Wellness With Kaelyn

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The Best Gift Ideas (that are ACTUALLY useful) for Postpartum Moms

Kaelyn Hansen BSN-RN, CEN

I have officially been a postpartum mama twice now.. and each time, I have had a very different experience. But across the board, there were some things that were consistent-- rest, nourishment, support, and hydration.  The more I talk to and work with more postpartum moms, they too had similar needs and desires for their postpartum-- even with different circumstances, birth experiences, family and partner support. 

The All Natural Postpartum Gift Guide

This guide is tried and true postpartum gift ideas: all things that I have received myself and loved, things I've personally purchased (again and again and again because they're just that good), or the things I gift my friends and family for their postpartum (and that they too love). All the gift ideas are separated by category- nourishment, relaxation, and support.

P.S. These are also great gifts for new moms through adoption, surrogacy, foster care, etc. No matter how you become a new parent, you need support and these are the best gifts for just that!

P.P.S if you are a mama yourself preparing for postpartum, these are some great ideas to add to your baby registry

Nourishment

When you are bringing home a new baby, it is natural for your stress levels to be a bit higher (and a good chance that your sleep is a little bit lower-- hi sleep deprivation) This results in your body burning through nutrients a whole lot quicker- especially if you are breastfeeding. That is why one of the number one priorities I encourage for new parents is nourishment. That means lots of nutrient dense, whole foods and lots of hydrating, nutritious beverages! Here are the best gifts for supporting that

1. Postpartum meal delivery service

I love love love how much more common these have become over the last couple of years! Basically they are pre-made freezer foods that are delivered to your door step and are a perfect way to support nourishment through the postpartum period.

I love the brand Mama Meals because they focus on organic ingredients with an ayurvedic focus. This means a big focus on nutrient density, warm foods, and grounding ingredients-- the perfect combo for supporting your body. I love that you can also arrange a meal train through this company (perfect to set up before mom gives birth so that there is plenty of time for people to sign up!) If freezer space is limited, you can also purchase dry mixes to make yourself.

These were some of my favorite menu items:

  • Double chocolate lactation brownies- gluten free, organic, and packed with nourishing ingredients and brewers yeast to help support your milk supply! The tastiest treat that I loved pairing with collagen coffee for an afternoon pick me up!

  • Primal no bean chili- if you've been here for awhile you know i love including bone broth and organ meats into my diet-- and this chili delivers both!! 10/10 

  • Creamy chicken and rice congee- you know that warm and cozy feeling you get from eating a bowl of homemade chicken soup?? Now imagine that but a bit heartier, and even more nourishing because they sneak in liver (you don't taste it i promise!). This was my ultimate comfort food during my most recent postpartum. If there is one meal I would recommend ordering from them, it would be this one.

Shop through the button below to get $20 off your order of $200 or more 👏

If you would rather make your own meals to fill the freezer, these are some of my favorite postpartum recipes!

PRO TIP: if you are making postpartum freezer meals for a friend, use disposable containers and bring paper plates so the clean up is easy and they don’t have to worry about returning any dishes!

2. Support hydration!

Hydration is so important for moms during postpartum, especially if they're nursing. Hydrating, nourishing beverages help support the body to make breast milk. These are my favorite ways to make hydrating easy and convenient!

  • Plastic-free water bottle

    I have had a stainless steal water bottle from this company for going on 3 years now. It is durable, non-toxic, and much more affordable than the popular Stanley cups (but with a very similar design).

  • coffee mug

    covered travel mugs are the perfect gift- no splashing or accidental spills on their little one while sipping that much-needed cup of coffee! (you could also make a cute coffee basket and include some organic low-acid coffee or organic tea bags!) 

    • 14 ounce yeti mug — I have had this mug for several years and love the oversized mug style. I love that the mag slider top completely removes for thorough cleaning! My only complaint about this one is that it is not great for using in the car since it’s wider than most cup holders— but for sipping coffee around that house with a new baby its perfect.

