Gifts for Pregnant Women: 30 Ideas for Expectant Moms, Parents, and the Baby Shower

A gift for an expectant mother should bring joy and also be useful. The final months are exhausting, and after the birth, there is little time for herself. Expectant parents usually receive plenty of baby clothes, but gifts for the mother herself or for the first weeks with the baby are rarer.

Here you will find 30 ideas for the expectant mother, for both parents and for the baby shower, sorted by occasion and budget. You will also find out what you should better not give to pregnant women.

For transparency: We are Lenabo and we make stuffed animals with speakers. Our Starter Kit is one of the 30 ideas and has its own section below, all other suggestions are manufacturer-independent.

The most important things in brief

• For her: Relaxation and time for herself, such as a side-sleeping pillow or a massage voucher.
• Practical: Extras for the hospital bag and help for the postpartum period, especially food for the first weeks.
• As a keepsake: Pregnancy journal, baby bump photo shoot or a maternity card holder.
• For the baby shower: Diaper cake, items from the first essentials list or a group gift.
• Better not: Raw milk cheese, salami, smoked salmon, alcohol and strongly scented personal care products.

What do you give a pregnant woman?

Something that makes her feel good during pregnancy or takes some work off her hands after the birth is best. Personal gifts that remind her of this special time are also well received. Whether you give something for the baby is a matter of taste: Some parents prefer to receive baby clothes only after the birth. If in doubt, simply ask.

Tip: Ask for a wish list or talk to family and friends. This way, three nursing pillows won't end up in the nursery.

What brings joy after the birth is explained in our guide to gifts for the birth.

Gifts for relaxation and well-being

• Side-sleeping pillow: supports the belly and back when sleeping on the side and often becomes a nursing pillow after the birth.
• Voucher for a pregnancy massage: at a practice that is equipped for pregnant women. In case of a high-risk pregnancy, she should check beforehand with her doctor or midwife whether the massage is suitable.
• Cozy socks or slippers: with non-slip soles, because she will soon no longer see her own feet.
• Bathrobe or dressing gown: cozy at home and practical in the hospital.
• Fragrance-free personal care set: belly oil or cream in an unperfumed version, because many pregnant women react sensitively to scents.
• Audiobook or audiobook subscription: to switch off on the sofa or during walks.
• A break for two: Voucher for breakfast, a movie night or the favorite restaurant before the baby arrives.

Practical gifts for the hospital and postpartum period

• Extras for the hospital bag: long charging cable, lip care, hair ties, a water bottle with a straw and a sleep mask.
• Voucher for nursing clothes: she should choose nursing bras and nursing tops herself, as the right size often only becomes apparent later.
• Food for the first weeks: homemade dishes to freeze or a voucher for a delivery service.
• Help with household chores: a few hours of cleaning help or your promise to do the shopping and laundry after the birth.
• Voucher for nursing or babywearing advice: often helps more in the first weeks than any baby toy.
• First aid course for infants: for both expectant parents, it provides confidence in case of emergency.
• Voucher for maternity clothes: The belly grows month by month, so she can choose what fits at the time.

Gifts to remember the pregnancy

• Pregnancy journal: for ultrasound pictures, thoughts and the first kicks.
• Voucher for a baby bump photo shoot: usually in the last trimester of pregnancy, when the belly is nice and round.
• Maternity card holder: protects the maternity card, which accompanies her to every appointment.
• Frame or album for ultrasound pictures: so that the pictures don't disappear in a drawer.
• Plaster cast kit for the baby bump: a keepsake to make yourself.
• Milestone cards: for photos week by week, later they are also available for the first year of the baby.

Gifts for expectant parents and the baby

• Lenabo Starter Kit: a stuffed animal with a speaker that plays melodies already in the last weeks of pregnancy and grows with the baby afterwards. More about it below.
• Baby sleeping bag: In the first year, a baby sleeps most safely in a sleeping bag instead of under a blanket, more about this in our guide to a safe sleep environment.
• Muslin diapers and burp cloths: you can never have enough of them.
• Book for the first year: for recording milestones, or a first board book.
• Voucher for the wish list: in case the parents already have a list for the first essentials.
• Babysitting voucher: for the first evening for two after the birth.

Small gifts for pregnant women up to 20 euros

• Snack box: nuts, dried fruit and chocolate, but without raw milk cheese and salami.
• Juice-secco or lemonade for a toast: instead of sparkling wine, why, is explained further down.
• Lip balm and hand cream without fragrance: small, useful and fits in any bag.
• Homemade vouchers: for a walk, a cooked meal or an hour in which you hold the baby and she can shower in peace.

