Put Together A New Mom Care Package She Will Love

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What Can You Put In A New Mom Care Package That She Will Absolutely Love?

20+ fabulous ideas that she will NEED, LOVE, and are sure to please any new mommy!

Putting together a thoughtful new mom care package for your friend who just had a baby doesn’t have to be difficult. We’ve taken the work out of it for you and put together this helpful list.

Just a few ideas for you to mix and match that will be sure to please any new mom. You could give her any of them individually or assemble the ones you choose in a cute basket, gift box, or bag. Bring it to her in the hospital or wait until she gets home. Either way, it’s an act of kindness that will be appreciated and remembered.

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new mom and baby, new mom care package ideas

What Kind Of Things Can You Add To A Care Package For A New Mom?

Food

They say cooking is love made visible. So, what better way to express your love and friendship than popping over with a homemade, healthy dish for the new mom and her family?

Most new moms are not going to feel like cooking much when they get home from the hospital. It’s important that they maintain their energy levels but often are so focused on the baby that they neglect their own needs.

Breastfeeding moms especially are always hungry, like bottomless pit hungry. It’s no wonder since their bodies are burning a ton of calories (around 300-500 a day!) just making milk.

Homemade lasagna or any type of casserole that can be easily reheated in the oven is a great choice. Or consider making her a breakfast casserole, something nutritious that she can pop in the microwave quickly in the morning (or at a 3 am feeding). There are a ton of great recipe suggestions on Pinterest.

Other nutritious snacks like Cliff Bars, protein bars, or fresh fruit are great ideas too.

Lactation Teas or Cookies

If she is nursing, lactation cookies, biscuits, bars, or teas are a great little treat and can help with milk production. Actually, any kind of cookies would have been welcome at our house.

There are supplements you can get for this too like Fenugreek or Blessed Thistle, but a sweet treat is always a nice gift too. I found the fenugreek supplements to be very helpful in increasing my milk production when I was a nursing mom.

Nature's Way Fenugreek + Blessed Thistle

You can find the cookies ready-made and pre-packaged or you can grab an easy lactation cookie mix and whip them up yourself.

New Mom Mug

Include some of her favorite herbal teas if she is a tea drinker, or a box of her favorite K-cups for coffee or hot chocolate inside a cute new mom mug. Again, a really simple idea, but a caring one, a small token gift that you can tailor to her specific personality, interests, and tastes.

For a more personalized gift idea, you can find really cute mug and candle gift sets on Etsy that you can customize for the new mom and make it one-of a-kind.

Mommy Wine Glasses

Obviously for partaking in a social beverage occasionally and timed properly for nursing or pumping and dumping, not for getting blasted. 😉

I have painted a few of these for friends and they are always a hit. For one-of-a-kind, hand-painted wine glasses check out my Facebook page, Luna Selene Creations. We ship to Canada and the US.

Refillable Water Bottle

Grab a fun, personalized Mommy water bottle. Staying hydrated especially if nursing is super important! Etsy has a ton of these in fun designs. If you’d rather not order online, you can most likely find a small business person in your community who creates graphic designs on tumblers and bottles.

Epsom Bath Salts

An Epsom salt soak is a wonderful way to relieve stress and anxiety and improve mental well-being.

Integrative medicine doctor Bindiya Gandhi, M.D. is a fan of Epsom salts for more reasons than one, explaining that “I recommend Epsom salt for muscle aches, anxiety, and to help patients relax and sleep better. I also have postpartum patients and I recommend those with hemorrhoids soak in Epsom salt to help with recovery. I personally soaked in Epsom salt prior to labor to help have a smooth and easy vaginal delivery.”
~Mind Body Green

Essential Oils

Essential oils are a great addition to any new mom care package. Each oil has unique properties and can be used for various purposes. Some like lavender essential oil, promote peace and calm while others can be uplifting and invigorating. She can use them in a diffuser or add a few drops to the bath.

This “Dreamy Nights” Restful Routine Kit has 2 relaxing oil blends, body butter, and sleep mist all in one box. It’s the perfect gift for new moms who need to unwind and destress.

Or perhaps you could make her a few roller bottles to have on hand. If she’s already a fan of essential oils, you really can’t go wrong with this choice. And if she isn’t (and you are!!), maybe you could introduce her to your favorite oils as a starting place.

10 Best Essential Oils For Peace and Calming

Easy Essential Oil Rollerball Recipes

Bath Salts or Bath Bombs

In addition to essential oils, there are some great-smelling, skin-nourishing bath bombs or comforting bath salts that would be perfect in a new mommy gift basket or care package.

These are the types of items some women won’t think to buy for themselves so they always make a good gift.

Tucks Pads

I know, not glamorous and nobody wants to talk about hemorrhoids but, ya it happens. The Tucks with the witch hazel were a real lifesaver for my nether region, along with good old padsicles.

Nipple Cream

Again, not glamorous, but an absolute must and a great addition to the new mom care package. Look for something with natural ingredients only like Lansinoh brand which contains only 100% pure refined lanolin. It helps relieve the pain and discomfort caused by dry, sore, cracked nipples. There is no need to wash it off before breastfeeding because it is hypoallergenic and safe for baby.

How to put together a new mom care package that she will love

Body Butter

A rich, nourishing whipped body butter that soaks in and smells fantastic is always a treat for the skin. I love anything with coconut, cocoa, or shea butter myself.

Perhaps she would appreciate a great-smelling bath and body gift, a new mom skin recovery kit or a post-delivery care kit to help her with all of those postpartum care needs.

Facial Scrub/Mask

If you are thinking of doing a home spa-themed basket, include some nice facial scrubs made with detoxifying charcoal or dead-sea mud masks. Green tea or gold eye masks can be amazing for reducing bags, puffiness, and dark circles under tired eyes. One thing most new moms procrastinate on is self-care, so give your friend a helpful nudge in the right direction.

