My sister in law just had a baby by c-section yesterday.
I would love to send her a gift that would be especially useful for her or the baby, while she is recuperating.
She lives on the other side of the country, so helping her clean or making a meal is out of the question. She also already has most baby items...
Any idea what might be useful, maybe especially given the fact that she is recovering from surgery? Thanks!
My first thought is to get her the breastfeeding pillow called "My Breast Friend". As someone else mentioned, it straps on and can rest above the incision area, so it's much more comfortable than a boppy for moms recovering from cesarean.
Maybe you could find a postpartum doula in the area and you prepay for some doula help for her. Try www.dona.org to find a doula.
I have to agree with a lot of what I've seen: food or someone to clean up the messes! I had an emergency c-section in April and it drove me crazy that I couldn't vacuum...... and was the cause of a few fights with my husband and I! :)
One of the best gifts that I received after having my third c- section was a chef that came to my home and prepared 2 weeks worth of meals. It was fabulous! We had gourmet meals that were all prepared to our families liking. They did the shopping, preparation and cooking. All prepared and ready to eat. I have since given this gift to different friends in various different locations. I just searched online and checked referrences. It is still one of my most favorite experiences.
When my first child was born, my mother and sister went and made a month's worth of dinners at Dinner's Ready. It was fabulous! When my second child was born, he came too early for them to do that, so my mom just ordered the dinners on the Dinner's Ready website, chose a pick-up day and location and my husband went and picked them up already made. It was equally as fabulous and less work for my mother and sister! I am sure there is something like Dinner's Ready or Dream Dinners all all over the country.
My favorite gift to give is the the Ultimate Crib Sheet from Babies R US. A flat waterproof sheet (with a cotton top) edged with elastic loops and snaps to hook onto the rungs of the crib. No more lifting the mattress to change the difficult fitted sheets when they are wet. I give 2 for easy changes.
Dream Dinners probably has a store across the country, too.
Hi,
The best gift my husband gave me after my c-section was a new set of comfy pjs. They were ones that were comfy, but I guess jammies are not the right word because they were still "cute" comfy clothes that I could wear around the house when people dropped by and not look like I was in my jammies. Like Yoga pants and a comfy shirt that were not super tight. I wore those things for like 2 weeks straight! It wasn't anything I would have thought of for myself, but when he came home with them I was so greatful. Just an idea, especially if she already has a ton of baby stuff.
An Amazon.com gift card might be good... she may find that she would like to buy something for herself or the baby and can't get to the store. Or maybe a card for Powell's bookstore if she's a reader.
A nabber-grabber of some sort -- something that she can use to reach farther away than her arm can reach. C-section moms are not allowed to twist and bend because it might strain the surgery, so something that will help her pick up what she drops is a good idea. I wish I had had one while I was recovering.
How about seeing if there is a cleaning service in her area that you could pay for them to come in once a week for a couple of weeks . Or maybe wait and have them come the week of Thanksgiving and right before Christmas. Some of the meal preperation places are located all over the U.S. so you could purchase a few meals to have someone pick up for her .
Everyone has great ideas! I love the "Dinners Done Right" idea; something that makes meals and can deliver them. Or a grocery delivery. Maybe even just a gift basket with some comfort items like a movie and a blanket. Someone to clean her home... If she is breastfeeding a basket of breastfeeding supplies would be nice; breastpads, lanolin, a good book, nursing tank or pjs...
You are very thoughtful to consider your sister in law. I had 2 c-sections. Ouch! The best thing is an extra pair of hands or three or four :), given that she is across the country, here are a couple ideas for you:
1. a boppy pillow (usually for breast feeding, but it was my best friend during recovery).
2. Earth Mama Angel Baby C-Section Healing Kit (this is great!!!)
http://www.amazon.com/Earth-Mama-Angel-Baby-C-Section/dp/...
3. if you can afford it, maybe you can offer to pay someone to help clean the house one day (the yucky things like sweeping/mopping/toilets), just make sure she is ok with having someone come over.
4. have a local restaurant deliver?
5. search Amazon for tons of other ideas. Just type in C-section...
Good luck!
I have had 3 c sections and I really liked those soothing bags full of beans (I don't know what they are called). You warm them up in the microwave and then put them on your incision. It really helped me while I was recovering. Good luck.
