FTC Disclosure: As an ambassador for Central Arkansas McDonald’s, I receive compensation for posts that mention McDonald’s. However, I always share my genuine thoughts with you guys and have no plans to change that. 🙂
Being a new mom can be tough. Even if it’s not your first time around the block. When I first had Christian, I admit that I didn’t do a very good job of taking care of myself. My sole concern was taking care of my son. I tried as best as I could to keep the household running, but even that fell to the wayside. Self-care simply was not very high on my list of priorities. My ex had to practically force me to even take a nap. However, looking back, I wish that I had taken a little bit of time to myself. It might have alleviated some of the stress that I felt those first several months.
Now that Christian is older (he will be 6 in October), I do make a concerted effort to have some ‘me’ time. However, I do not think that moms should have to wait years before they feel comfortable taking that oh-so-important ‘mommy time’. That I why I love the idea of care packages for new moms.
Giving a new mom a care package can be that bit of permission that they need to take a wee bit of time to themselves. After all, taking care of ourselves enables us to take better care of our loved ones. I think that is something that we often forget – especially in the beginning.
Putting together a care package doesn’t have to be something time-consuming or expensive. It can just be something that lets them know that you are thinking of them and that you want them to take a little time to themselves.
Here are some ideas for things that you can include in a care package for the new mom in your life:
Entertainment
♥Books – Is she an avid reader? Does she have an Amazon wishlist or a Goodreads profile that you can check out? Find out what types of books she enjoys reading and pick out one or two for her.
♥Magazines – I can almost guarantee you that your friend would enjoy having a few magazines around. There are so many different types out there, that I am sure you can find one that she would enjoy.
♥Movies – Pick out one or two good movies that you think she would love to watch either by herself or with her family.
♥Music – Good tunes can be so therapeutic and cathartic. Pick out a CD by her favorite artist.
Pampering
♥Beauty products – Just because we don’t always remember to apply some lip gloss or paint our nails doesn’t mean that we don’t want to. Why not pick up a few staple beauty products for her?
♥Spa Gift Card – I can almost guarantee that you will amass major brownie points if you treat her to a spa package.
Good Eats
♥Snacks – You can’t go wrong with snacks, right? Especially chocolate. Put chocolate on the list. Right now.
♥McDonald’s Gift Card – Everyone needs to eat, right? The baby will obviously get its sustenance. But what about mom? She may not always be in the mood to cook, so why not help her out by buying her a McDonald’s Arch card? Using an Arch card is quick and convenient, the cards never expire or accrue fees, and they can be purchased and used all over the nation. It can be a really simple way to help your new mom friend out on those days when she really just doesn’t feel like cooking.
These are just a few ideas for things that you can include in a care package for new moms. Whatever you choose, I am sure she will appreciate it.
The importance of self-care is something that new moms will need to remember down the line as well. It is okay to eventually want to reclaim some of your hobbies and passion. Read more in this post where I discuss how I Am More Than A Mom. And when you have those days when you feel like you are not doing enough, check out these Lessons I Learned From “Mom’s Night Out”.
