Nice "emergency supplies" for labour/post-birth

[TokenGinger]

I've got two friends expecting babies quite soon and I've been slowly buying bits for their babies but now I'm thinking about the mums. When I had DS last year, some very thoughtful friends included bars of chocolate and biscuits in gift bags of baby clothes

I want to make them up a little box of supplies, nothing too expensive, but just little bits that are nice and useful. E.g. maternity pads, favourite chocolate bars.

What little bits did you have that you really appreciated/hadn't thought to buy yourself that I could include in their gift bag?

Magazines maybe, definitely something sugary to keep them going, perhaps a voucher for something for them? Lovely idea x

Dry shampoo 🤣🙈, face wipes, breast pads... I'm completely stumped but sure there are loads more things that will come to me! Your list is lovely as well

Lip balm!!!!!!!
Lovely idea from you 🥰

Hand cream

Lip balm

I was massively dehydrated and sick of water, so nice fancy cordial or fizzy drinks

Snacks/cereal bars

Drop round a lasagne to shove in the oven at some point

Extra baby grows and bibs

Witch hazel to pour onto maternity pads

Breast pads

Nice tea or coffee

An offer to take the baby for a wee bit while she has a shower/bath/quick sleep

What a thoughtful friend you are - any of the above would be very welcomed I'm sure

Nipple cream!

Nice biscuits/snacks that can be eaten with one hand
Hand cream

Offers to bring a Costa drink to them at home.

Portable phone charger, or long cables..on cluster feeds I would have loved these!! Cumfy slippers?

Came on to say witch hazel but someone has beaten me to it! I wish I'd learnt this first time instead of second. Basically I doused maternity pads in witch hazel and put them in the fridge/freezer (in a sandwich bag) ready to use after the birth. The smell is very astringent and you think it's going to sting but it's pure relief for your downstairs after you've just delivered 9lb's of baby and had stitches!

A friend of mine also did me a birch box/beauty subscription box (one off) which I really appreciated, but you could make your own with a nice cardboard gift box, tissue paper and fancy travel size toiletries? Debenhams, Boots & M&S have some nice travel size luxuries.

A semi regular (unasked for) arrangement to help bath the other kids and read bedtime stories on the evening she knew my husband worked late, until I found my groove. I was so so grateful for the "witching hour" help which meant I could go and calmly feed the baby and check my phone in silence for a bit, rather than breastfeeding a screamjng babe on my knee while wrangling 3 small children out of the bath and into pjs!

Lavender oil
Hand cream
Kindle credit

These are amazing ideas. Thank you all so much!

I can't wait to make up these boxes. Hopefully they'll love them as much as I'll love making them ❤️

A load of single portion mac and cheeses with bacon crumbled on top. Frozen in containers you can microwave with a plastic fork taped to the top. You can heat it and eat it with just one hand. For extra points label them “for new Mums only” so the Dads dont snarfle them

I am having another baby soon and plan to stock up on rocky Road, Brownies, savoury snacks like crisps, crackers, mini cheddars, some posh cordials (I remember breastfeeding makes me SO thirsty). Mainly thinking about food at this point.

This isn't for everyone but I love to write letters to my children and hope to have the energy to do that. Yoir friend might like a nice little notebook or even a "to do" list book or shopping list book, something like that.

I will try and think of more ideas and report back 😀

What a lovely idea. Microwave heat pad for early labour pains?