Everyone loves to see families grow, and if your friend is expecting, it’s only natural to want to give them something special. Truth be told, most new moms will be thrilled to have any gifts they can receive. Having kids is pricey, and every little thing can be a big help. Even so, not all gifts are created equal. While some items are occasionally useful, we asked moms what are the best gifts for expecting moms. And we received some surprising answers. If you want to give your mom-to-be a great gift for her baby shower, these picks are what will work best. There are the standard gifts like breast pumps and baby blankets, but what about nipple butter, a postpartum recovery kit, or a pre-natal massage? Be sure to SHARE these perfect gift ideas with anybody who knows someone that is expecting.

If your friend is planning on breastfeeding, she will most likely learn that it’s not an easy process. In fact, it can be fairly painful and can lead to chapped, bleeding breasts after a while. This is where nipple butter comes into play. Nipple butter is a body-safe balm that is designed to help ease the pain of breastfeeding while moisturizing nipples. This leads to less discomfort in the long run and keeps moms happier (when they finally get to sleep).

Did you know that it can cost several hundred dollars to rent a breast pump from a hospital? It’s true, and despite studies showing that breastfeeding is best, it’s not a subsidized cost for many women. Most expecting mothers who plan on breastfeeding will need to use a pump in order to continue lactation. A breast pump, particularly a portable one, can be a lifesaver for a new mom. If you know that your friend wants to breastfeed, this is one gift for which she’ll be incredibly grateful.

Newborns are not easy to care for and the amount of time new moms have to devote to them can make it impossible for them to keep hot food on the table. Thankfully, there’s a great gift you can give that new mama which will give her time to free up her hands. A good option for time-constrained moms in need of decent nutrition would be a ready-made meal service like Freshly. These services deliver heat-and-eat meals directly to the family’s door, and can be warmed up in three minutes flat.

Moms and yoga pants go together like peanut butter and jelly. When you’re busy taking care of a little one and recovering from giving birth, you really can’t be expected to go back to wearing jeans right away. That’s why one of the better gifts for a new mom is a good pair of lounge pants. Lounge pants are soft, snuggly, casual, and easy to clean. In other words, it’s a perfect pick for new moms who want to remain comfortable while they enjoy time with their new baby.

Even though the newborn age is filled with crazy amounts of work and hassle, it’s also one of the most magical parts of motherhood. It’s going to be an era that your friend will look back on with fondness years later. Having some keepsakes from this time in her life is important, and giving her a kit that can help her preserve those memories will always be a welcome gift. The cool thing about keepsake kits is that they can come in just about every form. Whether it’s a kit that preserves the newborn’s handprints, a new baby book, or a special “Mommy and Me” craft, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that it’ll keep memories fresh for decades to come.

Baby blankets are classic gifts for expecting parents because they are always needed. There’s just something so comforting about a snuggly, brightly colored blanket that just warms everyone’s heart. Baby blankets are one of the most popular gifts new moms receive, and in some cases, become family heirlooms. People who are looking for a traditional baby shower gift should look into a customized blanket for the new mom and dad. Of course, any blanket is a good one.

Most moms don’t immediately snap back to perfect health after they give birth to a baby. Along with the typical aches and pains everyone expects to experience when you have a baby, most new moms also will have a little leg pain and swelling from the added water retention. To help improve circulation and comfort, it’s a good idea to get the mom to be a leg pillow or back pillow. After all, no one said recovery was going to be speedy, right?

Speaking of recovery, let’s talk about the importance of maternal self-care. It’s an aspect of life that often gets neglected once the baby arrives. Most new moms will need to do salt baths as a part of the recovery process, especially during the first couple of weeks as a parent. Regular bath salts will be a bit too rough on most moms, which is why it’s smart to offer up some bath salts that are meant for moms dealing with birth recovery. It’ll be a home spa trip she’ll be thankful for soon enough.

New parents have a lot of stuff keeping their hands full, and at times it may even feel like an extra pair of hands is needed. Hauling a newborn in your arms gets pretty tiring, too. That’s why baby slings and baby backpacks boomed in popularity. Having a handsfree way to carry your baby is a must these days. Getting your friend or loved one a new tool to tote baby around will make mom and dad's life easier than ever before.

A common tradition in many homes is to buy up Christmas ornaments that celebrate the arrival of a new baby. It’s a great way to add a little extra cheer during the holiday season, and the ornament also acts as a newborn keepsake years later. Believe it or not, you don’t have to wait until Christmas to get an ornament celebrating a new baby. They are sold year round online, and also make a constant appearance in specialty gift shops too.

Being a parent is a lot like moving to a new country. It involves a lot of changes to your lifestyle, exploring new territory, and just learning the “culture” that surrounds you in your new world. Part of learning to navigate your new life will eventually come from reading books that poke a little honest fun at the changes parents go through. Let’s face it, parenting has a lot of moments you’re going to want to laugh over. You might as well indulge in it with the right book. How to Not Hate Your Husband After Kids is a good example of a funny yet informative book most new moms will appreciate.

With all the attention being lavished on the baby and parenting life, it’s easy to forget that your new mom is still an adult with interests outside of her child. Parenting is stressful and sometimes the new mom will just want to kick back and relax with a nice little glass of vino. Wine is a wonderful gift for any new mom. She’s waited nine months for that glass, so she might as well celebrate the new addition to the family with that first delicious sip.

