Before Calvin made his grand entrance, I asked some friends to tell me their Top 5 ideas for newborn baby gifts. This post is from the lovely and talented Kayla Aimee. Enjoy!
I gave birth to my daughter eight months ago, so now I’m totally THAT mom who shows pictures of her baby to strangers at the deli and offers unsolicited advice about parenting. Andrea asked me for my recommendations, and I’m thrilled to share them — a little piece of my long-held dream of having a Dear Abby column. Here are my top newborn baby gifts for new moms:
Newborn Baby Gifts for New Moms
1) The Itzbeen Baby Care Timer – This compact gadget helps you track feedings, diaper changes and medication times. It beeps when it’s time to feed, change or give medicine again, so you don’t have to rely on sleep-deprived memory. It also records which breast you last used for breastfeeding, which is a small but lifesaving feature for many nursing moms.
You might think, “I’ll just use a hair tie on my wrist to remember which side I last nursed on.” That works in theory until 2am, when you’re half-asleep and can’t find the hair tie because you tossed your hair up and forgot where it went. Sleep deprivation is a real thing — the Itzbeen helps eliminate one more small stress. Buy it and thank yourself later.
2) This item has since been recalled, so it has been removed from this list.
3) Boon Inc. Grass Countertop Drying Rack – At first I questioned whether we needed a drying rack that looks like grass. Couldn’t we just lay bottles and parts on a towel to dry? The answer is no. This drying rack is hands-down the best solution for quickly drying bottles, nipples and pump parts. The upright design allows air to circulate and speeds drying, while keeping small pieces organized and off the counter.
4) The Twilight Turtle – This nightlight projects gentle, calming stars and colors onto the ceiling, essentially the infant version of glow-in-the-dark stickers. Whenever my baby got fussy, turning on this little light would soothe her almost instantly. It’s a simple, effective tool for calming and settling a baby at bedtime or during middle-of-the-night wake-ups.
5) Grace – This isn’t something you can add to a registry, but it’s perhaps the most important gift a new mom can give herself. Cut yourself some slack. You will make mistakes, feel overwhelmed, and question your choices — and that’s okay. Give yourself grace. Remind yourself that you are the right person to care for your baby, even when things feel messy or uncertain.
Note from Kayla: I own and love these products and feel confident recommending them. Some of the original post’s links were affiliate links; if you bought through one, I may have earned a small commission that went toward baby essentials like diapers.
Kayla is a twenty-something southern girl who loves scrapbooking, Macy’s at Christmastime, and well-fitting jeans. By day she’s a stay-at-home mom; by night she blogs, hunts for deals, and plays competitive ping pong. She shares bits of her slightly neurotic life through her blog and social updates.