The expectant mom will probably get lots of blankets, onesies, bibs, and toys from friends and family. Here are some gifts for mom herself to help her relax, enjoy her pregnancy and cherish this momentous time in her life.
1.You can never have enough pregnancy and baby books, especially for the first time mom. There is a wealth of information available for parents, pre- and postnatal. Some popular titles are What to Expect When You’re Expecting by Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg, and Sandee Hathaway and Your Pregnancy Week by Week by Glade B. Curtis and Judith Schuler. Another nice book is Eating for Pregnancy: An Essential Guide to Nutrition with Recipes for the Whole Family by Catherine Cheremeteff Jones and perinatal nutritionist Rose Ann Hudson. It provides well-rounded information on dietary needs including requirements of diabetic, vegetarian and vegan diets. It includes recipes for breakfast, soups and sandwiches, salads, mains, and desserts and snacks.
2. Prenatal yoga keeps you flexible, tones muscles, and improves balance and circulation, with little impact on your joints. It also helps you learn to breathe deeply and relax, which is essential for labor, birth, and motherhood. There are many prenatal yoga DVDs out there but a few that are highly rated are Sara Holiday’s Prenatal Yoga: Second Trimester and Third Trimester and Prenatal Yoga: A Complete Home Practice for a Healthy Mother and Baby. Both are developed to give a thorough workout with different levels of difficulty and without putting undue strain on the mother.
3. Pregnant mom needs clothes that are comfortable. Pretty lounge wear and active wear that can be worn around the house, when exercising, running errands or at the hospital for the big day; is a useful and thoughtful gift. There are attractive outfits that feel like pajamas but look stylish which can be bought inexpensively at stores such as Target and select Old Navy stores.
4. It can be hard to get a good night’s sleep throughout pregnancy. Pillows designed especially for pregnant women can make sleeping more comfortable by supporting the growing belly, the back, or both. These pillows can be found at large discount stores such as Wal*Mart for $20 to $50.
5. A woman’s body is definitely put through its paces during pregnancy. Everything is thrown out of whack, including your stomach and taste buds. There are a few foods and beverages that can settle a stomach and help digestion. Put together a pretty basket filled with ginger snaps and small bottles of ginger ale, a jar of pickles (is a bit tongue-in-cheek but has actually been found to help ease nausea), plain crackers, oranges, and peppermint tea.
6. Put together a spa kit in a basket or diaper bag. Fill it with lavender scented items such as shower gel, foot soak, stretch mark cream, and massage oil. Throw in a scrubbing bath glove, lavender filled eye mask, lavender candle, and herbal teas and you have a kit to help ensure evenings of relaxation for mommy-to-be. For a truly indulgent gift, buy a gift certificate for a day or half-day of pampering at a local spa. This can include a massage, facial, manicure or pedicure.
7. Another gift that can help with relaxation are meditation and peaceful music CDs. I’ve enjoyed (and fallen asleep to) several from Steven Halpern and Dr. Jeffrey Thompson. There are also pregnancy and baby-specific CDs such as Mothers Melody~One Heart: Healing Flute Lullabies For Babies, Prenatal Music For Pregnancy, Labor, Through Infancy.
9. There are very cute Christmas ornaments portraying pregnant figures, storks, and babies that can be easily personalized with a paint pen. You can write in the parents’ names, the baby’s name (if one has been decided on and the sex is known), or the due date.
10. A belly cast is a truly unique gift that creates a lasting memory of this momentous time in a woman’s life. A kit ranges in price from around $13 to $50 and include casting material, Vaseline, drop cloth, latex-free gloves, sanding screen, and instructions. They can be found on the internet and in stores such as Burlington Coat Factory.
