Give the baby shower gifts they’ll not only love – but truly be grateful for
Whether you love or loathe baby showers, you care about the person at the centre of them. So of course you want to get something they’ll truly love, but not all baby shower gifts are equal.
If you’re wondering what baby shower gift to buy, the golden rule is to stick to registry requests. Meaning, we don’t recommend buying a bunch of stuff that wasn’t carefully curated by the mom-to-be or expectant parents themselves.
That said, there’s one major exception: gifts that prepare and support them in their transition to parenthood. Many first-time parents don’t realize what kind of supports they’re going to need during the postpartum period (it’s hard to know until you’re in the thick of it!).
Here are our top recommendations for pregnancy gifts that will have them saying “thank you!” at the shower, and “OMFG THANK YOU!!!” after baby arrives:
A postpartum doula is the gift of peace of mind
A postpartum doula is one of the most supportive gifts you can give an expectant parent. Some of the main reasons people hire them are to help with home maintenance and meals or to occupy older children so the parents can focus on the newborn…
But the number one reason (in our humble opinion)? Sleep!
Many postpartum doulas will book for overnight shifts that help new parents get some real rest. Sleep is such a critical component to maintaining good mental health during this challenging period, it cannot be overlooked.
Postpartum doulas are also an excellent resource for breastfeeding or chestfeeding challenges. They may be able to help solve issues on the spot, but can also identify more complicated issues and connect parents with the right resource.
The One Tough Mother Postpartum Care Kit is the gift of a prepared, easier and faster postpartum recovery
Once you know, well, you know…
But even to this day most of us don’t get told the critical information about the postpartum period before we’re in the thick of it. Then, all of a sudden, we’re shocked and suffering through it.
That’s why we designed our Postpartum Care Kit to be everything we wish we had and knew before becoming moms ourselves. Filled with handcrafted recovery products made from high quality ingredients, our box is “everything you need for postpartum and breastfeeding” made beautiful.
But it doesn’t stop at certified organic and vegan ingredients… We wanted to create a truly holistic kit that also provides new parents with the education they need around what the fourth trimester is really going to be like. That’s why this kit comes with The Postpartum Handbook totally free.
Filled with must-know information and tons of easy checklists and hacks, this guide is for the expectant mom or parent who wants to be prepared for life after baby. By helping them truly prepare, they will be able to focus on what matters: an easier, quicker recovery... and snuggling their sweet, new baby.
Meal trains are a must-have item for brand new moms and parents
Food is one of those critical pieces to good postpartum mental health that often gets overlooked. It’s really difficult to prepare the kind of nutritious, protein-rich meals that really support recovery, nursing and overall mood when you’re juggling a newborn.
This gift can be kept seriously simple, but we promise, it will have a huge impact. Whip up a spreadsheet and pull together a group to contribute. Ahead of the shower, determine how many meals each participant will contribute and create a schedule that covers a period of a week or two (or more!).
Present the recipient with a card that lets them know they’ll be getting X meals over the course of X days or weeks, and ask them for any dietary preferences. Have your squad go back to the spreadsheet to populate it with what they’ll be delivering (this helps ensure the new parents don’t end up with 10 casseroles!).
Vouchers to specialists who can help in postpartum recovery make a great gift
Vouchers for RMT’s, pelvic floor therapists and chiropractors will go a long way in helping them to heal after giving birth. There are so many challenges that new parents will face and they may not realize that there is a specialist out there who can help.
From IBCLC’s to Sleep Consultants, The Postpartum Handbook gives a clear overview of what specialists can help and when throughout the postpartum period.
A visit from a cleaner is something all new moms and parents wish for
Between feedings and diapers you’re often lucky to take a shower. There isn’t much time for house cleaning and new parents often choose between a clean house or sleep…
When the mess wins out, that’s also a win for exhaustion. And the truth is, a cluttered and messy space can really exacerbate mental health issues for many people. So a cleaner is a bit of a two-fer: you’re giving the gift of a peaceful space and more rest.
So go ahead, be that friend.
In our opinion, the best gifts fall into one of two categories: they were either explicitly requested, or they provide true support and care for the postpartum period – especially for first time parents who don’t yet realize what that is going to entail.
Look, your friend doesn’t need another onesie (besides, the hand-me-downs of the baby years are an absolute gold mine!). They need someone to get real with them and give them the gift of learning how to show up for themselves and practice REAL self care in the fourth trimester.
When moms and parents are supported and taken care of, everyone thrives.
Grab our free Better Postpartum Healing guide:
