While it’s standard for babies to already be showered with presents, why not go one step further and spoil the baby and new mom with a custom-made gift basket?
In addition to presenting a trove of practical musts for the on-the-go mom, you can throw in a few stress-beating luxuries that new mothers will appreciate. Your new mommy survival kit should be as personalized as possible, but be sure to represent a few items from each of these essential categories:
Baby Maintenance 101
These may seem like obvious choices, but new moms can sometimes be so frazzled that it can’t hurt to stock up on the basics. In particular:
● Diapers: consider cloth diapers for an added touch.
● Hand sanitizer and baby wipes: cleaning up after baby is a dirty job!
● Pacifiers: a funny novelty twist could be good here.
● Lotion and baby powder: baby and mom alike need to stay soft.
● Granola or energy bars: sometimes moms need a little extra fuel, but can’t find the time to get it.
Creature Comforts
Make it easy on mom in any way possible. Whether it’s physical or mental, little tokens like these will all add up to undo some of the crazy-making:
Teas:
In particular, you could add teas that help promote milk production for moms who breastfeed. Additionally, a calming herbal tea, such as chamomile, can be a great idea, but do a little research: some teas are potentilly dangerous for the baby.
Aromatherapy candles:
While mom may not have time to make it to a spa for total relaxation, a few jasmine or vanilla aromatherapy candles can help turn things down a notch and offer other benefits.
Chocolates:
Not only can a few truffles say “you’re special!,” good chocolate is also surprisingly good for you.
Feel-good reading and viewing:
Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul is an obvious choice, but even better, how about a special edition DVD of her favorite rainy-day chick flick or a vintage edition of a meaningful book?
Personal signatures
On top of the practical stuff, you should enclose one centerpiece that brings the gift pack together. The most poignant gifts are those that truly speak to who she is—theme presents that remind her of how well you know her. If possible, make it tie in with the baby. For example, if she’s an avid knitter, include a skein of yarn, some swanky new needles, and a pattern for a baby cap.
After you’ve hand-picked all the goodies, make sure the presentation is just as thoughtful and personalized; creating a gift basket can be easy with a few supplies. A great container idea may be to find something that is theme-appropriate for the mom in question—if she loves to cook, stow it all in a large colander, for example.
Also consider using something the baby might love down the road: a beach pail or even a Radio Flyer wagon. Don’t forget to add a liner—anything from tissue paper to a novelty burp-cloth—and festoon it with ribbons, bows and maybe even shrink wrap.
The secret of a great gift basket is to make it represent every corner of the mom’s life, from the necessary to the whimsical. Throw in a few idiosyncratic twists and you’ll have created a perfect tribute to one of the most important times of her life.
