Baby shower gifts that don't suck
So your friend is pregnant. You want to get her something special and cute and possibly fluffy but the thing is, she’s going to get a lot of little cute fluffy things and maybe not enough things that are genuinely useful or helpful during one of the biggest life events she will experience.
There are so many aspects to pregnancy and the postpartum period which means there are so many unique ways you can support her and her baby.
Here are some practical and unusual gifts that will get you major friendship points:
One of them is to support her by a frozen food delivery service. Or home cooking your speciality meal and popping it into her freezer. After you’ve given birth and are perhaps starting to breastfeed you develop a beastly hunger (and thirst) and it’s important to nourish your body with nutrient dense foods for mom, baby and the rest of the family. I promise when she heats up that roasted pepper soup she’ll think you’re the best friend EVER. We Are Food is an amazing frozen food company, and you can buy a voucher online she can redeem in her own time. Their Butter Chicken is out of this world.
Perhaps there’s a big ticket item like a baby carrier you know she wants. I love my Ubuntu Baba. If you’re not sure, ask. You could all club together to buy it. She’ll use it everyday for at least a year. Far more useful than R250 on a baby grow the baby wears once and stains with a huge mustard poo! A baby sleep pod is another big ticket item I reckon is pretty essential, it’s something I didn’t have the first time round I made sure we got this time. I love Sleepyhead.
You could create a book of favours if you’re able to support her older child on a weekend, a little trip to the park or to get an ice cream or just come over and entertain her older kid while she puts the baby to sleep or even has a shower. Obviously this wouldn’t fly in these Corona times.
Your could get her the services of a postpartum doula. This is someone who helps the mom with schedules, shopping lists and who to ask for her help etc. I can recommend Genevieve Putter #thedigitaldoula specialising in post partum care and founder of The New Normal, an on-line support community for moms. Gen@genputter.com
An at home massage. Post birth and after a few days of crouching over a newborn ones back and shoulders start to feel like they’re breaking. You could buy her a postpartum massage voucher. When she gets that massage she’ll cry she loves you so much. Obviously this wouldn’t fly in these Corona times.
An at home based pedicure, manicure or even eyelash extensions if that’s her thing. It’s tough getting out with a newborn. A few weeks in when she’s desperado for a pedicure this will be the best thing ever. Serenity at Work does home visits on Joburg. Obviously this wouldn’t fly in these Corona times.
I hope some of these have been helpful and maybe even spark more ideas for useful baby shower gifts for the mama to be in your life.
