In this post we are going to set you up with the 10 best gifts to give to a new first time mum!
or
just to treat yourself and prepare you for motherhood.
Becoming a mum can be very daunting! You may have conceived by surprise or have spent months or even years waiting for this moment, but when those two pink lines show up on that stick, there's no doubting your life changes forever.
You then spend 9 months preparing for that (or those) tiny humans to enter the world and do everything you can to prepare. Honestly, it is great to prepare, but it is such a vast world of unexpectancies that you never know what you are actually going to need. So I've put together a list of what I definitely used and loved with both my babies, including things that I think any new mum will appreciate after birth/looking after a newborn. Honestly...one of my favourites gifts I received (and also give) is a home cooked meal, something that can be stored frozen and cooked from frozen...nothing beats a proper meal (cooked by someone else) in this phase of motherhood.
See my favourite recipe to make for newbie parents at the end of this post.
1. Pram organiser
Oh I loved my pram organiser! It just stayed attached to my pram at all times and meant I could keep essentials in it like nappies, wipes, dummies, soft toys and more! So many times it has been a life saver and allowed me to pop into the shop and have a coffee without having to take the whole baby bag. A Great gift!
To make it more special as a gift, use the organiser like a gift basket and fill with little extras like dummies, baby grows, teethers and the other items in this post. You could even wrap it up in cellophane and top it with a bow!
A perfect gift!
2. Portable 5in1 baby crib
I had this with my second and I WISH I had this with my first. There are a few on the market, but my favourite is this one. Tbh I love everything from kinderkraft! My pram is kinderkraft, I've had this crib and I have just bought the trike from them too. I love how slim the designs are, easy to use and how each product they have grows with baby. So it doesn't feel like you are wasting your money. This baby crib doubles up as a baby bouncer and is not only great to just keep in your living space...but is easily portable, so if you travel like we do, on holidays or even just to friends/families for the day...this wonderful contraption can come with you making the whole outing a much easier experience.
A pricier gift, but so so helpful!
3. Caddy organiser
Another organising one! There is a theme here haha. In all serious though, it is hard to stay organised or in a routine with babies, so anything that can help is always helpful and surely appreciated.
Fill this caddy with nappies, wipes, toys, muslin clothes, breastfeeding bits and all the essentials you and your baby needs - kind of like the pram organiser. We kept ours downstairs as we had everything upstairs in the nursery, so this allowed us to have easy access to essentials downstairs. The beauty of this product though is that it can come with you all around the house and it just keeps everything tidy and organised, it also means that you have less mess around the house. Like with the pram organiser, you could again, use this as a gift basket and fill with other useful bits to make for a beautiful present.
4. Buggy clips
A small one, but oh so useful! Ive often shared on my instagram account ways of using these clips...but essentially you can hang more on your buggy with this gadget. I personally like to have two of them and use them to strategically hang a shopping basket on the pram for easy shopping. This is so useful when baby is asleep and you don't want to wake them up and stick them in a trolley.
A perfect add on to go into the above caddy organiser or pram organiser as previously mentioned.
5. Baby bag (that converts into a cot)
Favourite baby bag ever! Keeps everything so organised and means you can essentially have a cot/sleeping space anywhere you go! I used mine non-stop. Great for when your at a friends/families house and baby needs a nap, great for park dates, great for caravan holidays and so so much more. Great investment!
6. Best teething gel!
Another great add on...teething gels! I think I have use all of them now...but by far the best one I found was Anbesol. My daughter really suffered (and still suffers) with her teething and this is the only thing that settles her to be honest...and I find that this brand isn't that well known in the teething gel world. So here I am, shedding some light on this product for you! Thank me later!
7. Drinking adapters
A great product that has saved me many times.
Story time - I remember being out for a shopping day and my daughter was only a few months old. I packed her bottles and had everything ready...however, when she started screaming for a bottle (and oh she screamed!) I went to give her the bottle, only to find that the water had completely leaked everywhere! At first I panicked...that was the last bottle I had left, what was I going to do? A-ha! I had this trusty little device stashed in my baby bag! I ran to boots, grabbed a ready made aptamil bottle for her age, stuck this lid on and I was saved! We also used this device for juices and so-on.
Honestly, it wasn't used a ton....but it has saved us on many occasions. So a handy little gift in my opinion. Something that can be stashed in the nappy bag for emergencies. Mama will be sure to thank you for this one!
8. Baby Sling
I never really used a sling with my first baby. I think maybe because I had more time to just lay with him and snuggle. So maybe not a necessary gift for a very first time mum....however...I lived in this with my second! I think it also depends on the baby. My daughter was super clingy and would not be put down...at that point I had my toddler too...and the housework to keep up with. So having this sling helped so much! It meant I could still snuggle my baby girl, have her close, keep her safe as well as quite...but also play with my toddler and do whatever housework I could manage. I did have a strap on sling...great for outdoors, however my favourite was this fabric sling, especially for indoors. It just felt more intement.
9. Thermal cup
This is a gift specifically for mama. A thermal cup/mug! If your mama is a hot drinks drinker...this is THE gift to get! the amount of times I made a cup of coffee and it got cold...well, theres too many to mention. It still happens now and my babies are 4 and nearly 2. So this is a gift that will keep on giving throughout the years, keeping those hot cuppas hot!
10. A home made meal
And lastly...a home cooked meal is sometimes all you need to gift. It can be the most thoughtful and precious gift. Feeding mama and her family is a gift that they will forever be grateful for and will remember forever. So I made this Free Printable download for you to keep in the recipe folder. This is my go to meal that I normally like to make for new families as it can be kept in the freezer and cooked from frozen when needed. I still make this recipe now for my family and keep in the freezer for quick and easy dinners too.
When gifting this meal, I normally make this dish in a foil tray, so that it can be cooked in and thrown away after using...rather than Mamas worrying about returning the plate after...new mamas have enough to think about.
BONUS: 'Cook Guide' sheet included in download!
Print out and gift to new mamas with the pie dish.
BONUS: cook guide gift sheet
DOWNLOAD ME
So there you have it! My round up of the best baby essentials to gift to a new mother!
I hope this post was helpful to you, whether looking or gifts or looking for newborn essentials for yourself!
I try to post every Friday over here on the blog, so be sure to check back next week!
Chaos and Clarity!