We wanted to take a break from our usual medical topics to talk about better baby shower gifts. We’re not saying there’s anything wrong with buying the baby a cute, little outfit. But, let’s be real. A lot of times, the baby outgrows the outfit before it ever gets worn at all. There are plenty of gift ideas that involve the mom more than the baby, because honestly, the mom is the one doing all of the work. Let’s show her with some more gifts!
Baby Shower Gift Ideas
1. Arrange a Meal Train with Your Friends
If you have a big group of friends, set up a spreadsheet with who’s bringing meals for the family. It will be such a relief for that new mom to not have to worry about doing meal prep and cooking. If you don’t have a group of friends that can get together, maybe you have a church group that could get together and meal plan. Local meal-prep businesses are also a great option. Here in St. Louis, we have Pure Plates as well as Fit Flavors. We also have Time for Dinner where you can go and prepare freezer meals yourself. You can also go pick up frozen meals for the family, or get the new mama a gift card for those options so she could pick out the meals herself or you can pick them out for her.
Either way, having a freezer stacked full of meals is really helpful when you have a newborn at home.
2. Gift Card for a Maid Service
Who wants to be cleaning their house when they have a newborn around? Having a maid service there to help that mom get stuff done around the house can be super helpful. Maybe a bunch of you can chip in together and get the service for the first six months. A gift card for a maid service can be a lifesaver for a new mom.
3. Gift Certificate for a Spa Service
After giving birth, you may not be feeling your best self. Let’s give the new momma some pampering! Maybe she can go get a massage, or maybe a facial. A manicure or pedicure might be nice too. Some time away from the baby and some pampering can be a wonderful opportunity for a mom. While you’re at it, why don’t you offer to babysit so she can have some alone time to relax.
4. Gift Certificate to a Postpartum Care Specialist
There are postpartum doulas who are there to help moms in those early postpartum times. A second set of hands around the house is such a relief, and they are also a wealth of knowledge.
Many of them have training with lactation support as well. It can be helpful to have that extra person around, especially if there’s no family nearby for the new mom. That early postpartum time can be really lonely.
Another postpartum specialist that may become very important to a new mom is a sleep specialist. Oftentimes, the babies are not necessarily sleeping the best. The new mom could use some help with some ideas to help get the baby to sleep a little bit better, because when the baby’s sleeping good, everyone’s sleeping good. So, giving a gift card for a sleep specialist can be a good option. Also, maybe a lactation consultant, if the mom is breastfeeding and potentially has some issues. Even if she doesn’t have issues and just has some questions, a session with a lactation consultant can be really helpful. You could also look for one that does a home visit so that the mom doesn’t have to get the baby out of the house. There are many postpartum specialists out there that can be helpful to a new mom.
5. Gift Certificate to See a Pelvic Floor Specialist
All moms- whether they’ve had a C section or a vaginal delivery, should meet with a pelvic floor physical therapist after they deliver. Our pelvises go through a lot of trauma with the birth and delivery process, as well as with the pregnancy itself. It is so good to partner up with the pelvic physical therapist afterwards to make sure that your abdominal muscles are doing what they should be doing and that your pelvic floor muscles are are doing what they should be doing.
It is so common for new moms to be dealing with issues such as low back pain, pelvic pain, pain with intercourse, separation of the abdominal muscles, generally not feeling strong in the core, bladder leakage, pelvic heaviness, pelvic prolapse, and pelvic pressure. All of these symptoms are common things that moms can feel after they deliver and they are all things that are helped with pelvic physical therapy.
There are also lots of gestures you can do after the baby is born. They aren’t necessarily big gifts that you have to buy, but little gestures can go a long way. After the baby is born, it can be an isolating time and mom’s aren’t the best at asking for help. If you say, ‘Let me know if you need anything,’ she probably won’t reach out. Try different phrasing that makes it easy for her to get the help she needs. Here are some examples:
“I’d love to drop off some dinner for you one day this week, what day works best and what is your favorite meal?”
“I am going to the grocery store tomorrow , what can I pick up for you?”
“Do you have a favorite drink from (LOCAL COFFEE SHOP) that I can bring you today?”
“I’d like to spend an hour or 2 taking care of the baby so you can have a nap or some alone time. Would you like that? When is a good time for me to come over?”
“How is postpartum going? Would you like to talk?”
Sometimes just being there and being able to talk and be a friend is all that the mom needs.
Hopefully you guys found this helpful with some ideas for better baby shower gifts, as well as little gestures that you can do to help out a mom to be and or a new mom.
If you have any suggestions other than the ones we talked about, please comment! Let’s share the wealth and tell other moms about the options that are out there.
