14 Best Things New Moms Need For Themselves
What To Bring Someone Who Just Had A Baby?
Looking for things new moms need for themselves?
Well, you’ve found the right spot!
Because 3 months ago, I became a mom for the first time!
So I have a fresh take on what new moms really need.
I’ve searched for and found tons of articles and videos on what things new moms need for themselves and just couldn’t seem to find the things I really needed.
So, having consulted a gang of my mom friends, I got tons of feedback on things they felt they needed for being a new mom.
And although they were right, NOTHING can compare to first-hand experience, and that’s exactly what I have.
It’s important to field your questions to people who have already been where you’re going.
So here, I’ll share some of the tips I received from other moms as from my own personal experience on the best things new moms need for themselves that I WISH I had.
So let’s get started.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission at no cost to you if you make a purchase.
Here Are 14 Things New Moms Need For Themselves
1. Help Getting Sleep
No matter if that new momma is providing breastmilk or formula, Mama is tired!
New babies wake up just about every 2 hours for feedings. And there isn’t much anyone can do to change that.
You usually hear people suggest “sleep when the baby sleeps.”
But it’s much easier said than done.
A new mom will probably try to sterilize all the feeding equipment while the baby is asleep. Or shower, clean up, freshen up, etc.
She may be able to squeeze a nap in here or there while the baby sleeps. But it won’t be nearly as much sleep as she needs.
One of the best ways you can help the new mom out is by offering to babysit for an hour or two (or much longer if you can) if you live nearby.
A power nap might be all she needs.
And while you’re helping out ask her what her preferences are regarding feedings, diaper changes, and sleep positions for her baby. They may be different than what you’re used to.
Even if you’re already a mom and you know what to do.
You want to make sure you’re helping out instead of stressing her out.
2. Post-Partum Essentials
Labor & Delivery is hard on a woman.
Some more than others.
It’s true, the hospital will supply her with a post-partum to-go kit, but it will not be as comfortable as some of these items will be.
I remember seeing some of these before my baby was born and opting not to buy them because everyone told me, “Don’t buy anything, the hospital gives you everything you need.”
While that is true, the hospital doesn’t give you the comfortable familiarities you may be used to.
The mesh underwear I got from the hospital were very large and didn’t really protect much, so I slept over a towel every night to catch any leakage.
Here are some things you can get to help a new mom feel “herself” again while she’s healing.
Frida Mom Postpartum Recovery Essentials Kit
This Frida Mom Postpartum Recovery Kit comes with:
- Disposable Postpartum Underwear (4 pairs) – Size Regular, Waist 28″ – 42″
- Instant Ice Maxi Pads (4 pads)
- Perineal Cooling Pad Liners (24 witch hazel liners)
- Perineal Healing Foam (net 5 fl. oz.)
- Toilet-top storage caddy
Frida Mom Disposable Postpartum Underwear
This is by far the best disposable underwear out there! The material is incredibly soft and feels really snug and comfortable.
They feel like boy shorts, this mama would forever love you for these.
Dermoplast Pain Relieving Spray
This is a NECESSITY for postpartum relief. This was the only thing that gave me true relief for more than 5 minutes.
3. Breastfeeding Essentials
Is Mom breastfeeding?
If so, a new mom would love any assistance in making this journey successful for her, baby, and even take some of the pressure off of Dad too.
I originally wanted to pump exclusively to provide breastmilk for my baby, but pumping turned out to be SO painful for me.
My challenges included severe nipple pain/sensitivity, engorgement, clogged milk ducts, recurring milk blebs (blisters), and concerns about if my baby was getting enough milk during his feedings.
After 3 visits to lactation consultants, and being overwhelmed, frustrated, exhausted, and angry, I called the lactation consultants at the hospital, who then recommended I try breastfeeding no matter how painful it was to prevent getting mastitis and in addition to turn the intensity up on my breast pump.
What they suggested actually worked, but my nipples were still super sensitive and in so much pain.
A game changer for me was when a friend of mine recommended this nipple butter.
Doctors and nurses all suggested I get the Lanolin cream, which I did, but honestly, that did nothing but stain all my shirts and waste my time and money.
About three days after I started using this nipple butter, I felt so much better that I wanted to change my mind about exclusively pumping and switch to breastfeeding!
But at just 3 months, my baby decided he wanted to stick with the bottle.
I can’t tell you how much time and energy I could have saved by exclusively breastfeeding…
If this momma is planning on providing breastmilk for her baby, here’s a list of what she’ll need.
What Does A New Mom Need Most?
A Breast Pump
Some people aren’t aware that sometimes health insurance covers breast pumps.
If mom doesn’t have a breast pump already, ask her to check out Aero flow to see if she qualifies for a breast pump through insurance.
I have the one below, and it’s worked great for me.
A Nursing & Pumping Bra
A double-pumping bra is one thing that will help her save time to pump out milk for the baby.
I have this one from Medela.
