Looking for Christmas gifts for new moms? We’re here to help! I became a new mom in 2021, and so did several of my best friends. We’ve all been swapping product recommendations ever since. Read on to discover our absolute favorite gifts for new moms.
(New moms also need self-care. If you think she’d prefer a self-care gift, you’ll find some great ideas — for moms of any age — in our guide to gifts for women in their 20s.)
Our Review
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon These SwaddleMe Easy Change Swaddles are a game-changer. They save parents a lot of time and frustration.
Swaddling a baby the traditional way is tricky. Sure, a new mom can learn how, but why not make her life easier?
When you’re a new mom, there are plenty of new things to learn. Swaddling doesn’t have to be one of them. The two velcro tabs on these swaddles eliminate the need to perfectly tuck each corner of a blanket in the correct place on your squirming baby’s body. You just pull the velcro tight, and get right back to snuggling your babe to sleep.
As soon as I used one of these swaddles, I was done with trying to swaddle my baby in a blanket. He always wiggled out of the blanket swaddle, anyway.
But with these SwaddleMe swaddles, you can use these velcro tabs to tightly swaddle your baby with both arms down by their sides, so their Moro reflex won’t wake them up. (Until they can roll over, which happens somewhere around three to five months — though of course all babies are different.)
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon A Moses Basket is a very special gift. I received one while I was pregnant, and didn’t realize exactly how special it would be.
But my friend, who has a five-year-old, knew I needed it. It’s how her son slept when he was a newborn. And it’s where my son slept as a newborn, too.
It’s a safe place for your baby to sleep. You just buy a Moses Basket mattress and fitted sheet to place inside the basket.
Plus, if a sleep-deprived new dad keeps referring to it as a “mosey basket,” that will make the new mom laugh — which is critical in those first weeks of parenthood.
If you think the new mom in your life will want to be able to rock her baby to sleep, by reaching out from her own bed to rock the basket, you’ll want to get her a wooden rocker stand, too.
You can even customize this Moses Basket, to make it even more special.
This is a gift that will live on forever. Every new mom takes countess photos of her baby sleeping, once they’ve arrived home. The Moses Basket (or “mosey basket”) will make those precious first photos even more beautiful.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The Snuggle Me Organic Baby Lounger is one of the few things I actually asked for as a gift before my baby arrived. (We got so many awesome hand-me-downs, we didn’t even make a registry or anything.) But I’d seen the Snuggle Me mentioned in several YouTube videos about “newborn essentials.” And it totally lived up to the hype.
When your newborn is tiny, this snuggles them and helps them get some rest. The patented design helps gently soothe their overactive nervous systems, and the new mom gets to rest easy, too: It’s made from all organic, sustainable, and hypoallergenic materials.
It’s the size of a pillow, so it’s easy to move around. You can just bring it into any room in your home, and give your arms a tiny break while your baby snoozes.
I’d thought we’d be using it between us in our bed at night, but when your little one was tiny, we actually used a Moses Basket with a wooden rocker frame next to our bed for nighttime sleep. But that didn’t mean the Snuggle Me wasn’t helpful. We used it all the time. Several times per day. (And took it on trips with us.) Because you can’t have too many places to safely put your baby down. And babies love this one, because of the way its design literally snuggles them.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon This Portable Diaper Changing Pad comes with a pocket to easily dispense wipes. It also features a padded headrest for the baby while you’re changing his diaper. (Until he hits six months and insists on wriggling and rolling through the entire diaper change, at least.)
Portable Diaper Changing Pads like this one are really handy on trips. You just make sure you have a few diapers in it, along with a few wipes, and you’re good to go. It helps you keep everything you need together, and it even has a convenient handle.
To give your loved one a complete kit, throw in some diapers, some wipes, and some travel-sized hand sanitizer (for changing dirty diapers when there’s nowhere to wash your hands afterwards).
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon BOB Gear strollers are widely considered the best strollers around, and the BOB Gear Revolution Flex 3.0 Jogging Stroller is the most versatile of them all.
It’s not the cheapest stroller available, but it’s built to last. Plus, it’s a joy to push, thanks to the suspension system and three air-filled tires.
It has tons of storage room, which is crucial when you’re taking your kiddo on an all-day outing. It also has a great shade system to keep them out of the sun.
Even if the mom in your life doesn’t do much actual jogging, jogging strollers also make the best strollers for any rough or bumpy terrain, like a trail or an unpaved road. Get this stroller for a mom who might like to hit the trails with her baby.
(I actually have a different BOB Gear model, because I wanted a hand brake. If you know a mom who lives somewhere with steep hills, she’ll be beyond thrilled if you get her the BOB Gear Allterrain Pro. It costs a little more, but the hand brake is crucial when you’re going down a huge hill.)
