Guest Post: Where My Heart Resides

Next up is Ashlee of Where My Heart Resides!  I had the privilege of meeting Ashlee back in early June while she was in the Seattle area visiting friends.  She's a fabulous blogger, and mama to adorable, 16 month-old Everett.  Check out her blog here!

Six Gift Ideas for a New Mom 

So your wife/sister/daughter/best friend just had a baby and you’re on your way to the hospital but don’t want to show up empty-handed. Do you bring balloons? Flowers? Diamonds? Booze? A teddy bear for the baby? All of the above? Chances are you’ve already spoiled the baby rotten in the form of cute onesies and baby registry items, so this time around, it’s perfectly okay to focus on the new mom (and let's be real: she earned it!). Here are some of my favorite ideas for new mom gifts...

1. Something symbolic: A Peace Lily plant or succulent. The key to giving a “new life” gift is this---get one that won’t die. The best plants to give a new mom are the ones that require very little water and care, basically the types of plants that are the opposite of a newborn baby.

2. Something delicious: Food, food, and more food. One of the best gifts you can give a new mom is food that requires little to no preparation. Freezer meals, big bags of granola, and ready-to-eat snacks are all great choices. If cooking's not your thing, a gift certificate to local take-out would probably be more than welcome. 

3. Something beautiful: A ring or necklace with the new baby’s initial. One of my favorite gifts I received after having my son Everett was a tiny "e" ring from Catbird. If you're on a budget, Etsy also has a ton of affordable options for initial jewelry.

4. Something practical: A housecleaning gift certificate. My mother-in-law gave us six months of house cleaning after our son was born and it was amazing. Once a month, I left the house for three hours and wandered around Target before coming home to a sparkling clean kitchen and perfectly vacuumed carpets. Heaven!

5. Something that makes her feel pretty: A birchbox subscription. Birchbox is a monthly beauty box filled with skincare and makeup samples. In those first few sleep-deprived months, it can be difficult to feel pretty. I loved having makeup samples show up on my doorstep, and made a ritual of opening the box at the kitchen counter and immediately trying everything at once. I felt like a queen, despite my spit-up covered t-shirt, oily hair, and stretched out yoga pants.                                                                                      6. Something sentimental: A newspaper from the baby's day of birth. If you're on a strict budget but want to do something special, this is an easy gift and especially great for moms who like to keep memory boxes or scrapbooks.

All set with your new mom gift, but still want to get something special for the baby? Check out Iviebaby, Children Inspire Design, and Little Hip Squeaks for super cute, unique gift options! What was the best gift you received when you became a mom?