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When your friend (sister, daughter, cousin…) is expecting, it’s easy to get caught up in what the baby needs, but what about mom? New moms–whether it’s their first or fourth baby—are often forgotten in the excitement of a cooing new bundle. Not anymore!
This list will, of course, have some things for a new baby, but really, it was curated (by moms, for moms!) to help gift-giving friends think outside the diaper box. This Mother’s Day, tell the new mom in your life you appreciate the struggle by grabbing one of these great gifts.
We’ve got your registry must-haves covered — an easy-to-clean changing table, a crib mattress that baby will “sleep” on for well over a year, easy-to-maneuver stroller, and anything that will help baby sleep—and now we have more than 60 items that will help mom feel loved, supported, and pampered so matter how many hours of sleep she’s getting, and regardless of whether she’s showered in a few days. (Psst, please let her shower.)
New moms don’t ask for much (but maybe they should!), not even for Mother’s Day. All they want is a decent sleep, a warm meal, a few minutes of me-time, and maybe something that helps her feel, well, like her again. So, with that said, read on for some of our favorite picks that will make life a little easier for your favorite new mom.
Looking for a Mother’s Day gift? Check out our guides to the best Mother’s Day gifts, last-minute Mother’s Day gifts, and Mother’s Day gifts for Grandma.
“My baby boy was pretty much naked, in a diaper, for the first month of life — all so that I could get his skin on me whenever he was feeding, napping, or hanging out. And I couldn’t have done it any easier without the help of his top,” says our executive director Christine Anderson.
Moms will appreciate that they can simply loosen the ties and pop their little one inside when they need a snuggle or a nap — or tie it around themselves more tightly when someone else is holding the baby or when they are down for a nap.
AURA Carver WiFi Digital Picture Frame
There are a ton of digital frames on the market, and this one is one of the easiest to use, with the clearest picture. Upload the app, connect the frame, and add pictures whenever you want. And more than one person can add photos to that frame. Get those baby pics off the phone and displayed!
L’Occitane Cleansing & Softening Almond Shower Oil
The postpartum period is wild on your skin. One thing many of us suffered from is dry skin. (Thanks, hormones! ) What’s hard to do is find time for self care. This shower oil takes away a step. It’s both a cleanser and an oil, and it leaves your skin silky and smelling great.
New moms spend a lot of time in bed, so why not make that the most luxurious place in the whole house? Brooklinen luxe sateen sheets are some of the best that we’ve ever tried, and they come in fantastic colors. They’re also some of the easiest to launder!
HP Sprocket Portable 2×3-Inch Instant Photo Printer
If there’s one thing universal about new moms, it’s the fact that every one of us takes tons of pictures.
But how many of those pics actually get printed? With this cordless instant photo printer, it’s as easy as hitting a button on your phone to print a perfect (or perfectly ridiculous) picture. And yes, it’s compatible with both Android and iPhone.
We’re not assuming anyone is breastfeeding, but for parents who are, this is a lifesaver.
At some point, you’re going to get a clogged duct or have issues with letdown, or your chest is just uncomfortable. These warming massagers help with all of that, providing gentle heat and massage to sore tissues, helping with flow, production, and irritation.
Majka Nourishing Lactation Protein Powder
Not all moms have an easy time breastfeeding; in fact, it’s not as intuitive for Mom — or baby — as most people think. Adding a lactation powder like Majka to your diet can help increase milk supply and simply makes you feel better between exhaustion and hormone depletion. It’s not just a “milk booster” — it’s also a postnatal vitamin.
Sleep might not be something new moms get much of, but the sleep they do get should be deep and restful. The Avocado pillow can do just that: It’s made of GOLS-certified organic latex and GOTS-certified organic kapok, in a machine-washable cover.
It’s not too firm and not too soft, and the way it cradles your head feels positively decadent. There’s no doubt that the new mom in your life will thank you for giving them the gift of sleep.
Be still my organization-loving heart. This changing pad has a wipes holder, diaper holder, and a toy and cream holder, and the pad itself is oversized and easy to clean. You can throw it in a diaper bag, under a wagon, or just use the strap and wear it as a fanny pack. It’s the all-in-one you never knew you needed.
You waste a ton of milk into your breast pads. On days when a new mom is dealing with some oversupply or just in general, these comfortable in-bra milk collectors won’t let a drop of milk go wasted.
They take a bit of getting used to but they are incredibly useful, especially for moms who work outside the home.
BabyBjörn Bouncer Bliss
BabyBjörn aims to please. Their Bouncer Bliss is an ideal seat for newborns due to its ability to lay at a slight incline — so tiny babies who can’t hold their head up just yet can be appropriately supported at the neck and head.
