29 Unique Gifts for First-Time Moms

Besides the obvious—a full night’s sleep and at least four extra hands—options abound when it comes to gifting something to a new parent. Do you go practical (two words: nipple cream) or indulgent (a self-care item more luxurious than a five-minute shower)?

And once you’ve chosen a lane, you have to weave through the approximately 5,782 brands touting their position as the latest and greatest. That’s why we turned to sleep pros, doulas, toddler whisperers and other experts to share the new-mom gifts they love, and give, the most.

Fitness and sleep tracker

Ask any new parent what she really wants for Mother’s Day and the answer is likely to be a good night’s sleep. This fitness tracker, featured in our Buy Side Rated guide, can help her score a whole slew of them. In-depth sleep monitoring analyzes circadian rhythms and recommends optimal bed and wake times, which are favorite features of Jamie O’Day, a Boston-based registered nurse, international board-certified lactation consultant and mom of three girls. Plus, it’s pretty cute, O’Day adds, thanks to eye-catching colors like the rose-hued Himalayan Salt and black with rose gold options.

High-rise leggings

A Buy Side staffer loved these Lululemon leggings during pregnancy and postpartum. Made from soft, stretchy material with a ribbed texture, they’re designed to be both breathable and sweat-wicking—helpful whether they’re working out or running around the house. The leggings are available in three inseam lengths and five neutral colors; and if you aren’t sure on your giftee’s size, you can always go with a Lululemon gift card.

Ultra-comfy pajamas

“Nothing feels better than pulling on soft, clean pajamas at the end of a long day,” says Morgan Cutlip, Ph.D., a San Clemente, Calif.-based relationship consultant who focuses on easing mothers’ burnout. “Even when pulling all-nighters with newborns, these pajamas will have moms feeling put-together,” she notes. Cutlip also appreciates this pair’s timeless cut and assortment of colors, ensuring that any shopper will find the ideal pair for any mother’s preferences. And since they’re made from a blend of modal and spandex, the pajamas offer plenty of comfortable stretch. If those don’t quite fit her style, check out our tried-and-tested Buy Side Rated guide to cozy pajamas.

Silk scrunchies

There’s a good chance a new mom will want her hair up and out of her face for a good portion of the day, and these silk scrunchies look great while avoiding dents and snags. A five-pack from Slip includes a variety of neutrals and soft shades (but you can also find more colorful options).

Personalized blanket

A Buy Side staffer said this personalized baby blanket was one of her favorite gifts she received as a new mom—she displays it proudly on the back of her rocking chair. With a thick jacquard knit and herringbone pattern, it should pair well with most bedroom and nursery designs. You can customize it with a child’s name (up to 11 characters) and choose from Oat, Pink, Chambray Blue and Navy details.

Creative keepsake

Made of premium linen with foil-stamped lettering, this elegant photo journal doesn’t scream baby book. “It’s chic enough to keep on your coffee table,” says Rachael Shepard-Ohta, San Francisco-based pediatric sleep specialist, “so you’ll actually remember to write in it.” She used the baby version to document her firstborn’s milestones, but for people looking to keep the story going, there’s also an early years option to capture memories up to age 5.

Versatile carrier

Fun fact: “Babies love to be held pretty much all the time,” says Shepard-Ohta, which is why she relied on her trusty Solly Wrap to get her through two (soon to be three) newborn stages. “I wore my baby constantly, while I took the dog for a walk or while I cooked dinner, and it kept her super calm and helped her sleep for a lot longer than when I tried to put her down,” recalls the founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby. It’s fully adjustable, so both she and her husband were able to use it, and the combination of pretty patterns and supple fabric made from 100% certified Tencel “makes it feel like a really nice gift,” she says. Tracy Gillett, Vancouver-based founder of the blog and parenting community Raised Good, is a fellow fan. Not only is the wrap “absolutely beautiful,” Gillett says, but it also easily folds into a pouch at one end so it doesn’t eat up too much space in a diaper bag.

Skin-saving moisturizer

Help a new mom practice self-care by adding some extra moisture to her skincare routine. We featured this sensitive-skin friendly cream from First Aid Beauty on our list of the best moisturizers for dry skin, with one derm noting its anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce irritation and sensitivity.

Versatile wrap

This wrap, made from luxuriously soft Tencel modal, can be worn multiple ways—as a scarf, draped across the body, even as a blanket in a pinch. Gift this to the travel-loving mom who’s already planning her first trip after baby arrives. It comes in 12 colors, and there’s also one-yard and three-yard options for more petite or taller wearers.

