I am so incredibly excited to team up with Kate Price of Perfectly Curated to bring you a specialized and thoughtful curated list of gift ideas for new moms! Kate is a teacher, mom of two adorable boys, and the best, most thoughtful gift-giver on the planet. She’s taking her natural talent and sharing her ideas with her clients as a personal gift stylist. Based in LA, Kate has her finger on the pulse of all things mom and all things cool. Oh, and she’s also my sister!!
Kate and I have recognized what a trying time this is for women and their partners who have welcomed new babies during the pandemic. We wanted to utilize the services of Perfectly Curated to address the issues I’m hearing about in my therapy practice and together, come up with a little something special just for new moms.
What I’m hearing from new moms and moms-to-be:
- A feeling of loss of the experience of pregnancy, birth, and new motherhood because of COVID-19
- No baby showers, no visitors in the hospital, extreme social distancing during pregnancy and the postpartum period, limited-to-no visitors to see the new baby
- Fear of contracting virus/fear of baby getting sick
- Not celebrating the baby the way they’d like to
- This isn’t how they imagined it would be
- Feeling lonely and isolated, and disconnected from friends and family
- “Quarantine within quarantine”
- Other people around them are getting out more and loosening restrictions, while they’re feeling stuck at home
- Loss of identity/connection with self
- While this is a common feeling for new moms, it is amplified by the pandemic
- Loss of coping skills and availability to participate in regular activities and interests due to new baby and COVID-19
In our culture, there is not enough attention paid to the postpartum mom. Baby gets tons of gifts and attention, while mom is expected to recover and bounce right back, often with very minimal help. For all of the reasons listed above (and more), this is an incredibly difficult time for postpartum women. That’s why we’ve decided to focus this gift guide solely on mom, with special attention to the feelings that may be coming up for her as she’s welcoming a new baby during a global pandemic.
Gift Idea #1— “Alone Time”
Something that new moms are missing and so desperately need is a break and time away for themselves. With a new baby at home, this is difficult to achieve, especially during the pandemic when childcare might not be as readily available. Noise-cancelling headphones and a silk eye mask can create the illusion of time away.
Gift Idea #2 — The Gift of Art
Show her how special and appreciated she is with a beautiful piece of artwork. Pick from one of Kelly Malka’s gorgeous prints, or better yet, create a custom piece that is meaningful to mom and her family. “I love Kelly Malka’s art for many reasons,” says Kate. “One is because I have vivid memories of her multitasking on assignments in my AP Psychology class while creating pieces like the ones you see on her site. The other because of the beauty and the women’s empowerment messages. Starting at $45 she will create a personalized, special piece for you or your loved one.”
Gift Idea #3 — Something Sweet
Give her some fuel to get through those late nights, or simply to treat herself during the day. New moms are often on the very bottom of their own priority list, which means something as simple as eating throughout the day can go ignored.
Gift Idea #4 — Something Soft
Have you ever felt the softest, most luxurious baby blanket and wished it came in adult sizes? Let’s make that happen for mama. Now that it is officially fall and temperatures are dropping, help her feel cozy, restful, and cared-for with these incredibly soft blankets and wraps. “I’m really into the Barefoot Dreams collection for a number of reasons,” Kate says. “I came across the brand one night during an event at John Legend and Chrissy Tiegen’s home. The couple sent each guest home with a Barefoot Dreams throw and it has been the item my family fights over during TV time. The wraps and sweaters are equally comfy which is what all moms need since postpartum is nothing but comfy. Also, their products are super forgiving and will help new moms embrace their bodies without hiding them.”
Gift Idea #5 — Something That Smells Good
She’s feeling disconnected from her pre-baby self. Helping her smell like a woman again instead of a spit-up covered mom is a great place to start. “One of my go-to gifts for all women is the Maison Louis Marie No. 4 fragrance,” suggests Kate. “All of their fragrances are worth checking out but No. 4 has my heart. This stuff smells good on anyone but it also smells slightly different on everyone. It’s a bit of a chameleon. It’s fresh without being in-your-face. It just has universal appeal. I wear it every single day. I recommend buying it from Burro Goods, an LA-based small business that has the best products.”
Gift Idea #6 — The Gift of Connection
In a time of social isolation, help her feel more connected to her loved ones and to her pre-baby identity with exercise and
wellness classes. Fit4Moms offers in-person and online classes, so mom can still connect with others and take time for herself from the comfort of her own home.
Thank you Kate and Perfectly Curated for this beautiful and thoughtful gift guide! Check out Perfectly Curated on Instagram for more and for links to all of these amazing products.
Instagram: @perfectly_curated
Email: info@perfectlycuratedgifts.com