Postpartum Gift Basket

So your friend is about to have a baby and you want to bring her something useful after baby is born - or maybe you’re over the pink and yellow and blue typical frills of babyshowers and want to get her something for her. Something practical. Something she will really need in those first weeks after baby is born. Here’s a list of fantastic, practical items that you can include in a gift basket or goodie bag to bring to your new-momma bestie!

Lactation Tea

​​There is a variety of different teas that can help increase milk supply! Mother ​​Milk tea is carried in most grocery stores and many herbal specialty or health food stores will carry some variation of the Mother Milk tea. All are excellent options OR (especially if your friend isn’t into the taste of anise ::ahemBlackLicorice::), you can put together your own Momma Milk Tea!

If you’re giving her a loose leaf tea variety, be sure to include a tea ball infuser or a muslin tea bag and an insulated mug with a lid can be extra useful in those first few weeks.

Nipple Cream

If you’ve ever glanced at the selection of nipple cream/butter/salve options at your local healthfood store, you’ll know that it can be overwhelming. Don’t let that put you off! Nipple cream can help to make a breastfeeding relationship successful while mom and baby learn how to latch and nurse exactly right! Wild Carrot Nipple Cream is one of the less expensive options and certainly does not lack in quality! Earth Mama Angel Baby and Mother Love are equally excellent choices, however they can be on the more expensive end of things.

Lanolin - While Lanolin is the traditional “go-to,” it has been expressed by many mothers that some babies are put off by the taste and will reject the breast if there are any traces of the oil. Additionally, for your vegan friends, it’s something you’ll want to make sure to avoid.

Sitz Bath Tea

A “sitz bath” is essentially a bath for one’s bum. A sitz bath can help with things like hemorrhoids or tearing from childbirth. While just plain water can be soothing, there are also bath teas that can help encourage healing and be soothing at the same time! Again, Wild Carrot is a less expensive and still quality option! Earth Mama Angel Baby also makes a great sitz bath tea and there are loose leaf tea options as well! Again, if you’re going the loose-leaf tea route, be sure to include a large muslin tea bag for steeping!

Witch Hazel and Aloe Gel (and giant night-time pads)

A quick pinterest search on postpartum healing will reveal the nifty and effective practice of putting witch hazel and aloe gel on pads and then putting them in the refrigerator or freezer. Tearing or not, any vaginal delivery will leave mom with swelling and bruising and those cold pads are some of the most soothing things imaginable.

Water Bottle and Netflix Subscription

If you’ve ever nursed a baby, you’ll know that breastfeeding can cause a sudden thirst that feels as desperate as having been trapped on a desert island for two days with no water (or so I would imagine). Having a giant, reusable water bottle can save the day - six to eight times a day as baby asks to nurse! Also, double check that she has a netflix subscription! While she and baby are resting and getting to know one another, it’s nice to have some distraction while baby dozes for an hour or two at a time!

Lactation Cookies

If baking is up your alley, lactation cookies are an awesome gift to bring any nursing mom at any stage of breastfeeding her little one(s). You can find a recipe here!

#postpartum #babyshower #giftbasket #selfcare #newmother #breastfeeding #childbirth