Sleep & home · Best-of list
The most useful gifts for new moms are for the mom: things that help her rest in the short windows she gets. This list holds body pillows, sleep masks, throws and ear plugs for the parent, at most four of each kind and one per brand. Nothing on it is for a baby or a baby's sleep space. I'm Rosa. I've visited a lot of new parents with soup, and I've learned to bring something for the person holding the baby, not only for the baby.
How this list is builtGifts for the parent only — body pillows, sleep masks, throws and ear plugs, at most four of each kind and one per brand. Nothing on this list is for a baby or a baby's sleep space.
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| Model | Kind | Amazon |
|---|---|---|
ALASKA BEAR Alaska Bear Sleep Mask Silk Eye Cover with Shaped Pad, Machine Washable | Pressure-free Sleeping, Foam Insert, Upgrade Contour Over Conventional Flat Satin Eye MasksSleep & eye masks More specs
| Sleep & eye masks | Check price |
Amélie Home Amélie Home Chenille Knit Throw Blanket for Couch, Cream, 50"x60" | Soft Chunky Chervon Knit Blanket, Cozy Lightweight Yet Warm, Elegant Home Decor for Bed Sofa Living Room, Gift for WomenThrows & blankets More specs
| Throws & blankets | Check price |
Americanflat Americanflat 50x70 Authentic Mexican Throw Blanket - Falsa Blanket - Soft Cotton Throw Blankets for Indoor or Outdoor - Use for Yoga, Meditation, or Beach - Blue StripesThrows & blankets More specs
| Throws & blankets | Check price |
Andency Andency Cream White Throw Blanket, Striped Design Fleece Flannel Velvet Decorative Bed Blanket for Children, Ultra Soft Cozy Warm Fluffy Plush Blankets for Bed Sofa Living Room (Throw, 50" x 60")Throws & blankets More specs
| Throws & blankets | Check price |
| Throws & blankets | Check price | |
AZEN AZEN 100 Pairs Ear Plugs Bulk, NRR 32dB Soft Foam Ear Plugs for Sleeping Noise Cancelling, Earplugs for Concerts Shooting Swimming Noise Reduction (Lake Blue)Ear plugs & sleep ear muffs More specs
| Ear plugs & sleep ear muffs | Check price |
Baloo Baloo Silk Weighted Sleep Mask, Petal, Eye Mask with Amethyst Crystal | Sound-Muffling Blindfold for Deep Sleep | Eye Mask with Amethyst Crystal | Relaxation & Tranquillity MaskSleep & eye masks More specs
| Sleep & eye masks | Check price |
Bean Products Teen BeanBody & pregnancy pillows More specs
| Body & pregnancy pillows | Check price |
Bearaby CuddlerBody & pregnancy pillows More specs
| Body & pregnancy pillows | Check price |
BEDELITE BEDELITE Cooling Body Pillow, Memory Foam Filled, Navy Blue, 20x54 Inches | Soft & Cool-Touch Quilted Nylon-Spandex Cover, Adjustable Fill, Perfect for Side Sleepers, Hot Sleepers, Pregnancy, Back PainBody & pregnancy pillows More specs
| Body & pregnancy pillows | Check price |
Bedsure Breescape Cooling Eye MaskSleep & eye masks More specs
| Sleep & eye masks | Check price |
BLISSY Blissy Silk Sleep Mask - Eye Sleeping Mask for Women & Men for Total Blackout - 100% Pure Mulberry Silk, 22 Momme 6a Fibers - Blindfold Sleep Mask Side Sleeper Eye Cover (Non Adjustable)Sleep & eye masks More specs
| Sleep & eye masks | Check price |
Cheer Collection Extra Long Body PillowBody & pregnancy pillows More specs
| Body & pregnancy pillows | Check price |
Dison Dison 200Pairs Foam Ear Plugs for Sleeping,32dB,Orange | Disposable Noise Reduction Earplugs,Bulk Ear Plugs for Shooting Range, Work, Travel,ConcertEar plugs & sleep ear muffs More specs
| Ear plugs & sleep ear muffs | Check price |
Eargasm Eargasm Foam Earplugs - 32 dB NRR Super Soft Foam Ear-Plugs with Carrying Case for Noise Reduction and Quiet - Perfect for Sleeping, Snoring, Studying, Loud Environments, Work & More - 50 Pairs JarEar plugs & sleep ear muffs More specs
| Ear plugs & sleep ear muffs | Check price |
Flare Audio Calmer NightEar plugs & sleep ear muffs More specs
| Ear plugs & sleep ear muffs | Check price |
Good for a new parent who naps in daylight and wants a flat mask that goes in the washing machine, as the listing says.
Skip it if you want confirmed silk; no mulberry silk or momme is stated.
Good for a soft couch throw for the parent, in chunky chenille knit per the listing.
Skip it if you need the care method in writing first; our data doesn't list it.
