Baby Shower Gifts for Moms: 18 Useful & Thoughtful Gift Ideas

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“How cute are those little leggings with the matching headband!” “Those overalls are adorable!” “Can you just imagine him/her in that little sleeper outfit?” -Every Guest Attending Your Baby Shower

All the ooing and awing over the adorable baby gifts is enough to send you into a spiral of twinkle and rainbows as you imagine your little bundle using every one of those gifts. While baby shower gifts are super fun to buy and receive, the mama-to-be tends to get the short end of the stick.

How many baby shower gifts for moms have you seen being opened at a baby shower? I’ve been to many baby showers (having one of my own) and I can count on one hand how many gifts were specifically for the mom.

Now that I am pregnant for the second time and having a baby shower soon, it really had me thinking what would I have liked as a baby shower gift for myself? Not that I want to be taken as selfish, but honestly, I was in need of quite a few items myself after giving birth to my son.

Therefore, I am sharing some tips, tricks, and ideas on what baby shower gifts for moms would be appreciated by the mama-to-be! These gifts are practical, life changing, and most importantly, USEFUL!

18 Useful Baby Shower Gifts for Moms

I’m sure my list won’t contain everything. And there may be some gifts on here that not every mom wants. However, this list was created to give you an idea of what a mother might need when she also comes home from the hospital in her new body, new role, and new life. For the mamas-to-be reading this, don’t be afraid to put these items on your registry!

Baby Shower Gifts for Moms: 18 Useful & Thoughtful Gift Ideas
Photo by Alicia Petresc on Unsplash

Postpartum Baby Shower Gifts for Moms

Postpartum isn’t something that should be shameful to discuss or prepare for. However, it if makes you uncomfortable, consider requesting these items to be delivered instead. Or, you could ask guests to label the gift as something that should be opened later on after the baby shower.

Trust me, having these on hand when you desperately need them will save you so much headache.

Postpartum Pads

Let’s just get this one out of the way- postpartum pads are a must have for after baby. For those who have not had the postpartum experience, you will bleed for weeks following your baby’s birth. You will need something lining your underwear.

Or you can take to the awesome mesh panties they give you at the hospital and stuff them with more pads. They are NOT cute by any means, but they serve their purpose.

Additionally, the company that brought you the Nose Frida also has a line dedicated to moms. Their line is called Mom Frida and they offer a product that is similar to Depends (yes, the adult diapers). It is not a lavish life we live during the postpartum period, but these products do make the world of a difference!

Your baby will need diapers and so will you!

Toilet Paper

Using the restroom in those first few weeks following birth is uncomfortable to say the least. If you’ve ever experienced a heavy flow with your regular menstrual cycle, then you know how much toilet paper you use for those couple of days.

Now times that by at least six weeks and surely you can understand just how beneficial it will be to have a stock pile of toilet paper in your home!

Epsom Salt

If you are healing well and your doctor approves, taking a bath will not only feel nice for relaxation purposes, but it will help with the discomfort you will feel “downstairs.”

Adding in some Epsom salt will assist in relieving some of the pain you will have. It helps to reduce swelling, discourage infection, and encourages healing. Not to mention it also is helpful for those unexpected hemorrhoids that often happen after birth.

Witch Hazel

Another great healing item is witch hazel. If you soak some pads in it and then freeze them, your perineum will thank you!

Postpartum Depression Book

A more solemn subject that most don’t want to bring up at a baby shower is the high percentage of women who suffer from postpartum depression. A gift for all moms, regardless if this is their first or fourth baby, is the gift of a postpartum depression guide filled with resources and helpful information. Purchase an e-copy of The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Depression Guide.

This book is backed with facts and real life experiences to help moms recognize the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression. It also is resourceful in showing how your partner can help and be involved when you need it most.

During those late night feedings, read through this ebook on your Kindle and connect with other moms who have experienced this challenging time.

Baby Shower Gifts for Moms: 18 Useful & Thoughtful Gift Ideas
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Breastfeeding Baby Shower Gifts for Moms

Now that we’ve got the awkward stuff out of the way, let’s talk about items that will help moms who are choosing to breastfeed! Totally not an awkward topic at all, right?

Nipple cream

Those first few days of breastfeeding are rough. I won’t sugar coat it. There is cracking, bleeding, tenderness, leaking, you name it! All the things happen with the beginning phases of breastfeeding. You might even shed some tears and that is okay!

To help moms heal faster from cracked nipples, nipple cream is highly recommended. It is safe to use during breastfeeding sessions and helps protect you against more cracking and irritation. There doesn’t seem to be enough time between feeding sessions for you to just give your nipples a break so just take my word for it and ask for the nipple cream!

Gel Nipple Pads

Another way to sooth those tender, sore nipples of yours is to use gel nipple pads. They stick to your nipples and give a cooling sensation that relieves the pressure your breasts have built up during feeding or pumping sessions.

They can be reused for up to 72 hours. Therefore, having a few packs around your home as back up is essential. Thankfully, you won’t need to use them too long as your breasts and nipples adjust to the breastfeeding process.

Gift certificate towards a breast pump

There are many choices these days when it comes to breast pumps and accessories. While some moms are fortunate to have their insurance cover the cost of a new breast pump, other moms might not be so lucky. A cost for a breast pump can be quite shocking. Therefore, a gift certificate or donation towards a breast pump of your choice is beneficial.

One of the most popular breast pumps on the market today is the Elvie breast pump. It is also one of the most expensive pumps out there as well. However, if you consider all it has to offer, it is no wonder why it is popular.

It allows women to pump without having to be hooked up to an outlet or having all those tubes and wiring hanging out from under their shirt. You can control it from your phone and the milk containers can go right into the fridge. It’s hands free and lets you continue on with your busy life while supplying your baby with liquid gold.

