What to Put in a Postpartum Care Package (11 Ideas That a New Mom Will Truly Appreciate)
When someone in your life has a new baby, it can be hard to know how to support them. When you love someone, you want to show how much you care about them, especially in a new stage of life. So, where do you start?
New moms need to know that they are loved, especially during this big transition period. A good place to start is to find a basket from the thrift store and set it by the doorstep with some special goodies in it. You could also gift your services.
Not sure what to offer? Listed below are postpartum care package ideas that the new mom in your life will truly appreciate.
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11 Postpartum Care Package Ideas
1. Homemade Items
Think of what you have to offer them. Do you bake bread? Make your own soap? Roast your own coffee beans? Clean houses on the side? Do photography as a hobby?
New moms really just want to be thought of. Use your hobbies and expertise to craft them something special. Not only will your expertise grace them with a thoughtful gift, but it might also assure them that they have a community they can count on. An important thing for anyone to remember, but especially a new mama.
2. Giftcards
A gift card is an easy choice. If you’ve gathered a few things, but it doesn’t feel complete and want to add more, a gift card makes the perfect final touch to a care package. It can be a good choice if you want to reach out but have a lot going on yourself. If the new mom in your life is a little particular about the things that come into her home, then this would be a good idea as well. Look for gift cards to local coffee shops, restaurants, Target, or even Amazon.
3. A Warm Meal
A gift of food is always a good choice for a new mom. It can be appreciated right away or thrown in the freezer to utilize on a long day. When deciding what to make, don’t forget to ask if there are any allergies. Try to stick to warm and easy-to-digest foods that will provide lots of nutrients and strength to help with postpartum healing and breast milk supply. If you want to add an extra special touch, get a dish from the thrift store, so the new parents won’t have to worry about returning it.
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4. Breastfeeding Supplies
Breastfeeding isn’t for the faint of heart. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), 60% of mothers stop breastfeeding before they want to. Breastfeeding may be difficult, but it can be so much easier when a mom has plenty of support. Try gifting extra breastmilk storage bags, cloth diaper prefolds to use as burp rags, electrolyte drinks (like Liquid I.V. or BodyArmor), or protein balls that help with milk supply.
5. Groceries
Sometimes, the essentials get forgotten during the crazy time of adjusting to a new baby in the house. And sometimes, the most heartfelt gift can be simple groceries. Have the new mama send you a grocery list to pick up, or just grab a few of her tried and true favorites to deliver. Mom and everyone else in the house will be very thankful for this gift, for sure.
6. Cleaning
Offer to come clean the house while they rest or go out for an afternoon. The Postpartum Support Center says a clean home can be so helpful for mental wellness. Often, new moms don’t know how to ask for help, so it’s important that we are willing to gently set a time and show up on their doorstep with cleaning products in hand.
If your time is limited, consider purchasing local cleaning services for the family.
7. Gifts for Their Other Children
Including something for their other children never goes unnoticed or forgotten. Whether it’s blocks you found at the thrift store, a new Lego set, or some play dough, gifts for the new siblings are great because they feel extra loved, and it can give mom a chance to breastfeed and bond with the new little one in peace. If buying isn’t an option, try checking out some books, movies, or toys from your local library.
8. Fresh Flowers
Flowers are a beautiful and thoughtful gift. They brighten up any room and work well as natural air purifiers. Smelling flowers has even been known to lower cortisol levels and reduce stress. Be sure to find out if there are any allergies or pets in the household before choosing a bouquet.
9. Self-Care Items
Hygiene habits and self-care often get pushed off the schedule when a new baby is around. This can be dangerous and can also make recovery from the birth that much more difficult. If a new mom can keep good hygiene and self-care in her schedule, then her mental and physical health will be much better because of it. Include some tallow balm or goat’s milk lotion to help hydrate mom’s skin postpartum or bath salts and herbal soaks for an afterbirth bath.
10. A Bible Study or a Good Book
Sometimes it’s nice to read while breastfeeding or during a postpartum bath. You could also offer to do a book club or Bible study with them. They may be too busy or just want time alone to bond with their baby and decline, but some newly postpartum mothers don’t have a lot of adult interaction and they might welcome someone to talk to once a week or every other week. To keep the stress low, you could offer to hold it at your house or even over the phone if that would work best.
Here are some books I enjoyed reading in those early months postpartum:
11. Clean Laundry
Give the new mom the gift of clean laundry. It’s another one of those thoughtful gifts that will be remembered long after the new baby is toddling around. There are a couple of ways to do this. You could take the bags of dirty laundry away and bring them back clean and folded, or you could volunteer to come in and do the laundry at her house. Some areas even have laundry services if you’re really pinched on time.
Care Packages for After Birth
Hopefully, this post gave you some ideas of what to put in a postpartum care package for your loved one.
Don’t forget to respect the new mom’s rules and guidelines when stopping by to give anything. It might be their preference to have it dropped at the door. If that’s the case, then happily oblige, knowing you can meet the baby another time.
Don’t forget to share this post, and comment below, letting us know your favorite thing to gift (or receive) in a postpartum care package.