50 Maternity Leave Gifts Women Actually Want
Gift her the items she really deserves.
YourTango Maternity leave is exquisitely beautiful and exquisitely tough — in equal measure. That's why it's such a special gesture to gift the new mom in your life a little something as she transitions to her new postpartum life.
We've sorted the gifts below into gifts for moms and also some gifts for her baby (which, let's be real, are also for moms), and we've run the gift gamut from cozy (#1 and #3) to sweet (#5, #21) to practical (#15 and $17) to inspiring (#22 and #41.)
No matter the new mom personality type, you're sure to find something in this gift guide that she'll absolutely cherish. And if you're feeling especially generous, bring over free meals! *wink*
Take a look below at some of the best maternity leave gifts moms actually want— happy browsing!
For her:
1. Cozy Earth Stretch-Knit Bamboo Lounge Tank
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Above all else, new moms just want to be comfortable, all the time. That's why this flattering lounge tee, made with stretch-knit softness, is the perfect gift. Plus, there are versatile styling options: it pairs well with PJs, joggers, or jeans.
RELATED: 40 Best Gifts For New Moms That She'll Actually Use
2. Levity Classic Lounge Chair
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New moms spend a lot of time lounging and this cozy armchair features machine-washable and stain-resistant upholstery and a liquid-repelling base, so fears of spills (read: breastmilk, purée, etc.) won't hold you back. Perfect for a nursery.
3. Kyte Women's Lounge Robe
Check Current Pricing On Kyte Baby
As her baby transitions from the womb to her arms, this robe will carry her through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Plus, the soft, buttery fabric is light and breathable enough to wear as an outer layer or alone.
4. Gemini Beauty Eye Cream
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New moms often have that 'always tired' look going on but fear not! This 3-in-1 eye cream targets dark circles, fine lines, and puffiness, and cucumber extract and Peptides combine to deeply hydrate and moisturize.
5. Elise Thomason Print Studio Classic Rocking Horse Print
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There's a reason a rocking horse is an enduring symbol of childhood. They never go out of style, and great ones can be passed down as heirlooms. This classic rocking horse art print brings timeless style to any traditional-but-hip nursery.
6. Anyday The Complete Set
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Microwaves are a new mom's BFF. So in lieu of bringing dinner (always a nice gift, too!) let this 6-piece set of microwave cooking essentials do the heavy lifting. And don’t sweat it if you have leftovers: You can reheat food evenly in the same container.
7. New Mom Spa Gift Basket
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Indulging in a 20-minute soak in the bath, complete with these at-home spa essentials, is about as luxurious an experience as any new mom can hope to get.
8. 54 Celsius CandleCan Cocoa Java Gift Set
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Gift her coffee (she'll need it) and then gift her a candle that smells like coffee. She can burn it when she's in need of a pick-me-up (read: always.)
9. Bokksu Market Couch Potato Bundle
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The name of this gift sort of says it all: the Bokksu Couch Potato Bundle is the perfect array of sweet, salty, savory, umami, fruity, crunchy, gummy, chewy… basically all the snacking flavors and textures every new mom craves.
RELATED: 12 First-Time Parenting Books That Will Actually Help You Stay Sane
10. Ardo Home Coat
This Ardo home coat is basically a wearable hug that offers emotional support from dawn till dusk — and trust us, every new mom needs a lot of that.
11. Veronica M Marcela Paisley Strapless Dropwaist Maxi Dress
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A good maxi dress is clutch for a new mom: it's flattering and covers all the areas she may feel especially sensitive about in those postpartum days.
12. Silver Cross Reef Stroller
Check Current Pricing At Nordstrom
If you want to gift a truly luxurious gift to the new mom in your life, this innovative, multi-terrain stroller by Silver Cross offers the ultimate — and we mean ultimate — in baby comfort.
13. Aquaroo Baby Carrier
Check Current Pricing At Aquaroo
A great baby carrier is a new mom must-have and this one is water-friendly! Made from the same material as wetsuits, the Aquaroo Baby Carrier will make swim time (and land time) a whole lot easier.