3. Grocery pickup

You do not need to spend money to support a new mama. Offer to pickup groceries for them, come over and put them away. This is such a thoughtful gift to new parents, especially in those early days when it can be really overwhelming to leave the house, let alone go to the grocery store. 

A similar option is getting them a membership to a healthy online delivery service like Thrive Market-- then they can order groceries while snuggling up with their little one and the groceries will be delivered right to their door step!

Related Reads:

4. Snacks!!

Postpartum and caring for a newborn is not the time to skimp on nutrients. Some of our favorite snacks are grass-fed beef sticks, organic protein bars, lactation cookies, healthy nuts, and dried fruits!

Think convenient, easy to grab, and nutritious! These are perfect for moms to snack on during night feedings, or to throw in their diaper bag for on-the-go. Here are some of my favorites:

5. Postpartum Tincture + Teas

Nourishment not only help support them physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. Not to mention, it can help to mitigate some postpartum hair loss! I took this postpartum tonic religiously the first 3 months after having my son and noticed such a difference. It tastes delicious and is made of all organic, supportive ingredients and herbs. Now nearly 5 months postpartum I am still taking it on days when I feel a bit run down, or in need of additional support.

One of my best friends knew how much I loved this product and had it delivered right to my door 🥺

These are also some of my favorite nourishing teas that are perfect for postpartum:

6. Gift Cards!

Know their favorite take out restaurant? A gift certificate for them to order their fave meal and have it delivered is a quick and easy gift!

Relaxation

You bring home this sweet bundle of joy and the simple truth is that you will get different sleep than you are used to. Babies being wakeful is healthy and normal. But that doesn’t mean that it’s not hard adjusting to.. One thing I took a lot more serious my second postpartum was REST. These are great gift ideas to help support restfulness for the new parents in your life.

1. All things cozy

those first few days (cough cough weeeks) should be spent in bed, on the couch, or a cozy chair snuggled up with your little one and getting as much rest as you can! Some of my favorite things that helped keep me comfy: 

  • cozy throw blanket

    This Organic 100% GOTS certified organic cotton knit blanket is the perfect thing for those precious newborn snuggles. I had two babies that had really sensitive skin (they still do), and this blanket was the perfect thing to throw over us while doing skin to skin.

    And even past the newborn phase, it is a great throw to keep in your living room because we are all about gifts that are versatile through every stage of life!

  • cozy robe

    if there is one thing I think every first time mom should have is a comfortable robe. They are perfect for easy nursing, convenient skin to skin, and covering up when nothing else feels comfortable (or fits 😅)

  • slippers + cozy socks

  • non-toxic candle

    there is just something so grounding and calming about candles. But it is so hard to find goof ones that aren’t artificially fragranced! That is why i was thrilled when Primally Pure came out with organic, non-toxic candles.

    Not only do they use a blend of organic beeswax, coconut wax, and essential oils, but the scents are amazing. And I loved having these, knowing they were safe around a newborn!

    This is also one of my favorite brands for non-toxic skincare, newborn baby balm, and lotions— you can use code KAELYN10 to save 10% on any order too 🎉

  • DIY spa basket

    since a spa day with a newborn is a little tricky, this is the next best thing

    Butter Me Up Organics is one of my favorite brands for bath and body products! They only make items with all natural ingredients without any of the garbage additives, artificial fragrances, or irritating chemicals. These are some of my favorite of their products that would make the perfect spa gift for new mothers:

    • goat milk and honey bath bomb  so soothing and nourishing for your skin! I love that all of their bath bombs 

    • magnesium body butter lotion i've shared before that this is one of my favorite magnesium lotions! I put it on my feet before going to sleep and it helps me sleep much more deeply! Even with the lack of sleep of a nursing baby, i still feel rested and I contribute a lot of that to this magnesium cream

      They also offer a pre-made gift basket for expectant mama's with all the goodies if that is more your gift-giving style! You can use code KAELYN for 10% on any of your orders 👏

  • Organic Pillow

    I feel like pillows can be hard to buy for someone else- you don’t know their personal preference of firm/ soft/ extra squishy/ etc. UNTIL i bought a Naturepedic adjustable pillow!

