We recently Googled “pregnancy gifts for new moms”, and noticed that list after list had products that have nothing to do with pregnancy! They have things like Amazon Echo Dots, throw blankets, and scented candles.
These gifts might be generally “nice,” but they aren’t really useful for a pregnant mama during her pregnancy. Also they don’t make you, the gift-giver, look good: if you buy a generic gift like candles, what you’re kind of saying is, “I didn’t know what to get you, and I didn’t care enough to find something more meaningful.”
So, to help you find something mama will actually appreciate and use, we made a list of gifts pregnant women actually need (based on our own pregnancies and experience helping tens of thousands of pregnant and new mamas), and to make shopping that much easier, we even organized it by trimester.
Specifically, our list covers:
- First trimester gifts
- Second trimester gifts
- Third trimester gifts
- Fourth trimester (post-pregnancy) gifts
- Gift recommendations by shopper: Expecting fathers, soon-to-be grandparents, and friends of mama
- Pregnancy gifts to avoid
And at the end, we’ll talk about:
- Who we are and what we think is the ultimate gift for a first time mom
- Why you need to think about gifts by trimester when shopping
First Time Mom Pregnancy Gifts by Trimester
The needs of a pregnant, soon-to-be mom change drastically month by month, so if you want to get a useful gift for an expecting mom, you have to pay attention to where she is in her pregnancy.
For example, morning sickness is something many expecting moms deal with during the first semester, so anti-nausea remedies are good gifts during the first few months of pregnancy. But if you buy her morning sickness medication and she’s already in her second trimester, your gift will be a dud.
That’s why we’ve organized this list by trimester.
First Trimester Pregnancy Gifts
The first trimester is all about prepping with an arsenal of goods to combat morning sickness, understanding pregnancy and upcoming body changes, and switching to safe products for mom and baby. This is the time when expecting moms question everything they’re putting in, on, and around their bodies, so you can’t go wrong prepping mom with the essentials.
We offer an individual First Trimester Bump Box packed with everything mom needs to cope with early pregnancy symptoms, or you can try some of the products mentioned below.
Preggie Pop Drops
When to Buy: First Trimester
What It’s For: Morning sickness
Morning sickness is at its worst during the first trimester of pregnancy, but over-the-counter anti-nausea medications can contain questionable chemicals and some prescription medications have been reported to cause birth defects. To ease an upset belly the all-natural way, we suggest these doctor-recommended anti-nausea drops since they’re made with essential oils to calm mom’s stomach and boost energy levels.
Sparkling Mama Fizzelixir
When to Buy: First Trimester
What It’s For: Nausea and morning sickness
Another great alternative to over-the-counter or prescription medications for morning sickness? Sparkling Mama’s Fizzelixir; it contains vitamins B6, magnesium, and ginger to get rid of nausea quickly and help mom feel more energized. Despite the extra energy Fizzelixir provides, these delicious drink mixes are caffeine-free, and as their name suggests, they’re also fizzy. Many moms enjoy sipping on carbonated beverages when they’re nauseous, so this serves as a perfect replacement to ginger ale or other sugary drinks.
Earth Mama Morning Wellness Tea
When to Buy: First Trimester
What It’s For: Nausea and morning sickness
Featuring ginger root, spearmint, chamomile, and lemon, Earth Mama’s Morning Wellness Tea contains all of the best natural herbs to cure a sick stomach. Some anti-nausea teas taste bitter, so they aren’t everybody’s favorite; however, reviews of Earth Mama’s 100% organic say this tea gets rid of nausea and actually tastes good, so moms can look forward to waking up and enjoying a morning cup of tea. Not to mention, hot tea, in general, is excellent for curbing nausea and helping mom feel calm.
No Mo Nausea Acupressure Bands
When to Buy: First Trimester
What It’s For: Nausea and morning sickness
Acupressure wrist bands are commonly used to treat motion sickness because they’re clinically proven to curb nausea. There are a variety of acupressure bands you can buy, but we’ve tried and love the No Mo Nausesa’s Acupressure Bands because they’re specifically tailored to combat morning sickness and are even infused with natural peppermint oil to ease upset bellies.
