Dawn asks:
I was wondering if you had any recommendations for gifts for new Moms; not really baby-stuff for new moms, but Mom-stuff for new Moms so she gets a bit of attention, too. I wanted to get the Mom something, just for her, like a pampering-type gift or a helpful book or... something. I was thinking about a spa or mani-pedi gift certificate, but (1) I don't know what's around the area she lives and (2) I imagine it's difficult to get out of the house with a newborn, even if you want to.
It sounds like you want to get the new mom a post-baby gift (not a still-pregnant gift) and that she lives far away from you. I have a few suggestions, each with a different level of commitment on your part.
Meal Delivery - High Level of Effort, Low to Moderate Cost
When I was on maternity leave, not only was I sleep-deprived, but I also was so in love with my baby, all I wanted to do all day was hold her. I was super grateful whenever anyone brought food over to the house. I didn't even care what it was. I suggest doing a little bit of online research (you could try Yelp, but the amount of review there varies greatly by area) and finding out a few places that deliver in her area. Large chains would be best because then you could buy gift certificates online or in your own area and mail them to her. Seriously, I would have eaten pizza every night if I'd had gift certificates for it.
House Cleaning - Moderate Level of Effort, High Cost
This one can be pricey ($100-$200 depending on the size of the house) but if you are willing to foot the bill and your friend isn't super anal-retentive, this is a FANTASTIC gift. I guarantee the new mom is falling behind in the housework and hates the fact that she is. Merry Maids, Molly Maid, Maid Brigade... it should be pretty easy to find a chain in your friend's area.
Gift Cards - Low Level of Effort, Low to High Cost
Everyone is feeling a bit of a financial pinch these days and it is exacerbated by having a new baby. If you work, you are probably only receiving a portion of your pay while on maternity leave and that is probably only for the first half of your leave. Whether you work or not, you now have the added expenses that come with a new baby. I wasn't as concerned about pampering myself as I was about making sure we could pay all our bills during my maternity leave. I was so grateful for the gift cards that I received at my shower and after the baby was born. The ones for Babies R Us were great, but the ones for Target were better, because I could use them for baby stuff or household stuff or personal stuff - whatever I happened to need at the moment. If your friend has a Target, K-Mart or Wal-Mart nearby, you really can't go wrong with a sweet card addressed to her with a gift card tucked inside. You could even send the gift card separately because you can order that online. (I linked directly to the gift card pages for all those stores.)
DVDs - Low Effort, Low to Moderate Cost
I don't think I read many books while on maternity leave, but I watched a lot of TV. A great DVD for a new mom is Happiest Baby on the Block. Every single new mom should have that DVD even if they already have the book. A gift membership to Netflix would be fantastic. Your friend wouldn't have to leave the house and she would be able to have some variety in television viewing. (I saw every single episode of Everybody Loves Raymond in reruns during the three months of my maternity leave. I don't even like that show.)
Now that I wrote all this, I think the Netflix thing is the way to go unless you know your friend needs some financial help, then I would go with the Target or Wal-Mart gift card.
(Dawn said she had already checked out my First-Time Mom Must-Haves list, but that is another place to look for gifts that have more to do with the baby.)
