For a new mother, I find the best gifts are those have been helpful or meaningful to the giver. When you tell a new parent “I found this helpful when my first baby was born” or “I wish I had this when I was starting out,” the gift is far more than a consumer product to go on a shelf. A much-loved item offered to a new parent is a loving embrace in support of their new parenthood.
Some new mothers won’t have considered babywearing, so giving a baby carrier as a gift could help them to change their whole approach to parenting. Rather than looking down on the baby in a stroller, they will be face to face or chest to chest with their baby. Babywearing is a much more intimate way to move a child around. By giving a baby carrier, you are giving an opportunity.
That said, which baby carrier works best for a particular parent depends a lot on lifestyle. If you are going to make such a kind investment, be sure to consider how and where the parents will likely use the baby carrier most.
Is she a hiker?
A new mother can sometimes worry that having a baby will interrupt an active lifestyle, but babies can easily come along on many outdoor adventures. While the Ergo Sport Baby Carrier is often thought of as The Outdoor Baby Carrier, I’m going to suggest an even more versatile soft pack baby carrier because you want to be sure that a gift can be used in as many ways as possible.
FreeHand Baby Carrier
The FreeHand Baby Carrier (shown above) has a cross-over support system that can be adjusted for babies and toddlers to give each the support they most need. As a first baby carrier, this is easy to get on and off, easy to understand how it is meant to fit. It is padded and adjustable to give a parent a comfortable fit.
Will she be mostly around the house?
For simply working around the house, washing diapers, and cleaning up, I think the simplest slings work the best as baby carriers. An Upmama Hybrid Sling may work for many, but I am going to recommend an all-cotton ring sling for cool, breathable comfort.
Maya Wrap
The lightweight cotton of the Maya wrap ring sling is very soft and it hugs a baby without pressing too hard. I like how easily it can be adjusted by pulling on the front or back of the tail. Though a new mother may need a little practice to create a pouch with the sling, it won’t take very long before she is moving the sling from front to back to hip to accommodate whatever she needs to do with baby. The vivid colors are also refreshing in a world of pastels.
When you are looking for the best new mother gift, look at your own experience and offer the new mother your best advice through your gift. See our suggestions for cloth diaper packages as gifts for new mothers.