What to Expect When You’re Expecting
When to Buy: First, Second, or Third Trimester
What It’s For: Prepare mom for pregnancy and childbirth
What to Expect When You’re Expecting is one of the most popular pregnancy books of all-time and one of USA Today’s 25 most influential books of the past 25 years. From cover to cover, this book has everything new moms need to know about pregnancy, and it has been considered a “must-have” for new parents — in fact, over 90% of pregnant women report reading and owning this guide.
Glow Organics Belly Butter & Energize Lotion Bundle
When to Buy: First, Second, or Third Trimester
What It’s For: Relaxation
The Glow Organics Belly Butter & Energize Lotion Bundle was specifically designed for you to provide the ultimate spa experience with personal care products safe for pregnancy. Our Glow Organics line is made entirely with safe materials to elevate mom’s relaxation without posing any health risks to her baby. This box contains our best selling Belly Butter, a best-seller to help support mom’s growing belly and Energize Lotion, made with ingredients to soothe your dry, irritated skin, and mood-boosting orange, lemon, and grapefruit essential oils
Fun Pregnancy Gifts for the First Trimester
The first trimester may be tough for mom as she deals with unpleasant pregnancy symptoms, so it’s important to find ways to pick mom’s spirits up during this time in her pregnancy.
A few simple keepsake items you can buy to support mom during this time include:
- Instagrammable belly bump stickers to showcase how far along mom is in her pregnancy.
- A cute pregnancy journal so mom can document her unique pregnancy experience.
- An insulated or decorative water bottle so mom can stay hydrated.
- A funny pregnancy-themed T-shirt to make mom laugh.
- A first sonogram photo frame to commemorate that memorable moment when new parents first get to see their growing baby.
Second Trimester Pregnancy Gifts
The second trimester is when the belly begins to pop — preventing and reversing the appearance of stretch marks, on top of relieving itching and burning skin, are some of mom’s biggest priorities. At this same time, moms also experience joint pain, lower back pain, foot pain, and other soreness; the best gifts during the second trimester ease these discomforts.
One of the biggest challenges during this time is finding safe skincare since many beauty products — including some stretch mark creams — contain potentially-harmful chemicals. To cut through the noise and guarantee we’re offering the safest and best skincare for pregnant mamas, we started our Glow Organics line made entirely of clean, healthy ingredients for moms’ skin.
Glow Organics Relax Bath Soak
When to Buy: First, Second, or Third Trimester
What It’s For: Body pains and achy muscles
As we mentioned with bath bombs, it’s not uncommon for bath salts to also contain unnatural ingredients to improve or boost their scent. The Glow Organics Relax Bath Soak contains a nourishing combination of essential oils, including lavender and bergamot, to help mom relax and feel pampered. Plus, it contains a specialized salt mixture to relieve aches, soreness, and swelling.
Glow Organics Belly Butter
When to Buy: Second and Third Trimester
What It’s For: Eliminate stretch marks
We developed our Glow Organics Belly Butter with zero chemicals or artificial fragrances to naturally improve skin elasticity and smooth out stretch marks. Even better? It’s ultra-soothing and hydrating to ease itchy, burning skin.
Previse MommyBalm Stretch Mark Cream
When to Buy: Second and Third Trimester
What It’s For: Eliminate stretch marks
Previse’s hypoallergenic MommyBalm Stretch Mark Cream reduces stretch marks, keeps the baby bump moisturized, and prevents new lines from forming with its blend of rejuvenating peptides and antioxidants. It’s entirely safe for mom because it contains plant-based ingredients and is fragrance, dye, and paraben-free.
Promise Bump Oil
When to Buy: Second and Third Trimester
What It’s For: Eliminate stretch marks
Promise’s Bump Oil soothes skin with seed oils and is infused with skin lightening vitamins. At the same time, this body oil fights the appearance of stretch marks and scars so moms can enjoy smooth skin.
