Your friend or family member has just made the big announcement that she is going to be a Mum... a first time Mum! We love the announcement of a baby arriving on the scene. And you can't get it too wrong on the gift front. Well, maybe flowers for a first time Mum who suffers from hayfever isn't the best idea, or buying your lactose intolerant bestie a box of decadent milk chocolate that ends up being eaten by the family Spadoodle might be a downer.
Never fear, we have compiled a list of things to think about when choosing a gift for a first time Mum, why we want to get it right, popular trends and of course, how the New Mama Kit features in the range of options you have. By the end of this blog, you will make the perfect choice.
Why do we want to get it right?
There is something pretty special when your friend or family announces the big news of becoming a first time parent. Marking this big-deal occasion with a gift is a way to let her know you support her on the motherhood journey, that you're chuffed a little cherub will soon be on the scene. This is a chance to spread the love - in this case, the ‘love hormone’ known as Oxytocin. This love hormone is released when we are happy and relaxed and is exactly what a first time Mum needs to produce to assist her in pregnancy, birth and the post-partum period. Giving a mama a healthy dose of love through a gift is a gift in itself.
Do I choose a gift for the first time Mum, or her baby?
The options for gifts for first time Mums are plentiful. Let's talk about one of the biggest questions that gets asked - do I buy a gift for the baby or for the Mum?
In the same way that many new Mums and their friends are choosing to hold a Mother Blessing as an alternative to Baby Showers, we are also seeing the sweet little cherub sharing the spotlight with their mother. It's kind of adorable buying fluffy onesies and rattles shaped like elephants but more people are opting for gift hampers to pamper Mum and massages. After all, happy Mum, happy baby.
On the more serious side, as a society we are becoming increasingly aware of how important it is to support new mothers after birth. The rising rates of perinatal depression and anxiety, mothers feeling isolated, and more so now than ever, first time Mums and new parents being away from families who live overseas due to COVID border restrictions. We are responding to this knowledge by making sure we take care of the mother. Also, first time Mums come in all shapes and sizes. Whether she is a single Mum, has been through IVF, had a ‘surprise’ pregnancy with her new partner or this has been planned with her husband or maybe she is a Mum whose preference is to be called dad. Whoever they are, celebrating their journey into motherhood and parenthood is a beautiful gesture of love and support and acknowledges their unique experience. Birth happens every day, but a first birth only happens once to a mother..
If you buy a gift for the baby it is worth checking in with the Mum around what she might need, already has or would like to add. Buying a gift for the baby is an adorable pursuit with lots of options for rattles, bibs, a favourite children’s book or a plush toy. It also pays to be mindful that first time Mums can be overwhelmed with the amount of stuff they end up with for the baby.
Ultimately, only you can answer this question and there are many options for either Mum or baby.
Popular gifts for first time Mums
Whether you are buying the new mama a gift on your own or as part of a group of friends or colleagues, and choices range from gift hampers to massages, dinner vouchers to keepsakes, you will find the right gift to say “Congratulations!”.
Traditional gifts.
Flowers and chocolates are long-standing and common gifts to buy a first time Mum. It must be a thing because that continues for every Mothers Day if shopping catalogues are anything to go by! Consider what season the baby will be born - athe options for flowers in Spring and Summer are abundant compared to the Autumn or Winter months.
Practical gifts can be chosen to make a mother’s first few weeks free of having to do the traditionally domestic chores - mainly cleaning and cooking. This is often a gift shared amongst friends to make the gift last a week or more. Postpartum meal deliveries, fruit and veggie boxes or a cleaning voucher for someone to come and dust away the blues. These gifts could be considered more of a whole gift for the family as everyone in the house benefits from them.
Pampering gifts.
An option to consider is a massage, facial or a pregnancy day spa. These are popular options for first time Mums both in pregnancy and postnatally. If you are considering this option, check-in with the new Mum. Massages for improving welbeing are tried and tested. Often in pregnancy, especially the third trimester, a Mum might have an aversion to being touched or the complete opposite - it might be just what she wants. Postpartum massages may be trickier to coordinate with a new baby so again, check-in or consider her situation and whether a spa or massage will add stress rather than alleviate it.
The Balance of a Pampering and Practical gift
When we created New Mama Kit, we wanted to strike a balance between pampering the Mama and giving her practical products that would make her feel supported straight after giving birth. We have received feedback over the years that these gifts were so important when Mum was feeling raw and tired. Also that many of the products in the gift hampers were used for a long time afterwards.
Our gift hampers are unique in that they are purely for the new Mama.
She can soothe her perineum with a padsicle, she can apply soft scented hand cream and not worry about what her hair looks like when the dry shampoo takes care of that. She can block out the fluorescents from the hospital ward with the satin eye mask or pour a sachet of Metamucil to help her bowels going - it's a thing trust us! And she can pop a bottle of champagne and devour a block of organic chocolate to celebrate the birthing of her first baby!
We have thoughtfully curated our gift hampers to tick all the boxes of pamper and practical, high quality products and the personal touch of a handwritten note. And all delivered directly to her door or to the hospital ward.
You can browse our range of hampers here
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