The Best Gifts For New Moms To *Actually* Make Her Life Easier

All new moms could use a shiny new pair of headphones for those daily stroller walks and there’s no more desirable option on the market today than the compact Apple AirPods. The AirPods Pro are the newest version of the popular wireless earbuds and now they have active noise cancellation built in, as well as a Transparency mode for when you need to hear what’s going on around you. They’re sweat- and water-resistant, have 24 hours of battery life, and can charge directly in the wireless case. They’re also super easy to pair with other Apple devices and Siri-enabled.

Here’s great gift idea for rookie moms, which falls squarely under the “I didn’t know I needed this” category. Hand sanitizer and wipes are great, and a new mom is going to go through more than a healthy amount of both. Another germ-prevention solution is a trash can that can keep up with everything she’s got going on in her hectic home without requiring her to touch it. This one by simplehuman has a touch-free sensor that opens the can automatically with just a wave of a hand, making it easy to operate even when her arms are full carrying around dishes, laundry, children, a wine glass, or any combination of those things. The lid also closes quietly so that’s one less loud noise in the house. The sleek-looking can fits most large trash bags, and the nano-silver clear coating will protect it from both germs and fingerprints.

The brand Parachute is known for its bedding, but also for its wildly popular, luxury hotel-level robes. This is the type of robe that will make you wonder why you ever bought clothes to begin with.

Quality snooze time is hard to come by in the first — how do we put this gently? — oh, three years (and likely longer) of a child’s life. But a good pair of pillows can make all the difference in the handful of hours new parents are able to scrape together each night. These pillows have a 100 percent cotton cover, a down-like fill that doesn’t shift around, and gel fibers that have cooling properties to keep them sleeping soundly. They’re machine-washable, as well as dust mite-, mold-, mildew-, and stain-resistant.  

For those times when Mom is getting less than a full night’s sleep (so… every night), she can give her face a little boost with these under eye patches that can help reduce puffiness. They have hyaluronic acid to provide hydration and collagen to help restore skin elasticity. She can simply leave the patches on under her eyes while she goes about her regular routine at home — talk about multi-tasking.

When she’s finally able to emerge from the house, she’ll want to look good doing it. A decent diaper bag can be a lifesaver in terms of parental organization, and this Skip Hop messenger bag is both stylish and convenient. It has a long shoulder strap and tote handles, and it has clips to convert it to a stroller bag. Plus there are 10 pockets to neatly store everything she needs to bring when she has Baby in tow. There are two mesh side pockets to hold bottles, a front zip pocket, easy-access tech pocket, interior pockets and more. The bag can also hold a 15-inch laptop and includes a cushioned changing pad. And, it’s so cute, she’ll want to tote it around even after her LO has been potty trained.

Trust us: New moms (and experienced moms, for that matter) love trendy tech. Whether the mom you have in mind wants to play her favorite tunes or some Mozart for the baby, a good speaker system can make all the difference in her listening experience. This one by Bose is Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-enabled and delivers 360-degree sound, but the best part is that it can connect to a virtual assistant — either Google Assistant or Alexa. The recipient can also talk through the speaker to ask her assistant questions, set a timer, play a lullaby, etc. — all hands-free. She can also control the speaker via the Bose app or through six preset buttons on top.

When it comes to middle-of-the-night feedings and diaper changes, never underestimate the power of a good night light. Whether nursing, bottle feeding, or cleaning up baby bums, an easy-to-operate nightlight enables parents to see what they’re doing without turning on an overhead light and disrupting everyone’s sleep even further. We chose this pick from Aisuo because it can be turned on and off with a touch, and the glow can be dimmed, brightened, and set to an impressive 48 colors. It has a rechargeable battery so it can go wherever Mom goes, plus a digital clock face means parents can check the time without turning on their phones. It also features Bluetooth capabilities for playing lullabies or soothing sounds as well as an alarm (which parents probably won’t need right away). And even once Baby is sleeping through the night (fingers crossed!) this bedside gadget will come in handy night after night.  

BY ALL MEANS, IF YOU GET A NEW MOM ANYTHING, MAKE IT A MEAL DELIVERY GIFT CARD! Seriously, it may be the gift that she (and her hungry family) appreciates the most. With baby clutter all over the house, round-the-clock wake-up calls, and constant feedings and diaper changes, new parents barely have time to go to the bathroom, let alone make three square meals a day. Even better, you can send a digital gift card so it arrives in the recipient’s inbox immediately and there’s no risk of losing it. GrubHub has tons of options, so they’re guaranteed to find food to fulfill any craving.

Since all new moms spend hours shuffling around the house at all hours of the day and night, treat the new mama in your life to some luxe new slippers. The ultra-plush UGG Dakota Moccasins will cushion her feet and keep her toes toasty all winter long. She’ll also love that there’s a rubber tread on the bottom so she can keep ’em on to grab the mail. Hurry, though, because colors and sizes are selling out fast (also, double-check that your selection will arrive before Christmas). If your top pick in this style isn’t available, there are plenty of other UGG slipper styles to choose from.

Okay, so you can’t hire her an assistant, but you can buy her an AI assistant, which is the next best thing.  If she’s a first-time mom, she may not know it yet, but she’s going to need a lot of help to keep track of — well — everything, especially in those first few sleep-deprived weeks. Gift her an Echo Dot, and Alexa will record feedings and nap times, set alarms (hello, pumping around the clock), play lullabies, control other compatible smart devices (like the Hatch Rest+), answer all of her many, many new-mom questions, and so much more. And the best part? It’s all hands-free.