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30 Sweetest Holiday Gifts For New Moms Who Are Exhausted, Hungry, & Overwhelmed

She's definitely on Santa's "nice" list this year.

by Ashley Ziegler
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

Babies are up at all hours of the night, only communicate through crying, and (despite their adorable gummy smiles) have the ability to suck the life out of their parents. Knowing this, if you are searching for a holiday gift for a new mom, it may be tough to decide where to start. Take comfort because, unless you are the Sandman and know how to give the gift of sleep, the new mom in your life will be happy with anything that will help her feel a little less exhausted and a little more like herself.

While she'd probably love a full day at a spa or an all expenses paid vacation (if she's being honest), those kinds of gifts aren't exactly budget-friendly. Yes, you should spend that dough on her if you can, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune to help a new mom feel a little rejuvenated. It simply takes a little time to focus on what will help her out in this particular stage of life.

If you're still scratching your head, here are 25 gifts, across a variety of budgets, that a new mom would be overjoyed to find under her tree. When deciding what to get her, just remember she's short on time, sleep, and brain power (mom brain really is a thing).

We only include products that have been independently selected by Romper's editorial team. However, we may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

1Matching Knit Hats

These (adorable) handmade hats are made from acrylic material and are available in the cream color "linen" with either a white or brown pom on top. Adult hats are one size fits all with varying options for baby and toddler sizes. These hats should be hand washed, laid flat to dry, and the seller recommends avoiding getting the pom wet.

2A Relaxing Soak

Moms and moms-to-be can turn on some white noise and forget about their to-do list for a bit while they take a hot bath with this oatmeal soak designed to leave their skin feeling soft and moisturized. The soak is made from organic ingredients, including the ‘mama relax oil’ which is added for a little extra stress relief.

3All The Diapering Supplies She Needs

We can’t think of anything cuter (or more useful!) than this customizable diapering gift set from Honest that comes bundled in an adorable jute bag. First, choose from one of 19 festive prints for the hypoallergenic diapers. Then, select one of four scents for the Bubble Bath, Shampoo + Body Wash, Conditioner, and Face + Body Lotion. The set also comes with 72-count fragrance-free wipes in charming plaid packaging. It’s the gift that keeps on giving from diaper changes to bath time—precisely what we expect from the clean baby brand.

4Something To Help With Her Dark Circles

For a lot of parents, all of those late-night feedings take a toll on the skin and leave dark circles under the eyes, and this treatment can help brighten them back up and de-puff them so she doesn’t have to look as tired as she feels. The treatment comes in a .48 oz contains and is made from simple ingredients and is free of parabens, sulfate, phthalates, and silicone. One pro-tip, if she hasn’t explicitly talked about her tired eyes, go with a different gift so you don’t look like you’re calling attention to them.

5A Bag To Carry Everything (But Isn't A Diaper Bag)

Diaper bags have come a long way over the years, but there's still nothing quite as nice as a bag that looks good and can hold the essentials of motherhood (like a few diapers, wipes, and a bottle). This bag features a cross body strap as well as handles for two ways to carry it, an interior pocket, and zipper closure. It's made from semi vegetable-tanned leather with a wax finish that will deepen into a patina over time and is available in true black brown and english saddle. Mom will love using this as an everyday tote even after her tot is potty trained.

6Self-Care In A Box

Self-care is crucial for new moms, and this gift box has the essentials including two 1.2 oz soaps, one 6 oz bath bomb, and one .15 oz lip balm. Each of the products in the box is handmade with natural ingredients and essential oils for aromatherapy. If you're shipping this to a long distance new mom, you can also opt to have the seller gift wrap it for you.

7 7. Silky Smooth Skin

Chances are good that the new mama in your life could use a little pampering, and if she’s dealing with dry skin this winter, this whipped body butter will tackle both issues. You can get it in three different sizes and in numerous scents including Sweet Mango, Lemon Lavish, Chrismint, and more. The body butter is made with organic ingredients that will leave skin moisturized and renewed.