Gifts for the baby shower

At a baby shower, family and friends celebrate the expectant mother, usually a few weeks before the birth. Gifts are given for the baby and for the parents. Popular are:

• Diaper cake: diapers, burp cloths and personal care products, stacked into a cake. Take diapers in size 2, many babies quickly grow out of size 1.
• Baby blanket with name: if the name is already decided.
• First essentials from the wish list: This way the parents get what they still need.
• Group gift: For larger wishes, several guests chip in together.

Tip: Also bring a little something for the expectant mother to the baby shower, not just for the baby. This is often forgotten and is especially appreciated.

A gift that plays a role even before the birth: Lenabo

Lenabo is a speaker in a stuffed animal, designed for the baby from birth and can be used even before. In the last weeks of pregnancy, the expectant mother can play the falling asleep melodies of her Lenabie in the evening. A small Finnish study found evidence that a melody that babies had regularly heard in the last trimester of pregnancy still left traces in the memory at four months. Brain waves were measured; whether this helps with falling asleep was not investigated by the study.

After the birth, the Lenabie plays the same melodies and white noise. In the first year, it does not belong in bed: place it at a distance next to it, let it play quietly and use the sleep timer. After that, the same stuffed animal grows with: with Aaron, the bear, children's songs and bedtime stories are added from the 1st birthday, and from 3 audio plays and from 4 learning content, told in his own voice.

To be honest: For the expectant mother herself, Lenabo is not a wellness gift. Anyone who also wants to do something good for her should add a little something for her, such as cozy socks or a voucher for food during the postpartum period.

Price: The Starter Kit with speaker, one Lenabie of your choice and its contents costs €99.99, with free shipping in Germany. It is well suited as a group gift for the baby shower.

Discover Lenabies

What you should better not give to pregnant women

Important: Raw milk and raw milk cheese, raw sausage such as salami, minced raw meat, as well as raw, smoked or cured fish such as smoked salmon or gravlax should be avoided by pregnant women, unless they are fully cooked, i.e. heated to at least 70 °C for at least two minutes inside. This also applies to soft cheese with red or yellow mold such as Limburger or Münster, even if made from pasteurized milk. Exception: raw milk cheese that has matured for at least six months, such as Parmesan. The main reason is listeria, and with raw meat and raw sausage also toxoplasmosis. This is what the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment advises, similar to the German Consumers' Association. Therefore, put together a delicatessen basket with care.

• Sparkling wine and wine: For alcohol, there is no amount at which damage is safely ruled out. Even de-alcoholized wine can contain up to 0.5 percent alcohol according to the German Consumers' Association. For a toast, juice-secco, lemonade or drinks with 0.0 % are suitable.
• Strong scents: Perfumed personal care products, scented candles and essential oils are often not a good idea, because many pregnant women react sensitively to scents. For herbal teas and oils, it is best to ask her midwife.
• Dietary supplements: Although folic acid and iodine are recommended during pregnancy, she should discuss which preparation is suitable with her doctor or midwife. Therefore, vitamins are not a good idea as a gift.
• Clothes in size 50 or 56: Many babies only fit in them for a few weeks. Size 62 or 68 is worn for longer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you give a pregnant friend?

Something for herself: relaxation, time or help for the time after the birth, such as a massage voucher, a side-sleeping pillow or pre-cooked food. It becomes personal with a pregnancy journal or a baby bump photo shoot.

What do you give expectant parents?

Something that helps both: a first aid course for infants, food for the first weeks, a babysitting voucher for later or a gift for the baby that is used for a long time.

What do you give for the baby shower?

Classics are a diaper cake, baby blanket and first essentials from the wish list. A little something for the expectant mother is also nice. Larger wishes are given by several guests together.

What is a good Christmas gift for pregnant women?

Everything that makes the last weeks easier: cozy socks, a side-sleeping pillow, a massage voucher or help during the postpartum period. If the due date is around the holidays, food to freeze is particularly welcome.

Can you give pregnant women alcohol-free sparkling wine?

Better not. De-alcoholized wine and sparkling wine may contain up to 0.5 percent alcohol, and there is no safe amount. Juice-secco, lemonade or drinks with 0.0 % are the better choice.

How much do you spend on a gift for the baby shower?

There is no fixed rule. Many orient themselves by what they would also give for a birthday. For more expensive wishes, several guests chip in together.

Sources and Status

Status 10.11.2026. If you have questions about nutrition during pregnancy, the midwife and gynecologist are the best contacts.

• Nutrition and alcohol: German Consumers' Association: Listeria and listeriosis (Status 04.07.2024), BfR: Foodborne infections in private households (Status 22.08.2024), BfR: Protection against toxoplasmosis (2017), vzbv: Alcohol-free wine really without alcohol? (28.09.2026)
• Listening before birth: Partanen et al.: Prenatal Music Exposure Induces Long-Term Neural Effects, PLOS ONE 2013
• Safe baby sleep: AAP: Noise, information on sleep devices
• Lenabo: Starter Kits, FAQ