New moms are thrust into a world full of diapers and cries, leaks, tears and sleepless nights. When their world is turned into a constant blur with tunnel vision only for baby, they deserve the best in love and care to support their little family.
When mama is ready for a visit, be sure to bring along a thing or two for her that will make her life a little more comfortable as you visit the new family.
Here’s some of Mamavation’s recommendations, picked with love and knowledge about some of the best and safest choices for mama and baby.
Disclosure: Mamavation works with tons of brands in the natural product industry. We have a relationship with the following brands mentioned in this post: Baby Mantra, Goddess Gardens, Unreal Candy, Earth Mama Angel Baby, Naturepedic & Beautycounter. This post also has affiliate links. When you make a purchase from any of these companies we have curated for you, it doesn’t cost you any more but supports the work we do here at Mamavation. Thank you for your support!
1. Buy Them a Membership to a Healthy Dinner Delivery Service
This is when you literally get groceries delivered to your house with instructions on how to put them together. It’s cool. When you are tired and don’t want to leave the house because you have vomit in your hair, the groceries delivered is welcome.
Sunbasket, Green Chef , Blue Apron and produce delivery from Farm Fresh To You and FarmBox if you are in Los Angeles.
Last minute? Amazon gift cards lets Mom go shopping on Amazon Fresh.
2. Grab This Baby Car Seat without Toxic Flame Retardants
Make baby’s first car ride home safe with a car seat correctly installed (check at Safercar.gov for locations) and flame retardant free, like the Britax Marathon convertible.
3. Hydrating Non-Toxic Baby Shampoo & Body Wash
Newborn skin needs lots of TLC and protection, and Baby Mantra has the perfect newborn shampoo and body wash that hydrates with coconut and olive oils while sudsing just enough to get baby’s skin clean.
4. Baby Sunscreen without Nanoparticles & Preservatives
Toss in some Goddess Garden Baby Sunscreen for summer fun after baby is 6 months of age along with a super cute baby hat. Let moms have some summer fun while baby is protected with mineral sunscreen.
5. Help Mom and Baby Relax with Essential Oils
Essential oils can change the mood of a room or clear germs from the air. A GuruNanda egg diffuser is elegant and diffused lavender will clear the air, calm a fussy baby and take out diaper pail odor. Move it to another room and use the included peppermint oil to help the new mom and dad relax after baby is in bed for the night (until 1 a.m. at least).
6. This App Makes Breastfeeding Less Intimidating In Public
Has she seen this new app? Pumpspotting is an app for breastfeeding moms to connect and inform about great places to ‘whip it out’ and feed baby wherever they go. She can scroll while nursing at home and plan errands around her needs and baby’s.
7. Join a Community and Read Stories for Postpartum Support
New moms experience a wide range of emotions after baby is born due to lack of sleep and hormone changes. However, postpartum disorders are serious and often diagnosed late. (If you are reading this now and need extra support go to Postpartum Progress to read stories from other moms who have been there and to find help.
8. Non-Toxic Bug Sprays For Baby That Are DEET-Free
Bugs bite, and if your baby is so delicious looking that you want to eat them up, DEET-free Babyganics bug repellant with aromatic essential oils like citronella and peppermint will help protect them from itchy mosquito bites and more.
9. Pick Her Up A Pack of the Safest Newborn Diapers
If they’re not eating, they’re pooping. Newborns go through a shit-load of diapers. Help mom out by bringing a package of organic disposable diapers from Seventh Generation. Other brands you can find that are also non-toxic are from Babyganics and The Honest Company.
10. Non-Toxic Teething Necklaces Will Come In Handy Sooner Than You Think
Let her look forward to teething. A beautiful wooden necklace from Alexa Organics is a functional statement piece to wear anywhere for baby to hold onto. Brightly colored and baby-safe silicone beaded necklaces or bracelets from Chewbeads are soft enough for wobbly baby heads and their tender sore gums.
11. These Parenting Books Dish All the Secrets of Life, Nutrition & Laughing
Dr. Tanya Altmann, MD and Beth Saltz, RD spell out what a baby needs when they start eating real food in What To Feed Your Baby. Dr. Tanya is ALSO a scientific advisor and contributor of Mamavation. Our other advisors are here.
You’re not doing it wrong, really. It is f’%&!in’ HARD. They can laugh along with Parenting Is Easy when they really want to cry.
There’s always someone who seems to have a good idea for everything. New moms get a head start at Parent Hacks, which has been a place for parents to share the little ideas they get along the way since 2005. Stick a copy of the new book in a baby shower present.
