Like I said, a whole bunch of randomness. I combined my research with some discussion with my sister (who, having had three littles, is pretty qualified on such things) as well as a couple of fun things I had tucked away to give away at just the right time.
The contents include:
Kleenex: I always had the sniffles when I was pregnant, and even without that, I cried all. the. time. Hello, trailer for Blind Side, you can make me sob uncontrollably for 20 minutes.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix: I could have made cookies and included them, but I figured this was a great way to satisfy the munchies when the time actually came. What can beat fresh chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven? I can tell you, cookies never made me throw up :).
Peppermint Tea: Loved this for nausea, but also just for something hot and soothing to drink when the heart burn got bad near the end. Things on the ginger and lemony side of things also help if you have a friend struggling with the nausea (I would just smell our bottle of lemon juice on bad days... weird, yes? Worth it for a few seconds of relief? Yes.) That being said, if you have a friend who is really, really, sick, tell them to go talk to their doctor for some medicine to help. I really wish I had!
Burt's Bees Chapstick: This is kind of self explanatory, but I especially recommend it for labor. When I went into labor early I had absolutely nothing with me but my camera and the clothes I was wearing, and the thing I wanted first was chapstick!
Notebooks: Yes, I just noticed the clearance sticker! I promise I took that off before I sent it, but the notebooks were just so cute, I don't think she'll mind that they were on sale :). There were a set of three in here, and I figured there are so many good uses: one for journaling, one for the "baby's born call list" and other necessary lists and the other, well, I'm sure she'll figure it out :).
Hop on Pop: I had to throw in a few little things for her sweet girl! This has been Anni's favorite book since she was very, very little, so I decided to include that as well. Any fun book will do, of course, but I love Dr. Seuss board books, because they are super sturdy, fun at any age and a little shorter for shorter attention spans :).
Frame: I included a little frame for her sonogram. If I had been thinking, I would have printed the one she sent us all to put in it, but I wasn't thinking as I packed up (and my printer is now gone), so maybe next time!
See that adorable little onesie? I love it! I had been keeping an eye out for something that wasn't crazy pink and found this on zulily and loved this for her! It's definitely a red color, which is one of this lovely mama's favorites. (PS If you join zulily via the link above, I get a credit when you make your first purchase... so this isn't me begging, but if you haven't joined, I'd love it if you'd join through my link!) I bought it in the largest it came (3-6 mo), because she will most likely have plenty of clothes in the newborn size!
Headband: I threw in a fun little headband from bloomz on etsy that I thought would appeal to the mama's sense of style. I think anything fun and handmade is a great addition... I mean, it's one-of-a-kind!
Last but not least, babylegs! We've gotten a lot of use out of these for Nugget, and I bought a big pack of them when they had a deal a few months ago just to keep on hand for baby gifts. I tried to go for fun and funky again, but this mama definitely has a really fun sense of style and I figured she would want the same for her sweet baby.
Now, that is all taped up and sent away, but there are a few other great ideas depending on your friend's situation and your budget.
A maternity belly band: there are lots of different brands and types when it comes to these, but in the end they are all a stretchy band to help non-maternity clothes hold out just a little longer. I never used them because I jumped into maternity clothes early on (pregnancy made me so very bloated!), but I've heard amazing things about them from other mamas. Target had them for 16.99 today, and I think you can find them in nearly any department store or online.
If the mama you are treating has had a serious craving, get that for her! Now, if you live far away, this may be in the form of a gift card or a call to a nearby friend to pick it up, but I have a feeling she'll appreciate it either way. On the flipside, if she has a lot of aversions (this was me!), offer to make a dinner or buy whatever she *can* get down. Nutrition can be hard to come by when you just feel like death all the time, so being pampered is definitely a treat. Speaking of being pampered, pedicures before or after baby are a plus (I had one a few weeks after Anni finally got out of the hospital, and it made me feel feminine again... it was my first ever pedicure!)
A pregnancy body pillow: most pregnant women I know have to use 4 or 5 pillows by the end and had I known this beautiful thing existed when I was pregnant, I would have definitely considered buying it!
Tums: ah... I went through these like crazy! Throw some in so she'll have them on handy when she runs out!
And, there's one more company I wish I could buy absolutely everything from Earth Mama, Angel Baby. Their products are completely safe, natural and delectable. The great thing is they have things for pregnancy, postpartum and babies... love it!
I think that's all I've got for now, but there are so many ways to love and encourage mama's who are pregnant or who have just given birth (that would be a whole other package!). You know your friend better than I do, so tailor the box to their needs and style. I can promise you, 100%, that they will get some warm fuzzies when they get it in the mail.
If you are looking for some great ways to love on new mommies (or not so new mommies ;-)), I would suggest this lovely list from the gypsy mama. I found it through pinterest and have been loving it for the past few days.
Love you all, hug your sweeties tight tonight!
PS I know I mentioned a lot of companies and linked to a lot of things, but those were all for your benefit, none of those companies, except maybe Zana's Ninis (she is my sister, you know) and maybe bloomz if she follows my blog, know I exist or that I'm giving them free advertising :). I mean, if they want to send me something fun to give to you, I wouldn't hate it, but this is just me trying to help you :).
What a great idea! I was so sick for most of my pregnancy too and I would have loved a box of happiness to brighten my day by the toilet :-)
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