December 04, 2018

Holiday Gift Guide: Birth Mothers

Hello! We’re back this week with a second holiday gift guide, this one for our beloved birth mothers. There are so many ways to use this gift guide — for friends or loved ones who have recently made an adoption placement, supporting gift drives at local adoption agencies, or for gifting your child’s birth mother, if that’s appropriate for the openness of your adoption.

The theme here truly is loving care. It’s not easy to be a birth mother. It’s an excruciating decision to choose to place a child for adoption, and it can be a very lonely one as well. Any gesture to show you’re thinking of her and what she’s going through has the power to make a very memorable and special impact.

Here are some of our favorite gifts for birth mothers:

A flower subscription service. Once the adoption is complete, people often forget about the birth mother’s recovery period — both physically, as her body recovers from childbirth, and emotionally, as she moves through the many waves of feelings that undoubtedly arise. Sending flowers once is lovely, but surprising her with pretty blooms for a few months will be a welcome and unexpected treat.

A piece of jewelry. Consider a timeless necklace or bracelet engraved with your child’s initials, so she can always keep it close at hand.

We found this suggestion on another website, and think it’s so special. A recordable book allows her to record herself reading a story, which is an immensely thoughtful way to help her connect to your child.

Something to pamper. A massage, mani/pedi, or spa day will each give her a chance to to focus on herself, relax, and feel special.

We offered this idea up in our Adoptive Parents Gift Guide, but think it works beautifully here too. While her body is in recovery, a nourishing gift is always a thoughtful idea. We love meal delivery services because they take the guesswork out of eating and cooking, and they also ensure she has nutritious meals as she regains her strength. Here are a few of our favorites: Blue Apron, Sun Basket, Veestro, Purple Carrot.

And of course, you can never go wrong with a sweet memento of your little one. A framed photo, a scrapbook of moments from your adoption process, your child’s tiny foot or fingerprints stamped in ink or paint communicate that you value her place in your life.