It’s easy to know what to get a first-time mom for a gift – but a second-time mom? That can be a little trickier. Here are some of the best gifts for a second baby that a veteran mama will LOVE!
Ideas for Gifts for New Mom
When you have your first baby, it’s exciting to stock up on all the baby gear you need, teeny-tiny clothes, and everything in between.
With your second baby, you don’t really need a lot – especially if you are having a baby of the same gender.
I figured we would buy a few new clothing items here and there, but there wasn’t a lot that I really wanted or thought I needed (except for a co-sleeper).
Well, my mom wanted to throw me a baby shower – as did a friend from church.
I totally wasn’t expecting or anticipating a shower, since we had most everything we need.
I really enjoyed the showers though, and it was just fun getting together with friends and family to celebrate the upcoming arrival of Oliver. I know some people think it’s weird to have a shower for subsequent children – but really, it’s just nice to celebrate every baby in my opinion. Here are some fun second baby shower ideas if you are in that position.
People asked me what I wanted, and for the most part, I didn’t even know what to say!
After my shower, I thought about it a little bit more, and here are a few gift ideas for second-time moms (or third, fourth, fifth….etc.) that I came up with.
Written in 2018; updated in 2019.
Gifts for Baby Sprinkle
Diapers and Wipes
No matter what number baby you are on, you are going to need diapers and wipes. Whether a person is using disposable or cloth diapers, some kind of diaper or wipes is a nice gesture. I think we are pretty much set on diapers for a few months!
When it comes to buying diapers, I would recommend not buying newborn diapers – most babies are only in these for a short time (if at all.) Of course, Jack was in newborn diapers for about two months, and Oliver is still in newborns, so there are exceptions.
But for the most part, according to a survey I did for this post about diaper stockpiling, size two tends to be a size babies are in for a while!
A diaper subscription service would be a fun gift as well.
Restaurant Gift Cards
We got several gifts cards for restaurants at my baby shower, and I thought it was such a great idea! A lot of restaurants have a “to go” option. We had meals for the first week or two after Oliver was born, but I certainly wasn’t wanting to make dinner that soon after.
I was grateful that we had some gift cards to Olive Garden and Chilis – it made meals a little simpler.
Regular Gift Cards
If you aren’t sure if the mom needs anything in particular, a gift card to a store like Target, Walmart, a local grocery store, etc. would probably be appreciated.
Even a gift card to a maternity store to buy some maternity or nursing clothes (or to a non-maternity shop for after-pregnancy clothes) is a fun idea.
Meals (Frozen or Brought)
I always appreciate the meals that were brought to use after both of my boys were born. The last thing most people want to do is make dinner – at least, that’s how I felt! To be honest, I just barely started wanting to make dinner again. I think any new mom would appreciate the offer to bring a meal by after the baby is born. Freezer meals are also awesome!
If you are having trouble coming up with a theme for a baby shower for a second-time mom, a freezer meal party is such a great idea. In lieu of presents, everyone could either bring a freezer meal, or the ingredients to make one at the party. Before planning something like this, make sure the mom-to-be has enough freezer space.
We bought a deep freezer after Oliver was born, and I wish I had it before so I could have made some freezer meals myself before his arrival. There are tons of freezer meal tips and ideas online.
A subscription The Six Sisters’ Meal Plan. It is really family-friendly, and it makes it easy to just order groceries to Walmart Grocery pickup.
Postpartum Workout Subscription
Obviously, be careful with this one – you don’t want her thinking you think she needs to get back into shape ASAP after giving birth. But there are a lot of great exercise and pelvic floor rehab programs available just for moms. For the right mom, this could be a great gift. You can check out our favorite postpartum workouts for new moms here.
The Kindest Cup
This is an amazing invention for breastfeeding moms. It allows you to catch dripping milk, hand express and collect milk easily, and then cup feed your baby.
I would have LOVED this with my second baby – and I have one with my third, and it’s amazing.
Shipt Subscription
I WISH I had this when my boys were babies. Grocery delivery is amazing, especially when you have little ones in tow. You can check out our full review here – Shipt Grocery Delivery Review: Is it Worth Doing? as well as this comparison of Shipt versus Instacart.
Nurture Breast Massager
This is an amazing tool to help moms who are wanting to increase milk supply and pump output. I wish I’d had one when I was pumping with my second baby.
And from what I’ve been told, the pumping bra that is included with it is INCREDIBLE. You can use the code BFMAMA35 to get $35 off your purchase by clicking here.
Babysitting
I think any mom who has other children might appreciate the offer to watch her kiddos every now and again once the baby comes. Even if you just came to her house to watch her other children for an hour – or even offering to hold her baby while she sleeps.
Dreamland Baby Sleep Sack
This is the most expensive article of clothing I have for my child, but it helped me sleep a full two to three hours longer a night. And if there’s one thing I know about second-time moms, it’s that they are tired…and anything that can help their baby sleep better is worth their weight in gold.
