You’ve probably been scrolling all of the various gift guides looking for something to get your wife to commemorate this first Mother’s Day. She’s a new mom and you definitely want her to feel appreciated. Good for you! But there may be some things she wants (even needs) that you probably won’t find on any of those lists. But I’ve got you covered for a few things you can do to be sure the new mama in your life feels well loved, seen and appreciated.

The Gift of Sleep

This is probably the most important one. I don’t know a single new mama (or really any mama) who isn’t tired. Those early days, weeks and months are the hardest in terms of sleep deprivation and I can think of nothing more refreshing than gifting your wife a full nights rest. Now depending on the season you are in, this may not actually be possible. If she breastfeeds and baby still eats overnight you may not be able to get her a completely uninterrupted nights sleep. Here are two ideas for how to support her sleep that I’m sure would be well appreciated.

• If possible take over night time feedings (or night time wake-ups) for the night AND the morning wake up.
• If you can’t take over the night time duty for whatever reason- still offer to take that morning wake up. You could always bring her the baby, let her feed the baby and then you take over while she goes back to sleep.

Take Over The Little Things

You may or may not have noticed all of the little things the mother of your child does to help keep things running smoothly for everyone. Start taking note of some of the smaller tasks she does each day and on Mother’s Day, take over! Help her rest while also showing her you see everything she does and appreciate it. Things you might jump into could be:

• Making sure the diaper bag is packed and ready before going out
• Prepping bottles for the day
• Washing bottle/pump parts
• Diaper changes
• Getting baby dressed for the day
• Prepping food for baby (snacks or meals)
• Managing mealtime for baby (if they’re eating solids) so mama can eat her meal in peace
• Throw in a load of laundry/change the crib sheets etc

Say Cheese!

I think all of us mamas love a good photo! But often we’re the ones taking the photos and we end up with lots of photos of our kiddos but not many of us WITH our kiddos. So snap some candids of your wife with your little one to share with her on Mother’s day. Or gift her some professional family photos. Or offer to take some at home family photos with no complaining that day!

All of the lists of the best gifts for Mother’s Day are full of wonderful ideas! And a physical gift is always fun to open and enjoy. But so often I think what new mom’s are looking for is simply the acknowledgement that they’re doing a good job and some permission (and time) to rest. I hope these ideas inspire you to think outside the box in how you can show your appreciation this year.