What New Modern Parents Actually Need. A Guide to Gifting

There’s an overwhelming amount of items out there to choose from when prepping for baby. A lot of them are absolute junk. As new parents, you’ll be given a ton of things, but will they fit your needs? Will they work? Will they make your life easier or more complicated? Since I’ve been through it, I’ve rounded up a very short but necessary list  of what would’ve helped me during the 4th trimester. I hope this serves as a helpful resource to you, especially if you’re the one gifting. 

Cleaning Service:

I felt like I was always living in a tornado of things. A messy home or explosion on the countertops to contend with after bringing home baby is so chaotic and for some can trigger anxiety. I know it does for me. If you’re wondering what to gift new parents and you are able, offer to pay for 1-3 months of in-home cleaning. I cannot tell you how invaluable this is and can make life with a newborn feel so much more comfortable.

Meal delivery:

I remember coming home with Connor, and the last thing I wanted to do was cook. And yet it’s so important that as a new mom (and dad) that you are well fed. Plus, with the time it takes to meal plan and grocery shop, that just adds more stress, am I right? Here are my two favorite healthy meal delivery options that I have leaned on over the last 2.5 years which would make great gifts not only to new parents but to any busy household.

Sakara  while this is a 100% plant based meal delivery system, I specifically enjoyed their meals for lunchtime as well as their supplement powders to help sustain energy. To this day I use their dark chocolate Metabolism packets in smoothies to help curb sugar cravings, support gut health, ease bloat, and support digestion. 

Go Methodology  I love this meal service, in fact I have used them for a full year and I haven’t really had a bad meal. Their breakfast menu is innovative and Connor specifically loves all their overnight oats, chia pudding, and mushroom egg scrambles with pickles (as do I.) Lunches are good and hearty, but Dinner is where they exceed my expectations. Braised beef stews, seared prawns, coffee encrusted steak with maitake mushrooms, teriyaki braised jackfruit kale salad, to name a few favs. They come already prepared, deliciously seasoned, and beautifully packed in glass jars. All you have to do is heat and serve.  

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The gift of time:

If you are a local friend or neighbor, offer to watch the baby monitor so that the new parents can have a meal to themselves. That is something I wish I had done sooner, which is schedule time for just the two of us. And as tired as new parents may be, it’s important to reconnect with your partner and the more you’re able to do so the better!

After almost three years of being a parent, I can honestly say that I would’ve traded many tangible gifted items for any of these three things. To me, having a clean home, a delicious meal, and quality time as a couple is invaluable and something new parents don’t realize they need until they’re really in the trenches. I hope that if you’re in a position to do so and don’t know what to gift new parents to be, these ideas spark some inspiration and get one thinking outside of the registry.