Gift Ideas for Moms to Be - Ideas for Gifts She'll Love

Expecting moms feel loved and encouraged when they receive baby gifts from their friends and family. The gifts don't have to be expensive or super fancy. Something as simple as flowers lets the expecting mom know that you're thinking about her and that you care. And who doesn't love flowers?

This article will give you an extensive list of possible gift ideas for an expecting mother. Whether you're on a tight budget, or no budget, you want to buy your gift or make it, you will find ideas for it all right here.

Help make her pregnancy journey a little more comfortable and fun with these gifts. Prices are listed to help you decide which gift best fits your budget.

• Pillows: During the last trimester, it is not recommended to sleep on your back and to sleep on your stomach is like sleeping on a watermelon. That doesn't leave too many options. A nice, contouring body pillow can increase comfort and help her get some much needed rest.

• Relaxation and meditation audios and books: Good for mommy, good for baby. Pregnancy can bring up a wealth of emotions, sometimes it's overwhelming. Reduce stress and help her relax with guided meditations and calming music.

• Prenatal Yoga and Exercise DVDs: Staying in shape while pregnant is important. The strength and flexibility benefits of yoga are beneficial during labor.

• Family portraits: Professional photos of pregnancy can be beautiful and wonderful keepsakes. Also, professional photos of newborn babies are absolutely precious. Give her something that she will keep forever. (Prices vary by location, package, and photographer. Usually a professional will charge a sitting fee plus the cost of prints)

• Online Birth Classes: These may sound a little sketchy, however, they are some great online resources for expecting parents to use. There are some free online birth classes and some paid. The paid ones range from $47-$80, much more affordable than on-location classes. You can also purchase home study kits of a lot of the well-known birth classes. These are a great option for those that can't find a class that meets their scheduling needs, those that want to study in the privacy of their own home, or those that need to stay home due to pregnancy complications. They can also be a great supplement to other birth classes.

• A Spa Kit: She'll appreciate a little indulgence now more than ever. Get her a spa kit that she can use before and after the baby comes.

• Gift Baskets: Cliché? Maybe, but so darn cute! Mommy-to-be will love it.

• Pajamas and Comfortable Clothes: Pajamas that she'll be able to use to nurse at night after the baby comes will save her from struggling with straps and buttons in the middle of the night while halfway asleep. Also, any clothes that are cute and comfortable are a huge bonus. Stretchy yoga pants and a fun top or a flirty dress will make her feel presentable when she goes out in public but still comfortable.

• Pregatinis: Don't leave out the pregnant one! Give her a book of mixologies that she can throw back with the rest of them.

• Pregnancy Calendars and Countdowns: She'll love seeing how her baby is changing each week with a week by week calendar. Pregnancy journals can make for fun memories. There are also pregnancy countdown clocks available, though I'm sure and expecting mom will be well aware of how far along she is and how much longer she has to go, with or without said calendar.

• Foot bath: The last trimester is synonomus with sore and swollen feet. A luxurious foot bath will give the poor feet some needed lovin'. A foot bath will also come in handy after spending all day running after a toddler. 

• Stress relieving scents: Everyone could use a little stress relief. Especially new and expecting moms. You could even make a gift basket of relaxing tunes, bath salts and some stress relieving aroma sticks. 

• Bath Bomb Cupcake: All this talk of relaxation and spa treatments, might as well settle in with a cupcake. No, not to eat! To go in the bathtub with you!

• Spa Robe: Ok, it sounds pretty generic. But during the last days of pregnancy, and those first days after, it takes a lot of effort to get dressed. Plus, she could probably use a robe to walk around the hospital or birth center in. Something easy and comfortable that she can throw on (and off) as needed. 

• Fun Socks and Slippers: Along with the robe, she'll need some slippers and feet warmers as well. There are a lot of options for silly socks and slippers out there. Maybe she'll get a laugh out of it. 

• Stretch Mark Cream: Get her starting using a stretch mark cream early on to help prevent those cruel little lines called stretch marks from coming around. There are a number of stretch mark creams available to choose from. A cheap, yet effective route to go would be to give her almond oil and a body brush. Read more about preventing stretch marks during pregnancy.

• Books: Here are some books she may enjoy reading. 

These gifts will come in handy after the little one comes. Some are comfort measures for her, while most are to help with newborn baby care. 

• Nursing Cover: aka. hooter hiders. These covers are very convenient, easy to use and very modest. This will be a very well used gift. 

• Boppy: A great accessory for every new mom. It's comfortable to use while nursing and it also makes a great little cradling pillow for baby. When baby is starting to learn to sit up, keep it around him to prevent those hard falls. 

• The Baby Bullet: Or another food processing system. The baby bullet is nice because it includes freezer containers and it's easy to use and clean. It's easier than trying to make baby purees in the family food processor. 

• Baby Food Cookbooks: There are recipe books out there that provide recipes that taste good and use a variety of healthy foods to ensure complete nutrition for your growing baby. Many of them start with making baby purees and then slowly graduate the recipes for older infants and toddlers. 

