40+ Unique and Affordable Gift Ideas for Mom!

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Budget-Friendly Gift Ideas for the Amazing Mom in your life!

I don’t know about you, but when I look for gift ideas for moms, I sometimes get kind of annoyed. I mean, I’m sure many or most moms would love some of the things on the lists I see out there….but the gifts listed are often EXPENSIVE! And not all of us have that kind of money to drop, even on our moms! So here’s my version of a gift idea list for moms- but with some creatively affordable options that are still special and unique. And honestly, as a more practical mom, I’d rather have a lot of these than some fancy jewelry or bag anyway!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through my links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Gift Ideas for Pregnant Moms

Let’s start at the beginning with the moms-to-be! We’re going to set you up with an advantage, since this list is gathered from experienced moms and includes some things that first time moms may not know they need!

• A Pregnancy Massage. Those things are AWESOME. Pregnancy causes all sorts of aches and pains, and relief is a great gift.
  
  
• Stuff from her Registry that’s for HER. Yes, we know the kid stuff is cute, but sometimes everyone buys all the kid stuff and the stuff that’s actually for mom gets ignored. Need ideas? See my list of Must Haves for Postpartum and for Breastfeeding Moms!
  
  
• A gift box with fun things to spoil her through pregnancy and new motherhood! Amazon has some fun options for gift boxes!
  
  
• Contribute to a fund for a doula/go in with others to help her get a doula (if she wants one). I’m a huge fan of doulas– they are worth every penny- but are expensive.
  

• Contribute to a fund for maternity, birth, or first days photo shoot, if that’s something she wants. We got maternity and first days pictures this time around, and I treasure them so much!
  
  
• A gift card for prenatal yoga classes or swimming pool passes. It’s hard to exercise while pregnant, but it feels so good when it can happen! Again, check with her first on this one, as no every expecting mom is able to or desires to exercise in this way.
  
  
• A gift pack (or anything) from Earth Mama– I LOVE their products for pregnant and new mommies!!!
  
  
• Birth Affirmations. These are cards with sayings or Scriptures (could also be pictures she loves to look at!) for her to look at during labor. You can also buy a set of Scripture cards or encouragement cards from Mama Shark!
  
  

Gifts for New Moms

Moving onto the next stage of motherhood…new moms! The postpartum stage can be an exhausting and confusing time. Support the new mama with these affordable but fun options!

• A gift basket with one-handed snacks just for mom. Lara bars, energy bites, lactation cookies, chocolate, and her favorite tea or coffee are always good ideas. You could also add a one-handed water bottle or tervis. BONUS: try putting it in a reuseable diaper caddy!
  
  
  
• Come to her house and do whatever she asks, even if it’s just for an hour. Do her dishes, change the baby’s diapers, give her food, help her get the diaper bag packed– new moms deserve so much support!
  
  If you’re not local, you could also give her money toward hiring a mother’s helper who could do basic tasks for her. The idea is to take some weight off of her and help her rest. Or, even better, contribute to getting her a postpartum doula (especially if she doesn’t have family nearby)!
  
  
  
• Gift card for Audible/Kindle/other forms of entertainment for the marathon nursing sessions that come with those first few months if she chooses to breastfeed!
  
  
  
• A robe (because getting dressed is optional with babies around), slippers, and a headband/hair wrap. Those little bits of luxery can make a mom feel loved!
  
  
  
• Pack an “Oh Crap” bag for her– fill a diaper bag with the basics (as well as extra clothes a couple sizes up for the kids) for her to keep in her car “just in case”! You can sign up below to get a diaper bag must-have list for suggestions!
  
  
  
• Fun stud earrings. As Moms we have to give up wearing most “fun” jewelry for a while because of babies. So some earrings that she would really like are a great way to make her feel beautiful! For more ideas in this genre, check out this post on Practical Mom Style!
  
