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All are budget friendly and requires a little work on your part. These ideas are going to be more “gesture like” to show appreciation and acknowledgment to the new parents you’ve decided to gift. These gifts are not just limited to special holidays! Although they most certainly can be used to celebrate traditional calendar holidays. They will be appreciated at any point given. These ideas can help you gift a spouses/partners, siblings, friends, etc.
As new parents, life has changed drastically in the blink of an eye. Stress levels are now over a million and anxiety has now doubled with caring for a little one. Even with help, it can feel like it’s not enough, because often times parents have become attached to this new version of love in human form. Every parent is different and approach to life/caring for a newborn (or infant) is different, but if you’re looking for meaning gifts for a new mom/parent, these 5 ideas can help your loved one out!
By no means are these gifts the holy grail to gift giving. However, as a mom, I can 99.99% assure you that s/he won’t mind or appreciate the thought.
1-SELF CARE TIME
From experience, I can testify that this is hard for many new parents to explore or continue. Babies (children for that matter) requires lots of attention (who knew, lol). With that know facts, it’s times for everyone to adjust. As a new parent, by nature, we want to ensure we’re doing everything right to be the best and often times, we throw our own needs to the back burner. Although we hear it time and time again, SELF CARE IS NOT SELFISH! Sound good in theory, but what new parent envisions themselves sitting in the spa while clothes are piling and dinner in the refrigerator?
Our plates are always full. There’s never enough time in the day to keep up with a baby, spouse, pets, and yourself! Therefore, neglecting our very needs for self care. The very things that kept us living/thriving pre-baby!
Simply put, we aren’t our own priority. Sad but true, which is a double edge sword. I pride myself in being the mother that has her kids together. My kids being my priority. So with this role as a mom, I’ve put my kids in the forefront with the mindset “if their good, then I’m good”. Which is 1,000% true. However, that shouldn’t give me permission to neglect simple self caring practices, because in reality, we all can be good.
Lack of self-care can be vital to our over-all mood. it’s something that needs to be a routine and practiced,much like basic care.
The feeling of caring for ones self can feel selfish to many. Therefore, you may have to plan and add schedule these activities for him/her. Since the idea of SELF-care gift is about SELF, plan for things outside of the home and away from baby. However, if their adamant about not leaving baby, have secondary options, leaving no excusing to indulge in SELF!
Here’s a few things you can schedule for him/her outside of the home:
Spa/ Salon treatment
Lunch/Brunch on a outside patio
Gym Pass (many offer 1-3 day pass and classes)
Library Trip (find a new book or peace and quit screen time)
Art class (sip and paint)
Hot Yoga Session
Go to a beauty supply store to pick up new beauty products
Walk around the neighborhood
Stroll Downtown (be a tourist in your own city)
Wax Services
Vag Steaming
Secondary List (inside the home):
Facial
Bubble Bath
Journal w/ pre printed self affirmation card
Find new recipes
Screen time (Alone)
medi/pedi
Sleep
Binge watch favorite shows or podcast
These are just general things that may seem small, but can help a new parent refocus on things they once enjoyed. If however, your loved ones has mention to do something in the past, now is the time to give the pass!
2- Take A Shift
TAG, YOU’RE IT!
Block out time for your dedicated shift. Extend your helping hand and expect them to get dirty (not literally-well maybe). There shouldn’t be a task off limit unless it’s been specified.
So if you’re gifting a spouse/partner, there should be things that you can do without being prompted. Anything you’ve seen done, take over. Make your partner feel like they can step away without you asking “what else you need me to do?”
If you’re entirely unsure, or a visitor in the home, then get a “to-do” before your shift begins.
Be prepared to take over:
Diaper Duty (every 2-3 hours)
Bottle Feeding (unless exclusively breastfeed)
Fold Clothes (at least baby)
Cook Dinner (for the family)
Prepare Bottles (clean/sanitize/prepare)
Bath/wipe off baby
But before you take over, make sure you get the schedule baby follows…
It’s best to know baby’s schedule for 2 reasons:
1- You don’t want to disturb anything that’s established or being established and
2- You want to actually gift the parent with extra time their not accustomed to receiving. Therefore, you want to give the new parent time beyond baby’s nap schedules.
3- Memorable Mommy (Daddy)+Me Tokens
Seems simple enough right? Lol
Well this gift can be as inexpensive or expensive as you make it! Babies grow so fast and if there’s any moments you’ve capture or collected overtime, now’s the perfect time to design or create.
If you’re a fellow DIYer, here’s a list of things you can create:
Memory scrap book (parent+baby edition)
At home photo shoot
Shatter box with birthing pieces (medical tags, pregnancy test, ultrasounds, etc.)
Molding Kit
Printed Photo Album (phone prints)
If you want to pass on the crafting, buy:
Monogramed Jewelry
Matching outfit sets
Customized Painting
In Studio Family Photo Session
Need inspiration on what to make or buy? Great places to search are etsy.com and personalizedmall.com
4- Cleaning Services
Sounds like music to a new parent’s ears. This would be a gift comparable to taking a baby shift.
People always say “Sleep when baby sleep”, yea, it sounds simple, but in reality we can’t! With so many things happening at once, when baby sleep we want to get prepared for when their awake otherwise, things can get out of hand. The best gift a parent can give themselves is organization. So when babys are asleep, we clean!
Until now because you can order the services or you can perform these services yourself.
Focus on the general task that are everyday eye soars!
A general cleaning should consist of:
Mopping/Sweeping/Dusting/Vacuuming
Folding clothes
Dumping trash
Dishes
Bathroom Cleaning
This is a lifesaver and you just freed up 3-4 hours that didn’t really exist.
5- Meal Prep Services
Of all the other gifts listed, this may be the most expensive. As we know, due to the pandemic and economy shift (inflation) food cost has increased drastically.
In addition to inflation, there’s other variables that can make this option costly, such as: diet, serving sizes, self prep vs prep meal companies. All these things play a factor. However, it’s a much deserving gift, because it’s so convenient. We all know the basic benefits of having meals prepared, but think of how much time you’ve just save them. We always want quick and easy to because it’s just so much more practical for our new lifestyle.
If your gifting a mom that’s breast feeding, find meals that packed with nutrients and be sure to ask for a list of things to avoid. As the baby intake what mom eats.
My recommendation would to be get a great protein (or protein substitute) and a variety of sides that will allow you to recreate a new meal with the illusion of creating variety. That way, you can make meals for at least 4-5 days with variety of options.
