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With the holidays on the horizon, we’ve added steamy soup dumplings, a healing moisturizer, and a well-curated book subscription. Down Scarf
Becoming a parent can be a wonderful time and a mixed bag of emotions. People transition to parenthood in many different ways, experiencing everything from exhaustion to elation (sometimes in the same hour). Between struggles with latching, nighttime shifts, and that postpartum pelvic floor, early motherhood can take a toll on one’s body, sleep, and sense of self—all while bringing delight, wonder, and boundless love. It’s a time when a mom really needs support. If you’re looking for ways to celebrate, pamper, and lovingly help during those strenuous early days, we’ve gathered gift suggestions from parents on our staff that will delight any new mom.
With Book of the Month, subscribers can choose one of five to seven books thoughtfully curated from new releases.
Those bleary-eyed early months of motherhood bring a flurry of new responsibilities, but the role also involves a lot of sitting around to nurse, pump, or hold a bottle. Staff writer Samantha Schoech reports that she read more in the first two months of her kids’ lives than she has since. Most new moms don’t have the time—or two free arms and a torso—to do much else. For Book of the Month, a panel of literary experts narrows down an overwhelming volume of new monthly book releases to five to seven standouts. Subscribers have about three weeks to make a selection that is then delivered to their door. And if the new mom you’re shopping for has a super-drowsy stretch, there’s no shame pile-up; she can just skip a month.
This skin-care treat is perfect for soothing winter dryness and skin flare-ups.
Between diapers, spit-up, and newborns’ delicate immune systems, parenthood means a whole new level of handwashing. Your gift recipient can keep her hands, feet, and everything else supple with the intensively moisturizing Weleda Skin Food Original Ultra-Rich Cream, both a longtime Wirecutter staff favorite and a beauty classic. The subtly scented cream combines powerful moisturizers (lanolin, beeswax, sweet almond and sunflower seed oils) that prevent water loss with soothing botanicals (chamomile, viola tricolor, calendula).
These delectable, frozen soup dumplings—from a Seattle company founded by second-generation Chinese Americans—steam up sumptuously in minutes.
The last thing a new mom wants to even think about is cooking. Take care of both the physical and cognitive labor by having restaurant-level dim sum delivered to her doorstep. The superb MìLà Soup Dumplings—choose from pork, chicken, or pork and shrimp—are shipped in 50-piece bags frozen on dry ice and are available either as a one-time order or a subscription. They steam up pillowy and juicy in just a few minutes, fresher than soggy delivery. Include a bamboo steamer basket ($30) if she doesn’t already have one; each generous bag contains perforated steamer liners that prevent the little jewels from sticking or rupturing.
This BPA-free plastic water bottle is one of our favorites. Its leakproof pop-up straw makes it excellent for one-handed sipping.
Nursing a baby can induce newfound levels of hunger and thirst, as can caring for a formula-fed infant. Maybe the new mom you love has heard about the TikTok-famous Stanley Adventure Quencher Travel Tumbler, but we prefer the CamelBak Eddy+, which also has a built-in, leakproof straw for one-handed sipping. It’s less tippy than the top-heavy Stanley tumbler, it fits in a car cup holder, and it comes in a range of great colors. Available in 20-, 25-, and 32-ounce sizes, it’s one of our favorite water bottles.
These petite gold huggie hoops made from recycled jewelry and electronics are comfortable enough to sleep in and small enough to evade the grasp of tiny hands.
Once babies start grabbing things, big jewelry is out. Ungraspable and timeless huggie hoops to the rescue. Automic Gold’s Mini Seamless Huggie Hoops are made in New York from 14-karat yellow, white, or rose gold upcycled from old electronics and jewelry. The hoops clasp with an invisible lock; you just need to feel the open edge with a fingertip before pulling them open and shut. That seamless construction makes them comfortable enough to sleep in, too—especially handy when one is catching some z’s any way they can.
This gift box streamlines shopping by allowing you to choose five items from a list of small gifts like tea, lip balm, and socks. Each box also includes a $2 donation to a charity of your choice.
The mix-and-match Care Crates Build-a-Box is one of our favorite care packages because you can fill it with five small presents—things that are wearable, comfortable, fun, indulgent, and wholesome—from a well-curated selection. In addition to being personalized and easy to assemble, each Care Crates box includes a $2 donation to one of a long list of nonprofits; gifters can choose to add more to that donation, too. For a new mom, we suggest the velvet scrunchie for easily tying back unwashed hair, the leather notebook for jotting down memories and schedules, the chamomile mint tea for chilling out, and the mint lip balm for feeling human. But maybe she’s more of a confetti-popper and gold-chain kind of person. That’s the beauty of this box: The combinations are nearly endless.