Before getting this as a very generous gift for a new mom, you may want to check on whether she wants her stroller to work as a “baby travel system.” If so, she’ll want her infant car seat to fit directly into her stroller. Luckily, BOB Gear strollers work with most major car seat brands. (I know personally that it works great with a Britax B-Safe Infant Car Seat — as long as you get the Britax/BOB Gear Car Seat Adapter.) For more information on infant car seats (and why we chose the Britax B-Safe version), check out our guide to the best infant car seats.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The SNOO Smart Sleeper Baby Bassinet is universally beloved by all the families I know who invested in this ultra-luxe bassinet.
Before our baby was born, we couldn’t imagine why these other new parents we knew were spending so much money on a “smart” bassinet.
Now we know. They get a lot more sleep than we do. (And they keep talking about it.)
The SNOO actually detects a fussing baby, and uses a gentle rocking motion, along with white noise, to lull the baby back to sleep.
If you know a new mom who could use some more sleep (so, basically, any new mom), and you want to change her life (and money is no object), this is THE gift to get her.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The Inglesina Fast Table Chair is an award-winning high chair for a reason. You can take it anywhere. You simply screw it onto the table. It’s great in restaurants or dinner parties, too — it won’t even scratch the table. You just unscrew it when you’re done.
If you know a new mom who loves dining out, you’ll make her life way easier by giving her this high chair. It’s also great for any mom with a smaller home. (Conventional high chairs take up tons of room.)
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon We love this Eufy Baby Monitor. It was a gift when we became new parents, and we use it nearly every day while our baby is napping in his crib.
It’s super easy to set up, and the image quality is great. One mom friend (whose kids were babies just a few years ago) was shocked by how closely you could zoom in on your baby while viewing the monitor.
“We didn’t have that while my kids were babies,” she said. “I love how you can actually watch him breathing.”
If you’re giving this as a gift, the new mom in your life will get so much valuable use out of it. It even tells you the temperature in your baby’s room, and if your baby rolls his face out of view, you can press the arrow buttons to shift the camera angle to look elsewhere in the crib, until your baby is clearly in view.
It has night vision, so it’s easy to watch your baby even when you’ve turned out the lights at night. It’s also easy to move around. (Though, if you know the mom wants to keep an eye on baby in multiple rooms, I’d recommend getting her an extra Eufy camera to go with this gift.) That way, she can set up both cameras, and she won’t have to unplug the camera and move it to a new outlet every time the baby changes rooms.)
Note: If you do decide to buy your loved one a baby monitor, you may want to ask whether she’d prefer one that’s wifi-enabled. We opted for a non-wifi baby monitor, because we felt like we already look at our phones enough — so we’d prefer to watch a separate monitor when we’re keeping an eye on our sleeping baby. However, there are plenty of good reasons a new mom might choose a wifi monitor.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon If she didn’t already get an exercise ball during her pregnancy, get this for the new mom in your life.
I got this Trideer Exercise Ball early in my pregnancy. I knew it was supposed to help during pregnancy, but I didn’t realize how crucial it would be after pregnancy, as a new mom.
This is particularly helpful with a baby who requires motion to fall asleep. If you know a new mom with a colicky baby, get her this (and tell her about how much babies love bouncing) immediately. When nothing else will soothe our little guy’s crying, bouncing always works. I have personally spent hundreds of hours bouncing on my Trideer Exercise Ball. It shows no signs of wear and tear. (It does have some baby vomit on it, but that’s easy to wipe off.)
We’ve all seen images of parents rocking their baby to sleep in a rocking chair or glider. Nope. We’re so grateful our good friends turned us on to bouncing our baby instead. (We’ve shared this revelation with our other parent-friends, too; they say it changed their life.)
Plus, a rocking chair won’t fit in every room. And you can’t take it on the road with you.
With the exercise ball, you can take it into any room; you can deflate it and take it anywhere. (Yes, we travel with our exercise ball.) If your little one hates doing tummy time on the floor, you can even do tummy time on the ball (carefully); it’s more forgiving on their tender tummies.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The Ergobaby Omni Breeze Baby Carrier is an incredible gift. New moms often dabble at first in the lighter, flimsier carriers. Flimsy carriers are cute, and they work decently well enough for newborns.
But eventually, every new mom realizes she needs a structured carrier. The Ergobaby 360 has padded straps, which won’t dig into your collarbones or shoulders. It has lumbar support. It has pockets. It has a UPF50 sunshade you can snap up near your shoulders when you want to keep your baby’s face out of the sun — or when they fall asleep at a concert (while wearing baby headphones, obviously), and you want to keep them sheltered from any bright lights that might wake them up.
When I want to let my baby fall asleep on me at one of his dad’s concerts, I always reach for the Ergobaby, because I know I can wear it for hours. We also use the Ergobaby for long hikes. (We’ve tried those hiking baby backpacks, which are cool, but more difficult for our baby to take long naps in.)
It’s so easy to adjust the size, that my husband and I share one without any issues. And our is a hand-me-down from another family, so these Ergobaby carriers clearly last forever.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Magnetic Me is one of the most popular brands of baby clothing — with good reason. These Organic Baby Pajamas aren’t cheap, but they make up for it by making new parents’ lives easier.
