A gift for new, first time mother

[Dia]

Hi ladies,  I hope this is the right place to post this question. 

Very young friend of mine just had a baby today, her first. I'll be visiting her in a couple days. I want to bring some kind of thoughtful gift. If you were her, what would be appreciated, helpful, etc? All ideas welcome.

Thanks. 

[Marissamom]

dinner. and help doing dishes or laundry. most new moms need a hand a lot more than they need stuff.

you can ask if there's anything they still need, and it's nice to get the standard baby gifts of clothes, blankets, and toys, but chances are she already has enough of those (though if you want to get clothes, get a larger size to grow in to and it will usually be appreciated more because they won't have the larger sizes yet. 

[weliveintheforest]

- a meal, or even muffins to snack on

- a sling

- books and/or Mothering Magazine

- swaddling blankets (most people just get receiving blankets which are small for swaddling)

[jcregan]

All of the above are good and I will add maybe something for her.   A nice natural bath salt type of thing maybe - then you can try to convince her to let you hold the babe for 20 minutes while she actually takes the bath!

Food or coffee drink from somewhere on your way that she likes.

You could offer to run a couple errands/go grocery shopping.

Homemade frozen meals are great.

I would not do much on the clothes front unless you know there is something she needs - usually those are cute and appreciated but often barely used!

[allisonrose]

I think a meal or two would be greatly appreciated. Another idea that came to me was Dr. Sears' Baby Book. I found my copy to be quite reassuring since he's not an alarmist.

[RoseRedHoofbeats]

Ask what takeout she likes best, and then come and do some housework. Sit and talk with her. Offer to hold the baby while she takes a shower and take the baby for a walk so she can really relax!

~Rose

[Dia]

Thank you wise mamas! 

[Artichokie]

I'd bring a meal and Dr. Sears Baby Book.

[Italiamom]

-Food!

-The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding (Book)

-Some nice herbal sitz satchels if she had a very recent vaginal birth (there's a good recipe here)

-Offer to buy her a meal of her choice that she couldn't have.  I craved great sushi and runny cheese all through my pregnancy, and was SO happy to get to eat it when I wasn't preggo anymore!!

[Adaline'sMama]

I will say that while I read tons of books while I was pregnant, I was totally unable to manage reading and nursing/holding a baby at the same time. Pretty much any time I wasnt doing that, I was asleep or so sleep deprived that the thought of looking at a book made me fall asleep.

My favorite gift was a natural sponge for showering. I had one before, but it was so nice to have new clean bath sponge :)

I also agree that food is a great thing to bring. I might also call right before you arrive and ask if there is anything you can pick up from the store.

[Comtessa]

The best gifts I received right after DD was born were:

- FOOD -- especially frozen meals I could pop in the oven/microwave at a later date

- Offers of help with housework

- Mama "pampering" things (a tub of Mama Bee Belly Butter, bubble bath, some aromatherapy balms/sprays)

- Offers to hold the baby while I bathed/napped

- Mothering magazine and other mom-oriented books

- hand-me-down clothes

- Robeez (baby socks really don't stay on)

The gifts I received that were not very helpful:

- clothes and bibs, esp. in newborn sizes

- random gifty things (like "baby" figurines) that I had to find a place to store or display

- slings and cloth diapers -- I love both, but nobody else knows quite exactly what you want/need in this department, IMO

- blankets, toys, pillows and picture frames - babies get way too many of these things and there's really nowhere to put them.

- "What to Expect" books (yuck!)

Other ideas that might be nice:

- gift cards for takeout/delivery food (like a local pizza place that you know she likes)

- gift card for a pedicure (and offer to watch the baby while she gets it)

- gift card to Amazon.com or some other place where she can buy baby stuff if/when she needs it

- a gift basket for breastfeeding (Lansinoh, Boppy, water bottle, snacks, maybe a nursing cover, a copy of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, etc.)