Kiddos love the over-the-shoulder view from the snug seat of this carrier. Parents love the comfort of its well-padded shoulder and hip straps, as well as the roomy storage compartment and easy-access pockets.
If you’re looking for something that likely wasn’t on the new mom’s registry but will be useful in the coming year, consider a great hiking backpack that she can use on outdoorsy romps or even walks to the corner store. Padded shoulder straps and a generous hip belt made the Deuter Kid Comfort the most comfortable of the hiking baby carriers we tried, but we also appreciate all of its parent-friendly extras. It has generous pockets in the hip belt for easy access to phones and wallets, and it offers enough pockets and pouches to tote all the diaper-bag essentials. The little one will enjoy the elevated and secure padded seat, the removable napping pillow, the optional sunshade, and the view of the great outdoors. Because the aluminum frame is adjustable, taller and shorter parents or caregivers can easily take turns wearing it.
Terra-cotta pots nestled in handblown glass containers slowly absorb water, moisten soil, and eliminate the need for diligent hydration schedules.
She doesn’t need another thing to take care of. The modern Self-Watering Wet Pot Planter will help her cross “keep the plants alive” off her list. Fill the handblown glass outer container with water, and the terra-cotta planter slowly soaks it up, giving indoor plants the drink they need. It comes in three sizes and works best for plants that prefer to stay moist like spider plants or philodendrons.
This necklace has a dainty 14-karat gold initial, and it can accommodate new letters to honor a growing family.
If you’re looking for a timeless piece to last long after the days of swaddles and sleep regressions, we suggest the 14k Gold Asymmetrical Initial Necklace from Los Angeles–based jeweler Zoe Lev. Each necklace is forged from recycled yellow, white, or rose gold. It’s likely to become the kind of piece she never takes off. The sideways initial in a sans serif font has a modern appeal that’s classic enough to fit a range of styles. Zoe Lev also offers repairs and alterations—such as adding another initial down the road—for a nominal fee.
This warts-and-all illustrated book about the first seven years of motherhood isn’t a prescriptive parenting guide but rather an understanding and affirmative celebration of motherhood.
Being a mom is not an experience that one can sum up in a sentence, a paragraph, or even a book. But doctor, mother, and author Grace Farris sure gives it a shot in her illustrated manual, Mom Milestones, an extension of her Instagram account, where she posts warm and incisive sketches about her humbling parenthood experiences. It tracks a mother’s evolution from Newborn Mom to Elementary School Mom, with pithy reflections such as “Notes I Would Send Myself” and “Tricks That Don’t Work.” This is an affirming read for new moms in particular, a literary road map of the very hard but very good path that lies ahead.
This giant claw keeps messy hair under control and comes in an array of cute colors. It’s not cheap, but it is reliably sturdy and crack resistant.
Hair claws are having a renaissance, and no demographic is better suited to embracing the trend than newly anointed moms. The Emi Jay Big Effing Clip is mom and senior editor Catherine Kast’s favorite clip for a few reasons: It’s huge, sturdy, and crack resistant, and it comes in a ton of fun shades and finishes. And it’s versatile enough for every stage of new-momhood, from the stage where the new mom doesn’t wash her hair to the stage where the little one pulls out her hair to the stage where she finally ventures out on her first, much-needed date night.
This vibrant mix of seasonal tropical fruit brings a sunny vacation right to a loved one’s door.
New moms should eat whatever they want, whether that’s heaps of butterscotch pudding or turkey avocado clubs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But once some of the post-labor food frenzy settles, she’ll likely want to nourish her body with foods that are both sweet and healthful. That’s why one of our favorite gift baskets, the Miami Fruit Variety Box, is a thoughtful gesture. Each shipment of farm-grown goods features tropical fruits such as kumquat, persimmon, and dragonfruit, alongside lesser-known finds like granadilla, goldenberry, and naranjilla. Another upside: Fruits require no preparation and can be eaten with one hand.
These reimagined classic slip-ons are made from a soft, lightweight type of elastic plastic that is totally machine washable.
