Don’t Forget To Check On Mom Too: 7 Thoughtful Postpartum Gifts For Mom
When a woman gives birth and becomes a mother, especially for the first time, there’s a lot of excitement from everyone around her. But more often than not, the excitement is directed toward the baby, and the mother is often overlooked. And worst of all, the more pregnancies a mother has, the more she is neglected. When in fact the most important person you should always be checking on primarily is the mother.
No matter how many times a woman gives birth, childbirth is one of the most intense, painful, and sometimes traumatic experiences a woman will ever go through. And most of the time you won’t know that because a lot of women are so focused on caring for their new baby and recovery that they don’t have the time or energy to share their birth story.
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Ever after childbirth, mothers can experience a variety of difficulties after, including postpartum depression and postpartum preeclampsia. And although it may not be apparent, doing what you can to contribute to the physical and mental health of mothers after childbirth will be more than appreciated.
As a support system, whether you are a family member or a friend, there are simple but invaluable things you can do to check on Mom too, and ensure that she is healing physically and emotionally and flourishing postpartum.
I am going to share some gift ideas with you that will show mom that you are not just interested in the baby, but you’re concerned about her and her wellbeing and want to make sure she has the resources she needs to help make life more manageable with a new baby at home.
8 Postpartum Gifts For Mom To Make Her Feel Better
Things you can do to help a mom feel better after Childbirth:
1) Cooked meals:
When a mom takes home her baby for the first time, she is focused on a lot of things and cooking isn’t one of them, she just doesn’t have the time. And although before giving birth, moms try to plan to the best of their ability with freezer meals and do as much as they can, when those freezer meals run out they are going to need help with meal prep and probably won’t have the time or energy for cooking. Dropping off a cooked meal or two will mean the world to this mom, especially if she has other kids to feed. An amazing mom from my church did this for me and I will never forget what her kindness meant to me and my family at that time.
2) A self-care basket:
After childbirth, mothers need to be poured into themselves so that they can heal both physically and emotionally. But that is mostly not the case. Mom is hyper focused on caring for her newborn baby, breastfeeding, and making sure that her baby is safe, and doesn’t have time for herself.
Gift her a self-care basket so that way she has no choice but to use it. And put things in the basket that are practical and aren’t a hassle to use. You can either go the route of sending them a pre-made gift basket or make your own DIY gift basket.
What to put in a postpartum gift basket:
When it comes to creating a DIY postpartum gift basket, there are several ways you can go. You can either create very specific postpartum gift baskets or add a little bit of everything to your postpartum gift basket. Below are the different gift baskets you can make if you choose.
- Postpartum Essentials gift basket ( disposable underwear, a water bottle for Mom, etc.)
- Nursing Essentials gift basket
- Postpartum self-care gift basket
- Meal prep kit/snacks care package
Items to add to a postpartum gift basket
- Protein bars
- Chocolate
- Dried fruits
- Popcorn
- Lactation cookies
- Lip balm
- A nice water bottle
- lotions
- Postpartum underwear
- Nursing pads
- Belly binder
- A pair of comfy pajamas
- Slippers
3) Offer to hold baby so she can go for a walk:
If her spouse is at work all day, it can be tough to get anything done, including taking a shower. Offer to hold the baby so mom can go for a walk or even take a shower.
4) Help her tidy up her home or arrange household services:
If mom doesn’t have time to take a shower, what makes you think she’s going to have time to clean her home? If you can’t personally help her tidy up her home, arrange household services such as house cleaning service, laundry service, etc.
5) Book her an in-home massage/spa treatment:
Mama needs to relax and take a breather. This gift would be a very thoughtful one especially if you’re able to book it in-home since mom might not want to be away from the baby just yet.
6) Offer to watch the kids or arrange childcare if she has other kids:
Caring for multiple children and a newborn baby can be overwhelming, help minimize this mom’s load by helping out with her other kids.
7) She needs your company:
She’s probably been cooped up inside the house for a week or two now and in need of an adult conversation. Sit with her and have a conversation, not about childbirth, but about what’s been going on while she’s been away.
8) Groceries:
The fridge and pantry is probably running low on, how thoughtful would it be if you showed up with groceries?
Final Words
After labor and delivery, a mother goes through physical, emotional, and hormonal changes throughout her body. Some moms may feel lonely or feel that they lack the support they need to succeed with a new baby at home.
When you visit a mother at home after childbirth, don’t be so focused on the baby that you forget about the mother who is probably functioning on autopilot.
Being a mom is challenging, but for new mothers, being a mom is even more difficult, particularly as they explore motherhood for the first time and try to figure things out. Be the one who checks on the mother to ensure she feels loved and supported.
And don’t forget… it never hurts to bring a box of diapers with you.
Related articles:
18 Best Postpartum Must Haves For Your Postpartum Care Kit
5 Simple Postpartum Depression Self-Care Ideas for Struggling Moms
These are all amazing ideas! I often get a selection of “necessities” to give as gifts but sometimes it’s hard to think of other ideas so these are fab! Especially things like nice, comfy slippers!
Great ideas and things that are important. Having someone’s company is important and we need to work on it.