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The very best gifts for moms-to-be are the ones that are actually for the mom-to-be. All too often, registries are filled with the practical and the useful, the big-ticket, must-have items that all new families need. Diapers. Strollers. Baby carriers. Car seats. And that’s great. But where is the mom in all that?
Moms-to-be — especially first-time moms — are in for one of the biggest transitions in life: motherhood. And what do we do when people go through major transitions? Get them gifts. And so, in that spirit, here are some of the best gifts for moms-to-be — not a diaper or onesie in sight.
Bonus: All of these gifts can be safely delivered or given virtually, in case you are attending a socially distant, virtual, or drive-by shower during COVID-19.
Best gifts for the pregnant mom
1. Compression socks
Not enough people tell you about the cankles of pregnancy, but they’re real. Luckily, compression socks have gotten a lot cuter lately. They’re also great for postpartum edema, which is another fact of new-mom life that doesn’t make the headlines.
2. Meal delivery
The last thing a very pregnant woman needs to deal with is figuring out what’s for dinner every night — in particular, during a pandemic when even grocery shopping is fraught. Enter your favorite meal delivery service. Options vary per city, but services like Blue Apron and Sun Basket — or, if you’re plant-powered, Purple Carrot — offer healthy, delicious, often customizable meals to make things easy. It’s not cheap, but for the crucial final weeks of pregnancy and first weeks of caring for a newborn, it’s a worthwhile splurge.
3. Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong — and What You Really Need to Know by Emily Oster
Knowledge is power, and Emily Oster’s excellent and aptly named pregnancy book, Expecting Better, not only debunks the many, many myths of pregnancy, but it treats the mom-to-be like she has a brain and not just a baby bump. It’s all backed by data and research, because Oster is an economist, for goodness sake.
Also by Oster, and worthy of the bedside table: Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool.
4. The Frida Mom Postpartum Kit
For the mom who just gave birth … iced maxi pads? Yes ma’am. Any woman who has been there knows how crucial those hospital supplies can be — hello, postpartum underwear. (I hoarded loads of supplies after I gave birth, both times!)
Frida — known best, perhaps, for having its ad banned from the 2020 Oscars — made a kit so you don’t have to steal from the hospital, full of postpartum must-haves like cooling pad liners, mesh panties, and some healing foam for your nether regions. Erin Gore, a first-time mom in Oakland, California, is a huge fan. She started using some of the items in her postpartum kit in late pregnancy, when symptoms were already getting intense. “The company is incredible,” she told Mom.com. “I love all of their products.”
Best gifts for the breastfeeding mom
Not everyone will nurse their newborn, and not everyone who tries to breastfeed will succeed. But for those in the trenches, here are a few gifts that make it easier — and more chic.
5. A proper robe
A new mom will basically live in her robe, especially if she is breastfeeding. Bonus points if the robe itself is chic enough to distract from the spit-up on her shoulder.
6. Nursing bra
After birth, most women barely recognize their newly huge, engorged, veiny breasts. The key to a great nursing bra is one that has enough support but is easy to slip aside for easy access. Bonus if it’s comfortable enough to sleep in.
7. Nipple balm
Cracked nipples are the worst. Give mom some relief in a jar with this soothing organic butter.
Great gifts for any and all moms-to-be
8. Fancy pajamas
Comfort is key, but a new mom needs to feel put together as well. Chic pajamas can make all the difference when you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror for that 3 a.m. feeding. As far as gifts for a mom-to-be, great pajamas — the fancier the better — are an unexpected fave.
9. Smart mug
Any new mom will tell you that she can never finish a cup of coffee, much less one that’s still hot. A smart mug, with adjustable temperature controls, ensures it’s just the right temp, at just the right time.
10. Your time
It’s cliché because it’s true: The best things in life are free. “The best gifts I got as a new mom weren’t really gifts at all — they were ‘acts’: delivering food, doing dishes or laundry, lending a listening ear, watching the baby so that I could sleep,” Cassie Shortsleeve, founder of Dear Sunday, an online platform that helps women adjust to new motherhood, told Mom.com.
“There are a lot of products out there for both babies and new moms, but I think what moms (especially new moms) need most of all is help. It’s also really hard to ask for help as a new mom — so when people showed up and just helped anyway? Those were the best gifts of all.”
