(Besides a Hamper from Bubsessed 😉 )
“BLANKETS, BIBS, BABY POWDER!”
These are the typical done (and sometimes overdone) gifts that mums have said they received “too much” of during their baby shower.
Instead of giving something that everyone else seems to be gifting- make your gift stand out (and be useful) for the mum-to-be! We’ve included some amazing ideas for you here!
Maternity or Postpartum Services
Give a helping hand around the house in the form of a maternity or postpartum service! There are businesses like pregnancy concierges or doulas giving mums a helping hand in those pregnancy or postpartum days with a myriad of services! From household cleaning to nursery decoration to early postpartum assistance in adjusting to life with a new baby.
Pregnancy Massage or Pampering
It’s no secret that pregnancy is UNCOMFORTABLE at times! Especially in those final days, a massage, manicure, pedicure, chiropractic appointment, or anything along the relaxing and pampering lines is AMAZING for a mum-to-be! If she can’t leave the house, find a pampering session to come to her!
Endota Spa seems to have a few branches around Australia, but you can ask your local Facebook Groups for their recommendations for best results!
Food Service, Delivery or Food Vouchers
Several places have meal subscription services available- from ingredients and recipe cards like Hello Fresh or similar services to Prepared, Frozen or Delivered Fresh Meals! Some great options mums have suggested are Youfoodz (prepared ahead and you just heat them and eat), I Hate Cooking (A cook who comes and cooks meals for you), Dinner on the Table (for the Sydney area), or Delivery services like UberEats, EatNow, and MenuLog.
Sometimes those early days are so much of a blur you forget to eat. Providing mum with some easy solutions can be sent from above!
A Nappy or Wipe Related Subscription Service
Whether she is using disposables or cloth, there’s a subscription service available! For disposables, Ecoriginals, Joonya, Green Kids Co, Tooshies by Tom all offer subscription plans for monthly deliveries. Amazon Australia also has the capability of ordering nappies such as BabyLove or Huggies online to your door.
For cloth nappies, there are options for nappy cleaning services to help mum out with the extra laundry adjustment! The Australian Nappy Association has a list of services here, or you can Google search for one near you!
Laundry or Cleaning Service
A house cleaning or laundry service can come quite in handy the first weeks and months of having a baby! This one may be best to chat with mum before booking, as someone coming to where you live and cleaning may not work for some. Some laundry services offer gift vouchers (such as the one we’ve partnered with to offer vouchers which can be added to hampers), and it’s always great to have one less thing to worry about while you dote on your newborn!
Google and Facebook Groups are your friends for finding reputable cleaning and laundry services (and it is essential to ask for recommendations and ABN to ensure they are a reputable place or person)!
Car Seat Installation
Nearly every family purchases a car seat, so why not give them the gift of a hassle free and safe installation (if they haven’t done it already)!? These are generally not too expensive, and there are places which do them in store, like Baby Bunting. There are also businesses which travel to your home to install them for you! The NRMA has a business which can help you find a reputable car seat installer as well on their website. For this one, if you are paying to have it installed, ensure that the car seat fitter is an authorised car seat fitter (and ask in local Facebook groups or Google for reviews).
CPR and First Aid Course (Or just a first aid kit!)
A very valuable thing to have under your belt when you become a parent is a course or refresher course in first aid and CPR. There’s always the hope you will never have to use it, but it’s a wonderful thing to know in case you ever should encounter the scrapes, burns, bumps, bruises and other things that parenthood brings! CPR Kids offers courses around NSW, QLD and ACT specific for kids, and St John Ambulance offers first aid courses around Australia as well as online courses.
Helpful Baby Products
If you’re someone who prefers to have something a bit more wrap-able, try these helpful baby products loved by mums:
Larger sized baby clothing– Everyone gets tiny baby clothes, so go for the (estimated seasonally appropriate) larger sized clothing pieces! 3-6 months (00) and up is where we tend to start
Larger sized baby nappies– A small pack or box of larger sized nappies will not go amiss, since sometimes bubs are sneaky and grow quickly! It would be helpful to have these on hand with a surprise growth spurt!
Snotty Boss Nasal Aspirator– This battery-powered snot sucker has been one of the top products I’ve seen recommended by mums when the questions “what more do I need to get for my newborn” or “what is one of the most helpful products for a baby/new mum”
Nail Snail or Battery-Powered Baby Nail File– Rather than using the baby nail trimmers or regular nail clippers which make it a little easier to snip bub’s fingers unintentionally, I’ve seen these two types of trimmers recommended for mums who are stressed about their little one’s nails but don’t want to hurt bub accidentally.
And of course we need to mention…
A Bubsessed Hamper or Gift for Mum and/or Bub!
Over at Bubsessed, we create unique and useful hampers for mums and/or babies! We have a few hampers and gifts ready to deliver, or you can create your own. If you don’t see something you like, feel free to send us a message or email to customise a hamper to suit! We offer the option of hampers in useful items (like a nappy caddy), so you can re-use them later and not just toss them in the bin, too!
What are some other unique and useful gifts you have given at a baby shower?
Love these ideas! I’ve got a few friends due this year so will be great to mix things up a bit.
Thank you! I’m sure mums to be will appreciate so many (if not all) of these as gifts!