As a mom to six little ones I can say that I have been blessed by lots of baby showers and sprinkles over the past ten years. Family and friends have showed each of our newest additions so much love and we’ve always been nothing but thankful. Let’s be honest though–there’s only so many newborn-sized shoes, teething rings, and rattles that a new baby needs. I hope that this post doesn’t come off as sounding entitled or ungrateful. However, if you’re looking for something to gift a friend or family member who is welcoming baby number three, five, or nine–here are some baby gifts to consider.
baby gifts she’ll love
I’ll be the first to admit that whether it’s your first girl or your fifth it’s nice to have a few new things. A new coming home outfit for baby, a new swaddle blanket… they’re definitely not necessary. However, it’s always a bonus to have something that’s not stained and ripped for a cute photo op or first Sunday at church. Again I want to reiterate that any gift is amazing and appreciated. However, here are some more “practical” baby gifts. Especially if the new mom just happens to have other little ones at home. Trust me, I speak from experience.
dinner, done
One of the best things you can do for a new mom is take care of dinner for her. She has enough to think about without realizing that it’s 6:30 and she hasn’t even started thinking about dinner yet. A meal subscription service, a week of freezer meals, or a gift card to her favorite fast food place is a great gift that will benefit the whole family. You could even have guests sign up on a calendar when they’d like to bring meals at a baby shower. Or put together a freezer meal baby shower like my friend Jessica did!
babysitting hero
This is one gift that literally costs you nothing except for your time. Just a simple coupon for an evening of free babysitting can mean the world to a new mom. So many parents go months (or years!) before they go out for a date night after the arrival of a baby. Let momma know she has something to look forward to once she’s ready to leave baby for a few hours. Of course, she might choose to use her babysitting for some kid-free errands instead. After all, we all know a trip to the grocery store without kids can seem like a vacation.
cleaning house
Any household can be tricky to keep clean. Especially when you’re super pregnant and have kids running under foot. Or when you’re trying to recover from a delivery or C-section. A maid coming in once before baby arrives to give certain areas a deep cleaning would be an amazing gift. Or maybe a couple visits after delivery so mom can rest more. If your budget doesn’t allow for a “professional” than just round up some friends and head over with your own supplies!
pamper mom
One of the greatest gifts I ever received as a new mom was from Mike’s grandmother. She gave me cash with specific instructions to buy myself something after the baby came. Cash usually seems so impersonal but I thought that was so thoughtful of her! And for our last little bundle I was given a restaurant gift card to a place I love. Other nice ideas for a little pampering could be a pedicure, massage, or lunch out with some girlfriends. A gift basket put together with some pampering essentials would be a nice treat for mom too.