New parents have enough to deal with, before adding zippers, snaps, and even buttons. (Buttons? No thank you.) These Magnetic Me onesies solve all those problems before they start. Instead of snaps, they have magnets.
Getting your fragile baby dressed is hard enough. Now it’s easier. If you get these organic baby footie pajamas for the mom in your life, they will immediately become her favorite.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon When I asked my new mom friends which products they appreciated most, one of them told me this PORTAL Oversized Folding Camping Rocking Chair was the “best money she’d ever spent.”
It’s not just for camping, she explained; it’s great for going anywhere. It folds up easily and is super portable, so she carries it everywhere she goes. (Her baby, who just turned one, still needs to be rocked to sleep for all his naps.)
“And I was sick of the exercise ball,” she said.
The exercise ball is still an incredible hack for new moms, especially those with younger babies, who may have a nervous system that requires more stimulation (like bouncing) to fall asleep. (If you check out our review of the exercise ball elsewhere in this guide, you’ll find a lot more about it.)
But when you’re bouncing your baby on the ball, for what feels like hours, it gets exhausting. A new mom will start dreaming about the day she can just sit back in a rocking chair. Plus, a rocking chair has arms, which makes it easier to hold your increasingly heavy baby without getting something called “mommy’s wrist.” Which the new mom in your life definitely does not want to get. (Trust me.)
Help her ease into a smoother naptime and bedtime routine, wherever she goes. Plus, this chair supports up to 300 pounds, so it will work for most families, even as children get larger.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon These Baby BANZ Earmuffs are among the top-rated sound protection headphones for babies. They’re adjustable, and can even fit on a newborn. They seem to be comfortable enough that babies don’t try to take them off.
Get these for a new mom who loves going to concerts. (Side bonus: Once the baby falls asleep in the carrier, when they headphones on, you can even have conversations at normal volume, without worrying about waking your little one up.)
This is one of those gifts that all new moms can appreciate. Baby ear protection is so important, you can’t really have too many baby headphones. (We have three pairs, which makes it easy to grab some headphones when you need them.)
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The Nova Baby Swing for Infants is the perfect gift for any new mom who has a newborn baby (or who’s still pregnant). It’s ideal for babies who are under eight months (or below 24 pounds).
When your baby is born, you truly can’t have enough places to put them down, to give your arms a break from holding them. But you can’t put them down just anywhere. You need a safe place to put them. This swinging seat has a five-point harness, so they can’t fall out, even when they start squirming.
It’s nice to have a seat where your infant can sit up and take in their surroundings, instead of just laying them down on a flat surface or baby lounger all the time. Plus, this seat has a motorized swinging function, which can help calm babies who love movement. (Which seems to be most babies.)
By the time our baby was born, we had been given so many hand-me-downs, we felt like we had a whole arsenal of places to put our baby down. We kept them in the garage, and would introduce new ones to our living room set-up, to see which our baby liked best. When he was a newborn, our little guy loved this sort of swinging seat. We also appreciated how it had a smaller footprint than most other types of motorized baby swings. It would be an incredible gift for a new mom who has a smaller living room or apartment.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon It’s hard to imagine, while you’re pregnant, how many diapers you’ll use within the first few weeks of your baby’s life. (And some new moms may not even realize they need newborn-sized diapers, which are smaller than size-one diapers.)
A lot of eco-conscious new moms love these Andy Pandy diapers, which are made from bamboo. Our friends recommended these to us once they realized we were using Pampers.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon This UPF-50 Adjustable Umbrella with Universal Clamp might be an unconventional gift for a new mother. But we ordered one just in time for our first music festival/road trip with our new baby, and have brought it on every other road trip since.
Strangers are constantly approaching us to ask about — and congratulate us on — our genius umbrella hack.
This umbrella angles in several ways, so once you attach it to your stroller, you can easily keep adjusting it to keep all sun off your little one. (Yes, most strollers come with an attached sun shade, but sometimes babies like to be able to look around, and especially to see their parents.)
We also detach the umbrella and use it in other settings — especially when we take out little one swimming. Pediatricians don’t advise using ANY sunscreen on a baby before six months, so it’s super important to keep them in the shade. But also, taking babies swimming is adorable. So get this umbrella for a new mom who takes her baby on adventures.
One word of warning: If you try to walk with your stroller while the umbrella is attached and open, you can’t really see where you’re going. Luckily, everyone can see you coming, so pedestrians will probably get out of your way.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The Hatch Baby Grow Smart Changing Pad and Scale is an amazing gift for any new mom who’s anxious about whether she’s feeding her baby enough. Or whether her baby is converting those calories into weight gain.
Some babies throw up and poop more than is ideal, and new moms want to have data to share with their pediatricians.
You can make her life a LOT easier by giving her this changing pad and scale. That way, her baby’s weight will automatically be tracked at each diaper change. She can view handy metrics and charts on her phone — and call her pediatrician when, and if, she needs to.
You could save money by buying a cheaper baby scale, but this one is also a foam changing pad that makes for easy, comfortable diaper changes. (And it pairs with the new mom’s phone, along with any other caregivers.)
