Holidays can be difficult to celebrate for a woman suffering from postpartum depression.
What should be a happy time spent making memories, instead reminds her of the pain and shortcomings she’s felt since becoming a mother. When shopping for a gift for a mother with postpartum depression, look for something that is considerate of her condition. Not all gifts are appropriate for a woman who feels guilty or unworthy of being a mother and can make her feel worse than she already does.
Here are some ideas for gifts for mothers with postpartum depression.
Personalized Jewelry
Don’t just buy her a generic diamond necklace. Look for a piece that includes her children and family so that when she wears it, she will be reminded of who she’s fighting for in the first place.
A beautiful option is this fingerprint necklace from GracePersonalized on Etsy. Having a necklace that contains her child’s fingerprint, hand or footprints will remind her that she created an entire unique person. But the kids aren’t the only things keeping her going. I like this lovebirds necklace from MenuetDesigns on Etsy because it speaks volumes of how important a strong support system is. Sincerely Silver is another great site to find a unique, personalized piece that’s extra meaningful.
[For more ways to offer support, read: 14 Ways to Help a Mother with Postpartum Depression]
Something That Won’t Die
Cut flowers wilt and die and there’s nothing she can do about it. Get her something that she can watch grow and blossom. Growing something will bring her a sense of pride.
So instead of a bouquet of flowers, get her a houseplant or a DIY terrarium kit. Gardening or growing indoor plants is an excellent form of self-care as well and can become something that not only keeps her mind distracted, but brightens up her living area as well. If she doesn’t have a green-thumb, get her a book about gardening instead.
[For more information on the benefits of gardening, read: 16 Ways Ecotherapy is Good for Moms]
Matching Mommy & Me Outfits
Bonding with baby can be tough for a mother with postpartum depression. Matching t-shirts, outfits or hats might seem cheesy, but it can make her feel more connected to baby and remind her of the special connection they share.
A Monthly Subscription Box
In the category of gifts for a mother with postpartum depression, monthly subscription boxes should be at the top the list! Chances are, she doesn’t want to go out and shop for herself. Even some of the basic necessities she needs become less of a priority for her. Having something delivered to her door is a wonderful surprise that she can look forward to each month.
Here are a few that I would recommend for a mother with postpartum depression:
Bump Boxes – If she’s expecting or just had a baby, then definitely sign her up for a Bump Box! They’re monthly boxes tailored for each trimester of pregnancy. You can also order a breastfeeding box, a new mommy to be box and a variety of newborn boxes.
Blume – Formerly known as Ellebox. This is the ultimate self-care subscription box! Mothers with postpartum depression can dread “that time of the month” especially because they haven’t had to deal with it during their pregnancy (and possibly longer if they were breastfeeding) so it becomes just one more thing they need to handle. The addition of the mood swings and cramping can become overbearing for someone who’s already suffering so much. Take the stress out of it with this monthly subscription box that includes organic pads and tampons, specially formulated cramp oil, acne and face washes and more!
Callia Flowers – A monthly bouquet of fresh cut flowers delivered to her doorstep is sure to brighten the day of any new mother. Callia’s bouquets are specifically designed to be long lasting and sourced with local flowers.
InstaCandy – who doesn’t love candy? Getting a box of candy delivered to your door every month is sure to brighten up the darkest of days.
Like the idea of a delivered box full of goodies but not ready to commit to a monthly subscription? Check out the Pampered Mommy Box! Their “Best of” Box is full of surprise goodies valued over $100!
A Customized Photo Book
Photos can have a lot of meaning for a woman with postpartum depression. Looking back at pictures of happier times can be an excellent way to relieve stress and help keep her connected to those memories. Creating a photo book filled with pictures of baby can also help to connect her to her child and reduce some of the guilt that often comes along with missing out on those first few months. A photo book is sure to be something she will cherish long after she has recovered from the darkness of postpartum depression.
You can create fully customized photo books and/or prints at Mixbook.com.
Self-Care Products
It goes without saying that self-care is SO important for moms to keep up good mental health. This category of gifts offers such a wide variety of choices, depending on what’s most important to the mother in your life. A robe, bath bombs, self care boxed sets, or a massage unit are all great gifts for her to use on a daily basis to make sure that she’s getting in regular self-care.
The best self-care gifts for a mother with postpartum depression are things that she can use regularly, don’t consume too much of her precious time, and can help her relax and take care of herself.
If you want to really want to give her the gift of self-care, then splurge on a spa day! Click here to purchase a Spa Finder Gift Card that she can use at thousands of different locations. It’s available to print or e-mail so it makes a great last-minute gift too!
[Related Reading: Self Care Tips for Battling Postpartum Depression]
Aromatherapy
Essential oils and aromatherapy can have a big impact on a mother with postpartum depression. This 12 pc essential oil gift set is a great way for a new mom to begin to incorporate essential oils into her life. Plus, a diffuser makes a great gift, with so many styles to choose from and makes it easy to enjoy the benefits all day long.
[Related Reading: How to Use Essential Oils for Depression and Anxiety]
A Personal Assistant
You know what mothers with postpartum depression REALLY want? A personal assistant…
The Amazon Echo smart speaker connects to “Alexa” a voice-based personal assistant. The best part is that Alexa will respond to anyone’s voice, as long as they call her by name. So older kids who ask a million questions a day or want to hear their favorite song over and over again – can now ask Alexa instead of Mom.
Alexa can also look things up online, tell jokes, keep notes, make lists and reminders, play music and make phone calls – all completely hands free! It’s one of the best gifts for a mother with postpartum depression who is suffering from a severe case of foggy brain!
Journaling Equipment
Writing about postpartum depression is one of the best therapies available. It’s a great way to get all those dark feelings out of the brain and onto paper. A journal is a great gift option for a mother who needs to express her feelings. Bullet journals are the latest trend right now. You can eve find printable bullet journal kits on Etsy to create a one of a kind personalized gift.
Coloring Books
There’s a huge difference between coloring with the kids, and coloring by yourself. I, myself, have recently jumped on the adult coloring book train, and it’s an incredible way to release stress and shut off the brain for a few moments.
There are adult coloring books everywhere these days so you’re sure to find one that suits the mom you’re shopping for. My favorite ones are the patterns or the inspirational quotes, but there are also ones with swears for the moms who really need to let it all out.
