearer bearing good intentions. No matter what your budget is, show up with happiness and support for the mother.

This is one of the most important things to keep in mind while gift shopping for a postpartum mom. A C-section or normal delivery can impact recovery time and mental well-being the new mom. Also, the needs of a mother will change with the passing of time.

Gifting a new mom athletic wear is a great idea if she went through a normal delivery, is happy and willing to exercise and get back in shape. However, your gift will only depress a mom who had a rough delivery, or maybe a c-section, or had other complications and needs more bedrest.

This gift will then become a reminder of what she cannot do from the get go. Another example could be gifting someone breastfeeding essentials when they’ve decided to start weaning.

Now that we have tackled the approach to gift shopping, let’s look at the best gifts to buy for a new mom.

• Gifts of Service
• Beauty
• Health and Wellness
• Comfort Items
• Gift Cards
• Postpartum Care Package

Nothing tops gifts of service! A new and especially nursing mom can feel terribly alone and it would help her a lot if you could visit her and take some load off her hands.

Help with household chores, cooking her meals, or babysitting can allow a new mom to take rest or that much needed shower. It would also help her if you can engineer some "Me" time for her by making the appointments or offering to come alone to help with the baby.

If you are family or a group of friends you could think about chipping in for a doula or taking turns to come and take care of the baby and letting the mama rest.

Thoughtful gestures like these can really uplift a new mama's spirits and she will never forget this kindness.

Beauty products are endless and always in demand. But a new mom will most likely not have the time or energy for an elaborate make up routine, heavily scented creams, and perfumes.

What would work for her would be a daily moisturizing lotion (preferably fragrance free because you don't want an infant exposed to strong scents or new chemicals that could potentially cause an allergic reaction).

Spa bath gift sets with handmade soaps and Epsom bath salts can encourage her to have a relaxing bath time. Other options are face masks, a cute nail polish or lip balm, bio-oil for stretch-marks, or just good quality skin-care.

Here's a small list to get you started:

• Body Butter/body lotion
• Sunscreen
• Hand-creams
• Sanitizer
• Soaps/body wash
• Face moisturizer, masks, and packs
• Under-eye brightening masks
• Lip balm/mask
• Make up multi-stick for eyes, cheeks, and lips (convenient and time saver)
• Nail paints
• Manicure and Pedicure kit
• Bio oil
• Exfoliating Scrubs
• Skincare

Get the new mom some fresh fruits, vegetables, dry fruits, healthy salad, or maybe a homemade soup! There's nothing more satisfying than a well-cooked meal and it becomes more appetizing when she doesn't have to do it herself. You could bring coconut water or pomegranate juice to give her some iron boost.

You could also think about getting her:

• Multivitamins
• Lactation tea or cookies
• Essential oils
• Breastfeeding essentials like nipple cream
• Reed diffusers that she can put in her bathroom
• Sitz bath soak
• Massage oils
• Heating pad
• A box of affirmation cards to bolster positivity

Basically, anything that promotes her mental or physical health and inner peace is a welcome gift, and will make her feel special.

Think about comfort more than anything. A foot or back massager, or cooling gel pads for breasts would be very much welcomed by a tired and nursing mom. You can always get maternity gowns or pajama sets, but remember clothing choices can be very personal and dependent on seasons. So, consider that when you make your purchase.

However, here are some comforting items that are sure to perk up her spirits. The idea is to motivate a tired mom to relax and regain her health.

• Soft and cozy (one size fits all) robe
• Postpartum shorts
• Furry/memory foam slippers
• Eye masks
• Tote bag with multiple compartments
• Sleep wear
• Foot massager
• Back massager
• Cardigan, wrap, shawl or shrug
• Cozy throw and pillow
• Something sentimental, like a picture of a happy memory you shared together

Gift cards or gift certificates are awesome! Not only do they allow you the freedom to choose what you want, they are also a great way to nudge the mother to do something for herself.

These gift card ideas will surely boost any woman in the throes of postpartum:

• Subscription to a meal service
• Her favorite eatery
• Shopping website
• Hair or nail salon
• Spa treatment or massage

Combine a little bit of everything, put it in a beautiful basket and you have yourself a care package worthy of being gifted to a beautiful new mama. 

Feel free to add small items like:

• Water-bottle – hydration is must!
• Scrunchies
• Bright headbands
• Mug for her morning beverage
• Memory foam house shoes
• Journal to chronicle her postpartum journey
• Flowers
• Herbal tea
• Personalized necklace
• Book she would love to read

Remember that there is no one perfect gift, and that there's nothing more important than kind words and your presence.

Show up with love and positivity. You have no idea how much a new mama needs it!