14. LuxaDerme Deep Moisturizing Foot Hydration Socks
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Gift a new mom five minutes of bliss! These deep moisturizing foot hydration socks are made with shea butter, aloe vera, and thyme: a rejuvenating boost to dry, rough feet.
15. Sonoma Wool Company Wool Dish Drying Mat with Linen Sleeve
Check Current Pricing At Sonoma Wool Company
A drying mat is a new mom's best friend —and this one's all-natural, eco-friendly, and durable enough to withstand years of use.
16. STATE Lorimer Diaper Bag
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Designed for parents by parents, this STATE diaper bag is equipped with an insulated bottle pocket, a changing pad, a slip pocket for your phone, easily adjustable straps that attach to your stroller, a luggage sleeve to make travel just a bit easier, and side bottle sleeves for that much-needed coffee.
17. Girlfriend Collective Black Seamless Maternity Leggings
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A super stretchy, seamless maternity legging made from recycled fishing nets that’s ultra-lightweight, versatile, and perfect for all-day lounging.
18. Wiley Body Everywhere Oil
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Crafted from a skin-loving botanical blend of lightweight cold-pressed oils like sunflower seed, apricot kernel, and rosehip seed, this Wiley Body everywhere oil works great on postpartum bellies.
19. Artilect Eldorado Merino Hoodie
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This Eldorado 310 merino hoodie is a super-comfy, full-zip jacket that can be worn all day. It pairs great with...
20. Public Rec Luxe Fleece Joggers
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A classic jogger made for comfort that's elevated by luxuriously soft French Terry fleece. She'll be in new mom heaven wearing these.
21. Bonjour Baby Basket
Check Current Pricing At Bonjour Baby Baskets
A baby gift basket to top all baby gift baskets! Bonjour Baby Baskets offers unique luxury baby gift baskets and newborn gift sets curated with designer clothing, safe natural toys, and accessories from around the world.
22. My Body Created A Human: A Love Story
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This graphic novel–style memoir about the weirdness and wonder of pregnancy and early motherhood is told with humor, frankness, and honesty: many a new mom will relate.
23. Waterloo Sparkling Water
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Refreshingly bright, flavorful, and aromatic because new moms can never, ever have too much sparkling water at their fingertips.
24. SweetSpot Labs Feminine Wipes for Sensitive Skin with Witch Hazel and Aloe Vera
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Cleanse even the most sensitive skin down there — and it's sensitive for a while after giving birth — with these full body wipes, pH-balanced to vulvar skin. They're compact and portable, too!
25. Black & Decker Coffee Pot
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New moms want fresh coffee, fast — and this all-in-one design from Black & Decker makes it easy to grind whole beans, giving her the full flavor and aroma of her favorite beans every time.
For baby:
26. Childhome Evolux Bouncer
Check Current Pricing At Beaba
Lightweight and low to the ground, the Childhome Evolux bouncer gives new moms a safe and comfy place to put Baby while they take care of other duties — because there are always other duties.
27. Philips-Avent Natural Bottle
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For exclusively pumping moms like myself, these Philips-Avent bottles were a life-saver: the natural response nipple let my son control the pace — just like breastfeeding.
28. Bella Tunno Pacifier Clip
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New moms go through so many pacifier clips — buy a ton of these soft ones from Bella Tunno (and also some pacifiers, too.)
29. The Original NeatCheeks
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Boogers, breast milk, eventual purée: there's always something on Baby's face and these make for an easy-breezy, nice-smelling clean-up.
RELATED: 50 Luxury Gift Ideas For Expecting Moms
30. Nuby Silicone Fruit Teether
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This silicone teether's soft, textured design provides comfort to a baby's delicate gums and each teether is sized to be easy to grasp and hold, helping develop motor skills.
31. Kudos Diapers
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You can never go wrong by gifting diapers — it's the item she always needs! Kudos diapers are proven to perform against leaks and blowouts using sustainable, plant-based materials that are naturally gentle on diaper rash-prone skin. They believe in letting butts breathe, and hey, so do we!
32. Baby Delight Portable Baby Gate
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A portable baby gate is a great gift because while she may not need it yet, once Baby starts crawling and walking, all bets are off.
