This Is What New Moms Really Want This Valentine's Day

Receiving a piece of jewelry with her baby’s first initial seems like a rite of passage for most new moms. This initial tag necklace from Ten Wilde looks elevated without breaking the bank, and it’s available in two lengths (18 or 20 inches). If she’s more into astrology (or she already has an initial piece), there are also cute zodiac necklaces available from the brand.

There’s no such thing as bad chocolate, but some bars are more elevated than others. If Mom has a taste for interesting flavor combos, she’ll really enjoy this sampler of Casa Bosques Chocolates’ best-selling flavors. The set includes six mini bars: pink peppercorn, puffed quinoa, sea salt, cardamom, pure dark, and cacao nibs.

While a gift to the spa or hair salon may be well-intentioned, what new moms could really use are products that make her home shower feel a little more special. In those early days, showers are something holy: They’re a place where she can cry, get clean, and not hear the baby cry. This shampoo from Ouai not only smells amazing, but the detox formula removes build-up from the scalp so hair looks cleaner for longer, which is good news for someone who may be stretching out the time between showers.

In the haze of new parenthood, it’s all too easy to forget your wallet or keys when swapping between the diaper bag and a purse. This Lululemon dual pouch wristlet is perfect for keeping all her essentials together and can be carried as is or tossed into whatever bag she needs that day. The pouches detach too, so if she just needs her cards and license that day, she can leave the rest at home.

She’ll be able to listen to podcasts in the middle of the night without disturbing her nursing baby (or her spouse who is in a rage-inducing deep sleep) with these noise-cancelling headphones from Bose. These high-tech earbuds learn the unique contours of your ear and optimize their sound performance for your anatomy. These will be a must-have if she decides to sleep train with cry it out, too.

Channel a very chic teddy bear with this sherpa robe from Monica + Andy, which can definitely be worn outside for a quick stroll to check the mail. If the new mom you know is breastfeeding or pumping, a robe makes it easier to do that around the house, and she can tuck baby inside the soft fleece material so everyone stays cozy and warm while getting some skin-to-skin. Plus, the cream color is ideal for hiding spit-up.

Don’t buy your partner anything to maintain the house unless you know they’ve been longing for something in particular — a robot vacuum, for example. If Mom just wants the floors clean at all times and that would truly be the greatest gift, consider the Neato D9 vacuum. It captures fine dust and up to 99% of allergens, which she’ll appreciate whether she has a brand new baby or a little crawler who’s into everything. This model can clean up to 1,600 square feet on a single charge, with 200 minutes of runtime.

Winter is rough on the lips to begin with. Tack on the hormonal changes and dryness associated with breastfeeding and her mouth will be parched and flaky in no time. This hydrating lip treatment from Fleur & Bee is vegan, cruelty-free, and made with a base of castor seed and coconut oil that absorbs into the lips seamlessly. It’s also packaged in glass which means one less little plastic thing in the house.

Bodily’s Everything Bra comes in sizes small through XL. The nontoxic fabric is seriously soft and stretchy and feels kind of like your best worn-in T-shirt. The thick band around the ribs is supportive while still being comfy, and the bra comes in a bunch of pretty colors. If you’re looking for a luxe yet useful item she may not buy herself, The Everything Bra from Bodily is it.

Those first few months with a new baby can feel like a haze, and the new mom you love will cherish a gift that helps her capture special moments forever. A Fujifilm Instax camera is something fun she can use around the house or throw in the diaper bag for outings to snap pics of your new little family.

This Bombas sock-slipper hybrid is a must-have for new moms, even if she already has slippers. There’s nothing quite as daunting as carry a tiny baby down the stairs the first few times, and these are soft yet resilient with an anti-skid grip bottom that actually works. The small tab on the back makes it easy to pull these on and off, and they come in a ton of great colors. As a related side note, Bombas also makes socks for babies that somehow actually stay on.

