Parenting
Putting together a new mum care package? These are my must-haves
Jessie Day, in partnership with Zita West Products | 17 Jun 2024
If you’re stuck on ideas for new mum gifts, the answer is: care package
Scrolling my parent Whatsapp group messages yesterday, one note from a local doula caught my eye. She’s just started trialling a postpartum and early motherhood food drop option, featuring four different menus, freshly-cooked, with local and seasonal ingredients, specifically crafted to support in the postnatal period.
I would have loved this kind of expert, care-driven delivery service for my postpartum(s).
But how simple would it be, to pop a voucher for something like this into a new mum hamper, for a loved one who’s recently had a baby? Nutrition in delicious, whole food form – delivered to their doorstep – plus the baseline self care products and micronutrient support – think a gorgeous aromatherapy bath oil with your postpartum multivitamin – we need, to be well.
As postpartum mums, ‘being well’ is easier said than done.
Intentional as we may be, juggling a newborn, possibly older children too, and our own needs is a feat. Add breastfeeding requirements into the pot – and specific concerns around, say, hormone balance, mood, bone health and depletion – and a well-timed new mum care package isn’t just a lovely gesture, it can be a pivotal support, too.
My dream new mum hamper starts with easy self care
And by ‘easy self care’, I mean products and handy bits and bobs I can pull out of my hamper, add in to my daily routine and use as my baseline for postpartum recovery. New baby clothes are lovely. But I honestly have so many. My baby’s taken care of – I’d love somebody to take care of me, too.
Keep reading for just a few ideas of the kind of wellbeing-focused products we’d love to receive, in a new mum pamper kit, or care package.
THE FOOD DROP SERVICE
You could go down the local doula or postpartum care route – check Instagram for professionals in your area. Here in east London, I can’t recommend In Bloom enough.
The Food Doula is nationwide, and also fantastic, or you could go for the comfort family food factor, with one of the New Parents Meal Boxes from Cook – I love the look of the Positive Birth Company & Cook option, and the New Mums Survival Box.
From broths and collagen muffins to fish pies and mac cheese, all nourishment is good, and has its perfect place. Think about what’s going to be most welcome, and pop a voucher or menu in your new mum care package.
Or, if you’re a handy cook yourself, why not ask your friend to choose from your own menu?
You could drop round a selection of home-cooked meals yourself (maybe cooked by you and another friend), knowing you’re catering to what they love, and need.
THE SUPPLEMENTS
Whether going for single orders, or all-in-one with the Ultimate New Mum Pack (Editor’s note – TRB readers (US and UK) get 10% off the entire line with code TRB10*), the postpartum range from Zita West Products is our no-brainer for self care, and repletion.
Here’s what we like to focus on – and if anyone’s asking, we’d love to receive these in any new mum hamper (hint, hint friends, family and colleagues!)
Vitamin D
Almost every new mama could do with a handy vitamin D spray – read all about why – and they’re super affordable, effective and pocket-sized, perfect to add into your mum care package after birth. From inflammatory response to immune and breastfeeding support, these are fab.
Soluble fibre
We wrote a chunky 101 on postpartum fibre needs, so read up, but the star of the show is an expertly-formulated product, like psyllium husk. Again, it comes in as a premium but affordable product with Zita West (at under £10 for a long-lasting supply). New mums need fibre, trust us.
Pop our postpartum smoothie recipe card in your new mum care package for extra brownie points.
Omega-3s
TRB CEO – and new mama to gorgeous twins – Eloise wrote about her omega-3 pick here, and why she’s continuing with her Vital DHA supplement to ensure she’s getting everything she and her babies need in the all-important postpartum period.
Do check dietary requirements when putting together any new mum gifts (our fave Zita West Vital DHA comes from high strength and ultra pure fish oil).
Micronutrient formula
Revital Essence provides premium nutrition for the postnatal period, and I pop it in pretty much every gift pack I send to new mamas in my support network. It’s a comprehensive mix, including iron, calcium and vitamin C, for the baseline support we really need, postpartum.
All of these premium formulas are available as single-order products, or wrapped into the gorgeous Ultimate New Mum Pack, hand-picked by experienced midwife and women’s health authority, Zita West. Or, grab them in the Postnatal Support Pack for all the micronutrients, without the pampering bits.
TRB readers get 10% off the entire Zita West supplement range (US and UK), with code TRB10* at checkout.
THE BOOKS
I give a copy of The Postnatal Depletion Cure (Dr Oscar Serallach) and/or The First 40 Days (Heng Ou with Amely Greeven and Marisa Belger) to pretty much every new mum I know, before or right after their baby arrives.
From recipes and building the experience you want to have, to preventing and finding the root causes of specific postnatal depletion concerns, the wisdom and actionable support in these books can be game-changing.
THE LOVELY BITS
When my second baby was born, a sleep spray was absolute heaven to spritz over the hospital pillows, and I carried on loving it at home, too. My fave was the Neal’s Yard Remedies Good Night Pillow Mist, but lots of small independent companies do beautiful blends too.
On the theme of safe, gentle aromatherapy, a new mum pamper kit isn’t complete without a good bath oil (gentle prod here to volunteer to walk the baby round the park, while your friend has that lovely bath).
We love the lavender-rich Restore and Renew blend, included in the Ultimate New Mum Pack.
And finally, The Mummy MOT. I can’t recommend this service highly enough – it’s the postnatal check every mum deserves, but so rarely gets. You can book these nationwide (gift vouchers are available), and each 1-hour session includes a full pelvic floor muscle assessment, bladder screen and abdominal exam.
That’s me! What would you include in your dream new mum care package? Let us know on the DMs and be sure to use that exclusive discount code TRB10* for 10% off the entire Zita West range.
*TRB10 is valid once per customer only. Excludes subscription purchase. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Zita West terms of the site apply.
