The Best Baby Shower Gift Ever!

As the very gracious recipient of a wonderful baby shower, and the welcome guest of dear friends showers, I have devised the best gift for an expectant mother.

Baby showers are full of gifts that the expectant mother wants or needs for her perfect, new baby, but rarely have anything that she will want or need for herself in her first postpartum weeks.

Speaking from experience, the postpartum weeks are equal parts joyous, exciting, frightening and overwhelming. Based on my experiences, I have put together boxes for the postpartum days and given them as baby shower gifts. Thankfully, all have been received with much thanks from the guest of honor, as well as a few "I wish I thought of that"'s from other shower guests.

My "Home from the Hospital" gift boxes include:
-Maxipads w/ wings, something for heavy days, but light enough to be comfortable in.
-Stool Softener, Colace is the preferred hospital fave, but generic works just the same.
-Pain reliever (Tylenol or Motrin) Ask what the hospital prefers, depends on if Mom is nursing or not.
-Stretchy Underpants: Find something cheap and disposable. Trust me, she will never want to see these again!
-A Notepad and Pen, to record naps, feedings, diaper changes, questions for her doc or the baby's pediatrician, etc.
-Witch hazel wipes/Prep H medicated pads. Although she may never admit it, she will love you for this one.
-Dermoplast or Lidocaine spray.
-Earplugs (for Mom to use when napping!)
-Purel or other hand sanitizer in a squirt bottle
-Lysol Spray (for diaper pails and other general household germ-killing use.)
-Hemorrhoid gel-It is better to have it and never have to use it, than to need it and not have it! I speak from experience.
-Soothies/cooling nipple pads, if Mom is planning to breastfeed.
-Nursing pads, if Mom is planning to breastfeed.
-Lansinoh Nipple Cream, if Mom is planning on breastfeeding.
-Digital Travel alarm clock, to record feeding times, napping times, diaper changes, etc.
-Water bottle-It is so important for the new Mom to stay hydrated post-partum.
-Mints-just in case Mom forgets to brush her teeth.
-Refreshing face wash-again, just in case Mom can't get to a shower! A quick rinse will wake her up and help her look and feel better!