Showering new parents with love and support is always appreciated. But finding the perfect gift for a new mother can be tricky – especially if you don’t quite know what they need.
After bringing home a new baby, many parents are tired, overwhelmed, and just figuring things out in the early days. Every mother remembers what it was like to be a new mama…so much love and excitement mixed in with new roles, postpartum recovery, and a sprinkle of sleep deprivation.
These are some of my favorite gifts for first-time moms. On this list you will find some budget friendly options as well as some higher-end items. Doing a mix and match of a few items is often the best way – think along the lines of “something they want, something they need”. This list of the best gifts for postpartum moms is sure to have exactly what you are looking for.
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Best Gifts For Postpartum Moms
Water bottle
It may seem silly, but this is one of the best new mom gifts…especially if they are breast-feeding! Recovering from having a baby and nursing is very thirsty work. Grab a Stanley cup or a Yeti – it will keep her drink either hot or icy cold throughout the day for whenever she has a chance to sip. Drinking a beverage at the temperature it was intended to be is a luxury many new parents miss out on.
Smart Mug
For a more luxury gift, a Smart Mug is a very thoughtful gift. If warm coffee, hot chocolate or tea is a must-have in her life, this is a great way to ensure she can enjoy a cuppa whenever she wants. You can pair this gift with this lactation tea to help boost her milk supply if she is a breastfeeding mom.
The Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug will keep a hot beverage at whatever temperature she’d like. Sleepless nights will feel less terrible when your cup of coffee is always warm! It’s battery operated, so it can travel room to room with her throughout the day.
It comes in colors like copper, rose gold, stainless steel, and gold to suit whatever style she has.
Gift card
Think restaurants, grocery stores, or for places she can order online for pickup or delivery (like Target, Walmart, Amazon, etc.). I love giving Target gift cards to new parents because the curbside option is so convenient and they stock both groceries and baby items.
A gift certificate will let the new parents be able to get what they really need and is very convenient. They may feel a little less guilt about ordering takeout for the third time this week if it’s already paid for.
Registry Items
If the new mama in your life had a baby shower, there’s a good chance there are some items left on the baby registry! Purchasing something off the registry will ensure you are getting them something they want and will find useful.
If you aren’t sure where they were registered, you can easily look up a registry. Target, Amazon, Wal Mart, Buy Buy Baby, and BabyList are popular for a baby registry.
Postpartum Recovery Kit
The Frida Mom Postpartum Recovery Kit is a great gift for the immediate postpartum period.
The kit includes:
- Disposable underwear
- Instant ice maxi-pads
- Witch hazel pad liners
- Perineal healing foam
- A toilet-top caddy
This is a great gift for the first few days after birth, but I wouldn’t recommend gifting it after the first week or so.
Hatch Sound Machine
The Hatch has been called a game changer by many new parents! The Hatch isn’t your regular white noise machine – it helps make middle of the night wakings just a little easier. This is definitely one of the more luxury gifts on this list but is useful in the years to come.
The Hatch connects to wifi, changes colors, lights up for late night feedings and diaper changes, and can soothe baby with lullabies, the sound of a heart beat, or white noise.
Comfy Robe
Postpartum hormones can make you feel freezing one second and hot the next. This is where a comfortable robe comes in!
A lush robe like this brings ultimate cozy comfort to a postpartum mom. It’s also the perfect gift for a breastfeeding mom as it makes nursing a breeze. It’s easy to throw on over a nursing bra to keep warm and allows for lots of skin to skin bonding with baby after birth.
A meal delivery service
This is the perfect way to help new parents out! Instead of a meal train which can mean unwanted visitors or a freezer overstuffed with food trays, a meal delivery service is an awesome way to help someone through maternity leave.
Services like HelloFresh or Blue Apron can also cut down on grocery shopping trips. The meals or ingredients are delivered right to the door for a simplified dinner.
Don’t want to commit to a meal service? Bringing a healthy meal to new parents is also a great idea.
Postpartum Essentials Kit
The Earth Mama Organics Postpartum Essentials Kit is one of the best gifts for postpartum moms.
It includes things like a nipple cream, tea that can help with breast milk production, perineal sprays and balms, and other thoughtful gifts to help postpartum moms through their first few weeks.
Earth Mama Organics makes really awesome products for babies as well. Their Baby Love Collection is incredible. The diaper cream is incredibly gentle and soothing for a sore baby bottom.
Bath Bombs
A little spa-like relaxation is a wonderful gift! These bath bombs have essential oils to promote relaxation like lavender and citrus and will make a little quiet time seem luxurious.
Shower steamers
A little aromatherapy can be so relaxing for a postpartum mom! These shower steamers are a good thing to give for the early postpartum days when a bath might not be recommended.
Gift Basket
One of the best gift ideas is a new mom gift basket. You can make your own, or buy a prepackaged one.
Some ideas of what to include:
- Favorite snacks/drinks
- Diapers/wipes
- Something new for baby (teethers, outfit, toy, etc.)
- Something for mom’s self-care (think fuzzy slippers, a candle, bath salts, etc.)
- A book for baby (this is one of my favorites)
- Note pads for a “to-do list”
- Baby care items (think baby shampoo, lotions, diaper creams, etc.)