But, when I got this one with straps that also holds my breasts upright, I fell in love! I have both one in gray and in black.
The fabric is soft and smooth and easily allows me to massage my breasts while pumping to maximize my milk production.
This also works great with T-shirts too!
And I think every woman knows how important a T-shirt bra is.
Don’t encourage her to try to save money by cutting holes into an old sports bra.
She may not even fit them anymore, and her breast size may often fluctuate until she stops providing breast milk.
For less than $30, she can enjoy the perks and conveniences of a pumping and nursing bra.
Nursing Maternity Sleep Bra
When my baby was still breastfeeding, this bra made it so easy to feed my baby!
And it’s really soft and comfortable.
Nursing Pads
Nursing pads are extremely helpful for new moms because there are times our body does something and we may not be aware (yet).
Sometimes a new mom will leak, and she’s still learning her body, so this will help her to get acclimated to her new normal, mom life.
Prenatal Vitamins
If mom is providing breast milk, she needs to continue taking prenatal vitamins.
That’s so important when breastfeeding!
These OLLY vitamins taste great, and I’ve noticed my hair and nails seem to grow just as fast as they always have.
Breast Care Essentials
Breastfeeding can be painful.
Just like the nipple butter gave me some relief, there are several other products that can really work to help provide breast care relief for Mama.
Using a warm compress helps to improve milk flow.
In my case, it’s the only way it’ll flow unless I’m aggressively squeezing my breasts for get milk.
That’s why I, and lots of other Mama’s tend to have successful and easier pumps / feeding sessions after a hot shower.
So I highly recommend getting mama these two items.
This worked wonders for me and I was able to cut my pump time in half!
It’s a little pricy but it saves me so much time, the price doesn’t matter!
Or
Which includes everything a new mom may need.
This would be a great new mom care package to cross all your “T’s” and dot your “I’s”.
Help Boosting Milk Supply
I was struggling to keep up with my baby’s milk supply and really didn’t want to supplement with formula.
Especially after I found out the reason for that massive baby formula shortage.
Even though I was a formula-fed baby, I didn’t want my baby drinking something I knew nothing about.
So, after doing some research, I found this article on Pinterest on how to boost your milk supply within 48 hours!
I used some of the tips she recommended and will share the ones I feel worked best for me.
Water Bottle
The main ingredient in breast milk is water.
If a mom wants to increase her breastmilk supply, she should drink 16 cups of water a day, according to Eatright.org.
That is 1 Gallon of water every day!
Since mom is short on time, the best way to make it easier for her to drink a gallon of water every day is by getting a water bottle with a straw to make it easier for her to drink.
Mom’s are very busy in the first few weeks/months of having their newborn, and sometimes water intake may be the last thing on their minds.
Mother’s Milk Tea
When I first started pumping, my supply was really low, and I’d heard lots of people saying positive things about this “mother’s milk tea.”
But the key is to follow the instructions, or your supply may not increase.
I cover my tea and let it simmer for at least 10 minutes before drinking, so the tea has time to do its thing before I even take a sip…
For me, I needed to drink this tea about 3 to 4 times a day to really see a noticeable boost in my supply.
Lactation Cookies
To help boost my supply in addition to the mother’s milk tea, I really feel like these lactation cookies had a role in boosting my supply.
And they’re really good!
Here are the two I keep in my rotation.
Legendairy Milk Liquid Gold
One of my girlfriends mentioned she’d used this to help boost her supply, along with a log of her breast pump amounts.
Seeing that she was able to get over 200 mL/6 oz per pump was all I needed to add to my daily regime.
Let There Be Milk
I noticed a small bump in my supply after I’d started taking “Let there be milk.” This may help a new mama too.
Hakaa
Whether she’s breastfeeding or pumping, it’s always good for a momma to invest in a hakaa.
When she’s breastfeeding, the hakaa can easily empty milk opposite of the breast baby is feeding on to empty both breasts at the same time.
And if this mama is like me (hopefully she isn’t), she could nurse her milk bleb/blister to help with the healing process.
4. Baby Carrier
A new mom is pretty much always busy. That’s why having a baby carrier is so beneficial because she’ll be able to multitask while the baby is safe and in sight.
I have both of these baby carrier’s below.
The Baby Wrap carrier keeps my baby asleep a LONG time.
I think it’s because it’s tight and fits snug to my body, probably making him feel like he’s in the womb.
I like to wear this doing chores around the house or even just laying on the couch.
There’s no hard straps or clips on this carrier, so I can relax without something jabbing me in my back.
The one that’s a little easier for me to strap my baby on me is the Ergobaby carrier.
I like this one for when I know I’m going to be outside for a short or extended period of time or doing something quickly, where I’ll need to be hands-free like washing clothes, sterilizing bottles, or vacuuming.
And the baby will grow and evolve with this one. I like that you can face the baby toward you or away from you and the baby will still be happy.