We keep ours in the bathroom, which keeps baby entertained while we shower, apply a face mask, or get ready for work.
New moms will often overlook their own needs while caring for their newborns. Make sure this doesn’t happen to the new mom in your life and set her up for success with this postpartum self-care kit. It includes a postpartum journal, bath soak, facial roller, scrunchies, tea, chocolate, and a set of stickers. Give her the tools she needs to take time for herself!
Do parents ever get to drink an entire cup of hot coffee, or do they just keep microwaving the same cup until it no longer resembles the original beverage?
Prevent that particular tragedy with the Misby mug warmer. It keeps your mug toasty warm for a few hours and then automatically shuts off for safety. It has a lid, spoon, mug, and conduction heat pad all included.
More:The Best Mug Warmers to Help You Avoid Microwaving Your Coffee
This is one of the most helpful gifts that you can get for any new mom, and a great last-minute Mother’s Day gift. Any parent, really. The gift of not having to worry about how they feed themselves. We promise — it’s not a cop-out. It’s thoughtful and loving, and if they order from the right place, delicious.
Marpac Hushh Portable White Noise Sound Machine
A sound machine is clutch for helping babies (and let’s be honest, toddlers, and even young kids, and heck, some adults!) sleep. Fun fact: the whooshing noise reminds newborns of their time on the inside, and it’s soothing. The Yogasleep Hushh Portable White Noise Sound Machine is compact and portable, but it doesn’t skimp on sound options or quality. We use this at home and on the go.
We have never needed coffee more than when we were in the new mom stage of motherhood. Cold brew makes life so easy because it’s just there, pretty much ready and waiting, in your fridge. La Colombe is one of our favorite brands of coffee, be it beans, grounds, cans, or cold brew.
If she’s feeling really tired, she can fill her Stanley cup featured on this list. (We know it’s a lot of coffee, but have you ever dealt with a baby who is teething and has a nasty cold at the same time? We have.)
There are no two ways about it: Breastfeeding is tough. For the mamas who go this route, a comfortable, easy-to-use nursing bra is crucial. Kindred Bravely has comfortable, convenient nursing bras, like the Sublime Adjustable Crossover bra, which makes it so easy to use you’ll probably want more than one. Getting Momma a gift card makes sure she gets the right size.
Finding comfortable, stylish clothing that fits a mom’s new body feels impossible. (We’ve been there.) That’s what makes us excited about Universal Standard. Starting April 21, they are launching Fit Liberty, a service that let’s you trade in your clothing for up to a year after purchasing if you need a new size.
We also love the straightforward, simple way their clothing is sized. It’s completely non-judgemental and designed to make sense.
Is your sister, sister-in-law, or BFF getting ready to have a baby? You can’t do better than this kit. It has everything they need in the immediate postpartum period. The panties that won’t bunch, the pads that absorb the flood of blood that comes after birth, a peri bottle for down-there care, grippy socks for the hospital, and nipple covers for soothing angry nipples.
Do you know what isn’t great postpartum? The way your undercarriage feels. Sometimes, even with a peri bottle, things can feel less clean because you can’t wipe, or more uncomfortable because the temperature is wrong. Having an adjustable, warm and cool bidet can 100% make the difference between a comfortable an uncomfortable bathroom experience.
This model allows you to control temperature, direction of the spray, and spray intensity.
Cat Bowen has been covering parenting and home for over a decade. At Best Gifts Hub, she has tested hundreds of products for parents and for the home, often spending dozens of hours per product to ensure her reviews are accurate and informative. Prior to joining the team, she was at Romper where she covered everything from breastfeeding to child sleep habits to abortion rights access. You can find her work on Bustle, Romper, and more. Cat is a bit of an intellectual magpie and perpetual student, most recently receiving a graduate degree in gender studies where she examined a topic that vexes so many — pockets in women’s clothing.
Christine is the VP of Growth and Strategy for Hearst’s Enthusiast Group (BestProducts.com, Popular Mechanics, Runner’s World, Bicycling, Biography, and Oprah Daily), where she spends her days digging through data for trends and analyzing user behavior (but also there is lot of shopping); she’s a certified yoga instructor, avid half-marathoner, mom of two, reformed vegan, dog lover, future sommelier, and hiker/camper/skier extraordinaire. She studied both Journalism and Apparel Design at Colorado State University, got her start in media as an intern at Harper’s BAZAAR, and thinks we’ll all be living in “Amazon Prime Villages” shortly — and is totally OK with that.
Heather is the former food and nutrition editor for Runner’s World, the author of The Runner’s World Vegetarian Cookbook, and a nine-time marathoner with a best of 3:23. She’s also proud of her 19:40 5K and 5:33 mile. Heather is an RRCA certified run coach.