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The Hatch Rest+ Baby Sound Machine is more than just a white noise machine. It’s also a gentle nightlight. It provides just enough light so you can see your baby in the middle of the night, without providing so much light that it will keep either of you up. Plus, you can choose the light color, and if you set it to pink it provides a warm ambient light that doesn’t feel too harsh for nighttime.
The new mom in your life will love how multi-functional this machine is. She can even pair this Hatch model with her phone, and listen in to the baby’s room (or her bedroom, or wherever the baby’s sleeping) from another room.
And if she’s trying to get the baby on a nap schedule, she can even set the clock on this Hatch to start brightening the room when it’s time for her baby’s “wake window” to begin. If the new mom in your life is into gentle sleep training (or even if she has her baby sleeping in her own bedroom), she’ll love this machine.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The Upseat Baby Chair Booster Seat with Tray was developed by physical therapists, and is designed to help support a baby before he or she can sit up on her own — while also helping her develop proper core strength and spinal alignment.
It’s similar to the popular Bumbo baby floor seat — but the Bumbo is actually not recommended by most physical therapists, because they believe it can interfere with babies’ postural alignment. (It causes babies to sit back and round their spine.)
So even if the new mom in your life already owns a Bumbo, she’ll really appreicate you helping her replace it with this ergonomic, physical-therapist-approved alternative.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon A Silicone Baby Bib is an awesome gift for any new mom. The time for solid foods will be here before she knows it. (Most babies start eating solids around six months.)
These silicone bibs act as a catch-all, which is great for any baby — they’re all messy eaters. These bibs are particularly loved by moms who try to practice “baby-led weaning,” because this method of helping babies learn to feed themselves is extremely messy.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Do you know a new mom whose voice is going hoarse from all the shushing her baby requires? Get her this Baby Shusher gadget. When you turn it on, a recorded voice keeps saying “shhhhh” over and over. You can easily adjust the volume by turning the one knob. (It shuts off automatically after about 20 minutes.)
Sure, it’s slightly awkward if you bring it in public (perhaps by putting it in the stroller), because everyone keeps wondering who’s invisibly shushing them. But babies love it.
In fact, my friend was given this by a nurse in the NICU, while her baby was recovering from being born extremely premature. But when my baby was being much fussier than hers, she gave it to me, because her ultra-calm baby didn’t need it anymore. (Mine still needs it.)
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo is a godsend for parents of babies who love to bounce.
Some babies just want to spend the vast majority of their waking hours jumping up and down. You bounce them on the floor while holding them; you bounce them in your arms; you bounce them while wearing them in the carrier.
Then you get a jumperoo, and suddenly, your baby can bounce without you. You can do other things for a minute.
Well, for up to twenty minutes, to be exact. And only twice per day. (Experts recommend this limit on baby’s time in the jumper, to avoid delaying their motor development.)
But a new mom will really appreciate these windows of time to do other things with her hands.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon I read And Now We Have Everything: On Motherhood Before I Was Ready while I was pregnant, and I loved this honest memoir about childbirth and early motherhood.
The author, Meaghan O’Connell, struggled with undiagnosed postpartum depression, and the book’s happy ending could offer a ray of hope to other moms who are struggling.
According to the CDC, postpartum depression may affect as many as twenty percent of new moms. So if you give this book as a gift this holiday season, it might mean a lot to the recipient.
It would also make a thoughtful gift for any new mom who had a traumatic childbirth experience — or who found herself unexpectedly pregnant in her twenties. Or who made a cross-country move with her toddler.
Really, this touching, sometimes-hilarious book will resonate with any new mom — whenever she eventually finds the time to read it.
We also included this book in our guide to the best books for women in their 20s.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Silverette Silver Nursing Cups are magic. Even a board-certified lactation consultant will tell you that.
The silver is naturally anti-microbial, and promotes healing. New moms just stick these in their bra and let their nipples heal. You can read a million rave reviews, or you can just order these for the new mom in your life. (These would really be an ideal present for a new mom who’s still pregnant, because she’ll want to pack them in her hospital bag and start using them immediately.)
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Before having a baby, I had no idea how much I’d love hooded baby bathrobes and towels. But when you get your baby out of the bath, you need to dry them off and warm them up ASAP — before they start screaming.
It’s even better if you can put your baby in an adorable robe, made from hypoallergenic and odor-resistant material.
We received tons of fox-themed gifts, because we have a fox who visits us in our backyard (and we post about it relentlessly on social media). But even if the new mom in your life doesn’t have a foxy pet, we still highly recommend going all-in on the fox-themed baby stuff. Just because it’s adorable.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The Anna & Eve Baby Swaddle Strap was crucial in our newborn days.
Swaddling helps keep your baby asleep, because it calms their Moro reflex (which causes them to randomly flail about wildly, and wake themselves up). But when you’re a brand-new mom, recovering from birth, the whole swaddling thing is complicated.