Since she’s a new momma, she probably won’t know exactly which one her baby will prefer, but I do know I use and love both of these.
5. Stool Softener
When I was pregnant, one of the best things I did in my third trimester was to go see a physical therapist (per my OBGYN’s recommendation).
In one of my PT sessions, my therapist said you should never have to push to poop. It should flow naturally.
And ever since I had my baby, I have been taking stool softeners.
She also recommended I get a stool so that my seated position on the toilet is a squat.
This way you’re able to let your poop flow out instead of a slightly aggressive push.
Using the stool along with the stool softener made such a difference to me.
6. Help Her Stay On Track Financially
Make sure she has a budget!
Being a recent new mom, I know there’s nothing more important than having and sticking to a budget and trying to keep up or maintain your financial health with her new addition.
This is the budget I use, and I spend 1 hour every Sunday paying bills and expenses.
I recommend trying to help her meal plan to help her stay on track with her budget. Because paying for food/meals can get out of control.
As busy and sleepy as a new mom will be, it’s so important to keep “life” going like a well-oiled machine.
This will help a new mama easily track her spending month by month and easily catch any inconsistencies that need her attention.
Related article: How to save $5,000 in 6 months
7. Help with Food
Every new mom is short on time so having good healthy meals that are prepared and ready to throw in the oven and eat is all a new parent can ask for.
Below are some great companies you can order meals from.
- Home Chef
- Cook Unity
I know this may not be everyone’s cup of tea. So, I’d recommend getting Mama the $5 dollar meal plan.
For just $5 a month, they will send Mama a delicious meal plan where every meal will cost about $2 per person, and in most cases, even LESS. It’s a great way to eat well for less. You can let her try it for free for 14 days here.
I didn’t realize how short 24 hours were until I had a baby.
Boy oh boy, it feels like you barely get 10 minutes to yourself.
I asked a host of friends for healthy, quick, and easy dinner ideas, and received a few that I’ll share below.
As a new mom, I found it extremely difficult to find the time and energy to cook.
I really wanted to eat healthy meals, especially since I was providing breast milk.
I also really missed the days of sitting with my husband and eating a meal together.
If there’s a restaurant that she likes nearby, get a gift card for her so she can enjoy a meal as a family with Dad and baby.
We had to take turns eating meals because one of us is always tending to our baby with whatever is needed… And sometimes we just want to hold him.
Get Her Healthy Snacks
Her taste buds should be back to normal!
So ask her what her favorite snacks are, and order them from Amazon or Target for a 2-hour pick up.
8. A Trusted Babysitter
I know people recommend “accept help when you can,” and that’s true!
Take whatever help someone you trust is available to help.
If distance or time is getting in the way of you physically helping the new mom out. There are ways you can help mom get physical help, like going to places like Care.com.
Mom will probably use this time to take a nice hot shower or get some sleep.
9. Spa Day
If she’s breastfeeding, laying flat on her stomach can be really uncomfortable. But that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t enjoy a spa day.
Help her get a head start on feeling like herself again by getting a mani and/or pedi, and getting her hair done may be just want she needs.
Ask her where she’d like to go and see if they offer and accept gift cards so you can gift her a self-care day.
10. Comfortable Postpartum Clothing
After having my baby, I felt like Regina from Mean Girls.
Even if she insists she doesn’t want new clothes, she’d appreciate these gifts for new moms after birth.
They are cute and comfortable and hide the extra weight she may have gained during pregnancy.
11. Help Cleaning Up
Cleaning can sound like a daunting task to a new mom.
As I’ve mentioned several times throughout this article, mom is short on time and cleaning requires time.
Below is a short list of cleaning tools that can help cut back on the time it takes to clean.
12. Buy Things Off Of Her Registry
If she has a registry, take a look at it and see if there’s something on there that she probably needs and doesn’t have yet.
If she added an item to her registry, then she probably does want or still needs it.
13. Someone To Talk To
They say it takes a village, and that is so true!
Sometimes just talking to someone and they say “how are you” can trigger some emotions you didn’t know you had stored up.
A new mom is so busy and sleep-deprived that she may not have time to flush out her emotions as she’d done in the past.
Although this too shall pass, it’s great to have someone talking to and holding the new momma’s hand.
14. Phone Storage
A new Mama may not be concerned about this before the baby arrives… but after!!
After the baby comes, she’ll want to grab her phone and capture moments never to return again. Help her make that happen by making sure she has storage on her phone.
She can store her photos and videos on iCloud. (For iPhone users only)
Here’s how:
- Click here to find out more. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205703
Of all the things I’ve listed here, I’m 100% sure these are things new moms need for themselves because I am one.
If you think of anything I haven’t mentioned here, please let me know, and I’ll be sure to update my article to make sure I’m providing exactly what a new mom needs.
Read Next: 19 Best Ways to Make Money from Home If you’re looking for some additional ways to make money from home, check out our top list of what people are doing today AND how much they’re making.
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