We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
Last Updated on August 15, 2024 by Samantha Flores
All the ooh-ing and awing over the adorable baby gifts at your baby shower is enough to send you into a spiral of twinkles and rainbows as you imagine your little bundle using every one of those gifts. While baby shower gifts are super fun to buy and receive, the mama-to-be tends to get the short end of the stick. How many baby shower gifts for moms have you seen at a baby shower?
I’ve been to many baby showers and I can count on one hand how many gifts were specifically for the mom. Now that I have had three babies of my own, I wanted to share some tips, tricks, and ideas on what baby shower gifts for moms would be appreciated by the mama-to-be. These gifts are practical, life-changing, and most importantly, USEFUL!
Related: 13 Baby Shower Gifts I Couldn’t Live Without
17 Useful Baby Shower Gifts for Moms
This list was created to give you an idea of what a mother might need when she comes home from the hospital in her new body. For the mamas-to-be reading this, don’t be afraid to put these items on your registry!
Postpartum Baby Shower Gifts for Moms
Postpartum isn’t something that should be shameful to discuss or prepare for. However, it if makes you uncomfortable, consider requesting these items to be delivered instead. Or, you could ask guests to label the gift as something that should be opened later on after the baby shower.
Trust me, having these on hand when you desperately need them will save you so much headache.
Postpartum Pads
Let’s just get this one out of the way- postpartum pads are a must-have. For those who have not had the postpartum experience, you will bleed for weeks following your baby’s birth. You will need something lining your underwear.
Or you can take to the awesome mesh panties they give you at the hospital and stuff them with more pads. They are NOT cute by any means, but they serve their purpose.
Additionally, the company that brought you the Nose Frida also has a line dedicated to moms. Their line is called Mom Frida and they offer a product that is similar to Depends (yes, the adult diapers).
It is not a lavish life we live during the postpartum period, but these products do make the world of a difference! Your baby will need diapers and so will you.
Related: Postpartum Pads: What You Need to Know for After Birth Care
Toilet Paper
Using the restroom in those first few weeks following birth is uncomfortable, to say the least. If you’ve ever experienced a heavy flow with your regular menstrual cycle, then you know how much toilet paper you use for those couple of days.
Now multiply that by at least six weeks and surely you can understand just how beneficial it will be to have a stockpile of toilet paper in your home.
Epsom Salt
If you are healing well and your doctor approves, taking a bath will not only feel nice for relaxation purposes, but it will help with the discomfort you will feel “downstairs.”
Adding in some Epsom salt will assist in relieving some of the pain you will have. It helps to reduce swelling, discourage infection, and encourage healing. Not to mention it also is helpful for those unexpected hemorrhoids that often happen after birth.
Witch Hazel
Another great healing item is witch hazel. If you soak some pads in it and then freeze them, your perineum will thank you!
Breastfeeding Baby Shower Gifts for Moms
Now that we’ve got the awkward stuff out of the way, let’s talk about items that will help moms who are choosing to breastfeed. The following are ideas for breastfeeding baby shower gifts for moms.
Nipple cream
Those first few days of breastfeeding are rough. I won’t sugarcoat it. There is cracking, bleeding, tenderness, leaking, you name it! All these things happen with the beginning phases of breastfeeding. You might even shed some tears and that is okay.
To help moms heal faster from cracked nipples, nipple cream is highly recommended. It is safe to use during breastfeeding sessions and helps protect you against more cracking and irritation. There doesn’t seem to be enough time between feeding sessions for you to just give your nipples a break so just take my word for it and ask for the nipple cream.
Related: What is Postpartum? The Parts that New Moms Don’t Know
Gel Nipple Pads
Another way to soothe those tender, sore nipples of yours is to use gel nipple pads. They stick to your nipples and give a cooling sensation that relieves the pressure your breasts have built up during feeding or pumping sessions.
They can be reused for up to 72 hours. Therefore, having a few packs around your home as backup is essential. Thankfully, you won’t need to use them too long as your breasts and nipples adjust to the breastfeeding process.
Gift certificate towards a breast pump
There are many choices when it comes to breast pumps and accessories. While some moms are fortunate to have their insurance cover the cost of a new breast pump, other moms might not be so lucky. A cost for a breast pump can be quite shocking. Therefore, a gift certificate or donation towards a breast pump of your choice is beneficial and can be one of the best baby shower gifts for moms.
One of the most popular breast pumps on the market today is the Elvie breast pump. It is also one of the most expensive pumps out there as well. However, if you consider all it has to offer, it is no wonder why it is popular.
It allows women to pump without having to be hooked up to an outlet or having all those tubes and wiring hanging out from under their shirts. You can control it from your phone and the milk containers can go right into the fridge. It’s hands-free and lets you continue on with your busy life while supplying your baby with liquid gold.
If this pump is not favorable to you, there are also the classic and reputable pumps from Medela. They will be less in cost, however, they will also be less appealing in the convenience factor. I used a Medela pump during my first breastfeeding journey and was thankful to have it.