8Homegrown Relaxation

With this set, she gets a small bottle of botanical bath salts, a natural jute body scrubber, and eucalyptus seeds to plant in the included bamboo pot. She can use the bath salts while she waits for her own eucalyptus to grow in, at which point she can cut off some stems, hang them in the shower, and then destress in the relaxing steam.

9An Adult Coloring Book To Help Her De-Stress

This 74-page adult coloring book includes thick, one-sided paper that allow for coloring in all mediums without worry about ink soaking through to the next page. Each page measures 8.5" x 11" and is filled with intricate images designed especially (and sometimes sarcastically) for moms.

10A Super Cozy Blanket

A new mom can use a good throw blanket when she’s feeding the baby, snuggling it on the couch, or during those rare moments where she gets to relax or sleep. This one measures 70x60 inches and is made from really, really soft faux fur on each side. One important thing to note, it does need to be dry cleaned.

11A Planner Designed To Simplify Life

This January - December 2021 planner is designed with a weekly layout that has space for daily schedules, to-dos, and notes (like meal planning). The planner is 5.75" x 7.75" and uses thick 70 lb pure white paper with simple, colorful text throughout. It also comes with simple planning tips, full month views, and (bonus!) fun stickers.

12A Year Of Meditation

Meditation and mindfulness will help a new mom find peace, clarity, and relaxation, so a year subscription to a service like Calm or Headspace would be a welcome gift. These apps have extensive libraries of guided meditations, sleep stories, music tracks, and more. Having so many options at her fingertips will let her find quick meditations for busy days or extended sessions for when she has a little alone time.

13Quick Dry Nail Polish

Since she's probably short on the time it takes for nail polish to dry, this quick dry and chip resistant ella+mila nail polish, available in eight colors, will make it easier for a new mom to get an at-home manicure. The polishes are vegan, cruelty free, and don't contain harsh chemicals.

14Her Favorite Dinner Delivered

Seamless, Grubhub, Door Dash, and Uber Eats are meal delivery services that partner with restaurants that don't otherwise deliver to bring meals right to the customer (allowing new moms to skip cooking dinner). A gift card to one of these services will let mom order food for herself from somewhere other than the local pizza joint. Just remember to include enough money for her to have a good meal and be able to tip her driver.

15A Relaxing Shower

Since showers are hard to come by as a new mom, help make hers a little more luxurious with some eucalyptus and tea tree shower steamers. You get three steamers in a pack which are made with vegan ingredients and infused with essential oils. You may not be able to promise her a long shower, but you can at least make the one she gets a little more enjoyable.

16A Heated Neck And Back Massager

Between feeding and carrying her baby, a new mom (and her muscles) would benefit from this heated massager that targets the neck, shoulders, and upper back. It can also be used to massage the lower back, waist, legs, or just about any other major muscle in the body. It has eight different deep tissue kneading modes, the option to turn heat on or off, has adjustable speeds, and is portable (so she can feed the baby and get a massage at the same time).

17Coffee & Chocolate Gift Box

Many sleepy moms would love this gift box that provides four 1.8 oz bags of hand-picked coffee and four specially chosen chocolate bars for pairing. Each bag of whole-bean coffee comes from a premium Seattle roaster, is carefully paired with an artisan chocolate bar, and comes with tasting notes.

18Christmas Cookies She Doesn't Have To Share

Look, she’s giving what little energy she has to her new baby, so she deserves a batch of cookies all to herself. With this set, she will get 12 homemade, beautifully decorated shortbread cookies that are made from simple ingredients: sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla extract, and butter. Since all good things take time, you’ll need to order these cookies early if you want them to arrive by Christmas.

19A Very Fitting Necklace

New moms can proudly rock their newfound protective status with this gold-plated brass necklace. It has individual letters that spell out “mama bear,” attached to a 16-inch chain with a lobster clasp closure. With its minimalist and dainty design, this necklace is especially great for moms who prefer understated jewelry.