Garden-themed playmat

Give a new mom time to read a book or drink a cup of hot tea while her baby stays occupied with the different textures and dangling plush toys of this sweet playmat. One of Buy Side’s editors swears by Skip Hop’s mats that lets baby enjoy tummy time or lounge facing up. The mat is machine wash, tumble dry.

Postpartum journal

While a baby book may already be top of mind for mothers, Austin, Texas-based doula Xenna White recommends a journal for capturing a new mom’s own experiences; her favorite is “The Fourth Trimester Journal.” “It’s easy to keep by the bedside or breastfeeding caddy,” she says, pointing out the journal’s thoughtful prompts that allow mothers to meditate and reflect on the birthing process, as well as her feelings and habits as the baby grows.

Stretch helper

Your new mom in question may be noticing more stiffness, soreness and aches—not only from birth recovery, but from the adjustment in movement with a newborn in tow. That’s where a foam roller comes into play. “Holding, lifting, breastfeeding and more all take a toll, especially on the lower back,” says Mary Ann Sims, P.T., D.P.T., W.S.C., a pelvic floor therapist based in Charleston, S.C., who recommends this pick from Amazon to use while stretching.

Luxe robe

“A robe is easy to slip on and off for breastfeeding or skin-to-skin cuddling, and offers a quick cover-up for surprise visits from friends and family,” says Hawaii-based jewelry brand founder Stephanie Maris, who found herself living in a robe after having her son. This pick from Lunya is made from 100% Mulberry silk, and “most importantly,” Maris adds, it “can go directly in the wash.” Washable silk is surprisingly easy to care for, but refer to Lunya’s care page for more in-depth washing tips. We have even more robe suggestions available if this set doesn’t quite do the trick.

Moisturizing body oil

Maris recommends using a combination of body oil (her pick is this formula from Osea) and a gua sha tool to stimulate blood flow and reduce water retention during the postpartum period. During her own pregnancy, she left a bottle on her nightstand as a reminder to take a minute for her own self-care. She recalls that she started using the seaweed-infused body oil when she was pregnant, and still uses it daily. “It smells beautiful and absorbs quickly into the skin without leaving a greasy finish behind,” Maris adds.

Grocery delivery service

Take one more thing off her to-do list with a grocery delivery gift card for your loved one, which will help make the days, weeks and months after birth more manageable. “Food is incredibly important for recovery during postpartum,” says White, adding that meal or grocery delivery offers “a practical way to support” new moms. Hungryroot offers gift cards ranging from $75 to $125 that can be delivered between one and four weeks in a row. The site is full of produce, meat and fish, plant-based protein, snacks and ready-to-eat foods.

Instant camera

While many new moms grapple with postpartum struggles while caring for newborn children, there’s another demographic adjusting to parenthood for the first time: adoptive and foster moms. Their needs, gift-wise, may be different. Laura, the California-based founder of Foster Parent Partner and a foster parent herself, recommends an instant-print camera, such as this one from Fujifilm (which we feature in our camera buying guide), to help ease the transition. “When a new child moves in, I like to hang their photos up in the home to help them feel a part of the family,” she says.

Cozy weighted blanket

Laura stresses the importance of checking in with oneself as they adjust to parenting and take time for self-care. “Personally, I love a weighted blanket to decompress and unwind from the day,” she says. Consider the Gravity Cooling Weighted Blanket, our top pick on our list of the best weighted blankets, or the Bearaby Cotton Napper if you prefer a knit style. Or, offer a similarly relaxing experience on a smaller scale with a silk weighted eye mask.

Baby food processor

Whether you’re swooping in with a gift days after the baby announcement arrives or waiting until further down the line, consider a present that will come in handy after the initial wave of well-wishes has died down; this baby-friendly food processor is a great option. “This incredible little appliance took all of the stress out of introducing my son to solid food,” says Maris. It’s designed to function as a steamer, defroster, blender and warmer, so it “makes it easy to prep an entire batch of homemade baby food with, truly, two pushes of a button and minimal washing,” she adds, noting that it gave her back about 15 very valuable minutes back per use.

Bralettes with benefits

“There’s no way around it: the postpartum boob situation is wild, challenging and often uncomfortable,” says Leslie Bruce, author of “You Are a F*cking Awesome Mom.” So file this garment under things a new mom won’t realize she needs until she needs it. Made of a super stretchy, gently compressing fabric, it comes with chest pockets to hold heat packs—“an absolute lifesaver if you’ve got a clogged duct,” says the Laguna Beach, Calif.-based mother of two—and ice packs “because engorgement is zero fun.”

