10 gifts you should buy a new mum

The truth of becoming a new mum is; what you receive from friends and family might be delicately wrapped and beautiful looking, but it’s not practical, it’s not needed and it certainly isn’t helping any mother through the sleep-deprived tears at 3am. For that reason, it’s time that new mums are given gifts that are truly useful for becoming a new parent and will genuinely make a difference to their exciting yet slightly overwhelming new adventure.

Instead of simply looking through parenting books and compiling a list of new mum gifts that seem useful, we asked experienced parents from across the globe what would or did pull them through those never-ending cluster feeds and sleepy afternoons.

clothing for baby

New parents will spend a large majority of their time trying to get baby to sleep, and also changing baby’s nappy. Both are two inescapable facts of parenting, and often tiring for a new mum as it can seem continuous. You might want to gift a new parent baby clothes that look adorable, but the truth is parents want something that encourages sleep and also makes changing (during both day and night) as quick and easy as possible. Baby sleepsuits made from organic materials are often softer on a baby’s delicate skin and also help them regulate their temperature and prevent them from feeling uncomfortable during the night.

When buying sleepsuits, opt for baby zip sleepsuits or just a couple of poppers at the crotch area for quick access during the night changes.

SHOP SLEEPSUITS

baby sling

Pushing around a pushchair seems easy enough in theory, but in practice can be a little more difficult. Living in the city as a new mother is both amazing and terrifying at the same time; exploring with little one is special but trying to clamber onto tubes with a pushchair can be a nightmare on your own. The sling won’t be advisable for mothers who have had a C-Section, so take note of this, but for those who haven’t and have recovered, a baby sling is a practical way to get out of the house and not have to juggle the city with a heap of plastic. Slings are now available in different colours and patterns to match a new mum’s personality and style. You could even get one to coordinate with a baby romper or muslin if you were feeling super trendy.

wet wipes

When you have someone whose newborn baby clothes, cot sheets, baby socks, baby bodysuits and more need changing continuously, it’s no surprise that finding the time to shower becomes bottom of the priority list. However, having not showered in approximately 2 weeks or more can lead to feeling exceptionally bad about yourself, even if that shouldn’t be the case. Wet wipes are going to be a gift from the Gods for any new mother as they’re great for staying clean and versatile for many other things. From a wet wipe shower to cleaning the kitchen worktops or wiping baby’s bottom; wet wipes are a must-have essential.

food

Everyone needs food to sustain themselves, but a new mother needs to keep her energy up through good nutrition. You can only care for someone else if you feel mentally and physically on top, which is why a new mum will love you showing up at the door armed with either a home-cooked meal or her favourite takeaway and some chocolate.

Having a tiny human to look after can mean that mums often forget to give time for themselves, which includes finding time to cook; show her you care by stocking up the fridge for a while.

new bedding

Once you become a new parent, sleep seems like a beautiful past-time that may never return to your life. That’s not entirely true, but for a good amount of time, being sleep deprived will become a permanent part of your everyday reality. While their little one is fast asleep in their baby sleeping bag, you, unfortunately, can’t gift a new mother sleep, as much as they would love you forever for it. As a compromise, you can gift her a brand-new set of pillows, duvet and bedsheets to ensure that she has everything for the most comfortable few hours of sleep each night. You could even go one step further and invest in a new mattress for her.

something just for her

One aspect that new mums always say they didn’t consider until after having their little one was being treated as only a mother, and not who they are as a woman. Your life is redefined when you become a parent, but that shouldn’t mean your personality is redefined as only a mother. To remind that special lady that she is just as important as baby, and is still who she always was, why not treat her to a gift that is just for her. Whether that’s a new handbag, gorgeous skincare items, her perfect dress or that book she’s been dying to read - give a new mum something that reminds her she is still who she always was, just with an added mini-me.

subscription to Netflix

Much of a new mum’s time becomes dominated by breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, and even though it’s a magical bonding experience it can feel a little tedious after some time. To make those moments a little more “productive” and worthy for a new mother, you could gift them a subscription to Netflix or a similar streaming channel. From just £5.99 a month, you could give a present that helps keep spirits high during those feeding frenzies.

bath essentials and a night off

As a new mother, finding some time to yourself is often completely out of reach, but it doesn’t have to be. Create a bath hamper with some candles, relaxing oils, bath bombs and moisturisers so that she can indulge in an hour of de-stress time to get back on top of feeling happy and healthy.

Jennifer E. Lansford PhD, who is a professor for the Social Science Research Institute, says that “stressed parents are less responsive to their infant's cues, and that less-sensitive caregiving is stressful to babies.” Therefore, it’s important to make sure parents get a moment to de-stress. While she’s having a bath and clearing her mind of all responsibility, you can look after baby for a few hours and make sure nothing disturbs her chance to regain a sense of calm.

extra-long phone charger

Once she’s got her Netflix subscription, she’s going to want to be able to make sure she can binge-watch all of the latest series without having to experience her mobile battery depleting before baby has finished feeding for the night.

You could buy a normal phone charger, but the plug socket might be a little out of reach so an extra-long lead means social media can be accessed almost everywhere and anywhere. Alternatively, an on-the-go charger is always going to come in handy.

reassurance

Something that is not talked about enough when it comes to becoming a parent for the first time, is the loneliness. It often comes unexpectedly but is like a strong tide that you cannot get your head above. “…while new mothers might feel extremely connected to their newborn, they often feel extremely disconnected from everyone else — including their spouse.” - Guy Winch PhD from Psychology Today explains that even though you constantly have a human interacting with you, motherhood can be isolating.

The problem with it is that “Loneliness, especially when it continues for too long, can pose risks to our physical as well as our emotional health.”, and as mentioned previously, a mum cannot look after her little one if she is not feeling 100% herself. Whether you are her friend, mother, father, partner or sibling - reassure her that she always has someone to talk to about anything that is going through her thoughts. If you can’t be there all the time, then giving a new mum a post-natal course where she can connect and meet other new mothers will ensure she has somewhere to go and find solace in others.

What would you gift a new mother? Head over to Instagram and let us know @babymoriofficial

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