What Was I Thinking?
Gifts I buy today for new parents is very different then gifts I have bought in the past!
I have to laugh at the baby presents I bought for friends before I had my daughter. They were very different to the gifts I buy today.
For example, this is an INDOOR SLIDE we bought for Miss. D. when I lived in Japan. The slide itself was HUGE for a very small space! If anyone has lived in Japan you will understand how impractical this was; their apartment had 2 rooms which meant physically moving the slide from one room to the other to sleep at night!
So after being a doula for 16 years and coming across every baby product imaginable here are my top 5 baby products I think are the best to give a new mom.
- A good baby carrier will help mom and dad when baby is having a fussy time. It can be used both in the house and outside, helps build confidence and increases bonding.
- Happiest Baby on the Block instruction DVD: how to calm fussy babies (and it works!). The cry of a baby can be one of the most stressful sounds for new parents. Dr Karp’s easy and very practical technique is easy to use. Book a private session with a Certified Mother Me doula.
- Muslin blankets - won’t over heat babies when used to swaddle and are great as a sun cover while out walking.
- A quick visit and bring a dish. Be Creative - not just lasagna.
- A gift certificate for something nice. Mother Me gift certificates are always popular. Also a mani /pedi or a massage to pamper the new mom when she is not feeling her best those first few weeks after delivery.
What was the worst gift you bought for a new mom?
What was the best gift you received as a new mom?
Desneige Meyer October 26, 2011
I agree! I will never buy another newborn sized sleeper after having my own son and he literally never got to even put on every one before outgrowing.
I think the most meaningful gift to a new parent is TIME… Yes, time - give them TIME with their baby before you decend upon them for a visit with their new baby. Labour and delivery is hard work and everyone is exhausted and getting to know eachother. Send a card, flowers or a meal, but wait a week or two to visit!
As a tangible gift, cute baby things come and go, but keepsakes last forever. A certificate for professional photos, Memory Castings, or an engraved plate, plaque or baby rattle - something that will stand the test of time.