Many new moms don’t have the time—or the core strength—to bend over and tie laces before running out the door. For an easier footwear option, give them one of our favorite sandals, the Birkenstock Arizona Essentials EVA. These comfortable slides are made from ethylene-vinyl acetate (hence the name), so they’re waterproof, extremely lightweight, and even machine washable. Depending on your gift recipient’s style, you can choose from several bright colors or more-subdued neutrals.
Stocked with covetable and comfortable maternity and postpartum clothing, Kindred Bravely comes highly recommended by Wirecutter moms.
Nursing clothes are expensive, and very seldom does a mom receive exactly the item she wants in exactly the size she needs. Eliminate the guesswork and give her a gift card to Kindred Bravely, the online maternity and nursing store most recommended by Wirecutter moms. It offers a great range of clothes and gear, including cozy pajama sets, practical-chic T-shirt dresses, and some of the best nursing bras out there: The Kindred Bravely French Terry Racerback is one of our top nursing-bra picks.
This picnic blanket earns its hefty price tag, as it’s waterproof, spill resistant, and capable of going through both the washer and dryer.
One of our favorite picnic blankets from testing, the luxurious Yeti Lowlands Blanket is perfect for park dates and backyard hangouts with new babies. It feels as soft as a comforter, yet it can also withstand food spills or bodily leaks, thanks to a waterproof underside and a spill-resistant top. When the blanket eventually does get messy, your gift recipient can throw it into the washer and dryer (this is the only picnic blanket we tested that can tolerate both). And it folds into a handheld carrying case (9 by 9 by 5 inches) for easy transportation in a stroller or car.
It couldn’t be easier to make one of these photo books on the Chatbooks site. Customize it with different layouts, cover styles, and captions. Chatbooks offers a monthly subscription service, too.
If you can’t narrow it down to a single printed and framed photo, consider giving a photo book (or a subscription for a monthly book) printed by Chatbooks, one of our favorite services for personalized photo gifts. The process is simple. The service draws up to 366 photos from a given social media account (Facebook, Instagram, or Flickr), or you can upload images from a personal computer. Then the service prints out a book in your choice of size, softcover or hardcover, and color, displaying a single photo per page. (The first 30 photos are included in the base rate of $15; each additional photo adds to the price.) Chatbooks will even replace books if a toddler happens to “love” one too much. The caveat: Though Chatbooks is by far the cheapest photo-book service, it offers less customization. If you’d like something with more edit control and themed layouts, consider using Mixbook, our top-pick photo-book service.
The snug but soft cups of this eye mask make it the best room-darkening mask we tried.
A tired new mom often has only a brief window of time for a nap. A number of accessories can help keep disturbances out: Pair our favorite white noise machine (the LectroFan EVO) with our favorite earplugs (Mack’s Slim Fit Soft Foam Earplugs) and the best room-darkening eye mask (the Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask). This kit should help a new mom drown out any distracting light or noise, so she can get at least a little rest. You could also give her a pair of noise-cancelling headphones, so she can have some blissful quiet time to herself for reading or otherwise relaxing.
This drapey, lightweight robe works for all seasons, doesn’t cause overheating, and feels way more expensive than it actually is. The slit pockets are especially nice.
A comfy robe is a great gift for a new parent who’s spending time at home with a newborn. This is an easy, comfy item to throw on, and it’s also convenient for breastfeeding or pumping. In our guide to the best robes, we suggest several options, but parents on staff especially loved the Natori Shangri-La Robe for its exceptionally soft and drapey fabric. If you think the new mom in your life would like something a bit more plush or with more structure, Restoration Hardware’s Luxury Plush Long Robe is the coziest robe we recommend.
Our favorite online framing service has a simple-to-use interface, offers dozens of traditional and artsy frame styles, and guarantees all of its work.
Cherished events deserve to be memorialized, so consider giving the new mom in your life a framed family photo, a print of tiny footprints, or another memento from their first few months with their new baby. Our favorite online framer, Framebridge, has services for printing and framing digital photos or original art.
This gigantic cotton scarf works as a drapey statement piece or an impromptu picnic blanket, sunshade, fort, or nursing cover. It comes in 35 colors and is machine washable.
A big, soft scarf may be one of the most underrated gifts for new moms, according to some of the parents on our staff. Scarf Shop offers a range of great neckwear options, but its Cotton Giant scarf is the best choice for people who have babies. Measuring 108 by 54 inches, it’s large enough to cover a stroller or a car seat on a particularly sunny day, and in a pinch it also works as a nursing cover or an impromptu picnic blanket. This cotton scarf has a gauzy transparency when unfolded, but it easily doubles up for a more-opaque look. It’s available in 45 colors and—most important for new parents—machine washable.