Get a little insight from the stars (or find something to blame that grumpy baby on) with Momstrology. This book will help you get a deeper understanding of what your baby needs based on thousands of years of studying the stars. Related: NASA has found a 13th astrology sign.
12. Swaddle Baby with Organic Cotton
Something to wrap baby up with love now and later. Aiden and Anais muslin organic swaddles are the best. They’re big enough to last for the first months of swaddling and move on to a blanket for the park, stroller cover on sunny days, blanket on hot summer days or a cape for your toddling superhero.
13. Clean Her House OR Pay Someone Else To Do It
Bring a pair of helping hands! If someone’s feeding a baby every two hours, the laundry may be piling up by the washer. While mom is taking care of baby, take care of everyone by emptying the dishwasher, carrying something up the stairs for a cesarean mom or do a quick sweep. Even if she is trying to complain about it, she will be grateful.
And if you live in the Orange County area we can recommend a green cleaning service called Green Girl Maid Service.
National networks like Maid Brigade and Green Clean can give you a head start on finding services in your area.
14. Because She Needs Some Chocolate
Treat her with something she won’t have to share. Chocolate contains flavonoids which can help with circulation to the brain and heart as well as antioxidants. Make it dark for ultimate pleasure and make it real with Unreal candy. Unreal candy is nonGMO and free from artificials and preservatives. BUT they don’t have a long shelf life because they made from real food so don’t hide them for a good occasion, eat them!
15. Safe And Soft Baby Carrier
Mama carries her heart outside her body when holding her newborn baby. Give her arms a rest and baby a safe place with baby carriers from Happy Wrap, bamboo woven with non toxic dyes or an organic Ergo that will carry her heart through toddlerhood as well.
16. Organic Cotton Baby Rompers
Summer rompers may be trendy fashion now, but they are always cute on babies. Pesticide-free organic cotton is soft on sensitive skin and safer for the environment as well! Try out a cute forest print from Two Crows for Joy.
17. The Best Non-Toxic Nipple Cream
Mom used to worry about her ‘headlights’ turning on in cold rooms – now she has leaks, soreness, clogs, blisters and more to worry about. Give her something she’ll be grateful for. Earth Mama Angel Baby natural nipple butter with organic olive oil, cocoa seed and shea butter is a safe an effective alternative. One thing to note is lanolin is likely sprayed with pesticides, because the sheep are plagued with bugs in their wool. You avoid that endocrine disrupting nastiness by choosing products that is just as effective, but use different ingredients. This is why I recommend Natural Nipple Butter from Earth Mama Angel Baby.
18. Get Her a Target Gift Card
Who doesn’t love Target? Grab a gift card on while running errands for your visit to mama so she can spend an hour walking the aisles checking out the expanding organic grocery offerings, grab some diapers and anything else she needs in one visit.
Target is starting to double down on organic and safer products. Let’s support what they are doing here and give them more foot traffic. Vote with your dollars. Make some of your purchases with Target this year.
19. Flame Retardant Free Jogging Strollers
Women want to feel their best after they’ve recovered from having a baby, and walking or jogging is a great way to get some fresh air, burn some calories and lull a fussy baby to sleep. Give her a stroller like the new BOB Revolution Pro, Joovy, or Maclaren Quest for walking or jogging and providing baby with a flame-retardant-free place to chill out and see the sights.
20. Why Not Stock Up On Safe Personal Care for Mom
A little self care for a new mom can be as easy as a fresh coat of formaldehyde-free Piggy Paint nail polish, even when her shirt is stained and her hair has been in a braid for two days. Add a tinted moisturizer to streamline her beauty routine so she can feel pretty, even if she is just seeing baby all day. Try Beautycounter’s for a dose of SPF 20 with no chemicals and Vitamin C and peony flower root extract for skin brightness.
21. She Can Enjoy That Glass of Wine With These Strips
Mom finally has a chance to enjoy a margarita or some wine with some of her friends! Help her enjoy girls night out with breastmilk testing strips to make sure the alcohol has been fully metabolized. No need to pump and dump automatically – your body does the work, but these strips will ensure the process is done.
22. Enjoy Lather and Suds with Non-Toxic Shampoo for Mom
Grab baby when you visit and offer mom a chance at the shower with a gift bag of luxurious shampoo and conditioner. A dose of Nine Naturals’ citrus and mint shampoo will wake her up a bit and feel refreshed, ,and Vitamin B5 will help keep her hair resist breakage after constantly throwing it in a ponytail for weeks.