  
  
• Bluetooth earbuds. You can go fancy, but I have this basic pair and love them! There’s a lot of sitting/standing/rocking/bouncing that happens in those early days. With bluetooth earbuds she can listen to music, a podcast, Scripture, or whatever fits her needs at that moment.
  
  
  
• A nice blanket! There’s a lot of snuggling that happens in those early days. Why not make it comfortable and extra soft?
  
  
  
• I’ve written two whole posts on more ideas- one for postpartum and one for breastfeeding moms!

Gift Ideas for All Moms!

And now for the rest of us- neither pregnant nor postpartum, just in the middle of surviving (and hopefully thriving) in real mom life!

• Subscription boxes! Amazon has coffee subscription boxes! Or tea, if that’s more her thing. If she’s into something, there’s probably a subscription box for it.
  
  
• Teas picked out just for her! Plum Deluxe has a Design Your Own TLC Care Package that is so sweet and amazing! You can pick your teas and you can even include an adorable heart tea infuser (I have one and I love it!).
  
  
• “Fun Money” to spend on the kids or herself (or on the kids but it’s really for her). This is one of my favorite gifts my family has given us. Basically, it’s just money designated to use however I want- that is live-giving to me!
  
  Usually that means some sort of Mommy date or going to a play place or museum or even just stopping for ice cream- but all without having to worry about if that’s in the budget. As a mom, it gives me something to look forward to and a way to bond with my kid/s, and it’s fun for me, too!
  

• Freezer meals. Or basically anything that means she doesn’t have to cook for a night, really. Every mom I’ve ever talked to agrees that food tastes better when you don’t have to cook it yourself!
  
  
  
• An insulated travel mug + some of her favorite tea/coffee. Knowing your coffee will still be hot in 3 hours at the play date is great! Make sure it’s one that won’t spill in her bag.
  
  
  
• An insulated cooler bag is awesome for being able to bring stuff to play dates, etc. and helps her to be able to get out of the house more! Bonus if you include plastic utensils and napkins (wipes and hand sanitizer are always good too) so she knows those are already packed for wherever she’s going! You could even throw in some water bottles- anything that means one less step for her to think about!
  
  
  
• A Gift Card to Origami Styling– a fashion pro who does wardrobe updates for moms to bring mom’s style up to date with her current body (because we know they change so much during the years of little ones!).
  
  
• Printables, templates, and courses from Mama Shark’s Launchpad! There you’ll find everything from checklists for school mornings to meal planning classes to planner templates ready for her to use!
  
  

• Gift cards. Moms are notorious for not spending money or time on themselves (and/or not having the resources to do so). So get her a gift card to her favorite coffee shop, clothing store, or spa. BONUS if you arrange childcare so she can go enjoy it on her own.
  
  
  
• Instacart or similar grocery pick up/delivery services. I actually enjoy grocery shopping in general, but I enjoy not having to take two kids grocery shopping even more. BONUS if you add a little cash to it so she can pay tips for the deliveries, since that’s a “hidden” cost of this service.
  
  
  
• Amazon Prime. The ability to have most things at your door in a couple of days is priceless for Moms. Plus, it opens up things like Subscribe & Save, Audible, Prime Vidoes, Prime Music, etc. Click here to get a FREE trial!
  
  

• Pictures. Help arrange for a photographer to take pictures or just offer to get some printed for her. Most of us want more pictures of our families but the time to do it always slips away.
  Mixbook has a Family Photo Album option that’s adorable, and Minted has a bunch of super cute options including a heart collage that I just love!
  
  
  
• Inspirational Temporary Tattoos from Armed with Truth. You can even use the code MAMASHARK20 for a 20% discount! I love wearing these on my arms to remind me of truths throughout the day- it gives me that extra bit of strength on the hard days!
  
  
  
• Date night. Arrange for childcare and let them spend time with their spouse! BONUS if it includes a gift card. :).
  

Non-Tangible Gift Ideas

Moms often don’t need more “stuff”- they’re already spending most of their days continuously cleaning up “stuff”. So if she’s not a “stuff” person- try these ideas instead!

