Mother’s Day: 5 Gift Ideas Guaranteed to Make Any New Mom Happy
Sure, you can call it a Hallmark holiday. But don’t be fooled:
Mother’s Day is serious business. A big deal. Especially for new
moms.
How do I know? Because I make my living surveying moms for my
books. I ask them everything from which diaper bag they like
best to how they handle meddling in-laws. And let me tell you,
every new mom lives for Mother’s Day.
Why? Because it’s her one chance to feel cherished and
appreciated for all she’s done for her family.
Now, I’m about to reveal a secret so simple and so basic, you
may not recognize how powerful it is. Don’t be fooled. If you
follow this advice, you are guaranteed to make any new mom happy
on Mother’s Day. All you have to do is give her something that
makes her life easier or makes her feel cherished.
Here are my top five picks:
1. A good night’s sleep.
To a new mom, eight uninterrupted hours of sleep are worth more
than anything that could come in a box from Tiffany. Give her
coupons for ten good nights of sleep (they don’t have to be used
consecutively), and she’ll be forever grateful.
If she’s nursing, make sure she pumps breast milk in advance, so
you can handle the nighttime feedings. And do whatever you can
to ensure she has quiet surroundings. You may even suggest she
move to another room if she finds it hard to sleep through
nighttime crying.
2. New mom jewelry.
New moms love jewelry that features baby charms, baby shoes,
moms holding babies, etc. I recommend Lucy Ann products
(http://www.lucyann.com) because they’re adorable, they can be
personalized, and they’re reasonably priced.
3. Maid service for a month.
For the neat freak who is just too exhausted to do it all
herself, this is the perfect gift. It may not seem romantic, but
she’ll love the fact that you’re thinking of her needs.
4. A personal chef or a post-baby casserole shower. The last
thing a new mom has time for is cooking, but you still have to
eat something for dinner every night. If you can afford it, hire
a personal chef to cook and store two weeks’ worth of meals in
your freezer. Go to (http://www.personalchef.com) for referrals.
If finances won’t permit that luxury, ask friends or relatives
to throw her a post-baby casserole shower. Each friend or
relatives makes a casserole that can be frozen and re-heat as
needed.
5. A memory.
Memory-savers like scrapbooks, baby pictures and photo gifts are
always a hit with new moms. If she likes scrapbooking, get her a
gift certificate to her favorite craft or scrapbooking store.
If she’s a digital photography fan, Shutterfly
(http://www.shutterfly.com) offers prepaid print plans and
portrait packages from $24. Or have a photo quilt made at
Personal Creations (http://www.personalcreations.com) or a
hand-drawn pencil sketch or watercolor done from one of your
baby photos at My DaVinci (http://www.mydavinci.com).
About the author:
Stephanie Gallagher, a.k.a., The Shopping Mom, is the author of
“The Gallagher Guide to the Baby Years: The Real Mom’s Survey of
Top-Rated Products and Advice.” She reveals her closely-guarded
shopping secrets in her ezine, “The Shopping Mom’s Weekly Tip.”
You can subscribe by sending a blank email to
theshoppingmom@aweber.com