Gift for a New Mom

I do home daycare and have a family who had their older child celebrate the 2nd birthday, then within 2 weeks delivered their twins. People from their place of work (same place, different floors and depts) gathered up everyones $5 and $10 donations, and arranged for a delivery from Simondelivers. They included kid friendly foods for the 2 year old, frozen pizzas, diapers and wipes, toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates, all sorts of prepared heat and serve meals,etc. She said it was one of the best gifts they recieved!

I agree with a gift certificate to let's dish. That way she can call an order in and they can make it for her or you can attach a babysitter certificate for you to baby sit and she can go make the meals.

Hi S.,

Good luck on your pregnancy!

I would not recommend a "going out" type of certificate unless you're providing the childcare too. I know with my first we felt pretty house-bound for a long time (he was a tough baby) and if I'd had a restaurant certificate, it would not have been used.

Certificates for take-out ("healthy-ish" like Quizno's if fast-food isn't your thing) would be nice. If you would like to take up a collection and get something big, Delightful Deliveries and Lobstergram both have meals you can send to them.

The best gifts I got for all three kids was food - make them a meal, if you're still cooking. Something easy that can be frozen is good - like a lasagna, some kind of chicken-and-rice or chicken-and-noodle dish would work too. That has the bonus of being cheap, and you can double the recipe and have your dinner too!

Actually, if you're expecting soon, it's a great idea to start stashing away frozen meals for yourself. Just start making a double batch of your freezable meals when you make dinner, and store half of it for after the baby.

I do think that is a nice idea. I would also check out to see if she is interested in spa services. Even something as small as a pedicure can do wonders to the spirit. Also, never doubt the old stand-by of watching her baby for a few hours for her to nap, take a bath, or have a nice date with herself or her husband. Good Luck with your awaiting arrival too!!

M.

I didn't get this as a gift, but I saw it and was like "Wow, I wish I would have got one of these when my baby was first born..." It is a nursing bracelet from www.mom4life.com - they help you keep track of feedings (how many ounces and when was the last time, etc). It was one of the coolest things I've seen. It can also be used for formula feeding as well. That website also has other cool stuff (I don't work for it or anything, but I really like it!)

I would also recommend a baby wrap as a gift. I got the Moby Wrap from www.theslingstation.com - it was sooooooooo great when my baby was small. It kept the baby happy and she slept every time I put her in. I was also able to do things around the house - I could even vacuum and the baby would sleep through it!

These gifts would also be a good idea for you! Good luck!

I would think a gift card for a place like bath and body works would be awonderful thing. Something for her! Paired with a soft pair of sox and little book she can read to baby (My many colored days by Dr. Suess comes to mind).

I would have been in heaven receiving Let's Dish meals.

I noticed you mentioned that this is a coworker. Are other coworkers getting anything? My co workers and I have gone into Lets Dish or Super Suppers and made a months worth of meals for new moms (also someone recovering from surgery) Its nice not to have to worry about meals the first months when you are tired but it is important to eat healthy. Unfortuneately, this can be pricey for just one person to do, so it is nice if a small group can go in together. Good luck on your little one!
S. R

Congrats on your pregnancy! The best gift I received (for my 1st child) was for a massage at a local salon/day spa. It came along with a "coupon" for babysitting as well- so I knew I could trust my new baby to be taken care of while I was getting pampered. My oldest will be 10 in September & I STILL remember that gift...it was that memorable!

Take care!

food is always a good idea...how about a gift card to a place that delivers or offers curb side pick up??? that way she can eat in the comfort of her own home and not have to worry about taking the baby out or getting dressed up.

S.
Congratulations on your pregnancy!
I'm glad your co-workers stressful pregnancy is over - i had a very difficult 2nd pregnancy so i can understand how glad she must be that it is over and the baby is safely here.
I've just started up in business with natural products and have a lovely baby range as well as things to help soothe and pamper a new mom. I'd love to help you find something if it interests you.
My website is www.4074.daisybluenaturals.com if you'd like to look. Daisy Blue Naturals are a minnesota company committed to keep you and your babies skin healthy.
Kind regards
J.

If you go with a resturant gift card, make sure that it doesnt expire because she wont have alot of time right off the bat to use it. And personally I dont think that I really ever had too many onesies lol. A grocery store gift card might be useful.

A hot dinner or one that they can warm up would be great. That was definitely the gift that I could have had a dozen of!

