What your new and expectant mom friend really wants

Happy Event sent me the cutest mother’s day present, it was also signed by my celeb girl crush Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp, their new brand ambassador (Coincidentaly my mom loves her too) I’m not big into celebdom but my mom and I love what this woman stands for and act like we are long lost friends “Eleanor, Elana is on tonight hey”, “Did you see that new Elana show (who cares that there are other people in the show” anyway although I am very unpregnant and intend to stay that way, I was super keen on the gift and on the fact that I get to give a hamper to one of my readers.
I love the smell of Happy Event products like I may or may not have sniffed it a couple of times (I totally did) and it brought back memories to my pregnancies and my days as a new mom so I thought, I would share what I think new and expectant moms really want as gifts.

The pregnant ones:

  • Gifts for themselves…I mean the 100th onsie is cute and all, but can someone give me something for myself? The Happy Event Antenatal Lotion and Cream are great for that, it has Pure Olive Oil and contains a high concentration of vitamins A and E which are supposed to regenerate the skin and regulate its natural moisturising system-the company has been in business for 50 years and totally know what they are doing. Personally, I just like that it’s fast absorbing and the smell is so lovely and light and brings back memories (If you don’t want to smell like my memories, the green bottle is fragrance and colorant free).
  • The gift of an ear…Sometimes people need to complain, pregnancy is hard, and sometimes you just need a no judgment zone, and instead of telling her it is all beautiful and lovely and worth it. Why not say hey it’s okay not to like your feet growing two sizes and vomiting every hour, we know you still love your kid.
  • The gift of treating her as more than just an incubator…Although most pregnant women love talking babies, babies, babies…They have not changed as people, they can still talk about so and so’s awkward fight on social media and which sports team sucks, seriously, try them.
  • The gift of spa vouchers… They do specialised treatments for pregnant people now! your friend needs her feet rubbed, be a doll
  • The gift of excitement… When I first got pregnant I had friends who bought me baby magazines, multivitamins, stretchy pants… They were so excited for me that I never felt like an imposition when I sent them a picture of a scan, I knew from day one that there was a village to raise my child and that has not changed.

The new moms:

  • The gift of space…The first few days are about bonding and finding a rhythm with her their child. Not feeding your inconsiderate behind tea and cookies because you don’t know when to leave.
  • The gift of eats…Instead of expecting food from your hosts why not bring them something food related, like heat-and-eat meals or things to snack on while breastfeeding or coffee for the dad so he can actually hear the cries in the middle of the night (stop projecting Eleanor, sheesh)
  • The gift of unnecessary quirky crap…Sometimes new parents’ budgets are rather stretched, its all kinds of baby-related bills and it means they can’t get to their secret wish list which includes a bling dummy the kid will never use, or the hat with baby’s name on which mommy secretly wants, but you know, nappies come first – so why not be that leka aunt/uncle/person
  • The gift of tiny pick me ups…One of my all-time favorite baby shower gifts was a box of small tiny individually wrapped presents.My journalism mentor, former editor, and amazing friend, had wrapped little trinkets and freaking amazing gifts and I was instructed to open it when I was feeling low. With a child in the hospital and then colicky AF it came in handy.
  • The gift of your time…One of my cousins came over once and said, go take a bath, read a magazine I’m here to watch the baby, just hand me some pre-pumped milk. Boy did I need that
Yes there are loads more things but these spoke to my heart…

9 thoughts on “What your new and expectant mom friend really wants

  1. Nadine says:

    The best gift I gave my pregnant cousin was a foot spa and some oh so heavenly foot therapy goodies. Pregnant women’s swollen feet always fascinates me, so I though what better way to relax those feet with a foot spa and some pamper products. Would love to win happy events hamper for my pregnant sister though.xx

  2. Andrea Thomas says:

    Currently I am 30 weeks pregnant with my 3rd Baby! I really don’t get the time to think/ponder/daydream about this pregnancy as life and kids keep me busy! However; a really awesome and amazing gift would be an endless number of foot and back rubs! By the end of the day all I do daydream about is a foot rub and a delicious mug of coffee! For my first pregnancy a personalised set of towels with my daughter’s name on was one of the most precious gifts received! I am keeping that for when she is old enough to really appreciate it!

  3. Nicole Jaftha says:

    It’s my first pregnancy and no one warned me about morning sickness or rather “all day” sickness… so yes right now the gift of an ear is best…

  4. Jill says:

    The best gift I received at my babyshower was a gift for both hibby and I. Hubby got some really good coffee, a beautiful mug ( that he still uses) and homemade cookies.
    I got slippers, pj’s and some body wash goodies.
    It was a practical, thoughtful gift… since then I ove giving my family and friends the same kind of gift.

  5. Carolyn Augustus says:

    Definitely an ear cause I know the importance of needing a sympathetic ear and a judgment free , empathetic voice.

  6. Simóne Human says:

    I absolutely loved that my closest friends at work really listened and heard my heart’s desire of a photo shoot for my newborn. It didn’t make it into our list of needs because…nappies.

  7. Lizanne Pitt says:

    The best gifts we received were the handmade from the heart baby jerseys and things that people thought of that never crossed my mind… and the food people brought us.hope we get food again this time around…

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