My brother and sister in law just had a baby. To introduce us all to the baby, my brother organized a little event for all our friends and family who unsurprisingly all arrived bearing gifts. While all the gifts were being opened, one thing became immediately apparent-that only 2 types of gifts were being shelled out; stuff for the new baby and cool gifts for dad.

Although it is my sister in law that had just finished the most exhausting, challenging and physically demanding 9 months of her life carrying our sweet angel and delivering her, she did not really get anything that was truly hers that day. And although she tried to be cool about it and hide it, you could just see the discontent on her face each time a gift was offered to my brother.

After the event, this kept bothering me so I talked to some of my friends about it and you know what? I discovered quickly that this was a frequent occurrence; many new moms have experienced the same thing as my sister in law. Although every mom will perceptibly be grateful and happy to receive gifts for their baby, it is generally very disappointing whenever the mom does not get anything for herself.

Life as a new mom is one of the most stressful periods of a woman’s life, to say the least. As a woman adjusts to being a new mom, it can be easy for her to let herself go. Giving her a thoughtful, yet practical gift can make the job slightly less harrowing while giving the new mommy a valuable chance for self-care.

A great gift can carry great weight and it can be a meaningful gesture to show the new mom that you appreciate everything that she has been through and that you care. But coming up with a gift is never an easy task, which is why we have found some great gift ideas to set you off in the right direction. Here are gifts to buy a new mom:

A Himalayan Salt lamp

Being a new mom means that you are tasked with the responsibility of full-time childcare; this has never been easy. Add to that the disconnect that a new mom experiences in other areas of life including her relationship with her partner or husband, and the stress levels can get out of control.

If you know a mom that is struggling with her new role, a Himalayan salt lamp could be just what they need to relieve their stress. Himalayan salt lamps, also called pink salt lamps are made using salt that has been harvested from the Himalayan Mountains. Himalayan salt is one of the purest types of salt available and it contains valuable minerals such as calcium, magnesium, copper, and potassium.

When the salt is activated, it can help to reduce anxiety, stress, allergies as well as seasonal affective disorders, such as what new moms go through. These salt lamps negative ions that not only purify the air, killing harmful bacteria that may cause diseases in the new baby, but they also cancel out the positive ions produced by electronic devices, cleansing the surroundings and helping new mom relax.

Book her a pampering session

Although raising a new baby is hard on both parents, new moms tend to have the worst end of the stick. In addition to having to breastfeed every few hours, new moms do not sleep very well. They also suffer greatly from physical pain as a result of childbirth, which can make things practically intolerable.

To allow her to de-stress, one of the best things that you can do for a new mom is give her a relaxing moment to herself away from the baby, which is where a spa date comes in. Book the new mom in your life a relaxing massage, manicure or pedicure session or a trip to her favorite hair salon; anything really that will make her feel pampered and loved.

Give her anything that can allow her to relax at home

The sad reality is that some babies are difficult to deal with (hello colic), which leaves mom with little or no time to loosen up or leave the house let alone take a shower! As such, giving her something that can allow her to relax in the comfort of her home can be more needed than you realize.

Things such as luxury skincare products, comfy robes, bath salts with essential oils, and bath bombs are great. Such things will allow a new mom to create small relaxing moments for herself without necessarily leaving her baby for extended periods. Even if she cannot get a full hour for herself, as little as 10 minutes to treat her skin with a relaxing balm can do wonders for her state of mind.

Freshly made meals

With all the chaos of taking care of a new baby, moms don’t often have time to prepare fresh meals from scratch. Gifting her with weekly food service or a local catering company in her neighborhood that drops off already cooker gourmet meals can ensure that she has healthy food to enable a steady milk supply.

Better still, if you have chef skills, you can prepare a home-cooked meal or delicious baked goods and deliver them personally. If the mom already has other children, the meal delivery service will prevent her from stressing out about feeding her other family members.

A Ride on-demand gift card

Being a new mom means not having the luxury of free time, which is why the ultimate gift that you can give a new mom is a ride on-demand gift card from a company like Uber or Lyft. Zipping around in an Uber or Lyft will allow a new mum to carry out errands that need sorting without having to stress out about the actual driving around.

Even when she is not running errands, a drive to her favorite supermarket can be a great way to break up the monotony of life with a baby. Even though a new mom might be hesitant to leave her baby at first, fresh air can go a long way towards giving a new mommy the energy she needs to cope with a fussy baby and sleepless nights.

Final Thoughts

Even though it may sound and feel counterintuitive at first, the best gift that you can give a new mom is one that is not related to the baby. Why? Because after going through the motions of pregnancy for 9months, every new mom wants to be acknowledged not only as a person but for her hard work and sacrifice.

The gifts we have listed below are practical, yet versatile. While every new mom has a different personality and preferences, there is a good chance that these gifts will make them smile. So, happy shopping everyone!