The Best Care Packages for New Parents

If someone you love has just recently become a parent, now is the perfect time to show them that you care, as they’ll definitely need it!

Pregnancy is an incredible stressful process for both people involved, and parenting is no picnic, either. A new baby will require both parents’ undivided attention from the moment they bring him or her home. 

Calming down from crying, feeding, cleaning up after, putting to sleep— the tasks involved with taking care of a newborn or endless, and it’ll be a long while before new parents’ lives get more manageable.

So send a care package their way, either to make their lives a little bit easier or just something to brighten their day!

Here are some fantastic ideas you can use to put together the care package best for brand new parents!

Care

It’s an absolute no-brainer that new parents will need things to help them take care of the new baby— you can never have too many diapers after all! They’ll also be worn out themselves, though, so anything that helps with both is your best bet. 

Self-care should always be encouraged, and new parents will need it now more than ever.

However, if they’ve already had the baby, the new parents of friends or family will likely have covered all the bases. So, you’ll have to think outside the box for items that wouldn’t have occurred to them to put in your care package!

If the new mom is planning on breastfeeding, a breast pump could be the perfect gift to make her life a little easier. Nipple cream would serve the same purpose, as breastfeeding can cause some soreness.

Breastfeeding can be a very exhausting process for a new mom. There are pros and cons to each, but more moms generally do choose to breastfeed as opposed to using formula, so something to help with that would be very appreciated in a new parent care package.

Some other things that might help out a lot are dry shampoo, or sanitary wipes. Any kind of skin care, really— face masks, scrubs, lotions, and lip balms would all be appreciated, too.

With a baby, new parents won’t have much time to spend in the shower, but of course hygiene is still incredibly important. So you can provide them with some short cuts!

And showers aren’t the only thing that new parents will be missing out on. They also, unfortunately, shouldn’t expect to get much sleep. A sleeping mask is a simple gift that could do wonders to fix this.

Lastly, but certainly not least, when it comes to what’s best for both parents and baby, staying hydrated is incredibly important. Especially for new moms, as breast milk is around 90% water. Throwing a cute, reusable water bottle in your care package is a good way to look out for the whole new family.

Comfort

Useful items aren’t the only things that can take away stress, and therefore you shouldn’t focus entirely on function in your care package for new parents. Make sure to think about what will bring them comfort and relaxation.

A nice, new mug may seem like a simple gift, but chances are your new parents may be running on coffee and fumes for a while, so they could get a lot of use out of it. And if they’re not coffee people, throw some tea bags in there, too.

No one is going to need a pick-me up quite like a new mom or dad. Coffee or tea, whichever caffeinated beverage the new parent prefers, is sure to be a big help. Because you can bet that they won’t be able to spend a lot of time sleeping for a while.

On the subject of drinks, throw in a bottle of wine! Why not? Many new moms may want to celebrate the end of nine months without alcohol, in addition to the birth of their child.

New parents will also need some quick and easy snacks, preferably ones that are healthy and can be eaten with one hand. Anything that provides a lot of energy is also a good idea, as they’ll definitely need it. You can find some wonderful options for healthy snack care packages right here.

If you’re putting your own care package together, here’s a short list of great grab-and-go healthy snacks for new parents!

• Granola bars
• Dried fruit
• Trail mix
• Nuts
• Cut vegetables and hummus
• Apple slices and peanut butter
  

You can throw in a few sweeter treats, though, too— new parents definitely deserve to be pampered. Cookies and chocolates are sure to be well received.

Food and drink aren’t the only things important to ensuring new parents are at ease, though it certainly will help. 

Anything soft, like a throw blanket, a new bathrobe, slippers, fuzzy socks, or comfy pajamas — maybe even ones that match with the baby’s — would also be brilliant ideas. All of these things can add comfort when it’s pretty hard to come by relaxation.

Any downtime that new parents can manage to get should be as comfortable as possible. And for a new mom, it’s also a lot easier to nurse while in comfy clothes like pajamas or a robe.

Comfort is absolutely essential to consider in a care package for new parents. A soft blanket could not only help with their stress or exhaustion, but also encourage some nice cuddle time for the new family!

Scented candles, too, are good at promoting a calm, soothing environment, which is just what any new parents need. There’s some debate about whether essential oils and diffusers would be good or bad for a new baby, so probably stay away from those— candles are a better option.

And when in doubt, gift cards exist for a reason. You buy a couple of new parents a gift card to a store where they can get baby supplies, they’ll surely be over the moon.

What Not to Do

While there are plenty of things that will add a lot to a care package for new parents, there’s also some important don’ts to go along with the dos.

For example, don’t buy new parents a parenting book, or a new mom a book about getting back in shape. You may mean well with a gift like this, but they’ll probably just stress new parents out more rather than making them feel better.

If you want to buy a book, buy one they can read to the baby!

Reading to or with a baby can be one of the best ways to teach them words, and especially to become familiar with particular books or phrases that are repeated. Why not throw some easy picture books in with your care package to get the new parents started off early?

Plus, while you should certainly be encouraged to pamper the new parents you know, avoid getting bath bombs and bubble baths, at least until the new mom has healed up a bit, as getting in and out of a tub can be difficult. It depends when you’re sending your care package.

And while you’re getting food for your new parents, avoid spicy ones. Even after giving birth, if the new mom has decided to breastfeed then she’s still eating for two in a way, and strong flavors like those in onions, garlic, and peppers can transfer to the breast milk, which the baby won’t be a fan of even if these are some of the new mom’s favorites.

A care package is a fantastic way to show a little love to some new parents who may really need it, but keep in mind that the best gift you can give to new parents is a helping hand.

Run an errand for them, like picking up the groceries. Help out with a chore or two whenever you stop by, like doing a load or two of laundry. Maybe make them a meal. 

There’s no question that chores are hard to get around to with a new baby on the way, let alone after one’s already been born. If you want to help out a new parent in your family or friend group, subtly suggesting to help clean up a bit when you’re over their house next could be a big way to relieve some of their stress.

They’ll probably appreciate it more than they can put into words, as anything to help relieve some stress will be welcomed.

You could also provide babysitting services so that the happy couple can have a date night, or at least get a good shower or nap in. It’s really a win-win, because you’ll get to spend some time with the new, adorable baby.

You know your loved ones best, and you’ll know what they want or need from you during this wonderful but tiring time. But beyond care packages and helping out around the house, make sure they know that you’re there for them. 

Include a heartfelt message with your care package, or throw some words of encouragement their way next time you see them. Whatever you can do to let them know that they’re appreciated.

New parents are going to have a lot on their plate, and you should let them know through either your gifts or your words that you see all their hard work, and you admire them for it.