Plus, when you use this arms-only strap, you can calm your baby’s arms and get them ready for sleep, without changing their outfit. You can also use it if they’re already wrapped up in a blanket (but you know they’ll bust it out of it, because you’re no swaddling expert).
So if the little one is already falling asleep, this is the easiest way to swaddle them. You just wrap it around their arms and attach the velcro. It literally couldn’t be easier.
Give this to a brand-new mom, and you’ll make her life much easier. (Plus, babies look adorable when they’re snuggled up in one of these.)
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Lovevery has been growing increasingly popular with new parents who want to help their baby’s or toddler’s brain develop using the latest early-childhood research. (So, in other words, all parents).
Even my mom, who has worked in early childhood education for several decades (and tends to question many newfangled tools), is a fan of Lovevery. And their play gym is perfect for newborns through the toddler stage.
The mat contains learning zones that are perfect for tummy time, while the dangling clip-on toys overhead can provide more education about sensory development and sound-making. This play gym comes with a guide to help parents engage in developmentally-appropriate activities using this gym and the accompanying toys. The play gym also comes with high-contrast cards to engage a little one’s brain right away, when they’re still gaining their vision.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Every new mom needs new sheets. After the mayhem of postpartum symptoms (including night sweats), and nursing your baby in bed, and all the spit-up and diaper mishaps, it’s time for a new set of sheets.
So indulge your favorite new mom with some luxury, by buying her this Bamboo Sheet Set. She’ll love how it’s cooling, soft, and crisp — and how bamboo sheets are more eco-friendly. (Bamboo doesn’t require as much water or fertilizer as cotton.)
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon This Dutailier Nursing Glider Chair is an investment, but it’s a classic for new moms to have in their nursery. Unlike the cheaper models from other brands, it will last forever. (Ours came from another family — after a couple kids, they got it steam cleaned, and in our nursery it seems as good as new!)
The chair glides silently, providing that rocking motion that babies love. In the upright position, it’s perfect for feeding; in the reclined position, it’s perfect for relaxing and singing lullabies. And when the little one falls asleep, it’s easy to silently get out of the relaxing positon to put them in their crib.
This is a great gift for a new mom who still has room for the PERFECT chair in her nursery.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Before having a baby, I had no idea how soon I would need toys. Lots of toys. Especially toys that make a crinkly noise, like this Soft Activity Crinkle Baby Book.
Babies become obsessed with this crinkly noise around one month old. I had no idea, and was super grateful to everyone who gave us crinkly toys like this.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The iRobot Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum would be an amazing gift for a mom who has carpet in her home.
Especially if her baby is starting to crawl. Depending on the type of carpeting in her home, she may become very concerned about small particles or bits of dirt that get tracked onto the carpet. (Where they can be hard for parents to spot — but easy for crawling babies to discover.)
But new moms also don’t have a ton of time for vacuuming. So help her out by getting her a Roomba.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon This Turkish Cotton Short Terry Bathrobe is perfect for a new mom. I know this because when I became a new mom, I immediately needed lots of robes.
First of all, you’re nursing your baby, so the new mom needs easy access to her boobs. When she’s just lounging around the house with the babe, a robe is perfect.
Think she already has a robe? She still needs a new one. The baby spits up on the mom’s clothes constantly, so the new mom needs another robe to wear when her spit-up-covered bathrobe is in the laundry.
A short one like this is easier to move around in. Plus, this absorbent fabric will soak up spilled milk (and all that spit-up).
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Every new mom needs crib sheets. Multiple crib sheets. (The baby is bound to spit up on them, and since you already have so much laundry to do, you really need a few sets of crib sheets.)
Get her these organic cotton ones, so she’ll know her baby is resting on baby-safe fabric.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The UGG Women’s Coquette Slipper is perfect for the new mom. She can slip it on, without using her hands. (It’s really hard to put shoes on while you’re holding your baby.)
Plus, these sheepskin slippers are a classic, among those who are in-the-know about lounging at home. New moms tend to spend a lot of time at home — and they really appreciate indulgences that are just for them, like a lovely pair of new slippers.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Do you know a new mom who’s overwhelmed by the idea of “baby-proofing” her home? This stage can set when her baby is around eight to twelve months — and she suddenly realizes she needs to redo every corner of her home to keep her baby away from household hazards. You’ll be a hero if you get her a large baby playpen.
For most babies (and most parents), the playpen is a game-changer. Even if your child only plays independently for a few minutes at a time, that’s a few minutes when you don’t have to maintain non-stop baby surveillance. That’s when the new mom can get a few minutes to do some baby proofing, like putting outlet covers everywhere.
She can feel free to get things done for a moment, without needing to be within arm’s length of the baby. Meanwhile, baby can explore independent play, and try to pull up on the handles attached to the walls of the playpen.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon This Skip Hop Baby Changing Pad makes a great gift for a mom with a baby who’s just reaching that squirmy-worm phase (around five months).
Some babies simply cannot be contained at diaper changing time. I’ve even tried to change diapers upside-down, because my baby insists. Keeping him occupied definitely helps. This changing pad comes with overhead toys and a baby-safe mirror, which should hopefully help a new mom keep her baby on his back during squirmy changes.
