The first Mother’s Day for a new mom should be extra special. She just brought a miracle into the world, and she deserves to be celebrated. But with a newborn around, and the sleeplessness, chaos, and poop that accompanies them, it’s not easy for a new mom to pamper herself.
Here are 15 gifts for new moms that will make her feel loved, relaxed, and beautiful:
1. Spa gift card
No one can use a massage or a pedicure more than a new mom. My first pedicure after I had my son was pure bliss, and having cute toes for a while made me feel less like a zombie. Viva Day Spa is exceptional and offers all spa services; for nails try a higher-end place like Gilt Nail Bar, Embellish, or tenoverten.
2. Fancy toiletries
Even if a spa visit isn’t in the budget, you can still pamper Mom with some luxurious lotion, body wash, or bubble bath. The Burt’s Bees Mama Bee gift set is a sweet combo. For some local flavor, Austin Apothecary has lovely bath bombs, scrubs and masks. A BirchBox subscription is always fun too, so the pampering can continue every month!
3. Jewelry
A piece with baby’s initials or birthstone makes a heartfelt first Mother’s Day present. Lisa Leonard is a popular designer, and Etsy also has countless adorable options, like these dainty pieces from Caitlyn Minimalist.
4. Teething necklace
If you do get her a nice piece of jewelry, she may not be able to wear it for a while thanks to baby’s grabby hands. A teething necklace with silicone beads lets moms be stylish and gives baby something safe to pull and chew on. Goobie Baby, Itzy Ritzy and Honeycomb Baby Goods have cute ones.
5. Food delivery gift card
Cooking is probably the last thing a new mom wants to worry about, so a gift card to a place like UberEats, GrubHub or Postmates is a godsend. Bon appetit!
6. Cute pajamas or yoga pants
I pretty much lived in yoga pants and pajamas when I had a newborn, so it was nice to have a few pairs that made me feel a little less sloppy. I’m a fan of Marika yoga pants. For pajamas, the Lucille Nursing Nightgown from Kindred Bravely and Gilligan & O’Malley Seamless Gown from Target are pretty and nursing-friendly.
7. Qeepsake membership
Qeepsake is a service that texts you questions every day about your baby and records your responses in a private journal. You can add photos and order print versions of your journal too. For me, it was a nice way to take a moment to reflect at the end of each day, and to easily record happy moments and milestones.
8. Kindle and/or books
New moms spend a lot of time sitting on the couch feeding their babies, so it’s great to be able to stock up on reading material on a Kindle. I was surprised at how much reading I got done the first couple months (oh, how I miss that time now!). I devoured mom-themed books like Little Earthquakes (Jennifer Weiner) and Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son’s First Year (Anne Lamott).
9. “Mommy and Me” class gift card
It’s easy to go a little stir crazy when you’re at home with a little one all day. A gift card to a Mommy and Me class will help Mom get out of the house and meet other moms. Heartsong Music offers a babies class for ages 0-8 months, and Gymboree has Baby Lab classes for 0-10 months. Both sell gift certificates.
10. Newborn photo session
If she hasn’t already done one, a newborn photo session with a great photographer is a really thoughtful gift for a new mom. She’ll get beautiful photos she can cherish forever that capture the precious, oh-so-fleeting newborn stage.
11. Diaper bag
Every new mom needs a diaper bag that can keep all of baby’s (and her) stuff organized and still look cute. I’ve been drooling over the new Freshly Picked bags—they’re stylish, hold a ton and can be worn three ways, including as a backpack.
12. House cleaning service
For my birthday, when my son was three months old, my husband researched and booked a cleaning service. It was the best gift I received, not only because I had a clean house but I also got a little extra time to relax. New moms should be spending any “free” time sleeping, not sweeping.
13. Amazon Echo
When you’ve always got your hands full with a baby, it’s amazing how helpful it is to be able to ask Alexa for the time, the weather, or non-annoying kids’ music. I got an Echo a few months ago and I wish I could have one in every room.
14. Postpartum doula services
A postpartum doula can stay overnight to take care of baby so Mom can get much-needed sleep. They can also provide daytime support with breastfeeding, newborn care, light housekeeping, sibling care and more. Austin Baby Guru offers gift certificates for postpartum services; Austin Doula Care and Brenda the Doula are also wonderful doulas that provide postpartum care.
15. Mama/baby matching shirts
Even if she only wears it once for the picture, it’s worth it. Mama Bear/Baby Bear is a personal favorite (see cheesy photo below), but Etsy has thousands of options with adorable and funny sayings.