This might not be the most attractive gift you can offer a new mom, but it absolutely will be a welcome one when the time comes. Giving birth involves a lot of damage to the body, and recovering isn’t always easy to do without some products on hand. A good postpartum recovery kit will include wipes, pads, some lotions, as well as a couple of treats for the new mommy. Basic Baby Co. makes a good one, and it even comes with those mesh undies that new moms first receive in the hospital.

Babies poop. They poop a lot. Most new parents are fairly shocked to realize how much a single young child can poop, and there will be times when the amount of diapers you have on hand isn’t what it should be. This is why diapers are always a welcome gift to newly expanded families. Of course, if you’re going to gift a bunch of diapers, you probably should check what the mom-to-be thinks she will want to use. Some moms swear by disposable diapers, while others will insist on going green with cloth diapering for their children. It’s best not to assume that your diapering choice will be what she wants to do.

Here’s another clothing item that new moms love! As we all know, breastfeeding is pretty awkward to do in public. It can attract the wrong attention, or just cause problems. Clothing designers finally came up with an epic invention that makes it possible to breastfeed in public without showing boobage: a cover scarf. Breastfeeding cover scarves give new moms privacy in public and look fabulous while doing it. When they’re not covering her up during a breastfeeding session, they can be folded around the new mom’s neckline in an elegant, subtle way.

Newborns come with a lot of unexpected expenses, even when you have read up on every little thing you’re supposed to expect. Whether it’s due to medical bills or just a much-needed night with a sitter, most moms will find their first couple of months to be difficult to deal with from a financial standpoint. Diapers, clothes, and bottles can be great, but they don’t always make bills smaller. This is why one of the best gifts you can give any expecting mom is a gift card or a cash present in an envelope.

As much as every mother loves her newborn, there simply will be times when mommy needs a break from her little one. Whether it’s due to one too many sleepless nights, a need to go out for a date night with the new dad, or a need to go to a job interview, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that she will need someone to look after her child. Even the most well-off set of parents will be thankful when they see that they have a friend who’s willing to watch their children for them, or at least pay for a sitter so they can go out on their own. This is one gift your mom-to-be will always accept with glee.

New moms are often stunned to see exactly how much stuff comes with modern parenting. What’s more insane is how much of it is absolutely necessary if you want to keep your baby healthy and happy while out of the house. Though roomy purses can do in a pinch, a diaper bag is often the better option. Diaper bags are one of those accessories that definitely make daily life easier on new moms. They carry diapers, bottles, makeup, and yes, all the little changing supplies you need too. A sturdy, well-made diaper bag is a great gift to give if you’re a fashionista who knows your mom-friend’s style.

Newly minted parents rarely have time to do all the little chores that a home requires. Even managing a new baby’s mess can be a lot to handle on your own. The less work a new mom has to do, the happier she (and her husband) will be. If you want to give her a gift she’ll really enjoy, offer up to hire some professional cleaners to pitch in on the workload. It’ll be a quick vacation that will make all the difference that day, week, or month.

Teething might just be one of the most difficult phases in a young baby’s life. Babies cry because growing in those teeth hurts quite a bit, and they’re always looking for things to chew on to alleviate the pain. Teething rings have been shown to be dangerous, but teething necklaces? Those are safe. Getting a good teething necklace that mom can wear will cut down on crying time, make her life a breeze, and also give her a cute accessory. What’s not to love?

Whether it’s Birchbox or Ipsy, we can all agree getting a monthly gift in the mail really does do wonders for a woman’s overall sense of self. Though the new baby definitely comes first, it’s still important for new moms to have a little self care. With all the sleepless nights they’ll have, getting a little eye cream and lip gloss in the mail can work wonders for their self-image, as well as their self-care routine. It matters more than you’d think.

Once mommy gives birth, she’s going to need a little help getting her belly to go back to normal. There’s no proven cure for the stretching and skin distress that can happen once a woman gives birth, but many new moms find that applying a little belly butter can do wonders. Belly butter is a specialty lotion that contains extra vitamins and moisturizing ingredients, made specifically to heal the kind of stretching that pregnancy causes in your torso. It feels great and helps mom look great. She’ll love it.

When you’re pregnant, the first things most moms end up ditching include booze, fish, and of course, their favorite pair of jeans. Yes, that pair. The pair they used to wear when they wanted to look sexy and grab the attention of the father-to-be. Most expecting moms want to rewind the clock on at least one of those things. You might as well help them fit back into their jeans by giving them a belly belt. This simple clothing device makes it possible for her to fit back in her favorite pair of jeans, even with a baby bump!

Pregnancy is not comfortable. It never was, and during the second and third trimesters, your loved one will be filled with aches and pains. Even the most health-conscious woman will get a little swollen and sore from carrying a baby after a couple of months. A rubdown sounds like a luxury, but it really isn’t. Prenatal massages help prep the body for the big event and also alleviate a lot of the hurt expecting ladies feel after going about their day-to-day business.

We’ve all seen the sitcoms where a pregnant woman announces her water broke, and all of a sudden, everything clicks into place. In reality, things are a little different for most couples. There’s some serious chaos that happens and packing bags just doesn’t usually work out well. A pre-packed bag with a bunch of goodies and clothing items will do wonders when the big day actually arrives.