Plus, it’s plastic, so you can just wipe it down after messy changes.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Tushbaby is the popular new fanny-pack designed to help a mom carry her baby more easily. Get this for a new mom whose arms are getting tired — in other words, ANY new mom.
Carrying your baby can be exhausting. It puts a lot of pressure on your arms, and particularly on your wrists, which are pretty delicate joints. (That’s why so many new moms suffer from a form of tendonitis called “mommy’s wrist” or “mommy’s thumb.”) Carrying your baby for extended periods of time can also put a lot of pressure on your upper spine and shoulders.
Save her a few trips to the chiropractor by getting her a Tushbaby. It’s an ergonomic hip carrier, which sits just above the hip bone, and allows you to carry your baby while gently supporting them with one arm.
Plus, it helps you carry all your stuff. And new moms carry a LOT of stuff. My neighbor has one of these Tushbaby carriers, and she loves it! Plus, it can carry babies up to 45 pounds, so she plans to keep using it for years to come.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon This Tommee Tippee Bottle Warmer is easy to use, warms bottles quickly, and doesn’t take up much room on your countertop.
Plus, it fits almost all brands of bottles, while the easy-lift cradle keeps your hands from getting wet.
You can’t microwave bottles of milk or formula, because a microwave heats unevenly, so the bottle might have hot spots. That’s why new moms need bottle-warmers. Get this gadget for a mom who’s bottle-feeding (and maybe doesn’t have much counter space).
I bought this, and I love how simple it makes bottle-warming. I never have to worry if the bottle is too hot. I spent way too long heating bottles by putting them in a mug of hot water, and I wish I’d bought this sooner. Get this for a mom who’s been haphazardly warming bottles without a warmer. She’ll appreciate the convenience.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon New moms need to take a lot of baths. Don’t ask why — just trust us.
This AHAVA Dead Sea Mineral Bath Salt is perfect for any new mom who has a bathtub. The Dead Sea salt will help relax her aching muscles, and the lavender scent will help relax her exhausted mind.
Give it to her along with a few luxurious scented candles, and she’ll think of you whenever she gets a chance to use it.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The Moby Easy-Wrap Carrier has all of the hipness and packability of a traditional baby wrap — with none of the headaches.
Full Disclosure: I received a free one to test out. And it was a world of difference from the Moby Baby Wrap I’d already tried.
While I was pregnant, a friend gave me her old Classic Moby Baby Wrap (which is very different from their Easy-Wrap). When I unraveled it, I discovered it was just one long piece of fabric. “Just watch some YouTube videos,” she said, “and you’ll figure out how to tie it.”
But here’s the problem: I had no time to watch YouTube videos. So I never learned how to wear the baby wrap. (I’ve heard similar stories from other new moms.)
So if you know a new mom who’s interested in all the benefits of baby-wearing, but doesn’t have time to watch YouTube videos and tie some complicated piece of fabric, get her this Moby Easy-Wrap. You simply put it on over your head like a T-shirt, fasten the buckles at your sides, and slide the baby in. Then you wrap and tie the larger piece. It’s much, much easier than trying to use a traditional baby wrap. And it still holds your baby’s legs in the M-position recommended by experts.
It works great for babywearing around the house, and it probably works great on walks when the baby is very small. If the new mom in your life has a pretty large baby already (like over 15 pounds), and wants to take her baby on long outings in the carrier, you probably want to consider buying her a structured carrier like an ErgoBaby.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon I didn’t realize how crucial it would be to have a sturdy changing table with lots of drawer space.
Luckily, I got one as a hand-me-down from a friend whose daughters had outgrown it.
Then, with all the aches and pains of being a new mom, I was glad to at least be able to change diapers at countertop height. And I was glad to be able to store all my diaper-changing essentials in the table itself.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon In “My Child and Other Mistakes: How to ruin your life in the best way possible,” British comedian Ellie Taylor has made all the pangs of new motherhood hilarious. The new mom in your life will be laughing so much it hurts (which is a real concern, if you’ve had stitches after childbirth). Taylor, whose child is now a few years old, can illuminate the good times ahead, which can help new moms better navigate those bumpy early days.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon This gift is pretty self-explanatory. And yes, she probably has already received this Organic Nipple Butter from another thoughtful friend. (This is some of the most popular nipple balm out there.) But you really can’t have too much.
However, you could get nipple balm from the wrong person. Is this new mom your employee? (Or your boss?) In that case, this might be a weird gift. For more examples of how to make it weird with the people in your life this holiday season, check out our guide to the worst Christmas gifts.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon This Babywearing Fleece Jacket is designed for wearing over a baby carrier. (For a full-package gift, check out the baby carriers reviewed elsewhere in this guide, including our favorite ErgoBaby model and MOBY model.)
This is different from the “babywearing sweatshirts” and similar jackets you might find elsewhere online. Those generally do not support the baby enough — even when they’re a tiny newborn. Sweatshirts simply can’t provide the support you need to keep your baby safe while wearing them.