PharMeDoc Full-Body Pregnancy Pillow
When to Buy: Second and Third Trimester
What It’s For: Improve sleeping positions and sleep quality
PharMeDoc’s U-shaped, body pillow is a much-needed cushion to support a growing belly and keep mom sleeping in a healthy position, reducing the chances of waking with discomfort.
Jill & Joey Maternity Belt for Back Support
When to Buy: Second and Third Trimester
What It’s For: Support baby bump and relieve back pain
The Jill & Joey Maternity Belt for Back Support supports the extra weight placed on the uterus as it expands and grows out of the pelvis and alleviates strain on the spinal column to diminish hip, back, and pelvis pains. It’s easy to use, one-size-fits-all, and highly rated, as it’s Amazon’s choice for maternity belly bands.
Fun Pregnancy Gifts for the Second Trimester
The second trimester is when excitement about the new pregnancy escalates since mom’s finally starting to feel better and her baby bump begins to show.
Some of the best gifts to celebrate and care for mom-to-be during the second trimester include:
- Baby name books help mom narrow down potential names for her bun in the oven.
- Ultra-wide slippers to cushion swollen feet and a silk eye mask to promote undisturbed sleep.
- Pregnancy earbud adapters so mom can listen to music with her baby.
Third Trimester Pregnancy Gifts
By month six, mom’s belly is sizable, swelling and joint pain hits the hardest, and many expecting mamas grow eager to finally give birth. The third trimester is the time to prepare for delivery so moms feel ready to head to the hospital when the time comes.
Mommy Bag Bundle
When to Buy: Third Trimester
What It’s For: Prepare mom for labor
A practical, stylish, and put-together Mommy Bag (or “Delivery Day” bag) is a perfect gift so mom can feel ready for her big day without having to gather everything she needs herself.
To build a Mommy Bag, we suggest packing it with essentials like:
- Organic face wipes (like the Face It Cloth)
- Safe skincare
- Headband and a hair wrap
- A refillable water bottle
- A two-in-one car seat and breastfeeding cover (such as the award-winning Carseat Canopy Nursing Cover from KeaBabies)
We also suggest throwing in a few items for the baby, including a swaddle, blanket, onesie, and pacifier, so mom doesn’t have to stress about packing those, either.
Baby Be Mine Gownie
When to Buy: Third Trimester
What It’s For: Keep mom comfortable on delivery day
When it comes time to give birth, mom needs loose and sensible attire. Baby Be Mine’s labor gown is the #1 most popular labor gown on Amazon, and it provides a little extra comfort than a normal hospital gown. It’s also available in a number of colors and patterns so mom’s aren’t stuck wearing the dreary, bland-looking hospital gown in the first pictures with their baby.
DonnaElite Non-Skid Push Socks for Labor
When to Buy: Third Trimester
What It’s For: Keep mom comfortable on delivery day
Non-skid push socks are also great to keep mom’s feet warm and clean during delivery day. Fun socks like this pair from DonnaElite will make mom laugh and provide an extra sense of security and safety for her while she prepares to deliver her baby.
Wooden Massager
When to Buy: Second and Third Trimester
What It’s For: Body pains and achy muscles
Wooden massagers can be used to rub out tense muscles, leg pain, foot pain, joint pain, and more, and they help moms relax during labor. We recommend these over more high-tech massagers since they’re gentler and are easier to stow in a delivery day bag. If you’re accompanying mom in the delivery room, you’ll want one of our Bump Box wooden massagers to help alleviate some of her discomforts.
Don’t forget, you’ll want to use pregnancy-safe belly or body oils with these wooden massagers for maximum comfort and pain relief.
Fun Pregnancy Gifts for the Third Trimester
Many shoppers want to spoil the baby, as well, and this is the perfect time to gift mama with new, fun baby items. Even if mom’s already had her baby shower, there are a few things you can never go wrong buying for a newborn.
- Rattles, binkies, and soothers
- Onesies
- Instagrammable bedsheets and stylish swaddles
- Diapers — Never too many diapers
Fourth Trimester — Postpartum
Many new mamas battle with unpleasant postpartum symptoms, struggle to keep up with the normal household chores, and experience difficulties with breastfeeding after having a child. The first three months following childbirth is the time to double-down and ensure you’re really giving mom the support she needs to feel cared for and loved through this transition.
