Gifts for new mom in hospital?

[mara16jade]

Not sure if this is the right area to ask this question but....

For the ladies who have had their babies - what gifts did you appreciate? Food, flowers, balloons, etc.?

I've heard all sorts of things from:

No flowers or balloons because it was stressful enough loading baby and other stuff in a car let alone flowers and balloons.

Food is always appreciated since new moms are usually very hungry.

And some women loved having flowers in their room.


So, what did YOU like and dislike?

My cousin's girlfriend is due on Sept. 28th and I'm getting excited!

 

[Wiggler]

My best friends baby is due in November and I'm not visiting them in hospital, but going round when they are ready for visitors after the birth, I am taking them some homemade food, pie and cheesecake, some choccies for mum and dad and a keepsake for baby.

If I were to get gifts in hospital I would like something small so I didn't have loads to put in the car for the journey home x x x

 

[Eleanor ace]

I'd love the gift of a cleaner for a couple of hours a couple of weeks after LO is born hen my house will be a tip

 

[JeepGirl]

I loved the flowers in my room, they were so pretty...but I had 16 people bring flowers and it was alot to try to bring home.

I got an Edible Arrangements fruit bouquet that was amazing and all gone by the time we went home

Gift certificates would be something easy to take home and then they can get something they actually need/want.

I got a pair of nursing PJ's that I thought was nice, because it was something just for me when most things coming were for baby(and I lived in PJ's for the first few weeks).

 

[mara16jade]

Yeah I've heard that new moms really appreciated something that was for them and not just baby. I'll have to think of something nice for her - it might be her favorite restaurant food or dessert or something like that. hehe Nice nursing PJs would be a great idea too.

At her baby shower she didn't get more than one or two onesies, so I may get her a cute summer one for a newborn (out here we probably have another month or two of hot weather...).

Thanks for the ideas everyone, keep 'em coming!!

 

[dizz]

Some nice hand cream - both for when IN hospital where the gels and handwashes wreck your hands, and for when you get out and you're constantly washing hands after nappies, before feeds etc etc.

 

[Arisa]

I loved the pink soft toy my hubby got for our little girl before she was born and i was waiting in the pre theatre room before my section. I also appreciated orange juice and chocolate cheesecake when i was able to eat again oh and a good friend brought me some kim kardashian perfume just for me, it was lovely and something i would not have thought of getting myself but appreicated. Gifts just for mum are really appreciated

 

[AngelofTroy]

A nice body butter would be lovely, after all the stretching my skin has gone through! Or a food she's missed, like a selection of soft cheeses?

 

[Lulu1982]

Food in my hospital was pretty bad. I loved the fruit basket my friend bought me. It was all prepared exotic fruit and just what I needed. Anything that needs to taken home is A bit of a pain!x

 

[3rdtimearound]

I really appreciated a nice fruit selection, helps your digestive system get going again

 

[fides]

I appreciated people bringing dinners to our house the most.

 

[dizz]

Food in my hospital was pretty bad. I loved the fruit basket my friend bought me. It was all prepared exotic fruit and just what I needed. Anything that needs to taken home is A bit of a pain!x

If I need to stay in again this time around (was a fortnight last time) I'm instigating a "no admission unless you come bearing food" rule for my cubicle. Costa coffees from the one in the lobby are also acceptable.

 

[Betheney]

I was so grateful that anyone would take the time out of their day to visit me I didn't really care what the present was. I don't have a lot of friends and family around so getting a visitor was a big treat for me. it wasn't difficult taking flowers home and I loved them because they were all so pretty. Maybe if I had more I might of found it annoying *shrug* I did however hate the hospital food and I can see that anyone who would of bought me food I probably would of lept out of bed and kissed.

 

[bumblebeexo]

Flowers made the room look pretty, but was such a hassle trying to get them home. I didn't feel like food for days after giving birth, do didn't eat anything brought in for me really. My favourite gift was a me-to-you bear that said congratulations, but then again I love teddies

 

[lucy_x]

Quite frankly i would LOVE some bath stuff, particularly made for post partum healing

 

[xSin]

I love love love the idea of a hired cleaning lady although simply going over and doing the cleaning yourself serves double purpose... Cleaning gets done, visiting can be done after cleaning and you can offer to watch baby long enough for mum to shower.

 

[Harley Quinn]

I would have enjoyed getting anything... No one sent/brought any gifts to us. But if they did, I would have LOVED fresh fruit. I craved it so bad those first few weeks. And as someone already said, bringing a food that was off-limits while she was pregnant would also be a great idea. Maybe ask her what she has missed eating the most or what she would pick for her first post-deliver meal and bring that.

 

[caggimedicine]

Balloons drove me mad - they hung around for weeks getting in the way lol!
We appreciated food gifts... of the homemade meal variety! Having someone bring you a container full of chilli for example that you could just whack in the microwave was SOOO much more appreciated than a balloon or flowers.

 

[Betheney]

Actually i was given a gift voucher from my MIL and she told me to buy a new pair of pyjamas for being a new mummy. I didn't buy pyjamas i bought a brand new dress that i never would of justified the money for without the gift voucher (which payed for half). But it was a perfect maxi dress for a post baby body and i wore it to my work x-mas party at 10days post partum. I know you are justified in still wearing maternity wear after pregnancy and i still did. But i just wanted to wear something normal to my xmas party.

It's hard to know what you will look like post partum when you're pregnant, as you may have gained weight and it's hard to imagine what your body will look like without the belly. So being able to go out and buy a brand new dress that was perfect for my body at the time and to look what i felt was actually pretty good. Was a wonderful feeling.