Confession: I’m not actually a huge fan of baby showers. I’ve attended, I’ve had them thrown for me, and I’ve thrown them. While I am INCREDIBLY grateful that my children have been able to be celebrated and gifted with things before they even arrived, the whole song and dance gets me.
We “ooh” and “aah” over onesies, socks and baby hats and mom ends up with an abundance of things she must pop in her trunk and take back to Target. Gift receipts are a must, people.
If you’re looking to go off-registry, here are some fun and unconventional ideas to consider for gifts!
Birth Photography
Capturing the moments leading up to and directly after the birth has always been important. Nowadays, more and more people are hiring professionals who are intimately familiar with birth to catch them. The gorgeous photos and memories will last a lifetime. (Just be sure you hire someone with experience in birth specifically!)
House Cleaning Service
Purchasing one or two cleaning sessions with a local company could mean the difference between a stressed mom and a calm mom! It’s always a good idea to give your house a deep clean right before baby comes but sometimes not even supernatural nesting energy can make a 35+ week pregnant woman power through all the sweeping and wiping. Hire it out for her as a gift. She’ll be glad you did.
Birth Doula Services
The concept of professional labor support has been out of the mainstream until recently. The stereotype has been that birth doulas are only for one type of birth. Kansas City has recently been fortunate to have an influx of doulas who don’t believe that to be true! No matter what type of birth the special pregnant woman in your life desires, unbiased support and planning is incredibly helpful and beneficial.
Postpartum Doula Services
A Postpartum Doula is professional support on the back end of pregnancy. From dishes to laundry, proper newborn care to working overnight so everyone gets sleep, the support of a Postpartum Doula is invaluable. Consider it like giving the ultimate expert baby book… except she cooks and can help you with breastfeeding, too!
Feed Her Freezer
One of my absolute favorite things to bless new moms with is a bounty of frozen meals. When the meal trains stop (or if they never began) mom still needs to eat! Assembling simple freezer meals and giving them as a gift is a way to ensure the whole family is well taken care of. In my opinion, that beats a burp cloth any day!
Sometimes buying something your new mama hasn’t registered for can send her straight back to the store for a gift card. Armed with these ideas, you can rest assured you’ll be the most unique gift giver there!
