Things New Moms Need for Themselves
Most focus centers around the baby when a family welcomes a new baby, but let’s be honest; the mom is a superstar as well.
She goes through a lot, and now she has a brand new baby. As a result, there are things new moms need for themselves.
It’s not uncommon for moms to worry more about what their new babies need, forgetting entirely about themselves.
The truth is that sometimes new moms have no idea what new mothers need for themselves, but they know they’re missing something with their self-care.
It might be some friend time after a long day with their new baby, or they might need easy meals because cooking a nice dinner is out of the question right now.
If you want to get your friend, family member, or spouse something that they need for themselves after having a new baby, here are some ideas that show you care.
And if you love these things new moms need, check out these best pregnancy gifts for first time moms and non-baby gifts for new parents. Or even these best breastfeeding mom gifts!
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18 Things New Moms Need for Themselves
1. A Postpartum Care Kit
Recovering from childbirth takes a serious toll on a woman; her body goes through a lot during this short time. A postpartum care kit is exactly what she needs to help heal and recover.
Here are some things that she would undoubtedly appreciate in a recovery kit.
- Herbal sitz bath
- Perineal spray
- Organic perineal balm
- Postpartum Tea
- Heating pad
- Nipple cream
- Postpartum Diapers
Created with new moms in mind, Pink Stork postpartum recovery tea is 100% organic without any GMO ingredients!
Ingredient in this postpartum tea include Red Raspberry Leaf, Oat Straw, and Dandelion, along with several other carefully chosen components.
And best of all it tastes great!
2. Easy Meals Prepared
The last thing a new mom wants to do is cook meals after having a new baby. By the end of the day (or even in the morning), you feel exhausted. At the same time, eating fast food or takeout every night drains your budget and isn’t the best for your body.
A simple thing you can do for a new mom is bring her some homemade freezer meals that she can pop into the oven or instant pot whenever dinnertime is approaching.
3. Extra Sleep
Lack of sleep makes anyone feel bad, and after weeks of sleeping two-hour spans, that new mom will turn into a mombie quickly. Of course, it’s part of new motherhood, and everyone goes through it, but that doesn’t make it easier.
Take the baby for a bit and tell that new mama to catch a few hours of sleep. Use this time to strap the baby in a carrier and clean up the kitchen and house for her. Waking up to a clean house after a great nap will leave anyone feeling great.
4. Groceries Delivered
Most grocery stores offer pick-up nowadays after the pandemic hit, but even that takes planning for a mom. You have to make sure the baby is well-fed, has a clean diaper, put on a presentable outfit, and brush your hair – maybe.
So, offer to have groceries and other essentials delivered through a company like Amazon instead.
It’s a huge gift for a new mom who is exhausted but needs diapers and some dinner supplies.
You may want to check out these best diaper subscription services too!
5. Restaurant Gift Cards
If you aren’t one to cook homemade dinners, don’t feel bad, you can still help out a new mom by sending her a few restaurant gift cards.
We suggest local restaurants that serve more than burgers so they can enjoy actual meals rather than greasy sandwiches or pizza.
6. A Good Cup of Coffee
Something that new moms need for themselves? A good cup of coffee with some friend time.
Being a new mom can be lonely, especially if your partner has to return to work and you’re still at home recovering from childbirth and trying to settle into a routine with your newborn.
Sometimes, all you want is some time to chat with someone who wasn’t a child and a strong cup of coffee.
So, be that friend!
Grab a to-go coffee and some donuts and show up at your friends’ house in your pajamas. Meet her exactly where she is, and don’t expect anything from her.
7. A Water Bottle with A Straw
Here is a practical gift for a new mom – a water bottle with a straw. New moms need to drink a lot, especially if they’re breastfeeding. Staying well-hydrated will help maintain her breast milk supply.
We like the water bottles with the amounts marked to make my water goals each day easily. It keeps you accountable throughout the day.
8. Housework Help
It can be hard keeping you house clean when all your baby wants is to be held and nursed. All. Day. Long.
Even with a baby carrier, getting the carpet vacuumed and the dishwasher loaded can feel like a massive accomplishment for the day.
So, be willing to throw in help whenever needed, and don’t wait for that new mom to ask you. Instead, you ask her if she needs help and tell her you’re ready to throw on your shoes to assist.
Another option is to pay for someone to come to her house to clean once or twice. It feels like a dream coming home to an immaculate home that you didn’t need to lift a finger to make happen.
Or if having someone in her house makes her feel uncomfortable, then a iRobot vacuum is a fantastic option as they can clean and even mop the floors while she is caring for her baby.
9. Someone to Watch Her Older Kids
Another one of the things new moms need for themselves but might not realize is someone to watch their older kids. It’s easy to feel guilty that your older kids might be bored or missing out as your family adjusts to life with a new baby.