• Moses Basket: Whether you use it for traveling or simply carrying around the house, a Moses basket is a convenient way to keep new baby close. It's lightweight and flexible, making it easier to use than a removable bassinet which is often big, hard and heavy. 

• Moby Wrap or Other Baby Carrier: A baby back-pack is great for toddlers but they can be tricky maneuvering and newborn's hands and arms through the holes. Baby wraps and carriers and comfortable for both the carrier and the baby. There are a variety of ways you can use wraps or slings to carry your baby.

• Baby Books: You can never have enough books for baby. These choices are especially entertaining. 

• Books about Babies: Now that she has books for the baby, she'll need books about babies! The first years can be nerve-wrecking and question-filled for a new mom. Give a book that will answer her questions and calm her nerves.
• Also included in this section is a great little kit for older siblings where they can record their own thoughts and experiences with the new baby. It makes a great keepsake!

• Baby Bathtub: Wet, soapy babies are slippery babies. Get some help with a baby bathtub. (Don't forget the rubber ducky!)

• Diaper Bags: New moms will definitely need diaper bags. Newborns require a lot of "stuff." Buy her a diaper bag and stuff it diapers, wipes, bottles, bibs, baby lotion, onesies, pajamas, and whatever else you see fit. 

• gDiapers: These diapers are equipped with liners that are more environmentally-friendly than disposable diapers. The liners are flushable and biodegradable. The liners make them need less washing that regular cloth diapers. They also allow baby's skin to breath better, giving baby the comfort of less diaper rash. 

• Abdominal Binders: These binders may help to reduce the size of the woman's uterus after giving birth and help her restore her figure. Wrapping the abdomen after birth is a common practice in many other countries. Many women may find it more comfortable to bind everything tight after birth rather than feeling like everything is flopping around. Some women even mentioned they liked the support they felt it gave their backs.

• Electronic Baby Bottle Warmer: Imagine the convenience of leaning over to your nightstand and pushing a button to warm your baby's bottle, rather than hobbling downstairs to the kitchen, turning on the stove, waiting for water to boil at 3, 5, and 7 in the morning. Give the gift of sleep with an easy-to-use electronic baby bottle warmer. 

• Digital Picture Frame: Sometimes these frames look so good, you can't tell that they are digital until the picture changes. Give mom a digital picture frame where she can watch a slideshow of her favorite pictures throughout the day. Baby will also enjoy watching the pictures. 

• Baby Monitor: The digital video ones are pretty cool, but a simple sound receiver will do the job as well.

• Butt Paste: Amusing and effective. Use liberally, especially at the first sign of diaper rash. 

Homemade gifts are great because although in some cases they may take extra effort on your part, they are more personal and memorable. Expecting moms will really appreciate the time and effort you took to show that you care.

Here are some ideas:

• Scrapbook Picture Frame: Gather a few of your favorite pictures of new baby and/or family together, get creative, and make a scrapbook page. When finished, put it in a picture frame. 3-D picture frames are unique and can make your page look stunning. See the main picture at the beginning of this article to see an example. Be careful! The one might make her cry.

• Baby Blanket: Receiving baby blankets is wonderful and they often hang around for a long time after baby is born. There are few ways you can make a beautiful baby blanket. You can knit, crochet, or quilt. If you don't know how to do any of these, a blanket would be a good place to start, as it's pretty simple. Go to your local arts and crafts store to find supplies and tips. There are also tons of resources online that will teach you how to make a baby blanket. It will truly be a special gift for the expecting mother.
• Baby Clothes: Homemade baby clothes are very special gifts. If you know how to knit, you can make sweaters, hats and slippers. If you know how to sew, you can make dresses or shirts. If you know how to paint, buy a simple onsie or pants and top and paint them. You can also try tie-dying onsies. I've see these turn out adorably!

• Birth Annoucements: If you are computer savvy and a little creative, you can offer to make the birth announcements. There are tons of gorgeous template available online. You can even make decent ones in Word. Be careful here though. Some moms have specific ideas about what they want in this area, so make sure she'll be open to what you might come up with before you do all the work. 

• Volunteer Work: Helping out around the house or yard can be a big relief for exhausted new parents. Get a group together to do yard work for an hour to two once a week. Offer to make dinner or gather together a cleaning crew a do a sweep of the house. Babysit the newborn for a few hours and let the parents catch up on some needed zzz's. 

And finally, don't forget about dad! Give him this diaper dootie toolkit, complete with goggles, changing apron, gloves, nose plug, diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream and more. He might also appreciate a couple of parenting books just for him. You can also give him a wheel of responsibility for a laugh.

And there you have it. A pretty extensive list of gift ideas for moms to be. Hopefully this sparked an idea or two for you, even if you didn't like any of the specific gifts listed here. Whether your budget is $0 or there is no budget, you can give mom to be special and memorable gifts. 

To your happiness.