Making life easier for a new mum

[Scribbinge]

Hi folks,

We're expecting our first in the new year and I imagine we're about to be buried under Christmas gifts for the baby from our super excited family.

Whilst thats great, I do still want to make sure my wife isn't forgotten about as her own person and get her something nice this year that will make her life easier as a new mum but I have no idea where to start (besides the simple gesture of putting in work so she can get some me time!).

It's really easy to find stuff for the baby but I'm interested to hear from mums if there was anything you had or received as a new parent that was a godsend for YOU not your child, whether it be some tech, a luxury or some other creature comfort that helped you get by, find more time for yourself or simply made you happy!

Thanks

Vouchers from Cook, worth their weight in gold for both parents.

Comfy dark coloured pyjamas with a button down too for breastfeeding.

Complete support!

Can’t think of anything really, the main this is an equal partner who can think for himself. But maybe I just didn’t get an incredible gift and really missed out 😄

The ability to take the baby out for 2 hours so that she can sleep and have a shower in peace.

@Scribbinge
How about a voucher to get her hair and nails done one Saturday when baby about 4 weeks you can mind baby and she can have an afternoon to enjoy and relax.

Totally agree with Cook vouchers. Saved our bacon when our baby arrived early and i'd done very little batch cooking.

My birthday was 6 weeks after the birth of our baby and DH got me a 3 month Oh Mumma subscription box. The products have been lovely and it felt like a real treat that i would have never bought myself.

The thing i used most in those early weeks was a luxury pj / matching dressing gown set from Seraphine. It meant on the really tough days, i at least had something nice to wear if i was struggling to get dressed, rather than my slobby old dressing gown.

I got myself a warm fleecy joules dressing gown when pregnant with dc1. Five years on and I still love it - it was great at staying warm when breastfeeding and walking up and down at night, is dry almost as soon as you wash it after baby sick incidents, has big pockets for carting around phone etc.

The kind of 'you are your own person' gifts might be well meant but babies are all-consuming, chances are it might make her feel worse to have a book or something from her hobby that she can't use.

We have voice activated dimmable smart bulbs in the bedrooms which have been an absolute godsend for setting the ‘big light’ to the lowest of nightlights or increasing the light level by 10% when halfway through a nighttime nappy change.
I generally resist tech and didn’t see the point in them before but am now converted.

I’d also suggest thermos mugs and an audible subscription.

I had 2 late Jan babies. The Christmas before my first one DH got me a Dyson hairdryer. I LOVE that thing. It dries and straightens my hair so quickly. It's pretty quiet too. Those things really helped me to feel like a person again after baby. Being able to blow dry my hair quickly was amazing.

A Cook meal box is my standard baby gift. Tasty meals you can bung straight from freezer to oven is where it's at in the early days. And breastfeeding and being up all farking night makes you fucking RAVENOUS.

Haha yes definitely on the list, just not exactly wrappable!

Amazon Prime

Lol sorry that was @VerveClique still getting used to mumsnet

Everyone saying Cook- another good thing to know is you get a new parent discount for 6 months after your baby is born :) not a gift. And a bit weird to buy your family food and pass it off as a gift?? But great idea!

Common themes here are comfy nursing / maternity clothes, food and peace and quiet haha. Thanks everyone this has given me a lot to go on!

I’d want a present for me, totally unrelated to baby. Nice jewellery or something. Cook vouchers are not a present when given by someone who intends to eat 50% of the food. It’s a good idea to order from there, terrible idea to dress it up as a gift for her. The most important thing a partner can do is be a proper partner- get up at night, look after the baby, take up the lions share of housework in the early days, be supportive etc. etc. If I wanted a dressing gown or thermos I’d buy my own.

Buy her the same things that you usually would. She's not going to have a personality transplant because she's had a baby.

The best thing you can do to help a new mum is be an equal parent. That is for the child's life not just for Christmas.

@Thegreencup
Fair point, I should have mentioned I have bought her some other unrelated gifts, I just figured with this being our first child and since neither of us know what to expect that some existing mums might have some wisdom to share regarding what things they valued! (Not even necessarily just as gifts but it will be useful to know regardless tbh!)

This is a bit niche but I do a dog class once a week. The best gift my partner got me post baby was committing to me keeping my slot. He took the dog for a month postpartum while I couldn’t, drove me for a further couple of weeks until I was ok to drive again and since then had made sure he was home in time for me to make my class every week (we’ve had to miss a handful in two years for work/illness). It was really tough for us all for a couple of months but I’m really pleased that I kept something that was just for me (well and the dog) and I think it gave my husband and child some much needed time alone to figure it out together without me.

I’m not saying buy a puppy or sign her up to a class. But commit to making sure she has dedicated, reliable solo time.

I do still want to make sure my wife isn't forgotten about as her own person and get her something nice this year that will make her life easier as a new mum

That’s a completely contradictory statement. I want to make sure she’s not going to be forgotten as her own person but I’ll buy her mum presents. I’m with @Thegreencup. Nope.

I would say a voucher for nails/hair or some vouchers for her to buy new clothes with when she feels ready. Her shape/size may change so she will want to buy herself something new.
I wouldn’t do food vouchers as like pp have said, that’s a family thing not just for her

Nice tip proof travel coffee mug to keep her drinks warm as she will rarely get to the bottom of the cup without interruption otherwise. Lots of nice calorific night time snacks if she will be breastfeeding, bed socks, warm dressing gown, books to read while feeding, maybe audio subscription for same reason. Jewellery voucher or jewellery (not flimsy necklaces that the baby will reach up and pull). Eternity ring! Journal and nice pen. Warm throw. Kindle.

The things I wanted most after ds was born were:

Someone to hold baby for three hours so I could have my hair cut.
to bin my maternity clothes
to buy some new ones
Fresh air and to stretch my legs, go hiking and go for a swim.

Not food vouchers, you should be working out how you'll cook for her regardless, presents to facilitate that are not presents for her, they are presents for you.

In answer to the question, if budget permits, diamonds