Survival Kits for New Moms

Looking for a gift idea for a mom friend who has just welcomed a new addition to the family? How about a New Mom Care Package? I like to call these Survival Kits for New Moms. It’s the perfect way to show your support and help her feel prepared for this new stage in life.

A new mom care package can include a variety of items, depending on what the mom needs most. Some basics that every new mom could use are diapers, wipes, formula, and breast pads. Other great additions could be a baby book to document all of the new baby’s milestones, a cozy blanket for nighttime feeds, or a set of teething toys.

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As soon as the baby comes home, mom is go go go, so it’s nice to bring her a gift that allows her to stop for a moment and relax. Gifts for babies are also perfect so that mom can cross one more thing off of her list. 

Care Package For New Moms

What do new moms need?

If you’re not sure what to include, here are a few new mom survival kit ideas she’s sure to love:

#1 – First and foremost, take that mama a hot and ready home-cooked meal as well as one to stick in her fridge or freezer for later – This gesture may trigger tears of gratitude from the post-partum sweetheart, so be prepared.

I mean, who doesn’t love a meal that is already ready and all you have to do is throw it in the oven? I’ve given a few of my friends Freezer Lasagna, which is super helpful for mom and dad since it can hang out in the freezer until you’re ready to eat it. 

#2 – While we’re chattin’ about food, hear me out – don’t you dare show up at that poor mama’s house with food in a non-disposable container that you need back.

For crying out loud, put the food in a disposable pan. The last thing she needs to be worrying about is getting your baking dish back to you.

#3 – In addition to disposable containers, provide her with paper plates, plastic utensils, paper napkins, plastic storage bags, plastic storage containers (for leftovers) – you get the idea!

#4 – While we’re chatting about paper products – you may even want to drop off some extra paper towels and toilet paper! I hear ya, if you don’t know the gal very well, this may seem totally weird, but if she’s a good friend of yours, I would definitely suggest considering this idea!

As your best buddy is walkin’ around in a newborn haze realizing that if it weren’t for you she would be down to her last roll of toilet paper, she won’t consider this move odd at all. In the moment, she will actually decide that in you she has found her very best friend. #realfriendsgifttoiletpaper

#5 – Diapers and Wipes – Enough said. You can literally never have enough.

#6 – Coffee in some form or fashion is a must for many moms…yes, even some who are nursing – I know, I know…Consider me guilty! With that being said, a gift card to her favorite coffee shop, fresh grounds from her favorite coffee brand, or showing up with a latte in hand all work for a sleep deprived new mom.

If she’s a coffee drinker, she will probably love this gift more than anything else you could possibly give her.

#7 – Outfit for Baby – The new mama has probably been overwhelmed with newborn-3 months size clothing – so grab her a larger outfit for baby to wear down the road.

A few more clothing ideas include the swaddles that you loved or the sleep sack that kept your baby warm. Even a gift card to her favorite kid clothing shop so she can pick out something she may have forgotten before the baby came.

#8 – Gift for siblings – It’s so much fun to celebrate big sister and big brother! Why not get them a special book about their new role? Or maybe even an age appropriate toy to help entertain them while mom is feeding the baby?

Something for the older sibling(s) can be a really special treat – especially when most of the focus has been on the new baby!

Big Sister/Big Brother Book Ideas:

• I’m a Big Sister by Joanna Cole
• I’m a Big Brother by Joanna Cole

#9 – A Package of Thank You Notecards – Trust me, this is an overlooked gift. Unlike weddings or showers, this is the kind of thing that slips through the cracks and can make a new mom feel like she needs to run out and grab cards to thank family and friends.

Make sure she knows you do not expect one from her, but it seems like having a baby goes hand-in-hand with writing lots of thank you notes, so these may be helpful to her. Consider including some stamps as well for out of town relatives.

Thank you Notecards Available Here

#10 The best thing you can bring her? Encouragement! Simply saying “You are a good mom! You are doing a great job!” will keep her going for days – Trust me!

Gift Ideas For New Moms

Now that you know what to put in a  a survival kit for new mom, let’s talk about how to package it.  

I love the idea of putting everything in a laundry basket (and maybe even including a bottle of laundry detergent) as this will definitely come in handy for the new mommy! New baby means new clothes, and this thoughtful gift basket idea will be a great help.

Bonus Idea: Want to include some new reading material? Don’t overwhelm her with a bunch of how-to books. Gift her with something funny like Melanie Shankle’s Sparkly Green Earrings or something encouraging like Sally’s Clarkson’s Desperate or The Mission of Motherhood or The Ministry of Motherhood.

She probably won’t have time to do much reading right away (unless she’s able to read while she’s nursing #nursingpro), but eventually, these parenting books will become favorites of hers for sure!

Now it’s time to gather all of your items together and deliver the basket of goodies! Please, please, please, for the sake of mommy’s everywhere, be considerate of the growing family.

Do they want visitors or would they prefer you simply leave the basket on the front porch? You could shoot them a text that you’ve dropped off something special for them.

In those early weeks, entertaining visitors can be difficult for some families. So consider each situation thinking carefully about what would be most helpful to the new mom as encouraging her as she adjusts is the most important goal!

Do you know someone who would enjoy a new mom gift basket like this? 

Is there a new mom (or maybe even a seasoned mom) who could use a little practical lovin’ in the form of a basket full of goodies to encourage her?

Sometimes when I’m struggling in my day-to-day, I get the biggest boost from doing something for someone else, and these have been fun ideas for sure!