Bustin' the Baby Gift Blues: Creative Ways to Bless a New Mom

Ever found yourself at the gift registry kiosk pondering what to get for the new mom and baby? Ever walked into a friend’s baby shower wondering if they’ll like what you chose? Ever watched with anxiety as your girlfriend opens a gift from someone else that is an exact replica of what you’ve also wrapped with care? If so, perhaps you’ve sung the Baby Gift Blues.

The birth of a new baby is a time of celebration. When a friend is expecting, we want to give her and her family something that will surprise them, bring them joy, and ultimately bless them. Sometimes trips to the big box stores just don’t leave us feeling like we’ve accomplished that.

Often I find I’ve overestimated my time or my resources and have to resort to a few packs of onesies, blankets, or binkies. These are helpful and good. Yet, when it is for lack of a better idea, I feel so generic. As a gift giver, my ultimate wish is to give them something that will really please them and show them I was thinking of them. If you’re singing this same song, it’s time for some fresh ideas for welcoming a new baby and congratulating his parents on their new phase of life. Perhaps these suggestions will help you hum a new tune.

Bring snacks to the new mom while she’s in the hospital. Hospital food is rarely tasty. Yet, new moms are usually ravenous and dad may have other things on his mind. Bring delicious, healthy snacks. Think about what will help her digestive track go in the right direction, too. Fresh fruit, oatmeal cookies, and yogurt smoothies are all yummy choices. Inquire ahead of time as to what favorite food Mom has avoided during pregnancy, but would like to enjoy now. For me it was a favorite salad with gorgonzola vinaigrette; but for another it might be a hot dog with the works or a caffeinated mocha Frappuccino!

Provide meals to be enjoyed once the new family is home. If you’re a cook, fill their freezer with a few homemade casseroles the family can heat up on a crazy postpartum night. Prepare some yummy recipes, place them in disposable aluminum pans, cover, label with the dishes’ names and cooking instructions, and place in extra large Ziploc bags. Freeze them before transporting to avoid spillage or spoilage. If you don’t cook, try one of a growing number of easy meal prep kitchens. For a set fee, you assemble several dishes or pick them up ready to go. The kitchen staff does all the prep and clean-up. Or you could treat your friend to her own pre-baby night of cooking.

Some Kansas City area kitchens to consider include Meal Makers, Dream Dinners, Kitchen Concierge, Let’s Dish, Social Suppers, Super Suppers, and Your Other Kitchen. For friends in another city, visit www.easymealprep.com for a directory of kitchens.

Choose a selection of scrapbooking supplies. This is a fun project provided your friend enjoys scrapbooking. You could include a promise to come cuddle Baby while she works. If she doesn’t want to do the work herself, you could offer to create a baby book for her. What a great way to spend time with a new mom and her little one!

Offer to baby-sit. If there are older children in the family, extend the invitation to these new older siblings to come play. They will enjoy the focused attention and Mom and Baby will enjoy a quiet time for napping. If this is Mom’s first baby, offer to care for her infant while she rests or while she and Dad have a few hours out for a quiet dinner.

Throw a library shower. Parents know that the way to instill a love of books is to begin reading to Baby when he is quite small. Invite friends to choose their favorite children’s picture books as a shower gift. You’ll bless the new little one with a great start to his library.

Pamper Mom. A happy mom usually helps produce a happy child. Think about treating the new mother to a facial, a manicure, a massage, or even some new lingerie, nursing or otherwise.

Select a gift to grow into. Whether it is an outfit for next summer or a classic book he will enjoy when he learns to read, Baby can benefit from gifts that are future-focused. What a fun surprise months or even years down the road! Remember to consider the amount of space your friends have before you buy things they must store.

If Onesies (or blankets or binkies) are what they need, provide it. Don’t feel like you have to go overboard on creativity! All parents enjoy having someone else anticipate their needs. Through careful conversation and a perusal of their wish list, determine what you see as the biggest needs and try to fill them if you can. If you’re an experienced parent already, you’ll likely have a few tricks up your sleeve to share.

Pick up the phone. During those first few weeks with a newborn, life can be exhausting. Your friend may be too overwhelmed to do much in the way of socializing. Keep the communication lines open by calling regularly, inquiring about all the changes, offering encouragement, and simply listening. Your friendship is an invaluable gift.

Friendship, after all, is at the heart of gift-giving in the first place. Communicating your love and care to a friend is most definitely a song worth listening to.

Jessica Fisher is a freelance writer living in Olathe. She and her husband and their four boys are eagerly awaiting the birth of their fifth child this fall.