    These all organic pillows are GTS certified organic made with all natural products. Rather than being made of one solid piece of latex, they are instead made of shredded latex that you are able to take out or add more of- making it customizable to your own personal preference! This makes it a great gift for new mama’s (and dads) encouraging them to rest. The other thing that makes this pillow better over other non-toxic brands is that it comes with a removable outer cover— so it’s easy cleanup with any spit ups, spills or leaks (which are just about non-stop with a new baby!)

    Use code SWEETDREAMS for free ground shipping!

Support

I think this is one of the most overlooked (and important!!) gift categories for new moms and dads! Simply write them some homemade coupons (remember the things you used to do for mother's day as a kid?!) offering to run errands or give them an hour to help with housework or offer to be childcare for older kiddos. All the things that still need to happen but get put on the back burner when a baby enters. The gift of time to help support their growing family is, in my opinion, one of the best postpartum gifts that doesn't have to cost anything except a little time!

I remember being newly postpartum and my mom came over to visit. There was laundry on the couch and she went ahead and folded it for us. I never expected her to fold our laundry and never would have asked her, but it was so helpful. There were other times when my husband had gone back to work that she came over and played with the kids while I showered and got ready.

Here are some other ideas of tangible ways to support postpartum families:

  • rake your neighbor’s leaves or mow their lawn while you’re doing your own

  • offer to walk their dog

  • bring in/ out their trash cans

  • offer to pick up/ drop off a coffee

  • bring over dinner

  • come over and play with the older kids so mom and dad can bond with their new baby

I think our society has moved away from this idea of it taking a village to raise a child— and to support a family. We value individualism and, in doing that, we often neglect the family unit leaving them to “do it on their own”. And many people do and then experience postpartum anxiety, depression, poor mental health, and growing animosity.. Because I truly believe we were designed to be in community, supporting, loving and nurturing one another.

If this seems like a foreign topic or something you have never heard before, i strongly encourage you to read The First 40 Days. It talks about how different cultures view the postpartum period, and how we (speaking from a western culture that prioritize individualism) can adopt some of those ideas to create a more healing and empowering postpartum period for families.

And while we are here, let’s talk about some other suggestions:

  • don’t try and take a newborn from a new parent— if they want you to hold their baby, they’ll offer. It doesn’t matter if you’re a grandparent, cousin, sibling, etc.

  • Don’t expect them to host you when you come over

  • Be courteous of the length of your stay

  • If you’re over and make a mess, clean it up

Being conscious and respectful of their growing family, and the physiological and psychological needs during this period, will be the greatest gift of all.

Build Your Own Postpartum Box

One of my favorite companies to recommend is Hello Postpartum— truly, a one-stop shop for all your postpartum needs and the easiest way to gift supportive postpartum items. All the items are intentionally curated to holistically provide support through the postpartum period. No need to research everything because they already did it for you!

Most of the things I have mentioned in this blog post are all found on their site— teas, mugs, cozy socks, tinctures, robes, peri care products, and c section recovery support. You can select what you want to be packaged in a beautiful postpartum box. Then you can customize it with cards, and even a gift for baby too! Some of my favorite items from Hello Postpartum include:

  • Poppy and Pout Lip Balm- organic coconut oil and naturally flavored with essential oils

  • Herbal Postpartum Support Tea- organic ingredients that are all intentionally added to help support your body during the postpartum period including fenugreek, rose petals, elderberries and fennel

  • Milk Moon Restorative Tonic- this, this, this, this, this 👏👏 if there is one thing I can recommend postpartum mamas to take, it’s this tonic. I took it during my second postpartum and the difference it made in my mental and emotional resiliency was shocking! It was so grounding, nourishing and supportive that I consistently took it for the first 8 months after having my son.

Postpartum is such a special time and for me, they’ve both been so sweet to see the people that come along side to love and support our family.

What are some of the best gifts or support you received postpartum? I’d love to hear from you!

Kaelyn

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