Frida Labor and Delivery + Postpartum Recovery Kit
When to Buy: Third or Fourth Trimester
What It’s For: Postpartum symptoms
The Frida Labor and Delivery+ Postpartum Recovery Kit has everything a mom needs to get through some of the not-so-fun post-birth hurdles like using the restroom again normally, dealing with lochia, and easing perineal pain. We also like this kit because it includes a labor gown and non-skid socks so mom is prepared for labor, too. It’s conveniently sized and easy to transport, as well, so it can easily fit in mom’s hospital bag.
Meal Services
When to Buy: After Birth, Fourth Trimester
What It’s For: Keeps mom fed as she focuses on her baby
A meal service like HelloFresh or a gift card to UberEats or DoorDash is perfect to cover dinners and keep mom fed. Or, you can even go the homemade route and take mom a meal after she’s arrived home from the hospital and had a chance to get settled.
Home Cleaning Services
When to Buy: After Birth, Fourth Trimester
What It’s For: Makes mom’s life easier as she focuses on her baby
Booking mom a one-time cleaning service, or paying for a couple of cleans, is sure to ease mom’s stress and help her feel better — Who doesn’t enjoy a clean home? You can search and compare local cleaning services on apps like Yelp, Angie’s List, or Care.com so you can feel confident in who you’re finding and hiring for mom.
Best First Time Mom Pregnancy Gifts for Every Shopper
With the abundance of gift ideas for first-time moms, you may be wondering, “What should I buy for the pregnancy?” Whether you’re the expecting father, grandma-to-be, or the pregnant mama’s best friend, we’ve got you covered with our gift recommendations.
Pregnancy Gifts for Dad to Give to Mom
Soon-to-be fathers and partners want to give thoughtful gifts to show mom they care and support her through every step of her first pregnancy. “Feel good” items to address unpleasant symptoms, spa gifts to make an expectant mom feel like a million bucks, and commemorative gifts to memorialize pregnancy milestones are all great gift ideas for partners to show mom she’s appreciated.
A few go-to gift ideas for dads and expecting parents include:
- Morning sickness remedies like Preggie Pops, Sparkling Mama Fizzelixir, Earth Mama Morning Wellness Tea, and No Mo Nausea Acupressure Bands
- The “50 Love Notes for You Book” so you can record the little moments
- Belly butter for stretch marks
- Pregnancy pillows
- Compression socks
- Wooden massagers
- Pregnancy books and other educational resources
- Bath bombs, foot soaks, and other at-home spa items
- “Delivery Day” or “Mommy” Bags
Sentimental Pregnancy Gifts for Grandparents to Give to Mom
There are plenty of gift options for grandparents to help both mom and dad, including meal subscriptions and home cleaning services. Apart from gifting convenient goods, another easy way for grandparents to show their support for mom and dad is by volunteering their time to help after the new baby is born.
A few other fun gift ideas for grandparents include:
- The “Baby Book” to document the first year of parenthood and life with their new bundle of joy
- Picture frames or a “Delivery Day” scrapbook
- Insulated, fun water bottle
- Funny T-shirt about pregnancy or motherhood
- Belly bands or belly-support leggings
Best Gifts for Pregnant Women, from Friends
Mom’s closest friends want to celebrate with her through the good times, and help her during the challenging parts of pregnancy and being a new mother; this includes prepping her for the big day and providing support during postpartum blues.
Our favorite gift ideas for friends of mom include:
- Belly stickers and fun, Instagrammable items to highlight mom’s pregnancy
- Mocktails and recipe books so mom can enjoy girl’s nights as usual
- Diapers and a cute diaper bag
- Postpartum survival kit
- Hydrating face serums, pregnancy-safe body lotions, and moisturizing face masks
- Labor gowns and non-slip socks
- Gifts for baby, such as books, toys, clothes, and shoes
Pregnancy Gift Ideas to Avoid
Generic items like cozy robes, blankets, home decor, and loungewear are nice gift ideas for women, in general, so gifts like these might fit the bill for somebody buying for a distant family member or acquaintance. However, gadgets like wireless photo printers and go-to gift options like jewelry and flowers simply won’t cut it when you’re excited and want to buy something for an expecting mother’s pregnancy.