Nipple Shield
A nipple shield serves two purposes; it helps a baby to latch properly and it helps you with the cracked nipples. I used one with my son for the first four months of our breastfeeding journey and we went on to breastfeed until he was 15 months old. It is a great tool to use on a temporary basis.
The shield goes over your nipple and has holes where your milk will be able to come out and into your hungry baby’s mouth. Your baby easily stimulates your nipple through this plastic shield and everyone is happy!
Breast pads
Reusable breast pads catch those leaks that happen when you are breastfeeding. I can’t tell you how thankful I was to be wearing these when out in public and my breasts started leaking.
You simply place the pad in your shirt or bra where your nipples will meet the shirt and that is that. No embarrassing leak stains! I think I wore breast pads for almost a year because of the random leaks that would happen.
Related: The Best Baby Onesie: Comfortable, Breathable, and Cute!
Around the House Baby Shower Gifts for Moms
To help ease into life with a baby, having a stockpile of household items available will be rewarding. Most likely, you won’t want to be making trips to the store, especially with a newborn. These items will be helpful to have in your home to get you through.
Coffee
Probably a no-brainer, but with the sleep deprivation and exhaustion that follows with having a newborn, coffee is a must! I’m pretty sure I had coffee at all times of the day with my son (firstborn). He was not a great sleeper.
There is no evidence that caffeine decreases your milk supply. Furthermore, most breastfeeding mothers can drink caffeine in moderation. So, it is safe to drink the coffee because trust me, you’ll need it!
Cleaning Service
Honestly, I would love a cleaning service to clean my house any day of the year! However, in those first few weeks of a baby’s life, you’re consumed with their needs, breastfeeding, getting sleep, and just adjusting to your new life.
It should be a time of your life when you’re focused on those newborn snuggles and not the vacuuming, the dishes, or the laundry. If you’re like me, leaving those things for another day really bothered me. I felt out of sorts already and having my home in disarray made my anxiety even worse.
Related: Postpartum Hair Loss: What to Expect and How to Help
Meals
In addition to cleaning, cooking is another part of the home duties that seems impossible to complete at the time. Having a meal train set up in your honor is a great way to go about receiving meals for days or weeks, which will get you through that hazy period.
If a meal train isn’t an option, asking for frozen dinners from friends or family is another great option. Those frozen meals can be homemade or store-bought. Throwing something in the oven is much easier than spending an hour or more trying to cook something in between caring for a baby.
Additionally, gift certificates to restaurants in your area or even to Grub Hub/DoorDash are great alternatives to meal trains or frozen dinners. As someone who loves pizza, ordering a pizza multiple days a week gets old quickly!
Laundry Soap
Do you know how much laundry a newborn creates?! It is pretty insane that a person so tiny can create huge mountains of laundry. However, it happens! There is no shame in asking for laundry soap and dryer sheets on your registry. They will get used… often!
Thoughtful Baby Shower Gifts for Moms
Now that we’ve covered the practical stuff, let’s get into some thoughtful gifts that will really make any mama’s heart melt to receive! One thing to add before we get started with the rest of the list – moms enjoy pop culture and will appreciate a little gift, such as a Harry Potter Funko Pop that will put a smile on their faces during late-night feedings and diaper changes.
Photography session
What sweeter gift is there than the gift of a newborn photography session?! Capturing these sweet, new moments in a new family’s life is a priceless gift. A gift certificate or a donation towards the photographer of choice is something special a mama-to-be would love to have.
Hair salon
The postpartum hair loss is FOR REAL. After my first baby, I was around four months postpartum when my hair just started falling out in chunks. For a moment, I feared for my health thinking there was an underlying issue. It wasn’t until I did some research that I learned about postpartum hair loss.
After a couple of weeks of donating my hair to the shower drain and any other surface I walked by, I decided a trip to the hair salon was a good idea. I cut my hair in hopes of not having so much hair everywhere. Additionally, the nice scalp massage that came with the shampooing and conditioning was so relaxing and just what I needed at the time.
A gift certificate to a hair salon for a mom-to-be is a gift that will make her feel good about herself. This is crucial! Especially at the beginning of the postpartum journey when a mom can feel less than attractive in her new body.
Related: What is Postpartum? The Parts that New Moms Don’t Know
Massage
Pregnancy and birth are two wonderful experiences! However, they take a toll on a woman’s body. A nice massage can make all the difference in helping a mom relax and recenter herself. When booking an appointment, make sure to share that you are ‘X’ number of weeks postpartum so that the massage therapist can adequately prepare for your session.
Nails/Pedicure
Who doesn’t love getting their nails done? Another way to help a mom feel good about herself is by treating her to a manicure and/or pedicure. Some “me time” is so important for moms and really helps put things in perspective.
What do you think about these Baby Shower Gifts for Moms?
We’ve covered the practical, useful, and thoughtful baby shower gifts for moms ranging from postpartum recovery to household items to breastfeeding and more.
Which of these gifts would you have liked as a baby shower gift for yourself? What gifts did I miss? Did you receive any mom-specific gifts for your baby shower? Let me know in the comments below!
Always,
Samantha <3
Related: 20+ Postpartum Recovery Must Have Products
Pin It!
Let me know your thoughts!