So your best friend (or sister, or other person that you care enough to put thought into a gift) is pregnant, and you want to get them something they will USE. Here are a few ideas that might sound a little wacky, but believe me…new mamas need a little spice in their life that doesn’t 100% revolve around their little one. Get THEM a gift; the kid will get enough stuff!
Magazine Subscription
Sound a little counter-intuitive? You would think that a new mom wouldn’t have time to read, but reading is one of the few things they can do while dragging through those late-night feedings. I bought myself subscriptions to Newsweek and US Weekly so I could get both ends of the “real world” spectrum, but I recommend going for the trashy tabloids for pure entertainment value (not to mention the fact that she will feel better about any mom missteps after reading about the crazy Hollyweird crap).
Photo Shoot Gift Certificate for the Hospital
In those hours post delivery, I was so exhausted I didn’t want to make ANY decisions outside of should I have red or green Jello. Most hospitals work with a photography company that comes through and takes pics of the new happy family. (TIP: bring make-up to the hospital. I don’t care if people think it is vain, you want to look as much like yourself as possible in your first family pics).
New moms feel guilted into buying these often over-priced first professional photos of their baby (I know I did). It is one of their first big mom decisions! Take the guesswork out of it for her and find out the company the hospital uses. Buy a gift certificate and give it to her before she goes into labor.
PJs That Aren’t Maternity (But ARE Nursing-Friendly)
I was so sick and tired of my maternity yoga pants + oversized t-shirt that I just wanted to burn them by the time I got home from the hospital. (If you had cute maternity pjs, well…aren’t you the lucky one!)
Get the new mom some pjs that she can shrink into. Drawstring bottoms are great, and a top that can be unbuttoned is a must for those who nurse. Grab a snazzy print- you can’t go wrong with anything animal or even basic stripes or polka dots. Check out VS or Pajamagram.
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| Victoria’s Secret Cotton Mayfair Pajamas- $39.50 |
Food. Plain and Simple.
I felt like such a failure when my husband went back to work. I couldn’t even get dinner on the table (umm…BTW…give yourself a break and order pizza).
One of the BEST gifts anyone gave me was the gift of food. Now, this can be touchy if your friend is a picky eater. I think a great idea would be a gift certificate for food delivery, or even to Peapod if they service their area.
If you love to cook, check out Pinterest for freezer-friendly recipe ideas.
Thank You Note Service
I was SO thankful for all of the wonderful gifts people gave me, but the stack of unwritten thank you notes was as ominous as the towering pile of dirty laundry. Here is the gold metal of gifts- get the new mom super cute blank thank you notes. On top of this (and here’s the BEST part) schedule a time with her to HELP her address and even write the thank you notes. She can dictate and you can write…if this seems weird because it won’t be in her handwriting, just blame the difference on lack of sleep. Otherwise, stamping and addressing the envelopes is half the battle. Etsy has some adorable and unique options!
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| Thank You Notes from Karen’s Kreations on Etsy |