- A nursing cover
- Mother’s Milk Tea (to help with milk supply)
Pro tip: when buying outfits or diapers, choose a larger size. They are likely overloaded with newborn sizes!
New Mama Affirmations
This is one of the more unique gifts out there! The first year in her new life as mama can be tough. Adjusting to a new role where you are a caregiver can wear down at your confidence and mental health.
These affirmation cards offer some emotional support to help her through it.
“Mama” Bag
A new bag is a great option for a new mom gift. A tote like this can be loaded with baby gear and can replace diaper bags on a quick trip. This is a great gift idea for Mother’s Day as well.
A large tote is a staple fashion piece for a new mom. This one is simple enough to go with any outfit.
Bottle of Alcohol (In This Cute Bag!)
This is great for close friends or family members that you know were missing their favorite wine or liquor during pregnancy. Use this “Pairs Well With Motherhood” bag to give them the special gift of their favorite drink.
Baby Memory Box
This is one of the best gifts for postpartum moms – an easy way to capture memories and photos! This baby keepsake box has spots for important letters and documents, ultrasound photos, baby hats, first outfits, etc. This is a really special way for them to remember their little bundle of joy as they grow!
Baby Memory Book
This photo book is called “The Story Of You” and lets new parents document their baby’s first five years. There are monthly prompts, places for newborn photos, birth info, and more. This is a really good book idea for parents that have other kids and little time to write things down.
A Nursing Nightgown
Kindred Braverly makes the most comfortable postpartum clothing and is designed with pumping or breastfeeding moms in mind! One of the best postpartum gifts is a new nightgown. As a new mom, I found myself wearing mostly pajamas and a robe. A nursing nightgown has easy access for breastfeeding or pumping for your newborn baby.
“Mama” Necklace
This minimalistic design is one of my favorite new mom gift ideas. Something to make her feel pretty and goes with any outfit is super sweet and this style of jewelry is very popular right now.
Mom & Baby Things Bag
This is one of the best things for parents that travel or are on the go frequently. These coordinating “Mommy Things” and “Baby Things” bags make staying organized a breeze! These fit nicely into a travel bag or diaper bags to keep baby items and personal items separate and accessible.
This gift is great to give before baby comes, too. These are a great addition to the hospital bag!
“Mama Bear” Hat
For the trendy new mom in your life, this adorable hat is one of the best gifts for postpartum moms. Nothing hides a bad hair day from being parents of newborns like a cute baseball cap.
Neck and Back Massager
Make every day feel like a spa day! This neck and back massager is one of the best ways to help new parents wind down after a long day of parenting. If the postpartum mom is breastfeeding, she may have sore neck and shoulders from poor posture when breastfeeding.
This amazing gift is perfect to help new parents unwind and relax.
Aveeno “Mommy and Me” Gift Set
Gift sets are an affordable way to spoil your new mom friends with gifts and goodies. This set includes stress relief products for mom with baby versions of bath products for their little one.
Personalized Birthstone Necklace
If you want to bring her to tears, this custom birthstone and name necklace is a great piece to gift. This necklace comes in yellow gold, but can also be found in white gold or rose gold.
Handprint and Footprint Keepsake
What a sweeter way to remember your baby’s tiny hands and feet than with a DIY keepsake kit! These can be made into ornaments to display in the holiday season, or can be kept out on display.
My First Year Photo Frame
Baby’s first year goes by in a flat, so a gift like this will help new parents see how much baby has grown! This photo frame can be displayed in the years to come to remember that perfect time when they were just so little and sweet.
Portable White Noise Machine
I could not have survived without this product in my baby’s first year! One of the best gifts for postpartum moms is this – it will help baby be calm and rest whenever they are out and about.
White noise can be very helpful in getting your baby to sleep and drowning out background noises. If baby uses these at home, they will benefit from using one on the go, too.
This is great to clip onto the stroller, car seat, or keep in the diaper bag. It is battery operated and has several sounds including ocean, white noise, lullabies and heart beat.
Postpartum gift considerations
There are a few important details to remember when gifting to new parents.
First, whether it is their first child or fourth child, offering support is most important. Don’t be afraid to ask them if they need help – sometimes the best gift is the gift of your time! Acknowledging their hard work is always appreciated and undervalued.
One of the first things I do when visiting new parents is to ask if there is anything they need. A quick text before leaving the house saying “can I grab you a coffee on my way?” or “I’m driving by the store on my way, can I grab you anything?” is a really nice gesture.
And even though your heart may be in the right place with a surprise visit, I would never recommend showing up unannounced. Ask a few days in advance if it is OK for you to stop by with a gift for baby and parents. And never overstay your welcome – a visit of 30 minutes is often the perfect length of time.
If there are other kids or pets in the home, I would recommend bringing them a gift, too! Especially if there are other small kids in the home that would feel left out if they didn’t receive anything. A coloring book or puzzle from the dollar store is sufficient! Anything to make them feel excited and included, too.
I hope this list of gifts helps you find exactly what you need. New parents often need encouragement and emotional support more than anything, so there is no need to go too crazy. Your thoughtfulness and kindness towards them is one of the most appreciated things.
