You would think that because I’m a mom with a child already I would know a certain amount of “what to do” when having a new baby but after nine years, I went completely blank when it came down to purchasing items for our new baby.
Due to the pandemic, my husband and I decided to purchase all the essential items for our baby considering that the shower that was planned, was scheduled for two weeks into the lock down and could no longer be possible. From cribs to bassinets, swings, pampers and diapers. We googled every essential list for newborns and purchased everything on the list. Baby Jordan had more than he needed and he hadn’t even graced the world with his presence.
As with everything else happening during the pandemic, JT did not arrive as scheduled. A day after being released from the hospital, as I sat down in our living room enjoying the sounds of rain outside, a knock on the door revealed a long line of friends and family, signs and posters, showering both baby and I with gifts and surprises with a drive by shower. After the shower of love, I looked at all the gifts we received and my first thought was, we really do not need all of these items; but boy was I wrong.
Beyond the basics needs for baby, I received some of the most thought out gifts just for me and my sanity during this time, here were a few of my favorite gifts for showering mom after childbirth:
- Postpartum Starter Kit
I have this one friend who always gives the most creative gifts. It’s always like the care package you never knew you needed. This postpartum kit was not something I wanted but what I actually NEEDED. After a natural delivery with no medication, coming home with baby was a bit painful not to mention the leaking from every possible place on my body. Thankfully this kit provided breast pads for my leaky boobs, nipple cream, jumbo pads for the downpour down there, and specialty pad popsicles that were frozen and included a magical concoction of aloe, witch-hazel and Jojoba oil which provided healing down below.
- Food
If you’ve ever given birth, you know that the days after for some strange reason you are super hungry! Gifting a new mom with food parcels and items to alleviate her having to figure out food for her and family is an ideal gift! From gift cards to restaurants or even delivery services, you can not go wrong with food. - Wine
Maybe it’s me, maybe the thought of alcohol doesn’t have the same meaning for you, but when a close friend of mine asked me to give her a few of my favorite wines because she was putting together a “welcome back to the real world” gift for me, I cried tears of joy. No I haven’t had any to drink as yet because I am breastfeeding, but knowing it’s there and can be accessed at any time brings me comfort. - A Lactation Box
If you know mom to be will be breastfeeding her newborn, create a lactation box to aid in the smooth transition of breastfeeding. I got Mothers Milk Tea, Fenugreek and breast pumps with specific instructions on when to take them, how often and what to expect. This definitely relieved a lot of the stress I was feeling getting into breastfeeding as I hadn’t done it with my first child.
- New Baby Photo Session
As if keeping your newborn, alive, fed and happy isn’t enough, there’s the pressure of capturing moments at every point of the baby’s life. With my first baby, the only pictures I have are those I took with my cellphone. Being gifted a traditional photo shoot for the family with newborn is a very special gift that takes the headache away from mommy having to figure it out. - Gift Cards
Can you ever go wrong with a gift card?!?! From a pamper day at the spa, to baby store shopping and wholesale outlets for stocking up on pampers and wipes, gift cards are always a great idea. PS. I absolutely can not wait to use the ones we received!!
With every new child, comes a lot of stuff for baby, make mom’s life a little bit easier by showering her with items that she will not only needed but she would also appreciate!