I have tried SO many sleep swaddles and sacks, and this one is amazing. It works so well. You can get 15% off with the code TBM15 and by clicking here.
House Cleaning
One of the greatest gifts I was given was from my dear sister-in-law, Charbel. Shortly after Oliver was born, she came over and cleaned our kitchen, living room, and Jack’s room. I don’t think it had ever looked so tidy and organized. Her selfless service touched me so much!
I know that me offering to clean someone’s house probably wouldn’t do them much good, so if I chose to do this, I may opt to just give them a gift certificate for a professional cleaner to come in. I see them on Groupon a lot!
Basket of Baby Favorites
I LOVE seeing this given at baby showers – just a bunch of items that a mom has loved. The sky is the limit , here are some different basket ideas:
- 30+ Baby Gift Basket Ideas For Every Budget
- Simple Breastfeeding Basket Ideas: From a Mom of (Almost) 3
- New Mom Gift Basket Ideas
Prenatal Massage
I got a massage when I was about 30 weeks pregnant, and it was absolutely heavenly! I really think every pregnant mom should get one.
It was especially nice because I was having a lot of hip pain, and the massage therapist helped to relieve that.
Massages can be kind of expensive, so this would be a great group gift. Make sure the gift certificate is to a place that offers prenatal massages since special care has to be taken with pregnant mamas.
Pedicure/manicure
Breastfeeding Class
If the mom-to-be (again) had trouble breastfeeding in the past and wants to try again, gifting a breastfeeding class would be an awesome idea.
And since we all know pregnant mamas who already have kids are short on time, they might be interested in an online class. I offer various breastfeeding classes for all budgets that you could totally buy for someone.
BedJet
The BedJet has literally changed my life. I am not even kidding. Since Oliver was born, I have had some major issues sleeping due to overheating at night, and this makes sleeping so much more comfortable.
A lot of women struggle with hormonal overheating problems, so this would be a really considerate gift to get.
Baby Gear Splurge
Most second-time mamas are going to have all of the basics – maybe consider buying more a splurge item (or go in on one with their friends).
I list some of my favorite splurges in this post – 25+ Awesome Baby Gifts for First-Time Parents They Will Actually Use.
3D/4D Ultrasound
I was able to get a 3D/4D ultrasound with both of my boys, and both times were the highlight of my pregnancy.
There are a bunch of different 3D/4D ultrasound places around, so just do some research on which ones are the best. This is another great idea for a group gift, since they typically run around $100-$200
Movie Tickets
A new mom probably won’t be going to a movie for a while after the baby is born, so gifting her some movie tickets to go on a date with her spouse would be fun! You can get a gift card to their favorite movie theater here.
Custom Hospital Gown
When I first heard that people brought their own hospital gowns to the hospital, I thought it was crazy. However, the more I thought about it, the more awesome it sounded.
I actually bought materials to make myself one, but I just didn’t have any energy to finish making it. You could make one for a mom-to-be or you could buy one on Amazon or Etsy!
Here are some of our favorite hospital gowns you can buy!
Gift Card to Shutterfly, Minted, etc.
I love sending out birth announcements and creating a little book about my babies births, and I always use Shutterfly to do that.
A simple gift card to Shutterfly would be a meaningful gift! I also really like Minted – they are great for photo gifts and birth announcements.
Owlet
The Owlet is the best baby product we own – it helped us discover our son’s sleep apnea, and it also alerted me when he was breathing was compromised when he was a newborn. With my third baby, it helped us realize my baby’s RSV was getting bad faster than his symptoms were showing. Since most second-time moms don’t need a lot of big items like a crib, stroller, etc., this is a GREAT gift to go in on with other people.
Moms of more than one kid know the importance of sleep, and the Owlet will ABSOLUTELY help her get more sleep with a new baby!
Updated Baby Products
Maybe the mom you are giving a gift to has a lot of baby products – but they might be old.
She may have had a large amount of space between her kids, or the items she got with her first baby were second hand.
I know that we got a new swing, because our other one was battery powered…and those batteries didn’t last very long! Here are some of my favorite products I wish I’d known about with my first.
Beddy’s
It may seem weird to give someone sheets and a comforter…but these are not just any sheets or comforter. Beddy’s are revolutionary!
They will make the new mom’s life SO much easier as she doesn’t have to worry about making her bed. And we all know that just having your bed made makes a room feel so, so much better.
You can get 20% off any set with the code KATIEC.
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rya @ appybirthday.org says
I don’t know if it’s the best, but for the last baby shower I attended, I made the mom a basket of things to relax or pamper with. Foot cream, a Real Simple magazine, chapstick, chocolates, and maybe something else (i can’t remember for sure). For good measure, I threw in a cute onesie for her new little guy. It was a really simple (last minute) gift I put together walking through Target.
Katie says
I love that idea! I think any mom would appreciate it 🙂
Chelsea @ Life With My Littles says
This is awesome! I definitely agree about the diapers and wipes! My friends threw me a diaper shower with my second baby, and it was awesome! And I’ll have to check out a custom hospital gown next time!