If this pump is not favorable to you, there are also the classic and reputable pumps from Medela. They will be less in cost, however, they will also be less appealing in the convenience factor. I used a Medela pump during my first breastfeeding journey and was thankful to have it.

Nipple Shield

A nipple shield serves two purposes; they help a baby to latch properly and they help you with the cracked nipples. I used one with my son for the first four months of our breastfeeding journey and we went on to breastfeed until he was 15 months old. It is a great tool to use on a temporary basis.

The shield goes over your nipple and has holes where your milk will be able to come out and into your hungry baby’s mouth. Your baby easily stimulates your nipple through this plastic shield and everyone is happy!

Breast pads

Reusable breast pads catch those leaks that happen when you are breastfeeding. I can’t tell you how thankful I was to be wearing these when out in public and my breasts started leaking.

You simply place the pad in your shirt or bra where your nipples will meet the shirt and that is that. No embarrassing leak stains! I think I wore breast pads for almost a year because of the random leaks that would happen.

Baby Shower Gifts for Moms: 18 Useful & Thoughtful Gift Ideas
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Around the House Baby Shower Gifts for Moms

To help ease into life with a baby, having a stock pile of household items available will be rewarding. Most likely, you won’t want to be making trips to the store, especially with a newborn. These items will be helpful to have in your home to get you through!

Coffee

Probably a no-brainer, but with the sleep deprivation and exhaustion that follows with having a newborn, coffee is a must! Pretty sure I had coffee at all times of the day with my son (mainly because I could hardly keep up with what time it was).

There is no evidence that caffeine decreases your milk supply. Furthermore, most breastfeeding mothers can drink caffeine in moderation. So, it is safe to drink the coffee because trust me, you’ll need it!

Cleaning Service

Honestly, I would love a cleaning service to clean my house any day of the year! However, those first few weeks of a baby’s life, you’re consumed with their needs, breastfeeding, getting sleep, and just adjusting to your new life.

It should be a time of your life when you’re focused on those newborn snuggles and not the vacuuming, the dishes, or the laundry. If you’re like me, leaving those things for another day really bothered me. I felt out of sorts already and having my home in disarray made my anxiety even worse.

A cleaning service would be a God send for any mama.

Meals

In addition to the cleaning, cooking is another part of the home duties that seems impossible to complete at the time. Having a meal train set up in your honor is a great way to go about receiving meals for days or weeks, which will get you through that hazy period.

If a meal train isn’t an option, asking for frozen dinners from friends or family is another great option. Those frozen meals can be homemade or store bought. Being able to throw something in the oven is much easier than spending an hour or more trying to cook something in between caring for a baby.

Additionally, gift certificates to restaurants in your area or even to Grub Hub/Door Dash are great alternatives to meal trains or frozen dinners. As someone who loves pizza, ordering a pizza multiple days in a week gets old really quick!

After birth, it is important to keep up your strength and energy as best as you can. The number one way to do this is through good nutrition.

Laundry Soap

Do you know how much laundry a newborn creates?! It is pretty insane that a person so tiny can create huge mountains of laundry. However, it happens! There is no shame in asking for laundry soap and dryer sheets on your registry. They will get used… often!

Baby Shower Gifts for Moms: 18 Useful and Thoughtful Gift Ideas
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Thoughtful Baby Shower Gifts for Moms

Now that we’ve covered the practical stuff, let’s get into some thoughtful gifts that will really make any mama’s heart melt to receive! One thing to add before we get started with the rest of the list – moms enjoy pop culture and will appreciate a little gift, such as a Harry Potter Funko Pop that will put a smile on their faces during late-night feedings and diaper changes.

Photography session

What sweeter gift is there than the gift of a newborn photography session?! Capturing these sweet, new moments in a new family’s life is a priceless gift. A gift certificate or a donation towards the photographer of choice is really something special a mama-to-be would love to have.

Hair salon

The postpartum hair loss is FOR REAL. I was around four months postpartum when my hair just started falling out in chunks. For a moment, I feared for my health thinking there was an underlying issue. It wasn’t until I did some research that I learned about postpartum hair loss.

After a couple of weeks donating my hair to the shower drain and any other surface I walked by, I decided a trip to the hair salon was a good idea. I cut my hair in hopes of not having so much hair everywhere. Additionally, the nice scalp massage that came with the shampooing and conditioning was so relaxing and just what I needed at the time.

A gift certificate to a hair salon for a mom-to-be is a gift that will make her feel good about herself. This is crucial! Especially in the beginning of the postpartum journey when a mom can feel less than attractive in her new body.

Massage

Pregnancy and birth are two wonderful experiences! However, they take a toll on a woman’s body. A nice massage can make all the difference in helping a mom relax and recenter herself. When booking an appointment, make sure to share that you are ‘X’ number of weeks postpartum so that the massage therapist can adequately prepare for your session.

Nails/Pedicure

Who doesn’t love getting their nails done? Another way to help a mom feel good about herself is by treating her to a manicure and/or pedicure. Some “me time” is so important for moms and really helps put things in perspective.

What do you think about these Baby Shower Gifts for Moms?

We’ve covered the practical, useful, and thoughtful baby shower gifts for moms ranging from postpartum recovery to household items to breastfeeding and more.

Which of these gifts would you have liked as a baby shower gift for yourself? What gifts did I miss? Did you receive any mom specific gifts for your baby shower? Let me know in the comments below!

Always,
Samantha <3

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About The Author

First time parent to an incredible little boy residing in Northern California. I hold my M.A. in Education with a Specialization in Culturally Responsive Education. My mission is to consistently provide helpful content for other parents to draw from. Parenthood is ever-changing! I look forward to sharing my experiences with you and hope that my posts are insightful.

Let me know your thoughts!