23. Organic Cotton Mattresses Don’t Off-gas Toxic Fumes
Studies have linked fire retardants in mattresses to sudden infant death syndrome. This is a good reason to purchase an organic mattress because it doesn’t off-gas toxic fumes. Since babies and toddlers spend half their day in bed in one form or another laying in something like Naturepedic is the safest option. Naturepedic is used in over 150 hospitals and offers non-toxic and non-allergenic options for a good night’s sleep. If budget for baby is tight, an organic mattress pad is a good choice, especially one that protects from allergens.
One thing to also note that is endearing about this brand as well are these mattresses are hand woven by Amish hands. But during their lunch break, they hang out in the office searching for clips of Larry, Moe & Curly, which they can’t get enough of. *snort*
24. Paint The Nursery without Worry of Toxic Fumes
When prepping baby’s room, avoid harsh fumes and VOCs (volatile organic compound) with a zero emissions paint like Benjamin Moore’s Natura Waterborne interior paint -you’ll thank us for the semi-gloss recommendation when you’re scrubbing off crayon in a couple years!
25. IKEA Affordable Baby Furniture Uses European Standards for Off-Gassing
Baby furniture can seem like a major expense. However, IKEA sets their standards against the strictest in the world and offers a VOC-free unfinished beech crib that will last through toddlerhood and multiple children! Give a gift card to the new parents to help replace Grab the one the in-laws kept with teeth marks in the paint.
26. Dads Love the Diaper Dude Diaper Bag
These days, dads who stay at home are becoming more and more common – over 2 million dads are doing diaper and laundry duty in the US every day. Dad needs a well-stocked bag of his own that is sturdy, full of pockets and easy to throw over a shoulder (along with a kid or two!) Diaper Dude bags are perfect for the man in baby’s life. Stick in a copy of ‘The Dad’s Edge” from The Good Dad Project, a blog and podcast for dads.
27. Pick up Some Organic Nursing Tops
When you are nursing having really good nursing camis can make all the difference. These nursing camis from Mev are made from organic cotton and they are incredibly comfortable. Pick one up today!
28. Offer to Purchase a Water Filtration System for the Home
One thing you may not be thinking about is the quality of your water, but now that a newborn is in the home safe water is more important than ever for drinking and showering. An in-home water system can take out a lot of chemicals and pollution from your tap water, including fluoride, lead, arsenic, bacteria and pesticides. Unfortunately, some water districts are better than others. Anyone who was paying attention to Flint, Michigan understands how the decisions of a few can affect the health of thousands or millions of people. And if the baby is formula fed, filtering out the flouride will help avoid fluorosis.
29. Purchase a HEPA Air Filter
Newborn babies’ tiny little lungs are susceptible to so many things, including pet dander and other allergens, chemical-filled dust and the smell of the diaper pail. Rather than trying to spray a cover fragrance in the air and vacuum a lot, install an air filter to pull all of that out of the air and make it safe for baby.
30. Hydration is important
If the new mom is nursing every couple of hours, she needs to keep water by herself at all times. Make it easy to grip and avoid endochrine-disruptors with a glass bottle with an easy-drip cover from Lifefactory.
31. Get Her Some Good eCloths for NonToxic Cleaning
Baby Care by e-cloth® is a line of baby care, comfort and cleaning products designed to eliminate the use of toxic household chemicals while providing solutions that gently keep babies, kids and surfaces free of chemicals and over 99% bacteria using just water, providing peace of mind to parents. We love e-cloths and have partnered with them several times to provide options for chemical free cleaning. This is their starter kit.
Got anything else you feel is a must add for a new mom? Tell us in the comments below!
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Whao… These are awesome gift idea that most mom would really appreciate. i like it your blog
Such a informative article also helpful. I really appreciate with all tips. I think these are all really helpful for the newborn and moms. I will must share it to other hope so they will be also benefited. Thanks for the sharing such a helpful article.
Thank you!
Thanks. Great gift guide.
Whao… These are awesome gift idea that most mom would really appreciate. The organic maternity dress is something most working class would really love. Thanks for sharing,
#1 on this list is not really feasible. Those meals take 30-60 minutes to prepare, who has time for that? And the food is a lot more fancy than many people like to eat. We tried three different ones and at least 50% of the meals were very complicated, and tasted meh. It would be better to just make a meal and bring it over, throw it in the oven for the new mama.
We do “sprinkles” in our family — we bring freezer meals and also prepare freezer meals there at the “shower” with each of us bringing one of the main ingredients in the meals. Meat loaf, meat balls, stir fry, etc tons of meals ready to be thrown into a crockpot or Instant Pot and wham! meal is done with very little prep for the new mother.