Gift Guide For New Moms

I’m loving my Gift Guide Series!  Have you seen the ones for Educational gifts and movies and games, and Cultural Gifts?  Boy, they’re a lot of work to put together, but I want to share the best things out there with you.  I don’t mind working hard for you – you deserve it!  It’s my little thanks to you for following along with us and being an important part of our community.  Today I’m bringing you my Gift Guide For New Moms; from the brand new mom to those who have been ‘in the trenches’ for some time, I hope that you’ll find something to add to your gift list for yourself or someone you love.

This post contains affiliate links.

Gift Guide For New Moms

Mom for the Holidays: Stories of Love, Laughter, and Tantrums at Christmas and Hanukkah + Holiday Planner (What Is a Mother to Do?)

Mom For The Holidays: Stories of Love, Laughter & Tantrums at Christmas & Hanukkah was recently gifted to me from Carolyn of The Wise Owl Factory.  One of the stories in this anthology is hers, and anyone who has raised children in another culture will understand her confusion about local Christmas customs.

What I like to do is let the children have some free (but quiet) time in the afternoon while I make myself a cup of my favourite tea or coffee, and a small indulgent treat (such as a piece of chocolate) and curl up on the bed with this book for a little quiet time of my own.  My children know I function better after a little down-time and they actually encourage me to do this! (I know that sometimes they have their own motives – like spending time on things I don’t always let them do; but we all deserve a little luxury time to do what we enjoy).

This book is one you can judge by the cover – it delivers what it promises; stories of love, laughter, and tantrums.  You’ll be laughing and crying along with the short stories these moms have been generous to share with the world.  Surely the next time you think, “this could only happen to me,” rest assured that you’re not alone!

These stories are only a few pages long so you’ll easily be able to read at least one without interruption (of course I can’t promise that, but you’ll have a good chance….and you might even be able to get in 2 or 3 stories.  This is the perfect gift for any mom, and I’d especially recommend it for those who need a little extra cheer, or those new moms who don’t know what’s to come…they’ll have a little preparation now (while thinking, that’ll never happen to me), and in the future can re-read the stories (thinking, I can’t believe that did happen to me)!

Mom For The Holidays can be purchased on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

I See Me! Books

We’ve previously reviewed books from I See Me: My Very Own Pirate Tale and My Very Own World Adventure and my children absolutely adore them!  They feel so special to have a book all about them.  I’ve often seen such books but wondered at the quality, and now that we have our own, I can attest to the high standard that I See Me! puts into each bespoke book.

Now that each of my children have their own book, it was time to have a book dedicated to our family! Yes, there is just such a Christmas book! My 12 Days of Christmas (Family Edition) caught my eye.  We personalised it by including a family photo in the front, and adding 12 names of family members that show up randomly throughout the book.  Because we are 5-7 time zones away from my family and they aren’t seen often enough, after using the names of our immediate family and the kids’ grandparents, I used the names of special relatives back home to help keep them in the thoughts of my children at this special time of year. Have a look on the I See Me! site to see what the book looks like inside with more detail.

My 12 Days of Christmas, Family Edition is truly going to be a treasured memory to bring out each year, not just for my children, but a family book can also be passed down to future generations and used like a family tree.  My daughter loves to sit with it and sing aloud.  And of course she likes to flip through the pages to find her name!

There are more than just books at I See Me! so go have a look around their site and see what catches your eye.  Stickers, lunch boxes, growth charts, tree ornaments are also available for personalisation.

You can purchase My 12 Days of Christmas (Family Edition) and other fantastic I See Me! books online.

Follow I See Me! through their website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, and email (for updates and discounts).

Hotel Chocolat

Moms need chocolate!  Whether it’s for a quick boost of energy during the afternoon, or to taking a minute to relax and let the world pass by while our minds reboot so we can continue on with our day and what it holds.   My favourite chocolate to indulge in is Hotel Chocolat!

Hotel Chocolat will forever hold special memories for me, and I’m making new ones by sharing these delectable little treasures with my friends and family.

The small but mighty Toasty Toddies box is perfect for a stocking stuffer or Secret Santa gift as well as for Moms.  There are 4 varieties of chocolate, and each is like a little explosion of flavour and satisfaction that travels from the mouth up to the ‘happy centre’ of the brain.  These are great as a Momma can feel like she’s indulging!