Can you order meals to be delivered? Someting like dinners by design and then all hubby has to do is pick up the premade? If she's nursing and doesn't already have a nursing pillow, I've heard they're particularly helpful after c sections.
a gift cert for a spa day she can look forward to. even just a pedicure can make you feel so much better and give her some alone time.
I send the grocery delivery. Get her frozen meals and easy prep veggtables so that all she has to do is put it in the oven and toss a quick salad. Or if she lives close to a dream dinners or something similar (they make fresh meals that can be frozen) and see if they can deliver or if you know a close friend that can pick them up for her that would also be a great gift.
Congrats on your new neice or nephew!
You know, your initial ideas of food/help might be just what she needs. If it were me, I'd look up her local yellow pages online and find either a meal delivery service or maid service in her area. After I gave birth we were given a gift certificate (prepaid money) on an account for Delicious Dish, which features a variety of menus from local restaurants. It is more expensive than eating out, but sooo worth it to have my favorite foods at a time when only my dear husband was cooking. (he certainly doesn't know how to make sushi!).
A month of cleaning service if you can afford it or diaper service.
Maybe a gift certificate for a favorite take-out/delivery restaurant, a on-line grocery delivery, or a one-time maid-service.
While you may not be able to cook or clean for her yourself, you could try to hire a cleaning service in her area or have her dinners sent via meal services (you could order over the internet). I think those are the major concerns when one first brings home a new baby, especially after a c-section. You could also send her a gift card for a restaurant in her area so she can have a break once she's feeling better and get out of the house (or even order take-outm whatever she feels like).
I.,
Call around to her church or places like Dinner's Ready! and see if you can get some meals delivered to her.
As lame and cheesy as it sounds diapers are probably the most used item for any newborn. Even though people would buy a brand of diapers for my second that we didn't like we always appreciated knowing we had diapers in the house.
the most useful thing, that i ended up getting myself, was a portable changing pad - something like this:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3238649
I wish someone had given me one earier!
Then, for the babe, something like this:
http://www.sarahssilks.com/catalog/babyblankets/baby-blan...
I've heard that babies love silk - it somehow reminds them of being in the womb, so is really comforting.
best of luck to your sis-in-law - recovering from a section while learnin' how to be a mama is HARD!
**addenda - A 'brest friend' nursing pillow. This thing made my life sooooo much better, I wish I'd had it straight out of the hospital! Unlike a boppy, it straps on, so you don't have to worry as much about balance (still hold on to the kid, though!) it gets the weight of the kid off your belly. It was priceless to me - worth its weight in gold!
You could always have a pizza sent over.... or have a maid come in... etc etc
How about a gift certificate for a pedicure or some other type of pampering?
With my first c-section, I got a big "band" that wrapped around my stomach, kind-of like a huge ace bandage with velcro straps to secure it, that was WONDERFUL!!!! It made being up and moving around so much easier. I'm not sure where to tell you to find one (sorry), but it's the first thing that came to mind. I got my from the hospital but haven't seen them since.
Good luck finding the right gift!
I would say any kind of service to help her out. Cleaning, meals delivered, groceries delivered, etc. Personally, I would want a house cleaner, but everyone is different. I know that that is too obtrusive for some. Another idea is paying for a lactation specialist (if she is nursing and having issues). I know that we would have loved that gift when we were new parents and strapped for cash.
I have found this wonderful company that has all sorts of natural products for both baby and mom. And since mom has gone C section, she could use a little pampering herself.
Here is the link and I hope it gives you some ideas!
How about sending a gift card for a take out place? Amazon gift cards are great also as she could look online for something useful rather than going shopping.
You could have a meal or groceries delivered to her. Maybe arrange for a cleaner or gardener to pop around depending on how she feels about having someone in her home whilst she's in her PJs.
Amazon even has lots of groceries such as baby formula and diapers. Just have a wonder around their grocery section and you'll be amazed at what they sell.
Get a 3 drawer plastic rolling cart (for example, look online at kmart.com for Homz 3 Drawer Medium Black Cart 9.99) and fill it baby diapering items. That way she can roll the cart to where ever it's most convenient to have so she wont have to go to far to change baby.