33. iPlay, iLearn Soft Baby Books, Infant Touch and Feel Cloth Book Set
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Cloth books are the best; they don't break! This set has multiple themes — jungle adventure, sea world, farm animals, land animals, flying animals, and marine animals.
34. Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood Magna-Tiles
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You will never regret gifting Magna-Tiles ("best gift ever," says many a parent friend.) They foster learning and creativity — this set features Daniel Tiger, the mascot of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, based on Mr. Roger's Neighborhood.
35. KidPik Clothing Subscription Box
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New moms don't have a lot of time, so give her some of it back! kidpik is an award-winning kids’ clothing subscription box that trades the difficulty of shopping for kids with the excitement of unboxing a curated surprise from the comfort of her home. Buy her a few month's worth!
36. edxeducation Sorting Bowls & Tweezers
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A great gift as Baby ages into the toddler years (psst: always a good idea to age up when gifting), this colorful early math resource inspires kids to learn through play. Plus, they can use tweezers to build hand strength for writing!
37. Ojala Threads Agua Bibs
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Bibs, bibs, bibs, you can never have too many bibs! This one by Ojala Threads is inspired by the Taino symbol for hurricane, a reminder that storms always come and pass (A good analogy for the newborn stage — ha!)
38. Lil Nipper Automatic Nail Clipper
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This may seem like an overly-practical gift until you actually try trimming a baby's nails. THANK US LATER.
39. Zoey Naturals Lavender Head-To-Toe Wash, Lavender Moisturizing Lotion, and Diaper Cream Gift Set
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This Zoey Naturals bundle is a perfect baby bathtime gift: Naturally gentle, tear-free, and void of harsh chemicals.
40. Gymboree Unisex Baby Short Sleeve Animal Bodysuit
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Just like bibs, babies go through onesies at an ... alarming rate. Buy a bunch of these bodysuits in different sizes if you want to be a new mom's best friend.
RELATED: Sorry, But Maternity Leave Is Far From ‘Me Time’
41. Gibbs Smith Babylit
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Baby books are always a great gift because they encourage reading! Support a small book business like Gibbs Smith, an independent book publisher that provides avenues for knowledge, wisdom, and empathy by giving people the tools they need to tell their stories.
42. Magnetic Me Footie Pajamas
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There are buttoned onesies. There are zippered onesies. And then there are magnetic onesies. Once you discover the ease of changing your baby in the middle of the night using magnetic fabric, you'll never go back.
RELATED: I Read All The Parenting Books, But These 13 Things Still Shocked Me As A New Mom
43. Coco Beans Fitted Silk Crib Sheet
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Crafted from soft 100% silk, these happy bunnies add a dash of whimsy to any nursery.
44. Ingenuity Cozy Spot Reversible Activity Gym & Play Mat
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My son loved doing tummy time in this cozy area, batting at the soft, hanging toys, and using the mirror to eventually figure out his own reflection.
45. Tiny Twinkle Hooded Baby Towel
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Silky-soft and extra plush to keep her baby warm and snuggly. (Pair with #39!)
46. Wander & Roam Foam Play Mat
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These reversible playmats are the best! The non-toxic foam is large enough for her little one to wander and roam on and thick enough to soften tumbles and falls. Plus, they roll up for easy storage.
47. T is For Tame Cradle Cap Treatment
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Many babies get cradle cap, and this cream helps by gently calming irritated skin and flakes.
48. Evereden Nourishing Baby Face Cream
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It's not only baby's heads that get dry — their faces do, too. This Evereden face cream is loaded with superfood oils such as jojoba oil and sunflower oil to nourish and soothe dry aggravated skin.
49. Coco Village Soft Sensory Ball Set
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This soft sensory ball set helps develop baby hand-eye coordination as well as fine and gross motor skills. Plus, it's so colorful and fun!
50. Jack N' Jill Natural Kids Toothpaste
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Like clipping nails, brushing baby teeth can be ... challenging. Make it easier on yourself with this Jack N’ Jill Toothpaste in natural blueberry and strawberry flavors — completely safe if swallowed.
Andrea Zimmerman is the editor-at-large at Yourtango. Follow her @angiecat86 on Instagram or email her at andreaz@yourtango.com.
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