The Classic Christmas Sleekster box is perfect for sharing when Moms get together (if you can dare to share, that is).  They’re great to give as a gift to a Mom, friend, or anyone you know who could use some cheer.  With 16 varieties of chocolates to choose from in this box, the recipient can spend their days deciding which treat to devour next – or they can just close their eyes and let fate decide which chocolate their fingers will pick up and let their taste-buds be surprised!

Hotel Chocolat never disappoints and always leaves you looking forward to your next peaceful moment when you have a rendezvoux with the ‘Hotel’.

These special Christmas boxes are available from Hotel Chocolat both in-store and on-line for home delivery!  Why not surprise the special Mom in your life with her own box….and while you’re in the lounge, please do have a look through the rest of the Hotel for all the other pleasures that will please those on your gift-giving list.

You can purchase Hotel Chocolat online as well as in store.

Follow Hotel Chocolat through their website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube and G+ to keep up with their new products and promotions.

Hotmilk Maternity and Nursing Lingerie

Hello guys!  I know a few of you read my blog – and just for you, Hotmilk has a fun MEN’S IDIOT-PROOF GUIDE TO BUYING LINGERIE so don’t be shy, head over and learn what you need to know to make your lady love you even more than she does already.

I am so happy to be including Hotmilk Lingerie in my gift guide!  My first pregnancy went without a maternity bra and poor-fitting nursing bras (due in part to having an extremely premature baby which meant my pregnancy was cut short of needing one and there wasn’t time to search out for one after).  Thankfully, things were different with my second pregnancy and now that I know the difference a great nursing bra can make, I highly recommend them as they are a total game-changer!  I loved mine so much I actually wore them out 🙂  A good-fitting bra is absolutely worth the investment, which once again I’ve found out this month.

Nursing bras are built for comfort and ease of use first, and Hotmilk also makes them for beauty as well.  They have many styles to suit a mom’s lifestyle; sporty yoga and sleeping bras, plain and basic bras, as well as lacy and more sexy styles.  So whether you’re more ‘practical’ or more ‘fun’, or even a perfect mix of both, you’ll find something that fits your style as well as your changing mommy-bod (Hotmilk designs their bras for this phenomenon).

If you live in a rural area or an area that isn’t very pro breast-feeding then you may find it difficult to shop for a nursing bra, just as I did.  Online shopping is a great way to go!

Have a look through what Hotmilk has to offer (and there’s more than just bras – you’ll find panties, camis and pjs as well.  All the things you need to feel comfortable …well, as comfortable as possible when you’re pregnant and shortly after…

You can purchase Hotmilk lingerie online: Canada, USA, UK, and Australia, as well as some choice retailers.

Follow Hotmilk through their website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube and G+. 

 MyFreezEasy

MyFreezEasy is a real game-changer in a busy home! (See my full review here) This isn’t what might be considered the ‘best’ gift for a Mom, but rather it’s a gift for the whole family (and you can easily turn it into a gift for Mom if someone else does the prep!!).  I’ve been using MyFreezEasy for a few months now to plan my meals.  I spend a couple of hours a month prepping and filling my freezer with meals that can then be pulled out and cooked on the day they’re needed.

Cooked in the slow cooker, in the oven, or on the stove, there’s so much variety amongst both this and the recipes you’ll find in this program.  From allergy-friendly meals to traditional fayre and everything in between.  They are easy to prep and delicious to eat!

In the membership you’ll receive the recipes (adjustable for 2, 4, or 6 people per meal), 8 meal plans each month, lists that include everything you’ll need at the grocery store, and a step-by-step guide on what you need, and which order to prep your meals in for ultimate efficiency.  The premium membership will allow you to swap out some meals in the plan for others to make a bespoke meal-plan that everyone will love.

What Kind of Recipes Are There?

MyFreezEasy would be a great gift for a new and/or busy mom – present the membership with a gift of some of the meals all ready pre-prepped and frozen and you’ll win the prize for the most thoughtful gift!

You can purchase a premium membership at MyFreezEasy here, or check out the difference between plans here.

Follow MyFreezEasy through her website, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram fro more tips and tricks in the kitchen.