If the gift card comes with free babysitting, that would be really nice. :0) I always appreciated the things that you run out of quickly with a newborn - like diapers and nursing pads!
S., mom of 3

All the responces you've got a re good so far. If you DO still want to get a gift card for a restaurant, jsut make sure they have a "carside to go" option (or whatever, every restaurant has a different name for it!)...as new parents this is what they may do instead of venturing out to a rest. with a newborn or entrust someone to watch him/her.

The BEST thing you can give a new mom is a break. Make some babysitting "coupons" to use in the future (if you're willing to babysit). Gift certificates for cleaning services like Merry Maids or cook her several casseroles or lasagna etc. that freeze well for her to have on hand to cut down on her cooking. Just some ideas...

A restaurant gift card sounds wonderful and very useful. If you can go in on a gift with someone else I would suggest a week of meals from one of the "Make and Take" places, such as Let's Dish or My Girlfriend's Kitchen. I would have loved a gift like that. Or even just one day of professional housecleaning!

Have you asked if she is registered for gifts anywhere? A gift from her registry is sure to be both needed and appreciated.

As a side note -- someone gave me a baby gift with a Thank you card enclosed -- she had addressed, stamped and completed the thank you ("Thank you for the _____") -- with addl. space for me to write my own note. We had so little extra time and energy for thank yous after our son was born (but I still sent them all out!!) -- this was sooooo appreciated by me...almost more than the actual gift itself! ha!

One last thing -- anything that you give will, I'm sure, be appreciated. I was amazed and so grateful of other's gifts of things, food, money and time -- at a time when we really feel overwhelmed.

The best gift I received after having any of my kids:
FOOD! A meal that I did not have to prepare;
Get a group of co-workers together and go to one of those Make-your-own meals places (Ex. 'My Dinner Party' in Elk River)
you all can have alot of fun and you can give those meals or at least several of them to your co-worker and her family.
They can put them in the freezer and eat them as needed.
Having a new baby in the house is a big adjustment and alot of work; the last thing anyone wants to do is make a big meal.
most meals you just pop in the oven - super easy.
-OR-
another great idea:
I am a Independent Consultant for Arbonne International which has a baby line that is all botanically based. Baby Safe.
I use it on my 2yr. old and it takes care of his eczema.
I have a diaper cream and a body lotion stocked at my home office right now - or I can order anything for you. There are many other great safe products for everyone. Check out www.arbonne.com to learn of the products or contact me:
____@____.com
###-###-####

I also have a gift basket company: 'Gi Gi Gift Baskets'
(check out mamasource.com local business reviews, under shopping and services/ gifts; for testimonials)
I could design a Welcome Baby gift basket for you with the Arbonne baby items in it; a little something for Mom and maybe some munchie-type snacks for the family. We also deliver.
I'd love to help you with your gift. Good luck with whatever you choose to do; I'm sure she will appreciate whatever you do for her.

Some ideas:
-It can be hard to get out to a restaurant with a new baby, but she might really appreciate some meals for her freezer that she can just pop in the oven.
-In a similar vein, a gift certificate to someplace like Let's Dish
-A Moby Wrap baby carrier -- so comfy and fantastic for carrying newborns (you can buy them online or at Peapods in St Paul)
-A pair of Robeez shoes (or similar brand)--they are cute and really do stay on little feet. Tons of places have them, including Nordstroms and Creative Kidstuff.
-A gift certificate to Peapods or Creative Kidstuff.
-A subscription to Brain, Child magazine (most Barnes n Nobles have them, I think). What a great magazine!
-Some good classic board books--(Goodnight Moon, anything by Carle or Boynton, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom -- those were a few of our favorites)
-Some music (some cds we really like are Lezlee's Lovabyes, all the ones by Dan Zanes or the Putamayo kids, For the Kids, and if the baby is fussy Grandma's Fussbuster. Check out cdbaby.com to buy most or listen to samples).

I could go on but this is way more than you need, I'm sure!

I think a restaurant gift card is a great idea - maybe choose one where she can order and pick it up to go and include a menu. I really appreciated gifts like that.
One of my friends gave me a cute and comfy jogging suit as a 'baby gift' - the jogging still hasn't happened but it was nice to have something new that fit (I still wear it after losing most -not all!- of my baby weight). I thought it was nice to think of the new mother and I thought I might do it for someone else.

The gift card is a great idea, you could also cook a few meals and bring them over to her and watch the baby while they eat a nice warm, home cooked meal. That meant a ton to me when we came home.
You could also do a spa package, or massage, since she had a stressful pregnancy, she would probably enjoy that.
I also agree that a package of diapers, wipes or a can of formula (if she isnt' nursing) would be much appreciated as well.
Wouldnt that be neat to have a baby on 7-7-07, kind of cool!
Congrats to you on your pregnancy as well.