The new mom in your life probably already knows the safety guidelines for babywearing. (They can be easily summarized as “Head Kissable, Nose Visible.”) She’ll want to use a super-safe baby carrier — but when it’s cold, she can easily wear this comfortable fleece, and zip it up right over the baby. This is a super snuggly — and safe — way to go out in the winter with her baby.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The Blooming Bath Lotus is a great gift for any mom who bathes her baby in the sink. So it’s ideal for moms of newborns (and/or someone who doesn’t have a bathtub in her home).
It’s super easy to use, and fits in most sinks. It keeps your baby comfy, sitting mostly upright in the sink, while you give them a sponge bath.
Plus, it’s adorable, and makes for some super cute bathtime photos. A new mom will love it!
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon This NuRoo Skin-to-Skin Babywearing Shirt would be the perfect gift for a mom of a newborn.
It’s the easiest way to practice baby-wearing — you just put the baby in the pocket of the shirt. Thanks to the mesh inside, you’re still getting some skin-to-skin contact with your baby, without needing to be naked. (Most new moms do want to get dressed from time to time.)
It’s really just for the newborn phase, though. If you’re looking for a gift for a mom whose baby is more than about eight weeks old, check out the other baby carriers on this list!
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon In a perfect world, your loved one will never need to use this baby scale. She’ll know that her baby is gaining just the right amount of weight, following a textbook upwards trajectory on the baby growth chart.
But nursing a baby is confusing. You never know exactly how much they’re eating during each feed. And any anxious new mom (read: all new moms) doesn’t want to wait until her next pediatrician appointment to find out whether she’s successfully feeding her baby.
This is a thoughtful gift that can help ease a new mom’s anxiety about her baby’s feedings.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The Petunia Pickle Bottom Cinch Diaper Bag is perfect for any stylish new mom who likes to be well-organized and well-prepared, wherever she goes.
Full Disclosure: I received a free one to test out.
Back when I was pregnant, I thought, “Who needs a diaper bag? Can’t I just use any old bag or backpack I have lying around — and just put diapers inside it?”
But now I understand. It’s the pockets. So many pockets and compartments. These help you keep everything organized, so you can grab a pacifier or wipes whenever you need them.
Plus, this Cinch model comes with a changing mat, conveniently stored in its own sleeve. It also comes with a travel container for wipes (so you don’t have to bring the entire wipes package). It can be worn as either a backpack or a tote.
It would be perfect for a new mom who plans on taking her little one on flights. It has a sleeve for your laptop, and it even has a strap to attach it to your wheeling suitcase while you walk. That way, the mom can have her hands free, which is pretty necessary when you’re taking a baby through the airport.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The Ubbi Steel Odor-Locking Diaper Pail is perfect for any nursery. It traps odors inside, so you won’t be smelling all those dirty diapers.
We’ve used it since our baby was born, and have never noticed any smells in our nursery. (Despite the many, many dirty diapers.)
Get this for a new mom who’s still gathering her nursery essentials.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon This Reusable Silicone Freezer Tray is an amazing gift for a new mom who plans to make her own baby food. (Or for a mom who already makes her own baby food, and would love to make the process more convenient.)
This was one of my friend’s favorite gifts she’d received as a new mom. She has a six-month-old, and she also has a farm. (Yes, she’s superhuman.) At the peak of the summer harvest season, she blended up tons of homemade baby food. She froze each batch in these trays, then popped out the frozen pieces, put them in giant zip-lock bags, and sucked out the extra air.
Now that her daughter is starting solids, she can defrost a few frozen pieces at a time.
Do you know an incredibly industrious, organic-veggie-blending mama like this? Buy her this silicone freezer tray!
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon This Electric Baby Nail File is one of my most informed mom-friend’s TOP recommendations. She’s so appreciative of this product, I ordered it myself.
(Update: I own this product now, and I can confirm that it’s definitely THE way to take care of your baby’s nails.)
Baby manicures are a whole complicated ordeal. You have to keep their nails short, so they won’t scratch themselves. But should you clip them, or file them?
Clipping your baby’s nails is terrifying. Their nails are tiny, and if you clip too close, you’ll cut their finger. Which will inevitably lead to lots of screaming (and will probably leave the parents mildly traumatized.)
But filing takes forever, which makes the baby want to grab the nail file and try to eat it. Babies don’t exactly sit still for manicures.
So help your favorite new mom avoid all of these headaches (and possible trauma). Just get her this electric baby nail file.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon This VEEYOO Travel Booster Seat is one of my most amazing mom-friend’s TOP recommendations. (Her baby just turned one year old, so she can continue to use it for a while: this seat is made for babies from six through 36 months.)
She has used this booster seat at music festivals and on camping trips — and her baby loves it! It comes with a tray for baby’s meals, and it’s easy to fold up and put in the included carrying bag. It also has a safety belt to keep those squirmy babes in place.
Get this for a mom who likes to adventure with her baby. Especially if her baby is starting solids (which happens around six months).