The sheer versatility of these gauzy swaddles makes them a parent favorite. Yes, you can use them to wrap a baby like a burrito, but they also come in clutch as napkins, sunshades, and picnic blankets.
May be out of stock
Numerous Wirecutter parents recommend giving Aden + Anais Swaddles as a gift for new moms. They’re attractive and versatile, and they can serve as nursing covers, burp cloths, and lightweight blankets. Senior editor Harry Sawyers reports that his Aden + Anais swaddles lasted seven years, across three kids. He recommends giving a set of three since at least one of them will likely be dirty at any given time.
These supple and sturdy cotton sheets are one of our perennial picks in part because they feel way more luxurious than their price.
Wirecutter senior editor and parent Courtney Schley recommends giving new moms a set of sheets around the time a baby arrives. With all the dribbles, leaks, and other mishaps, new parents will likely be swapping out bed linens more often than they are accustomed to. L.L.Bean’s 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets, which have been a Wirecutter pick for nine years, are especially soft and feel luxurious on a bed. They’re also durable and capable of withstanding even the most frequent wash-dry-repeat cycle. Another tip: Choose a darker hue so every spill and spit-up doesn’t show.
Although overwhelmed new moms might find the recipes a bit much, a partner could use this cookbook for ideas on how to help nourish her postpartum body.
Focusing on the traditional Chinese practice of postpartum nutrition—based on the principle that during the 40 days after giving birth, a mom should focus on healing and bonding with her new baby—The First Forty Days includes 60 recipes, plans to help prepare for the baby’s arrival, and advice on navigating relationships postpartum. The book is a bit niche, but it has a worthy message: New moms deserve time to take care of themselves, and they shouldn’t be afraid to welcome help from family and friends. If you want to show your support and can’t be in person to prep meals for the new mom, another good idea is to organize a meal train: Take turns providing meals for the new mom, whether you drop off a lasagna at her doorstep or order her takeout from her favorite spot.
Easy ordering and stylish bouquets make this our pick for the best flower delivery service. You can choose from three sizes. The Bouqs Company will reliably deliver anywhere in the country.
Flowers are always a welcome source of beauty. And for someone who may be spending more time at home than they’re used to, fresh blooms on the table can make a big impact. The Bouqs Company, our pick for the best online flower delivery service, offers subscriptions of classic or seasonal arrangements that arrive weekly, twice monthly, or monthly. The first bouquet comes with a simple, clear glass vase, but you could also buy a new mom a handblown Aurora Pill Vase to house the forthcoming bounty of blossoms.
If the city she lives in is serviced by GrubHub, a Seamless gift card funds the easy delivery of food and grocery items during a time when running errands is too laborious.
When we talked to moms about what they wished they’d received after having their babies, the answer we heard the most was “a meal I don’t have to cook.” Get the new mom in your life a gift card to a meal-delivery service such as Seamless, and she can pick what to order and when. It’s an especially good choice for the new mom who doesn’t have a huge team of relatives and friends nearby to help out, as well as for the person who would prefer to choose her own meals rather than eating whatever her loved ones dropped off.
Extra-creamy best-selling flavors from a renowned ice cream maker will delight the 6-year-old in just about anyone.
A frozen-dessert collection gives a new mom something to look forward to for many weeks (or days, whatever). One of the best we’ve tried is from Ohio’s hyper-popular (and woman-owned) Jeni’s. The Best Sellers Collection includes five pints with flavors such as Brambleberry Crisp and Salty Caramel, though Jeni’s also has some lactose-free options for dairy-abstaining folks. This ice cream’s extra-creamy consistency and unique flavors make it worth shipping across the country (which costs $10 to $20).
We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend.
This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter. Dorie Chevlen contributed reporting.
Except for the time she gave a boyfriend her mother’s old toaster for Christmas, staff writer Samantha Schoech has a reputation as an excellent gift giver. She lives in San Francisco with two teens, two cats, a geriatric betta fish, and a bookseller husband. Her first book of short stories, My Mother’s Boyfriends, is coming out in 2024.
Mari Uyehara is a staff writer for Wirecutter’s gifts team. She was previously an editor at GQ, Saveur, and Vice, and she won a 2019 James Beard Award for her column on American cooking in Taste. The daughter of a potter, she has long been a believer in the power of a well-made thing.
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Down Scarf Supplier Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).