Great Pregnancy Gifts

by Jennifer Shakeel

Many people may be wondering what could be a better gift for a woman who is expecting then the gift of a new life, the baby. While there isn’t a gift in the world that can compare to being blessed with a child. There are a number of gifts that the expecting mother would love to receive simply because they will help her as the pregnancy progresses, and honestly they will make her feel better. Of course, what you decide to get the mom to be will depend on when you decide to give the gift, but most of these recommendations can be used at any point throughout the pregnancy.

The pregnancy gifts should not be confused with the baby shower, which is all about baby. These gifts are really about the mom. I am going to offer you a list of ideal pregnancy gifts. Know that these are recommendations from pregnant moms, first time moms and those like me who have been around the bin a time or two or three. This isn’t about what the “experts” say or the stores promote. These are practical gifts that the mom to be will be forever grateful for.

I think the best way to do this is to go through each trimester and provide suggestions for the first time mom and the rest of us. So let’s start with the first trimester, and new moms. Most often women do not realize or find out that they are pregnant until about half way through their first trimester, unless they have been trying to conceive. Which is why I suggest the “Congratulations” Gift Basket.

This can be a really fun gift for the expecting mom. Depending on your sense of humor you can load this basket with everything from candles, tea, water, hemorrhoid cream, cocoa butter body butter, a couple of pregnancy magazines, slippers, nursing nightgown and the list can go on. With my first pregnancy my best friend created a “Congrats” Gift Bag, and filled it with wine coolers, wine and Baileys. Her reason was that I needed to have it on hand for after the baby was here to cope with being a new mom. So the gift basket or bag can be as useful or as silly as you want it to be. You could go as far as putting intimate massage oils and such and with a note that says, “Enjoy it while you can.”

For those moms have had a baby before you can fill the basket with body butters, candles, soft music/ or a CD of her favorite music, slippers, baby sitting coupons, TUMS, anything that you can think of that is going to pamper mom to be. Remember that with each child mom typically is going to show earlier, and the older we get the sooner the pregnancy symptoms can start appearing.

As the expecting mom moves into the second trimester, the fact that they are indeed pregnant is setting in. Clothes aren’t fitting properly, morning sickness could still be hanging around. So the gifts during the second trimester are going to deal more with doing something nice for mom to be and less with pampering her. This isn’t to say that any mom to be wouldn’t appreciate a gift certificate to a maternity store to pick up a few items, or perhaps a facial and pedicure at their favorite saloon.

The second trimester is really when most mom’s begin to wonder if having baby is a good idea. It isn’t that they don’t want baby, it is more that you begin to question your ability to be a good mom. Mom could be unhappy with the weight that is starting to come. Which brings us to a number of gift ideas, yoga and Pilates classes that you can mom to be can go together is a great way to help mom relax and really strengthen the bond of friendship you have.

Offering to have “lunch dates” to get out and girl talk is also a wonderful pregnancy gift. It doesn’t matter if you have kids or if you are pregnant, sometimes what the mom to be really needs right now is to know that she is still “one of the girls” and that their friends still want to hang out with them.

If mom to be already has other children you might offer to take the kids for a fun day out just so mom can spend the day relaxing or focusing on doing what she would like to do. Or you may offer to have the children in the evening so that mom to be and dad can go out on a “date.” Which is something that is a rarity for parents who already have kids. Partner times is just as important as “me time,” in any relationship.

The third trimester. Right now mom is thinking about getting ready for the hospital, making sure that they have the baby stuff they need, that the nursery is all set up, and if they are first time mom’s scheduling the birthing classes at the hospital. The last thing in the world mom to be is thinking about right now is herself. If she already has a family then cooking dinner for the family and taking it over is a wonderful gift this trimester. It makes it one less thing that she has to worry about and she will be very grateful for.

For first time moms and not first time moms this is also a wonderful time to get them a gift certificate for a pregnancy massage. This will help relieve stress and really help mom feel better. You can also offer to run errands or clean the house for the mom to be to help her prepare for going to the hospital.

A final great gift recommendation for the final trimester is a packed hospital bag. It doesn’t need to be a bag, and it doesn’t have to be completely filled. A nice bag with a few of the hospital essentials such as tooth paste and tooth brush, mouth wash, brush and comb, travel size shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, eyeliner and lipstick, lotion. Or perhaps a set of cozy slippers and a bathrobe.

Only you know the mom to be, so think about who she is and what would help make her pregnancy easier or more comfortable. The best gift you can give is one that you have put thought into.

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