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The Safety Car Seat Mirror is something a lot of new moms might forget to put on their registry (if they made one). But as soon as she’s ready to start taking baby places, she’s going to need a mirror like this one.
It can be nerve-wracking to drive places with your baby if you can’t keep an eye on them in the backseat. (Infants face backwards until they graduate to a big-kid car seat.) This mirror makes it easy to see them and make sure they’re safe in their car seat.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon This Baby Full Sun Protection Swimsuit has UPF 50 sun protection, so it blocks almost all the harmful rays.
At our first pediatrician appointment, we learned that babies aren’t supposed to wear sunscreen before they’re six months old. (Not even baby sunscreen.)
I loved having a baby swimsuit with full arms and legs, because it’s so hard to keep your baby’s skin out of the sun. (Although, check out the versatile sun umbrella reviewed elsewhere in this guide.) This zipper makes it super easy to put on and take off, even when it’s wet.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The Nooie Wifi Baby Monitor would be a great gift for a parent who wants to be able to check on their baby from anywhere.
Because it’s a wifi baby monitor, it can be paired with an app on any smartphone. Then the anxious new mom can check on the baby’s room even when she leaves the house. She won’t even need to be glued to her phone: the app will alert her when noise or movement is detected.
It’s easy to set up, and the 360-degree camera means it can be mounted anywhere in the room, including on the ceiling. As the baby gets older, it will be great for checking on their playroom, too.
This would be a great gift to help provide peace of mind for the mom who’s not always at home. It would also be great for a mom who travels.
Plus, for a wifi-enabled monitor, the Nooie is super cheap. Some parents looking for a wifi monitor purchase the Google Nest Cam, but after 30 days, when they discover that they have to purchase an expensive yearly subscription to keep it working properly, they often wish they’d chosen a wifi monitor more like the Nooie.
The Nooie is also great for travel. (Full disclosure: I received a free one to test out.) It’s really easy to set up in your hotel room, and then you can keep any eye on your baby while you eat dinner or have a drink elsewhere in the hotel. But one thing to keep in mind is that if you end up at a hotel with a non-password-protected wifi network, you may not be able to get your Nooie to work.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon You’ve probably heard of nursing tea. But what about lactation cookies?
That’s a much more fun gift for a nursing mom — AND it’s an easy way for her to enjoy fresh-baked cookies, while boosting her milk supply.
Just make sure the mom in your life actually is nursing before you give her this cookie mix. If not, she can just enjoy normal chocolate chip cookies, without the traditional ingredients (like brewer’s yeast) that will boost her milk supply.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon These Eco-Inspired Baby Mushroom Teether Toys are a huge hit with my bestie’s baby, who’s nine months old.
My own 8-month-old baby is opting not to rush into teething, so I haven’t personally tried these. (But I have ordered some already, based on her recommendation!)
The mushroom shape appeals to both bottle-fed and breastfed babies, and definitely appeals to babies who like to suck on their fingers. The silicone is flexible enough for the baby to put whatever part they want in their mouth to soothe their sore gums. This three-pack would make a great gift for any mom whose baby is almost — or already — teething.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon A baby sun hat is a crucial piece of mom gear. Babies actually can’t wear sunscreen until they’re six months old, due to possible allergic reactions. But it’s also imperative for babies to spend some time outdoors.
So new moms really, really need baby sun hats. Even if she already has one, it can be hard to locate it when you need it. Every new mom will appreciate another baby sun hat.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon A “Pack n’ Play” is a term I’d never heard before becoming pregnant. Luckily, my sister-in-law, a seasoned mom, knew I’d need one.
Now it comes in handy all the time. It makes it easy for your baby to nap in unfamiliar places. (And once you have a baby, you suddenly understand the all-consuming importance of the nap schedule.)
You can also pop it open on road trips, for a safe place for your baby to play. It’s also handy for when your friends come to visit with their own babies. Playdate slumber parties are the BEST, and the new mom in your life will be thrilled to host them — and offer to set up her Pack n’ Play for any visiting babies.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon A Himalayan Salt Lamp is a great gift for a new mom, because it provides the perfect dim warm lighting for night wakings.
When your baby wakes up at night, you don’t want to flip the overhead lights on. Even most bedside lamps will provide too much light and stimulation, and make it harder to get your baby back to sleep.
But you still want to see your baby, especially when you’re nursing, feeding them, or changing them in the middle of the night. That’s why a new mom needs a good night light. Plus, the warm light provided by a salt lamp can be soothing for the mom and baby alike.
-
Shop now at Amazon From Amazon New moms need snacks they can eat while lying down. (Or running around, as their little one gets more mobile.) But sometimes, a mom can get tired of eating bars and other ready-to-eat foods. That’s where these olives come in. They’ve got all the fancy feels of an appetizer platter (the olives are actually harvested in Greece), but they’re mess-free and liquid-free. Get these for a new mom who needs new snacks for herself.
Full disclosure: I received a free sample to test out, and I loved them!