Soothing sidekick

Parents will try pretty much anything to score a few extra hours of unbroken sleep in those early weeks. Give them the gift of white noise, which has been shown to help babies fall asleep fast. Offering 11 sounds, including rain and ocean waves, this tool gives them choices beyond the standard shhhh. They can also use the 10 color options to program different lighting cues for their growing infant, from quiet time to sleep to wake up. Kristin Gallant, one half of the Denver-based team of toddler experts behind parenting platform Big Little Feelings, uses it to light her way through middle-of-the-night feedings and diaper changes. But for the mom of three (including a newborn), the best feature is the ability to change the color, sound and brightness levels using an app on your phone, “which means no sneaking in and accidentally waking the baby if you need to adjust one of the levels.”

Easiest-ever outfit

In those initial awkward postpartum weeks, clothing can feel like a bit of a challenge, so “a soft and comfy jumpsuit can make any new mom feel a little more cute than sweatpants and tees,” says Shepard-Ohta. Aptly-named the 24/7 Feeding Jumpsuit, this 100% cotton, machine-washable piece comes with pockets for snacks and other essentials, she says, plus buttons that “make it perfect for easy-access nursing.”

Take-along tool

A white noise machine is something most parents have on their registries, but many don’t realize how essential it is to have a portable one as well, says Shepard-Ohta. Able to last through the night on a single charge, this lightweight version (just 3.8 ounces and smaller than a passport) is the one she uses in her car, hooks to the stroller, and even carries around the house. Los Angeles-based therapist Deena Margolin, a mom of two and co-founder of Big Little Feelings, went so far as to stash the Hushh version in her bag for both of her hospital stays because, she says, “it even helps soothe during those witching hour moments.”

Nighttime essential

All the YouTube tutorials in the world can’t stop some tiny Houdinis from breaking free of their swaddle and startling themselves awake. But this Velcro-based, grow-with-them sack actually did keep her now-toddler in place, Margolin says. It’s user-friendly for even the most sleep-deprived of new parents, she attests, and the moisture-wicking fabric keeps little ones from overheating.

Activity-of-the-month mailer

Gillett’s elementary schooler is now up to the Tinker Crate level of these STEAM-inspired (as in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) subscription boxes, building flashing circuits and lava lamps. But what makes them such a great new-mom gift is that the curated packs start from birth, with cognitive skill-building toys like a tummy time mirror and soft rattle blocks. “There are boxes for babies all the way through teens,” Gillett says, adding that her son is “always so excited to see what creation is in store for him.”

The ideal carryall

For obvious reasons, a diaper bag that’s washable is a big plus for Lindsey Bliss, a New York City-based doula and co-founder of Carriage House Birth—and despite this polyester one’s more-stylish-than-your-average-mom-bag vibe, it can actually be tossed in with the burp cloths. (The dark shade also “helps hide stains and the wear and tear of daily parenting,” she notes.) It has two easy-grab handles in addition to straps, plus 10 total pockets and a laptop sleeve, all of which make the daily juggling act easier.

Streamlined sleeper

Sherri French can still remember how tricky it was to set up her girls’ playard when they were younger. “The planets needed to align,” quips French, the Detroit, Mich.-based lifestyle expert and founder of Mom Hint. But she’s literally able to open this travel sleeper with an arm tied behind her back. “You just need to press down on the center hub with one hand and it will lock into place,” she explains. “Then a one-hand pull releases the locking mechanism.” Better yet, the zip-on bassinet attachment stays on when the playard folds up, giving parents one less thing to do.

Mom-focused meal plans

Do the expectant mom who thrives on planning ahead a favor and hand her this cookbook before she goes to the hospital. Some of the 60 recipes “are easy to make ahead of time and freeze,” explains Bruce. And every last one—from healing soups to lactation-boosting teas—is focused on “nurturing our bodies in the early days postpartum and getting our bodies and minds healthy,” she says. “Bringing a human into the world is serious business and our bodies endure a lot, but it is really easy for new moms to overlook their own needs and focus everything on their new baby,” so this book is a good remedy for that.

Statement jewelry

Among Shepard-Ohta’s “most treasured possessions” is this simple, elegant piece available in 14k yellow, rose or white gold. “It’s a super thoughtful and practical gift that can be worn every day,” she says. The soon-to-be mom of three bought one engraved with both her son’s and daughter’s names after the second birth but, she notes, it can also be customized with their birth date or birthstone “to make it extra special.”