• Clean her house! Or, if she prefers, offer to watch her kids while she cleans the house. Raising kids is a constant battle against chaos, and most of us would love to feel a little more tidy, even if it’s just temporary.
  
  
  
• Babysitting. Maybe you can babysit yourself, or just give her designated money to hire a babysitter or mother’s helper for a few hours. Maybe her baby is too little for her to leave the house, but she could go get a shower alone or just take a nap if someone else’s arms were available for a bit.
  
  
  
• Time. Whatever her thing is that she does to recharge- try and arrange for a time for her to do that. Whether that’s a night out with friends, some time alone at the coffee shop, or being able to get a pedicure.
  
  New moms and moms who have any sort of postpartum anxiety or depression may need to be involved in the planning to feel totally comfortable with this.
  
  
  
• Gym membership or personal training/classes. Be careful with this one, because no mom wants to feel pressured to “bounce back” etc. But if she enjoys working out, consider helping her with that- bonus if the gym has high-quality childcare so she can go with the kids!
  
  
  
• Offer to come with her on the inevitable “nothing fits me postpartum” shopping trip. Be the baby holder and moral support! Bonus if it’s paired with a gift card for the trip!
  
  
  
• For more ideas similar to these, check out my post on Frugal Ways to say “I Love You”!
  
  
  
• Classes from Mama Shark’s Launchpad! If she enjoys organizing or planning, send her some classes from Mama Shark!
  

DIY Gift Ideas (that kids can participate in making)

Need something from the kids? Here’s some easy DIY ideas that they can help with.

• Footprints/handprints of the kids (or other keepsakes). Moms love this stuff and often regret not having more of them (or maybe that’s just me?), but dealing with paint and mess and kids all mixed together…few Moms are motivated enough to do that very often.
  
  
• Frame the kids’ artwork! Minted will take your kid’s drawings and make it into framed art!
  
  
• Bath Bombs (and then the time to take a bath!)
  
  
• A nice homemade body scrub (so easy to make!)
  
  
• Donate to her favorite charity and make a card telling her what you did. Moms love homemade cards, love not having more “stuff” around the house, love having their kids participate in giving, and giving to others in general. It’s a win for everyone.
  
  
• A set of affirmations/Scriptures that she can hang around the house. You can create your own, get these from Etsy, or download mine and help her hang them up!
  
  
  

A few final notes on these gift ideas…

-Include Gift Receipts. It’s always awkward to ask! Or better, give her something like a gift card that she won’t have to risk exchanging…returns and exchanges take on a whole new level of complication with kids in tow!

-Just throwing this out there about gift cards…Gift Cards tend to get a bad rap as being “not personal enough”, etc…but for a Mom, gift cards are awesome. Moms spend a lot of time doing things we don’t have much choice in, so giving us the gift of choosing something for ourselves is actually a big deal. It’s not just cash in another form; it’s permission to do something fun.

-Being a Mom takes a lot- we give up/change a lot of who we are in order to be Mom. So if these gifts don’t seem quite “right” for the Mom in your life, I recommend thinking about who she likes to be and what she likes to do outside of kids- then just make that happen!

You can also invite her to create an Amazon Wish List with ideas, and check out my post on Frugal Ways to Say “I Love You”!

Keeping track of all those gifts (for mom and otherwise!)

If you’re preparing for the holidays and need a great way to keep track of your gift ideas and gift-giving in general, toss your email in the box below and I’ll send you my free Ultimate Gift Tracker template!

Related Posts You May Like:

• Gift List for 3 Year Olds (educational ones!)
  
• Gift List for Older Babies (no batteries needed!)
  
• Frugal Ways to say “I Love You”!
  
• 53 Ways to Save Money at Christmas
  
• Printable Jesse Tree Advent Ornaments and Activities

Thanks for reading this list of Gift Ideas for Moms!

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