The completely selfish, not at all for the baby Baby Shower Wishlist
18 months into it and on to growing the next one… has me thinking a lot about things to get when expecting! But also reflecting on things for me that would have been equally welcomed in the Baby Shower spoils. Now new babies do need things, and being gifted such things is SO appreciated and helpful (and I’ve previously share some of my favourite Baby Shower Gifts here) so this is an admittedly selfish list of things if you’re looking for something to spoil your friend and not just their new little human.
**But also, here’s a reminder that new moms always need to hear – being that little bit “selfish” and making sure your cup feels fuller is only going to make you a better parent and new parenting more enjoyable. And it is our job as friends to make sure we’re supporting that new parent and not just oohing and aahhing at the adorable small human they’ve made.**
- Concealer. Lol I know, but for reals. My concealer usage really upped its game postpartum! I’m not a massive do your make-up every day girl – and never had a job that required daily full face, but definitely having a quick little go-to helped me feel a bit more like myself and like I vaguely had my day together. Tinted moisturiser + concealer + blush = oh look, not a zombie. Unless you know your friend really well, I’d probably go with something like a Sephora (or similar) voucher – something with lots of options and online shopping! (You might have noticed I didn’t say mascara – I actually got lash extensions on my due date in anticipation of wanting to look alive with minimal effort – I’m not going to make this a general recommendation as getting extensions that pregnant is massively uncomfortable however I will totally do it again this time around! Although maybe a more natural extension – did I go a bit dramatic? Maybe).
- Mani/Pedi voucher. Even better if it comes with your company! My first outing leaving Sawyer at home was to get my nails done. I made sure it was somewhere close to where I live and fed Sawyer just before leaving. It was great for my partner to have some solo parenting time and a wonderful little time just for me.
- Coffee voucher. Fourth Trimester for me was a lot of walks outside and a lot of cups of coffee. Sometimes I took Sawyer to the coffeeshop, sometimes I had a little me time (I was blessed with some help to be able to do this). It was so good for my mental health. It also wasn’t just coffee, it was a lot of pastries too!
- Family Photoshoot. Ok, this one includes the baby. We did a mini photoshoot with Jenna Louise Potter Photography when Sawyer was about 10 weeks old and I just adore the images – it was really hard to narrow down which ones to get! A lot of photographers – Jenna included – offer packages for maternity, fresh 48, newborn, general family shoots etc and these are a great group gift to give! It can be hard to get ready for a photoshoot with a newborn – I didn’t have time to wash my hair for ours, gah – but also these photos don’t need to be perfect, they just need to be love-filled. Many moms also find that they’re often the ones behind the camera and not often enough in the photos. You need the photos mama. <friend note: take photos of your friends with their kids!>
- Lululemon voucher. Nothing says welcome to the mom club like just living your life in your activewear. Note: you are under no obligation to join the activewear all the time club – wear the clothes that are you and spark you joy. BUT, there’s this pair of leggings I have. I’m wearing them right now as I type this. They are magical leggings. They are the only pair that are always comfortable and always fit no matter what stage of just me, pregnant or postpartum I am i.e. they are wonderful. I could do with more non-judgemental leggings like this.
- Really great pajamas. I think this was my great fourth trimester takeaway: let your PJs spark joy. Embrace the rest and recovery that is so vital at this time, but you don’t have to feel drab about it. It’s the tiny things that often help us with our mental health. Life is too short for meh sleepwear.