If you’re shopping for something meaningful, here are just a few gift ideas to avoid:
- Coloring books and other arts and crafts. We’ve tested sending these to moms and they just don’t like it. The items in our boxes (and in the list above) are more helpful for what mom’s experiencing during her pregnancy.
- Athletic wear and other casual clothing. This is generic and most moms aren’t thrilled about being reminded that they’re not going to get to wear normal clothes for a while.
- Pajamas and fuzzy socks. Same as above. Avoid gifts that can be closely associated with “moomoo.”
- Sandals and shoes. Mom’s feet are so swollen right now she’s not going to be able to wear them anyway. Unless you’re buying extra-wide, orthopedic slippers to relieve foot pain, a pair of shoes won’t do much to help mom with her pregnancy.
- Scented candles, throw pillows, and blankets. Everybody loves cozy blankets and good-smelling candles, which is why they’re the least thoughtful gift you can get for mom. These may suffice for a holiday gift exchange with coworkers, but they aren’t great gifts for pregnant mamas.
- Table lamps and other decorative items. Pregnancy is the time to focus on a baby, not interior decorating.
- Roombas and other electronics. These gadgets are fun and all, but mom’s a little preoccupied with preparing for childbirth and motherhood to toy with new electronics at the moment.
We Set Out to Make the Best Gifts for New Moms
First of all, who are we and why are we so obsessed with finding the perfect gift for a first time mom?
We started Bump Boxes nearly a decade ago when one of our founders, Christine Deehring, was pregnant for the first time and looking for baby-safe products and the right things to treat her various pregnancy symptoms.
During her pregnancy, Christine realized it wasn’t just one or two products that she needed. It kept changing each trimester.
In the first trimester, it was about coping with morning sickness and switching over to safe, chemical-free, and clean products.
Then, after the belly starts to grow, it’s about managing stretch marks, sore muscles, and achy legs and feet.
Finally, towards the end of pregnancy, the primary focus is preparing for labor and finding the best “delivery day” products. (In addition to mitigating those aches and pains that start in the second trimester.)
At all times, Christine wanted to know: what can I take that’s safe for me, safe for the baby, and will solve the problem I’m having right now?
That’s how Bump Boxes was born: a personalized subscription box of goodies just for mom each month. We base every box on mom’s specific due date, and our team carefully curates the items in each box, so they’re 100% safe for the baby and geared to help mom tackle the specific discomforts she’s facing during that specific stage in her pregnancy.
This is why we think a monthly Bump Box subscription is one of the most useful and unique gifts you can buy for mom that will actually support her along her pregnancy. Hello dads, grandparents, and best friends, we’re talking to you!
Partners, friends, and grandparents love the Bump Box subscription because it’s low-maintenance — our pregnancy gift boxes are filled with the best products for mom that we’ve actually tested and used ourselves, and it gives them something to bond with mom over each month.
Click here to learn more about buying a Bump Boxes subscription for a first time mom.
Shop Bump Boxes for All of Your First Time Mom Pregnancy Gifts
It’s difficult finding the best pregnancy gift for a first time mom because timing plays an important part in choosing something mom will need. Moms in their first trimester experience a different set of challenges than pregnant women preparing for delivery. This can be confusing for friends and loved ones who are looking for the right gift, especially because plenty of companies don’t label their gift options by trimester.
That’s why we put together this gift-buying guide with everything shoppers need to know about buying a pregnancy gift for a first-time expectant mother.
At Bump Boxes, we have three different subscription options (6-month, 9-month, and 12-month), and each monthly gift box is tailored to mom’s specific needs, so you know she’s getting the most practical gifts for what she’s currently experiencing in her pregnancy.