If you think a pampering care package is the way you want to go for the new mom but aren’t totally sure what to choose, consider a ready-made Bump Box to take the guesswork out of it for you.

Dry Shampoo

To freshen up her hair on those in-between days, you can’t go wrong with dry shampoo. I love the one made by Moroccanoil. Also, if the new mom had a C-section, she may not be able to have a long, hot, luxurious shower and wash those locks until she is healed a little more. (And bending over a sink to do it will probably not be high on her list of fun activities…) So, yep, the dry shampoo will be helpful.

Root Spray

Only if needed, obviously and she’s the type of friend you KNOW won’t be offended. I know I wouldn’t have been! So, if she’s in between hair appointments and doesn’t see one on the horizon, root spray might be a good “just in case” item for her to have. This may apply only to “old moms” like me, but I’m including it as an option regardless.

A Good Book

If she’s a reader, you can’t go wrong with a good book whether she prefers to read on a Kindle or a good old-fashioned hardcover. Where The Crawdads Sing was one of my favorite reads this year, you can grab a copy here.

Eventually, when the new mom gets settled into some type of routine, she may want to use the baby’s naptime to dive into a favourite novel. You know, a little “me time”, which sometimes goes to the wayside for all of us but is really important to cultivate. Maybe include a pretty metal bookmark with crystal quartz or a funny bookmark like this one.

Mani-Pedi Gift Certificate

Grab your bestie a gift certificate for her favorite spa or nail salon. A mani-pedi is always a treat guaranteed to soothe worn-out, tired tootsies.

Let’s face it, everyone likes soft, silky, pretty feet and the new mom may not have the time or motivation to do her own toes.

Massage

A massage gift certificate is another great gift idea for the new mom in your life. If you already know she enjoys massages and has a massage therapist, this one certainly will be appreciated.

You may have to be sneaky and ask her partner where she regularly goes. If she’s never gone for a massage before, you may be turning her on to a whole new, wonderful experience.

Sleep Mask

A sleep mask helps block out artificial light and is just the ticket for catching a little shut-eye during the daytime.

Lack of sleep can wreak havoc on your health and of course, new moms get little sleep as it is because they are tending to their newborn.

There are many varieties of sleep masks, some plain and others with funny sayings like this one. I would recommend something silky and not too tight-fitting.

comfy PJ’s or loungewear

Something cottony soft or luxuriously silky just for her, a 2 pc. PJ set will be perfect and convenient for a nursing mom.

Or consider a cute cotton nursing nightgown, which may work better for her if she had a C-section and cannot have anything touching her incision. For moms who want to try baby-wearing, a Mom Sleeveless Kangaroo Tank Top is another great gift for new moms!

Maternity Cotton Nursing Postpartum Pajamas Set

Gift Cards

Grocery store gift cards are always a winner, a very practical choice (you can even offer to go grocery shopping).

Less practical but still appreciated could be a card for Starbuck’s, Tim Horton’s, or her favorite restaurant that delivers.

Remember, she will probably not feel like cooking, at least for the first little while. She will surely appreciate anything that will make her life easier.

House Cleaning Service

Once the new parents are home with their little bundle of joy, it’s likely that they won’t have time or inclination for housekeeping.

It’s such an adjustment period filled with new experiences, feelings, and challenges. Of course, the new mom wants a clean home.

But with everything going on, constant feedings, snuggles, and sleepless nights, cleaning won’t be priority number one.

Hiring a cleaning service for her frees the new mom up to do more for her baby. and not stress out about a messy house. I would have loved this one, still would! Haha!

Your Time

The very best thing you can include with a new mom care package is your friendship and support.

I saved the best for last. The best way to be a good friend is by offering to give her some of your time. It just so happens, asking a new mom what she needs help with is the best gift of all.

You can make a cute DIY coupon or add a short note in the gift basket if you’d like.

Simply tell her that you’re there for her. And be persistent (in a gentle way, of course).

Sometimes new moms, and especially first-time moms as I was, think they are automatically supposed to have everything figured out. Therefore, they may be reluctant at first to accept help.

You know your friend best!

You know your friend well enough to see past any false bravado she may be attempting to exude. Offer to come over and sit with the baby so she can shower, bathe or nap.

If she is comfortable with it, offer to do the dishes or clean up the kitchen, bathroom of whatever chores she needs help with.

Offer to walk the dog or clean the cat’s litter box (yuk, I know but she’ll welcome it).

new moms definitely need to get out of the house

When your new mom friend is up to it, get her out of the house with the baby. Take a walk and get some fresh air. Treat her to a coffee and stroll around the mall with her.

One of my best friends did all these things for me when she saw I was holed up in the house in new mommy mode for what was getting to be too long a period of time.

Often, I didn’t feel motivated to get out, I was exhausted and just felt blah from lack of sleep.Honestly, it seemed like so much work to pack up everything that I would need for the baby and I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing yet.

But she lit a fire under my butt and I’m so glad she did because getting out and doing something, you know… being a part of the world again, was so good for my mental well-being! You see, my friend remembered how she had felt when her babies were little and knew exactly what I needed. I so appreciated that and am blessed to have a friend like her. So be that friend!

The new mom in your life will appreciate your moral support most of all, even more than the goodies in the care package. Although, a homemade lasagna does run a close second.

Until next time, K.

Kelly Blakely is the founder and creative force behind Just Our View From Here. As a first-time mom over 40, she brings a fresh perspective to parenting and family life on her blog. Kelly also explores a wide range of lifestyle topics in her writing, including fashion, beauty, self-care, and well-being.