Motherhood is a major milestone, and for new parents, adding a member to the family is a time of great joy and excitement, but there also many specialized products that new mothers will need for their infant. Often, baby showers are a good time for an expecting mother to receive gifts from friends and family for the expected newborn, and even after the child is born, family and friends can provide for the new parents. What do newborns need? Which premium baby gifts are ideal?
Motherhood Trends
Becoming a new mother is a major part of demographics and studying trends in birth rates and household sizes, among other industries, so it is something that local and statewide governments and other agencies keep careful track of. For example, one trend shows that more women are becoming new mothers in recent years. In the year 2006, for example, a woman had, on average, 1.86 children, but as of 2016, the number had grown to 2.07. And plenty of these mothers are working; as of 2015, around 70% of mothers who had kids under age 18 were in the American labor force. And in the case of two parent households in the United States, 46% of them had both parents working full time jobs.
Getting a Gift
All these new mothers need many different products for the newest member of their families, and the good news is, friends and family have many different products to choose from to gift to the new or expecting mothers. A few are actually for the mother’s use, and the rest are for the baby itself.
For daytime napping and relaxation, newborns, or at least babies under one year old, may appreciate a baby blanket gift, such as a cashmere baby blanket for texture and softness, if the gift buyer is interested in giving a higher end gift. Other high end gifts are solid options for those willing to spend, such as breastfeeding wraps. These are slings of fabric meant to hold the child close to the mother’s chest while breastfeeding, and are meant to be comfortable for baby and mother alike. These premium baby gifts can be luxurious if desired, and come in a variety of colors and materials, as well as features. Some may have pockets for the mother’s accessories like a cell phone, as well as pockets for a baby bottle or anything else. There are even slings in gender neutral colors for both the mother and father to use, and new dads may find convenience in carrying their newborns around these slings, leaving their hands free.
According to Very Well Family, many more premium baby gifts are out there for new mothers. One festive item is wood milestone age blocks, where a few large wooden blocks are painted with numbers and blue or pink (or sometimes gender neutral colors too) as well as labels like “weeks” or “years” or even “grade,” so these blocks can be used to track anything from the mother’s pregnancy to the baby’s first year (week by week) or, when the child is older, how many years old he or she is, and what grade level they are in. Parents can share the current status of their milestone blocks on social media, too.
Organic cotton or fleece baby bibs are another idea for premium baby gifts. They can have different patterns on them, and they are comfortable for the baby and also help contain messes during mealtimes. Bigger models are available for when the baby grows into a young toddler.
For mothers, premium baby gifts may include diaper bags. These bags have enough pockets for diapers, baby bottles, wipes, and many other items, while it leaves the mother’s hands and arms free for carrying around a stroller or car seat. The mother’s own belongings, such as cell phones, laptops, and books can fit inside as well, making it useful even after the child outgrows diapers.