Getting a blow out at the salon is pretty much impossible in those early days of motherhood, but this Blowout Pro Hair Kit from FoxyBae makes it easy to get shiny, bouncy results at home. It comes with a styling cream, heat protectant, and round blow dry brush. This will dry her hair and style it all at once, and she’ll appreciate the gift of feeling pretty and put-together.

Instead of classic Valentine’s Day roses, try a gift that keeps on giving: this flower delivery service. One of the cool things about a Bouqs subscription is that it’s super customizable: you pay by the stem (10-16 stems is $44, or you can go up from there) and you can decide how often you want delivery. The recipient can also choose to send their bouquet to someone else instead, a godsend for new moms who forgot a friend’s or in-law’s birthday.

Not all plain black leggings are created equal, and the Spanx EcoCare seamless ones are at the top of the food chain. They’re comfortable, have just the right amount of compression, and don’t stretch thin to where you can see through them if you bend over. In a world where leggings are likely going to become a wardrobe staple for her, she’ll really appreciate a nice pair like these.

Listen, breastfeeding can put a major demand on the body. She’s going to need more snacks and way more water than ever before. So, having something like the Owala FreeSip to keep nearby, that’ll keep her water ice-cold for like, an entire day, is just really nice. If she wants to refill it even less, it also comes in a 40-ounce option.

Having a newborn is stressful, and any product that helps her relax would make a great Valentine’s Day gift this year. Osea’s soothing bath oil is formulated with chamomile, juniper berry, lavender, lemon tea tree and Moroccan rosemary essential oils, a special blend meant to relax the body and mind. It also boasts botanical oils (like jojoba and avocado) to nourish and moisturize the skin.

Not quite a diaper bag or a purse, this roomy neoprene tote bag by POPUPS will instead become a go-to bag for all kinds of occasions. It’s waterproof and machine-washable (plus it air dries quickly), and it has snaps so it can open up wide or collapse into a smaller bag. Interior pockets plus a detachable mini bag keep everything organized. She can use this to schlep groceries (because it turns out it’s nearly impossible to wield a cart or hold a basket while pushing a stroller), a weekend trip, or a beach bag.

Chances are she’ll never turn down a nice, new blanket, and she’ll love using it to snuggle up with her baby on the sofa. This sweet knit throw from Pottery Barn looks like the perfect cozy weight, and it has a fuzzy side so you can choose your experience. There’s also a 100% chance Mom uses this as a backdrop for baby’s first Valentine’s Day photos.

If Mom doesn’t give a rip about what she looks like right now, more power to her. But if you think she’d be into a little travel-friendly cosmetics set she can throw in the diaper bag, her purse, or a gym bag, Oceanly’s Happy Berry Makeup Set is so cute. The trio includes a cream blush, highlighter, and lip gloss, all of which are vegan, cruelty-free, plastic-free, and dermatologically tested. So, they’re kind of a slam dunk.

Vuori’s clothing is made of some of of the stretchiest, softest material you can find, so a pair of their performance joggers would be ideal for a new mom who wants to be comfortable but still feel confident when family comes over to meet the baby or she takes the little one out on a stroll.

There are a few options to choose from if you’re buying a subscription for your voracious e-book reader. Between Kindle Unlimited, Audible, and Everand, Everand is the only one that offers access to e-books, magazines, podcasts, audiobooks, and even sheet music. New moms tend to rifle through podcasts and audiobooks while washing bottles and pump parts, folding tiny laundry, and so on, so she’ll definitely put this to good use.

These fourth trimester cards are like a support system in a box, and they’re small enough to hold in one hand while she’s nursing or rocking her baby. The cards offer everything from healing recipes to ideas for meditating while breastfeeding, or simple exercises designed to help new moms let go of perfection or embrace change. Written by birth doula Kimberly Ann Johnson, there is no shortage of compassion, wisdom, and practical ideas for those first 40 days and beyond.