Remove the pakcs of adorable onesies and tiny shoes from your shopping cart – the moms from #MomLife share their suggestions for the most practical baby shower gifts moms-to-be will really appreciate.
Milk lactations bars
If your friend is planning on breastfeeding, these milk lactation bars will be a life saver. It’s the perfect birthing snack, breakfast bar, meal replacement (life as a new mom is hectic), or a convenient on-the-go snack. They’re also great to ensure you have enough colostrum for baby’s first latch, and you can use them when your baby is going through a growth spurt and you need to make more milk, or any other time when you need more milk. Visit milklactationproducts.co.za for more info.
4D or 5D ultrasound voucher
These aren’t the same as your diagnostic check-up scan – get the mom-to-be an elective 4D or 5D ultrasound scan voucher where she and her partner can spend time experiencing the sights, sounds and movements of their baby. These sessions are purely for the parents-to-be to bond with their unborn baby (they’re not for medical check-ups). You also get videos and photos to take home with you. Visit lifescanstudio.co.za for pricing info.
Nosefrida
This is often a mom’s best friend when baby is congested. Available from leading pharmacies.
ALSO SEE: Nasal congestion – how to clear your baby’s nose
Goodies for mom
Don’t forget to spoil the mom-to-be too. Get something for her for her hospital stay – comfy pyjamas, cute socks and slippers, breastfeeding tops (if she’s planning on breastfeeding) and snacks!
Maternity pads, foot and hand cream, hot chocolate, special coffee (those cuppachino sachets) for nights when she has to stay up late with baby.
Make a first-aid kit for mom
If you have a limited budget, just get the necessities, but the below items really help a lot. Most mommies don’t think of buying these things. You most probably won’t need most of the stuff during the first 3 months, but if it’s needed it will be there:
- A proper thermometer
- Panado syrup
- Glycerine suppositories
- Smecta for a runny tummy
- Bonnycare for a sore tummy
- Surgical spirits
- Baby earbuds
- Cotton wheels
- Lacson for constipation
- Maby empaped suppositories
- Nosefrida
- Sterimar nose spray
ALSO SEE: How to clean and care for your baby’s ears
A Baby City voucher
Yes, we know you’ll feel like you didn’t put much effort into the gift – but many moms say they really appreciated this because it allowed them to buy the necessities they still needed after receiving all the baby shower gifts.
Wet wipes
You can never have too many wet wipes.
Frozen meals
Do you remember becoming a mom for the first time? Some days you blink and it’s night time and you’re still in your pyjamas. You can either make a basket of ready-to-eat meals yourself, or buy some from Woollies, Pick n Pay, Checkers or another retailer for mom to stick in the freezer for those crazy days when she won’t even get to brush her teeth.
ALSO SEE: 10 quick and easy freezer-friendly meals
Electronic bottle warmer
If mom won’t be breastfeeding, this will come in really handy for those late-night feeds.
Xanet is an award-winning journalist and Living and Loving’s digital editor. She has won numerous awards for her health and wellness articles and was a finalist for the Discovery Journalist of the Year in 2009 and again in 2011 for the Discovery Best Health Consumer Reporting and Feature Writing category. She is responsible for our online presence across social media channels and makes sure our moms have fresh and interesting articles to read every day. Learn more about Xanet Scheepers.
