If you’ve been pregnant before and had a baby shower, you know: people love giving new moms lots of things. A lot of those things are incredibly helpful, and a lot of them are not. While extra love and thoughtfulness are so wonderful, sometimes it can be a little overwhelming. How much do you actually need?
If you have a baby shower coming up for a friend, resolve to give the most thoughtful gift-one that she’ll actually cherish. Instead of giving more blankets, hats, or those to-die-for newborn outfits, think instead of useful, important gifts of which your friend will be supremely grateful.
Here are five things your pregnant friend needs (but might not even know it)
A Pre and Postnatal Massage
Yes, both. Your friend is about to have her whole world turned inside out and upside down for her tiny little bundle of love. It can be so hard to take care of yourself during those first months of postpartum, and if she doesn’t have someone advocating for her self-care, she’s probably going to slack. Here’s the deal: give her a gift card for two massages. One prenatal Pregnancy Massage, to help her relax into her pregnancy or deal with any pregnancy-related aches and pains. The other? A postnatal gift massage complete with baby care for her new little one. Seriously. This is the ultimate gift for any new mom. If you’ve been there, you know.
A Pregnancy Subscription Box
Subscription boxes are the best gift: sent out every month, this pregnancy subscription box from Bump Boxes is about to be your pregnant bestie’s favorite gift to date. Tailored to a specific due date, these monthly boxes are stocked full of pregnancy essentials. There’s even a subscription box for the expectant father. After all, parenthood is about to change his whole world, too.
Compression Socks
Remember in your last trimester, when, by the end of the day, your legs would be swollen to seemingly double their size? Remember the aching, painful, tender ankles? Compression socks are a game-changer in those later months. If you’re on the fence about giving socks as a gift, turn it into a self-care-for-feet package: lavender Epsom salts for a relaxing foot bath, an exfoliator, and a peppermint foot rub to invigorate and moisturize. Putting compression socks on well-pampered feet at the end of the day will lead to one relaxed mama-to-be.
A Stocked Diaper Bag
This backpack style diaper bag from Ergobaby is well designed for comfort and accessibility…plus, you know, it just looks good. For a thoughtful gift, stock it with some essentials, like a cute outfit for baby, some hand lotion for mom, a reusable water bottle (hydration is so important for new moms!) wipes, and chapstick. No need to include a portable changing pad-this diaper bag comes with.
A Health and Well-Being Basket
Grab a cute basket and stock it with all the pregnancy essentials: Pregnancy tea, A Delicious (and nutritious!) protein powder, Epsom salts, and your favorite book-that’s not pregnancy related.
And if you only include one thing let it be this: Natural Calm, a magnesium drink that solves everything (it helps with sleep, headaches, cramps, and constipation issues that so often plague the last stage of pregnancy). With this little gift basket, you’ll be covering all the essentials on her list of must-needs. She might not know it yet, but when she does she’ll be incredibly grateful.
Women’s Protective Underwear
As the months rollover during pregnancy, the growing baby will start putting a lot of pressure on the mother’s bladder, causing all sorts of discomfort. Any pregnancy mother knows the inconvenience this can produce! This is why a pair or two of women’s protective underwear could be just the gift she’d really appreciate. Washable, reusable and super comfy, this will be one pregnant mama who won’t have to worry about being caught out in any embarrassing situations.