Good for a parent who likes a plain woven cotton throw for the couch or a chair, as listed.
Skip it if they want something plush and heavy; woven cotton is the lighter kind of throw.
Good for a parent who wants a plush fleece and flannel throw for the couch, per the listing.
Skip it if they run warm, or want a natural fiber; the listed fabric is polyester.
Good for a light throw-style blanket for the parent's own bed or couch.
Skip it if you need fill, size or care stated before buying; our data holds no specs for it yet.
Good for a parent who sleeps while a partner takes the night shift: 100 pairs of foam plugs, 32 NRR stated.
Skip it if she's the one who needs to hear the baby; then skip plugs entirely.
Good for a parent who likes a weighted mask in mulberry silk for daytime rest, with a hook-and-loop strap per the listing.
Skip it if she has long hair that catches in Velcro.
Good for a side sleeper who wants a slim 54 x 9-inch body pillow with down alternative fill and a natural cotton cover.
Skip it if you expect a removable cover; the listing says none is included.
Good for a parent who wants a body pillow with latex fill and an organic cotton cover, as listed.
Skip it if she's sensitive to latex, or you're buying it for the maker's health or pregnancy wording.
Good for a 20 x 54-inch body pillow with solid memory foam fill and a quilted nylon-spandex cover.
Skip it if she likes a soft fiber pillow that can be fluffed; this is molded foam per our data.
Good for a parent who runs warm and wants a cooling mask; the listing says cool-to-touch fabric on one side.
Skip it if you want a blackout mask for full daytime sleep; it's sold as a cooling mask.
Good for someone who wants a flat mulberry silk mask with stated 22 momme and 6A grade.
Skip it if you don't know her head size; the band is listed as non-adjustable.
Good for a household of shift sleepers who share one big box: 200 pairs of foam plugs, 32 NRR stated.
Skip it if the person is the only adult on duty at night.
Good for a partner on the off-duty shift who wants foam plugs with a carrying case by its name: 50 pairs, 32 NRR as listed.
Skip it if foam feels too full in their ears.
Good for someone who wants one reusable pair in moldable or flanged silicone for off-duty naps.
Skip it if they compare plugs by number; no NRR is stated for this pair.
The baby will get plenty. Every visitor brings something small and soft for the baby. The parent who hasn't slept more than three hours in a row gets a card.
This list is the other half: gifts for new moms (and new dads, and every new parent) that are for their own rest. Body pillows for their side of the bed, sleep masks for daytime naps, throws for the couch, ear plugs for the off-duty shift.
The rule: at most four items of each kind, and one per brand. Each pick has a reason from its own listing. Where our data is empty, I say so, and the table shows a dash.
One thing this list will never hold: anything for a baby's sleep space. No baby pillows, no baby blankets, no positioners. That isn't caution for show. The American Academy of Pediatrics says a baby's sleep space should have a firm, flat surface with a fitted sheet and nothing else: no pillows, quilts, blankets, bumpers, soft toys or weighted blankets. Every pillow and throw below belongs to the grown-up.
This section has no jokes. It's short on purpose.
The AAP advises that babies sleep on their backs, in their own crib or bassinet, in the parents' room but not in the parents' bed. It also warns against falling asleep with a baby on a couch, a soft armchair or a cushion. That matters for this list, because a body pillow and a soft throw are exactly the kind of things that end up on a couch at 3 a.m.
So, plainly: the body pillow is for the parent's own bed. The throw is for the parent when the baby is in their own sleep space. If you're giving these, you might say so on the card. It's not a lecture. It's what the AAP says, and new parents hear a lot of conflicting advice. One clear line helps.
A body pillow is a long pillow you hug or lie along. Many people who sleep on their side like one between the knees and against the chest. Some listings use pregnancy wording; that's the maker's, and a body pillow is just as useful after birth as a side-sleeping pillow for the parent.
The Teen Bean is a body pillow 54 x 9 inches, with down alternative or polyester fiber fill and a natural cotton cover, per the listing. The listing also says the cover isn't included, so if you're giving it, add a pillowcase or a separate cover that fits. Its slim width suits a bed that's already crowded.
The Cuddler is a body pillow with latex fill (the listing doesn't say which kind) and an organic cotton cover. The listing uses health and pregnancy wording. Those are the maker's words, and we don't repeat them as promises. Skip it for anyone sensitive to latex.
This is a bundle: 2 queen bed pillows and a 20 x 54-inch body pillow, down alternative fill, a 250-thread-count cotton shell, and a machine-washable pillow per the listing. It suits a parent who also needs new bed pillows. The listing names "Maternity Sleepers" among others.
The BEDELITE body pillow is 20 x 54 inches, with solid memory foam fill per our data and a quilted nylon-spandex cover. The listing uses "Pregnancy" and "Back Pain" in its wording; those are the maker's. It's for someone who likes foam that keeps its shape rather than fiber that can be fluffed.
