My daughter is expecting her first child at the end of April. It was quite a surprise for all of us and a bit of an adjustment, I will not lie. Being a grandmother (gulp) contributes to my recent feelings of OLDNESS this past year (see my post on dealing with aging fears), so I’ve put it out of my head as much as possible, so as not to depress myself. But I do need to be there for my daughter, of course, regardless of how the situation is making ME feel.

I have been someone who gives gifts that my loved ones will love and enjoy, as opposed to what I THINK is best for them, or what I THINK might make them happy. I try pretty hard to put myself in their shoes. Check out my posts on Gifts for Adult Children, Gifts for the Man in your Life, and Graduation Gifts, to give you idea of how I go about the process of making decisions and purchases. I find it fun!! 

Given this, I knew it would make me feel better to start this process and come up with some unique, creative and (especially) useful gifts for my daughter as she navigates her pregnancy. It was a LONG time ago (30 years to be exact) when I was pregnant myself, but it’s a time in life you don’t forget, so it was helpful for me to put myself back in time and think what gifts would be both meaningful and practical.

I figured she would get a gazillion gifts for the baby- we had a big shower, so she will be covered with everything the baby needs. So I concentrated on gifts specific to HER. What makes you more comfortable and calm (moods can be crazy), makes life easier, and makes you feel supported and loved. Here’s what I came up with!

8 Awesome New Mom Gifts

Bracelet for wellness. The first present I got my daughter when I found out she was pregnant was this bracelet. The different stones represent things like good health, vibrancy, fearlessness, etc. The qualities you need when you are growing another human! You have to have courage in so many ways, and this bracelet was a sweet way to wish these qualities for my daughter. I am into the cosmic stuff like chakras and healing stones; it can’t hurt anything!

Spoonful of Comfort. I am sometimes thankful for AI these days honestly. I saw an ad come up for this company when I was on the Internet the other day…and I think the company targeted me with the types of gifts I tend to buy.

This company has the world’s simplest idea- send your loved one some warming soup with some bread and cookies. Send this for special occasions, and when someone needs comforting. Ie, when you’re sick, grieving a loss…etc. Well pregnancy qualifies, and they have a special one! Perfect!

Massage Gift Card. For my daughters (and me) who love the spa, this is a wonderful gift.

There are massages especially for pregnant women- and I think this is a fantastic idea. Aching backs, shoulders and feet…we could all use a good massage occasionally, but pregnant women more so. A gift card somewhere near her made for a very welcome gift!

Body Pillow. I have thought about getting one of these body pillows for myself, personally, since I’m a side sleeper and that sometimes puts pressure on my hips and knees. A pillow like this is even better for the pregnant lady- it can be really hard to get comfortable at bedtime.  

Relaxing Night at Home. I do love my little themed baskets, and this is a cute one. You don’t feel like going out that much, especially in the dead of winter, when you’re pregnant, so this gift is designed for a night at home.

Along with this sweet candle to set the mood, I packed a few other elements for a relaxing evening. Some bath beads, massage oil, and body butter (get it with cocoa butter to help with stretch marks) so her husband can give her a massage at home! Pair this with some snacks like popcorn and crackers, and soothing teas to keep any nausea at bay.

Flowers. I randomly sent my daughter a colorful bouquet of flowers to brighten her day. You can’t really go wrong, seeing a beautiful surprise at your door after a busy day? This to me, is the perfect way to say, “Thinking of you and missing you!”

Apps. I practice a guided meditation using this app (Calm.com) every single morning, and it helps to center me and foster positivity. Pregnancy is no doubt a time for much trepidation, fear and self-doubt. I’m a huge proponent of anything that helps mental health, like journaling (see my post), and therapy, but these apps are great because you can listen to them whenever you have time. A subscription is about $10-15/month, and it’s really easy to send it as a gift.

Consider other apps that promote calm and mood, like Spotify or Sirius XM for some customized music playlists; Netflix or Hulu for movies, etc.

Outfits and Bras. My daughters love Skims. It’s funny, because they were very into the Kardashians, and my daughter who is pregnant now was truly the most like them-in looks, attitude, etc….so when they started buying Skims clothes, I was suspicious. Like, “I guess they’ll like anything Kardashian”. So I rolled my eyes everytime we bought them Skims gift cards for a holiday.

Turning the tables, this past Christmas the girls bought ME Skims pajamas…in an attempt to dispel my thoughts there is nothing marketable about the brand than the family name. Let me just say, they are honestly the softest, most comfortable pajamas I have EVER worn in 60 years. No lie. I did eat my words.

I bought my daughter some nice stretchy work outfits, pregnancy pants and a maternity bra. This was a huge hit.

Do you have a lady expecting in your household? What kinds of unique, meaningful and/or practical gifts did you get her? I’d love to hear your ideas!