Mother's Day: 5 Gift Ideas Guaranteed to Make Any New Mom Happy
by Stephanie Gallagher
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 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
offers prepaid print plans and portrait packages from $24. Or have
a photo quilt made at Personal
Creations or a hand-drawn pencil sketch or watercolor done from
one of your baby photos at My
DaVinci.
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
