Care package for new mum

[LincolnshireLassInLondon]

My DSIL is due to give birth soon. I'm making a care package for her. So far I have...

Spritz for bits
Badedas
Her favourite chocolates
A good but easy to read book

Does anyone have any other ideas? What made you feel a bit more like yourself just after you'd given birth?

To be honest the things I appreciated most were food. New mums don’t have time to read a book, put a face mask on etc.

My SIL bought me a lovely loungewear set which was a godsend!

@peachypetite

Of course they do! Unless she’s having triplets.

Cook vouchers would be fab!

A good travel mug to keep her drinks hot/cold as she will probably be stuck in one place for a long time (rarely get a hot drink for the next 5 years)

Some nutritious snacks might be good. I'd have loved some nice flapjacks!

A good insulated hot drinks cup, with a lid, if she doesn't have one. I rarely managed to drink a hot cup of tea unless it was in my insulated cup.

@OverTheRainbow88 I’ve recently had a baby and definitely spend any spare time I have sleeping not reading!!

Yes to the contigo flask. Means a hot cup of tea.

Lansinoh
Water bottle (she’ll be really thirsty if breastfeeding)
Some high calorie easy to eat snacks like nuts or protein bars
Face wipes

Audible gift subscription?
A selection of snacks?
A miniature of her favour booze?
Some expensive attractive muslins that she might not want to shell out for herself?

What a lovely idea. I second an insulated travel mug. I was sent a box of brownies which kept us going for the first few days, and stocked up on cereal bars. We were also sent Cook vouchers which we are still saving for a special occasion 10 months later 🤣
If she's hoping to breastfeed then maybe some Lansinoh balm, I kept a tube in every room!

A subscription to something like hello fresh or 6 weeks of a cleaner coming once a week or a laundry service.

I would have taken any one of those over face masks and a book. Hands down. Every time.

Definitely an insulated mug with a sip thru lid that closes completely - I was so scared of drinking a hot drink anywhere near DD, one that couldn't have been spilt would have made me feel so much better!
Oat based snacks like flapjacks if she's planning to breastfeed - oats are good for milk supply and even if she's not, flapjacks are yum and full of energy!
My friend came over with hot chocolate, marshmallows and aerosol cream (and held DD while I drank it!) it was wonderful, I could have cried!
We were also given about 4 days worth of nice ready meals and snacks and salad when we first came home, that was brilliant too.

One of my friends got me a hemorroid (how the hell do you spell that?!) cushion ring which was so nice to sit on! They also got me hemorriod cream which i initially thought was bizarre but 3 days after giving birth i soon realised what a god send it was aha.
I also had some nursing pjs given to me which were great! And some nice snacks that keep for a few days.

Definitely some sort of long life snack like mini brownies. Nice freezer meals for when cooking is out of the question.

Best things I have been bought -
High calorie snacks
Insulated mug
Magazines
Homemade meals portioned out for the freezer
Nice xxl muslins (aden and anais)

Another vote fir a Contigo, a lounge set if your budget allows and food.

One thing I did enjoy though was a lovely body lotion that I wouldn't have normally paid for.

If planning to breastfeed the Seraphine nursing pyjamas are so comfy, I lived in them for first month.

Thank you so much for the suggestions all!

A nice hand wash and handcream. I have a newborn and my hands get dry as I'm always washing them after nappy changes before a breastfeed!
Definitely agree with the nice loungewear, Lansinoh nipple cream.
Maybe a homemade cake?
What a lovely idea coming from a thoughtful friend.

I have a seven week old baby & stuff I’ve appreciated:

Their Nibs pjs
Reusable breast pads
Nipple cream
Brownies/flapjacks - lots of them
Voucher for takeaway
Insulated water bottle
Breastfeeding pillow

I’m lucky that I’ve got a decent sleeper so I’ve managed to read about 5 books since he was born - something like Ghosts by Dolly Alderton or The Panic Years by Nell Frizzell are easy reads. Probably only get them if she is a reader usually though!

My suggestion would be food based, nice cakes, flapjacks, possibly vouchers for something like cote at home. Loungewear would be nice if you know her size now.

My most hated presents were flowers (another bloody thing to sort out) and toiletries (because they were always something I wouldn't use). I would never have had time for a book, and if I did it would just have made me tired. I had a thousand muslins that I never ended up needing. Donut cushions were specifically advised against by my hospital.

Lovely idea OP

Multimam nipple compresses, best thing in the world for sore nipples!

Food snacks cake

Tea or coffee

I appreciated that and sleep the most