Margo's housekeeping rule, from 22 years of hotel beds: a body pillow takes up one side of the bed, so measure that side before you buy, not the whole mattress. A 54-inch pillow on a full bed leaves less room than people think. The body pillows page covers sizes.
New parents nap at odd hours, often in daylight. The NHLBI, part of the NIH, lists a quiet, cool, dark bedroom among its healthy sleep habits. A mask is the quickest way to get the dark part at 2 p.m.
The Alaska Bear mask is flat, and the listing says machine wash. The title says silk, but our data has no mulberry silk or momme, so it counts as a flat mask in smooth fabric. For a new parent, machine wash is the feature.
The Blissy mask is flat, in mulberry silk, with 22 momme and a 6A grade, as listed. Momme is a weight measure for silk; higher means denser fabric. The band is listed as non-adjustable, so it has to fit as made.
The Baloo mask is weighted, mulberry silk, with a hook-and-loop (Velcro) strap, per the listing. A weighted mask rests with gentle pressure over the eyes. Velcro can catch long hair at the back.
The Breescape is a cooling mask, and the listing explains how: cool-to-touch fabric on one side, with a figure it gives as "Qmax above 0.46". Cooling claims count on this site only when the maker says how, and this one does. It's for someone who runs warm, not a full blackout mask.
I'll give my one opinion here. For a new parent, a mask that goes in the washing machine beats a nicer one that says hand wash. Nobody with a newborn is hand washing a mask. The care line is on each listing, so you can check it.
A throw is a small blanket for a couch or chair, not a bed. For new parents, a throw is for the parent, during the hours when the baby is in their own sleep space. That's the AAP line from above, and it's worth repeating once.
New parents do a lot of laundry, so a throw that survives the washer is the practical gift. If the listing doesn't state care, ask yourself whether you'd want to find out the hard way. The throw blankets page explains fabrics.
Ear plugs and hearing are a no-joke zone, and so is anything about a baby. So this section is plain.
Ear plugs suit a parent who is off duty while another adult listens for the baby. They do not suit the only adult on duty at night. That's the most important line on this page about plugs.
NRR is the noise reduction rating, the US label number for ear plugs. The NIDCD, part of the NIH, says a higher NRR generally means more sound is blocked when the plug is worn correctly.
Foam plugs come in boxes of 50 or more, so one box can sit on each nightstand for whoever is off duty. More on ear plugs for sleeping.
If you can, pair the gift with something that isn't a product: a meal, a load of laundry, an hour of holding the baby while she sleeps. The Office on Women's Health suggests new mothers accept help with chores, meals and baby care. A gift is nice. Help is better.
Everything on this list works for any new parent. A dad, a partner or a second mom who takes the night shift needs a mask for the daytime nap just as much. If you're shopping for a couple, two of the same small thing beats one bigger thing. Two masks mean nobody has to negotiate. Two boxes of plugs mean one on each nightstand.
For a parent who's adopting or fostering, the list fits the same way. The gift is for the grown-up's rest, whatever the route to parenthood was.
A December baby, or a baby from the summer, changes what a Christmas gift should be. In the first weeks, small and useful wins: a mask, a box of plugs for the off-duty partner, a throw that can go in the washer. By the holidays a few months in, a body pillow or a bed pillow bundle can make more sense, because there's finally a moment to think about the bedroom again.
Whatever you give, write a card that says it's for her. She'll know what you mean.
Skip the body pillow for a parent whose bed is already full of people and pillows. Skip the ear plugs for anyone who is alone at night with a baby. Skip the throw if you know their couch already has four.
And skip the whole list if what she has asked for is a nap, a meal or a quiet hour. Bring those instead. My partner Jules and I bring soup to every new family on our block. It's never been returned.
Many want rest and help more than things. The Office on Women's Health suggests new mothers nap when the baby sleeps and accept help with chores, meals and baby care. A gift that supports that, like a mask for daytime naps or a throw for the couch, fits. A meal, a load of laundry or an hour of holding the baby fits too.
Gifts for the parent's own comfort: a body pillow for her side of the bed, a soft throw, a mask for daytime sleep. This page gives general product information only. Recovery after birth is a medical matter, so anything about her body, pain or healing is a question for her doctor or midwife, not a gift list.
The same list works for either parent. Masks and ear plugs help whoever is sleeping in shifts. A throw works on any couch. Pick by how they sleep, not by who gave birth. If two parents trade night shifts, two masks are better than one.
Small things she can use without planning: a mask that blocks daylight for a nap, a washable throw, ear plugs for when someone else is on duty. On this site, self care has no promise attached. Any claim on a listing is the maker's wording, and we show it as the maker's.
The Office on Women's Health says to see a doctor if sadness lasts more than two weeks, and lists signs of postpartum depression such as ongoing sadness, no energy and trouble sleeping or eating. These can appear any time in the first year. For thoughts of self-harm or harming the baby, or any emergency, call 911.