20Monthly Flower Subscription

This subscription delivers a bouquet of fresh-cut flowers from eco-friendly farms right to a new mom's door. There are several different subscription packages available, with delivery frequency ranging from weekly to bi-monthly. You can choose between The Roses, Farmer's Market, The Classics, or Seasonal collections for the subscription, and then decide on the bouquet size to be delivered (10-16 stems, 20-32 stems, or 30-45 stems). It’s a gift that will brighten her mood with every delivery.

21A Reminder That She's A Good Mom

Available in hardcover or Kindle edition, this book seeks to normalize the "scary" thoughts new moms often have (including those without any postpartum mental health diagnoses). The book contains comforting statistics, advice, self-care exercises for moms with limited time, and general conversation to help new moms feel less alone.

22A Way To Disguise Her Sleep Deprivation

With over 11,000 reviews, this concealer is a cult favorite because it instantly helps brighten, smooth, and give skin a more firm and lifted appearance. It is vegan, formulated without any major harsh chemicals, and has a mixture of mango seeds and shea butter to nourish skin in addition to concealing imperfections. Finally, there are 30 different shades, so there is likely to be an option for just about anyone.

23Baby's Initials Necklace

This custom necklace is available in silver, gold, or rose gold finish with a matching cable chain measuring 14, 16, 18, 20, or 22 inches in length. Each piece is handmade and can be customized with any letter or number or with one of three available symbols. Since it's made with sterling silver, the maker recommends cleaning the necklace with a jewelry polishing cloth and not wearing it in the shower, pool, or other body of water.

24Mini Cupcakes That She Doesn't Have To Share

The best kind of food for a new mom is anything she can grab quickly, like this assortment of mini cupcakes in 12 different flavors. You can choose between 25, 50, or 100 cupcakes in a shipment, all of which will include classic flavors like cookies & cream, triple chocolate fudge, red velvet, and mint cookie, as well as a selection of seasonal cupcakes and the flavor of the month. These cupcakes can be stored in the freezer for up to two weeks and can be shipped to homes across the US.

25The Best Dry Shampoo

With more than 3,000 positive reviews, this 4 oz (or mini 1.8 oz) bottle of dry shampoo is a staple for people with a variety of hair textures and thickness. This dry shampoo actually cleans hair (it doesn't just make it look clean) by removing oils, sweat, and odor. Finally, the product is cruelty-free and made without any parabens and silicone.

26Cozy Slippers To Wear At Home

These cozy slippers are available in grey, black, navy blue, and red. Each slipper is made with a slip resistant rubber sole, a soft cotton cable-knit upper design, cozy fleece lining, and multiple layers of high density cushioning. These can be worn indoors or outdoors, so a new mama can wear them around the house or take her baby for a walk outside in them.

27A Sweet Reminder

New moms can sometimes feel like they get lost in the shadows after the baby arrives, and this sweet print will be a welcome reminder of how important she is. You can choose between either a 5x7 or 8x10 print, or you can message the seller to discuss a custom size, and it will be delivered to you on high-quality 110lb. card stock paper. Pop it into a frame and then watch the grateful smile spread across mama’s face when she sees it.

28Cute Loungewear

If she’s going to be lounging a bit while she takes care of the baby, some cute loungewear like these super-soft mid-rise shorts. They’re made from silky velour fabric that’s warm but still breathable, they have a drawstring waist to ensure a good fit, and they’re safe to toss into the washer and dryer whenever they need to be cleaned.

29Her Own Go-To Coffee Cup

Sure, a coffee mug isn’t the most unique gift, but during the early days of motherhood, it’s a very thoughtful one. Whether she prefers hot tea, cocoa, coffee, or some other hot beverage, this monogram cup made from decaled stoneware will help it stay warm. Each cup has a floral print with a gold letter overlay and a gold handle for a little extra glam.

30The Gift Of A Charged Phone

Late night feedings mean late night phone scrolling and battery drainage, so this portable charging bank makes it easy to keep a full battery charge without having to be tethered to an outlet. This power bank charges 1.4 times faster than a typical charger and will fully charge an iPhone three times before it needs to be charged itself. There are two USB ports, a flashlight, and is compatible with iPhones XS, X, 8, 7, and 6, the Samsung Galaxy S9 Note, and iPad tablets.

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