Is it time to buy Christmas gifts for a new mom?
I’ve gathered some ideas here that should work both for new moms and pregnant moms-to-be.
Do you need some inspiration on gifts for new moms? Or maybe for a pregnant mom-to-be?
When I got home from giving birth the first time, my sister gave me a whole basket of gifts for Mom. Or, well, actually, they were gifts for our newborn baby, but I was so thrilled by the idea of a whole basket of gifts for us!
The basket contained ten parcels with stuff like baby clothes, bibs, toys, a soft blanket, and more. Much like the things you might get on a baby shower.
It was just so great to get these things right after the baby was born, being an overwhelmed, very happy new mom with a bleeding, aching body.
Apparently, this is a Dutch tradition – the first ten days with a new baby, mom and the new infant should just rest, get to know each other, and there should be one gift for mom (and her baby) every day. A wonderful tradition!
Here, I’ve gathered some gifts for new moms that can be fun to get as a new or pregnant mother (or a more experienced one). Of course, the gifts work perfectly for Christmas, birthday, Mother’s Day, baby shower, or just any day!
10 Great Gifts for New Moms (Or Soon-to-be Moms)
- A cool diaper bag
- Jewelry
- Baby magazine subscription
- A large basket of (healthy) snacks
- Post-pregnancy or prenatal yoga class
- Baby carrier
- A new phone and/or headphones
- A sleep spray
- Access to her favorite films or TV shows
- A fun parenting book
A cool diaper bag
Babies need diapers. Moms need cool diaper bags. It’s as simple as that! For a great selection on diaper bags, check out Amazon for inspiration.
If you need tips on how to choose a good diaper bag, read this article.
Jewelry
A friend of mine received a new diamond ring for every baby she gave birth to. (Well, she had two babies; I don’t know what would have happened if she had continued with five more…:-) )
Anyway, I really think that was a nice gesture from her husband. “You’ve done a great job carrying and giving birth to our daughter/son.” And a ring with the baby’s name and birth date engraved. Wonderful!
(Tips for dads: Moms like getting all kinds of jewelry, not just diamond rings, so money is not an issue.)
You’ll find a selection of jewelry for different wallets at Amazon.
Baby magazine subscription
Many moms are simply too tired and get disturbed too often to be able to concentrate enough to read a real book. Magazine subscriptions are a great gift for any new mom. A baby magazine is very likely to be popular, but just about any magazine that relates to Mom’s interests is good.
Remember to check prices with Amazon, they are usually among the most competitive.
A large basket of (healthy) snacks
Breastfeeding moms are hungry. All the time!
Healthy and tasty (and some not-so-healthy and even more tasty) snacks like nuts, dried fruit, fresh fruit, and dark chocolate are great to have at hand for snacks between meals. Buy a nice-looking bowl or basket and fill it up.
Or buy a ready-made one, like these ones, sold through Amazon. Yummy!
Post-pregnancy or prenatal yoga class
For a Mom who has expressed very clearly that she wants to start exercising, this can be a great gift for a new mom. For the mom who is still just tired, don’t even think about it.
Personally, I like yoga and Pilates as a start after pregnancy. They focus on getting the strength and mobility back, which many new moms really long for.
If mom is still pregnant, you can give her a prenatal yoga class, or even better, a class to prepare for childbirth together! A very loving gift for a pregnant mom!
Baby carrier
A baby carrier is a wonderful piece of baby gear. For many newborn babies, it can be used right from the start. It’s a big help if your baby is fussy or just prefers being carried around. Great help for Mom (and Dad). And yes, Madonna is absolutely right. Baby Bjorn is the best brand for baby carriers. Here is the link to BABYBJORN’s popular carriers, sold at Amazon.
A new phone and/or headphones
My (now ex) husband found a new love right after we had our third child… No, no, not a new woman, but his iPad! He cuddled more with it than with me, hmmm. Well, I almost understand him. At that time, the newest iPads were really cool and quite handy for browsing the news online (or a great baby website) while feeding the little baby. Here’s the link to the newest iPads and other tablets (at Amazon).
For a mom who is planning on going for walks with the baby, a new smartphone and some really great headphones are probably a better gift than an iPad. Some cool music, a pair of good new walking shoes, and the post-pregnancy belly will be gone in no time. Yes!
(And my ex-husband became my ex for completely other reasons. Life happens!)
A Sleep Spray
New moms don’t sleep very much or very well. A friend of mine had a really rough start as a new mom, with very painful breastfeeding and postpartum depression. but despite her breastfeeding struggles, the thing she found the most difficult was to go back to sleep when waking up at night. This situation stressed her out completely, and it was at this time she and I discovered sleep spray. She swears by it. It is nothing magic or medical, simply a calming scent. But for some people, it really helps. Check it out at Amazon here.
I think this is a great gift for mom – a way to acknowledge being a new mom is hard, and sleep deprivation is real.
Access to her favorite films or TV shows
A friend of mine, who is a really high executive in a large company, used her maternity leave to just relax. She bought the whole DVD Box of her favorite TV show and went to bed with her baby. She nursed him, watched TV, and absolutely loved her time at home.
Why not give Mom a Netflix subscription or maybe Amazon Prime video (you get a free 30-day trial through this link). She might just have time to watch some movies while feeding her baby.
It includes being able to watch thousands of movies & TV shows anytime. Perfect for a new mom!
A fun parenting book
If you want to give mom a parenting book, give one that you know she wants or one that is funny. If you are the mother-in-law, give her something else! For some people, parenting books can be sensitive, so use your judgment.
Below, you’ll find three books that are both helpful and fun about becoming a new mother:
- Parenting: You Will Never Pee Alone Again
- Parenting Is Easy: You’re Probably Just Doing It Wrong
- Welcome to the Club: 100 Parenting Milestones You Never Saw Coming
And here are many more humorous parenting books…
An important tip: Mom (or mom-to-be), why don’t you “just happen” to keep this page with gifts for new moms up when dad comes home from work or your friends and family visit…
Hopefully, it will catch their eyes. If you want to be a bit more straightforward, bookmark it below and show it to Dad or your friends, or simply share it on Facebook or Pinterest…
More For New Mom
That was it! If you have ideas on other gifts for new moms, please share below!
Paula Dennholt founded Easy Baby Life in 2006 and has been a passionate parenting and pregnancy writer since then. Her parenting approach and writing are based on studies in cognitive-behavioral models and therapy for children and her experience as a mother and stepmother. Life as a parent has convinced her of how crucial it is to put relationships before rules. She strongly believes in positive parenting and a science-based approach.
Paula cooperates with a team of pediatricians who assist in reviewing and writing articles.