Even if you don’t want to do anything crazy with your friend’s older kids, you can still take them to the local park and grab some ice cream. Then, take them to your house and work on some fun and easy crafts.
10. A Massage
Childbirth is no joke; your body will feel exhausted for days or weeks after having a baby. One way to show a new mom that you know things she needs for themselves by paying for a massage for her.
Typically, we would suggest bringing whatever you can to the new momma’s house, but a massage is not one of those times.
New moms won’t fully relax and focus on the massage when she hears the baby cry in the background.
Offer to keep the baby so she can take an hour away to get a massage.
11. Company on Tough Days
We mentioned how important it is to show up for your friends, but it’s even more important to be a shoulder to cry on during those tough days.
You know what days we’re talking about.
The baby didn’t sleep at night, and all they wanted to do was feed. As a result, they’re crying all day long, the dog pees on the floor, and your toddler spills flour and their drink within an hour.
Those days are the days when you think about throwing in the towel and running away to a foreign island, and those are the days when new moms need some company. You don’t even have to talk about what happened; be there for her and let her know that she’s not alone.
12. Plenty of Snacks
Childbirth makes you hungry, so fill up a basket with the new mom’s favorite snacks.
She can keep this basket beside her recliner for the endless nursing sessions in the middle of the night.
Kind Bars are a great choice with a bunch of options like low glycemic index and gluten free!
13. Comfy Nursing Bras
Breastfeeding mothers always need more nursing bras. However, it’s best not to pick sized breastfeeding bras; you might select the wrong size, and no one wants to go through the returning process with a newborn.
Instead, grab her some comfortable sleeping bras.
You might also want to check out this guide on how many nursing bras do I need?
These sleeping bras are a soft double layered bra with no padding no underwire to provide you with maximum comfort while sleeping. The criss cross front allows for easy one hand pull aside access for nursing at night which is just what you need when you are half asleep and trying to settle your baby.
14. Slippers
Everyone needs a new pair of slippers; most slippers wear out after a few months of heavy use.
She will appreciate slipping on a new, cozy pair of slippers in the middle of the night as she makes bottles or gets her baby out of the bassinet.
15. Comfy Lounge Wear
New moms spend a lot of time at home as they recover, and while buying their new baby clothes is always a priority, it’s easy to forget to grab some new comfortable loungewear or postpartum pajamas to enjoy at home.
Just because you’re at home doesn’t mean you can’t be stylish!
Loungewear has greatly improved over the last few years, and many outfits look like something you might wear to the store.
They’re soft, warm, and comfortable to wear while looking nice enough that you don’t feel embarrassed if your neighbor sees them.
16. Time to Shower
Taking a long, hot shower is something you take for granted when you don’t have a new baby who cries when you leave them.
You might have time to jump in the shower for a quick wash, but indulging in a long, hot shower is out of the question.
Offer to watch the baby so she can take a shower for however long she wants.
17. Breast Pump
Even if a new mom plans to exclusively breast feed, a breast pump can be extremely useful. Expressing help to establish and increase a low milk supply as well as give a new mom the ability to get help with feeding the baby if they need to have a break.
Whilst there are many different types of breast pumps on the market, we love the wearable Elvie electric breast pump as it is easy to use and completely hands free. It is designed to fit snugly into your bra so it is also extremely discreet.
The Elvie is an innovative, hands-free, cordless breast pump perfect for those that are looking to pump discretely.
This easy to use pump has a 5 ounce capacity and is designed to fit securely inside your nursing bra to allow you the freedom to move around and multitask while you pump.
It also comes with Bluetooth so you can connect your pump to your smartphone via Bluetooth which allows you to control the pump and monitor the milk flow.
It comes with both single and double pump options.
18. Letters To My Baby Book
Letters to My Baby is exactly what it sounds like – a book where you write letters to your baby that you can read later in the future and treasure forever.
Why we do we think new moms can benefit from this? Well, other than being a gorgeous baby memory book, journaling your thoughts and feelings as a new mom can be a great way for you to process that huge array of emotions. It gives you a chance to pause and reflect and to focus on how you are feeling in the moment.
It also makes for a thoughtful gift that a mother could give her child as they get older, or she might want to save the letters and reflect on her new mom journey later in life.
No matter how she uses the letters, this is a great way to remember each month during that first year and hold those memories close.
Final Thoughts On What Do New Moms Need
Whether this is her first baby or the fifth, it doesn’t matter; having a new baby takes a lot of energy. Tell her you care about her too during this time, and make sure to buy a few of these things new moms need for themselves.
She will appreciate it more than you know.
And if you’re looking for more great pregnancy guides, then check out these best collagen supplements for pregnancy and baby items starting with a to z.
