The Best Gifts for Pregnant People, According to Pregnant People

This wellness-themed guided journal isn’t specifically for pregnancy, but the prompts are still relevant for anyone who’s expecting. They can track their daily energy levels, movement, and sleep goals, all of which are important to be mindful of when there’s a bun in the oven.

Here’s a giftable set of Earth Mama’s clean, cruelty-free skin-care items that includes lip balm, belly oil, deodorant, and body wash in travel-size bottles. Kelli Shepard, the design director for Ralph Lauren’s women’s collection, is partial to the brand’s lip balms but loves the whole range, saying, “I feel great knowing that these are 100 percent kiss-approved — safe for baby and mama both.”

They will most likely already haveWhat to Expect When You’re Expectingand Emily Oster’sExpecting Better, two no-nonsense books on pregnancy, but for something a little more old school, consider this book by midwife Ina May Gaskin. “I recommend this book to every pregnant person,” saysTrinity Mouzon Wofford, founder of wellness companyGolde. “Warning: It may convince you to try a home birth.”

Another way to capture moments during pregnancy is on film. Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo used disposable cameras to record her growing belly when she was pregnant.“I wanted to document this period of time, but I also felt a little self-conscious in photos, so these disposable cameras made it easier to record certain moments or bump evolution without the immediate self-judgment that comes with hormonal shifts,” she said. “Plus, I always think film photos are more flattering.”

Some pregnant people experiencerestless legs syndrome, which often occurs at night and makes it hard to sleep. Sadie Stein, a writer andStrategist contributor,dealtwith this when she was pregnant with her son, Hal, and found that “giving my legs a vigorous brush with a stiff-bristle body brush was the only thing that alleviated the feeling.” Nutritionist and mom-of-twoDaphne Javitchuses this Japanese palm-fiber brush, explaining that it can feel cleansing and healing because it “increases circulation.”

You can pair the brush with Everyday Oil’s Mainstay blend, a favorite of Strategist senior editor Winnie Yang when she was pregnant. (It’s also beloved by actressKate Berlantand cookMolly Baz.) Yang used it on her belly beginning in the first trimester and beyond. “I find the woody, herbaceous scent soothing and relaxing, and I think it might help with sleep,” she told us. “I rub it on as the very last thing I do before I turn in. It absorbs well and moisturizes well, but mostly I like the texture, which is not light, and the fragrance.”

Helping the expecting parent stock up on essentials is always a thoughtful gesture. Once the baby comes, the new parent will be washing and sanitizing their hands constantly. Rachel Kovan, whose baby is just 5 weeks old, loves this alcohol-free hand sanitizer from Babyganics that she says is gentle, dries immediately, and has no scent. “We have a bottle at every changing station,” she says.

Here’s another must-have for the baby medicine cabinet. New parents are in for a lot of spit-up and other bodily fluids, and this stain treater from Miss Mouth’s works like magic on just about everything.

This postpartum kit from Frida includes everything the new mom will need once the baby arrives, including a peri bottle, disposable underwear, ice pads, perineal cooling pad liners, and healing perineal foaming wash.

Here are some super-simple swaddles that they’ll want to have on hand when the traditional method of swaddling eludes them once they leave the hospital. Kovan recommends them for how easy to use and wash they are.

Mouzon Wofford loves this all-natural moisturizer made with beef tallow for how safe and hydrating it is, both in pregnancy and beyond. “My husband and I both use the tallow specifically on our dry hands,” she says. “With a new baby you are constantly hand washing after a million diaper changes, and you get really dry. The tallow is nourishing and protecting.” This particular formation is fragrance-free, so it’s great to use on baby skin, too.

Buying things for the baby-to-come is always a nice gesture, too. Creative director Katie Merchant, who writes the SubstackThank You, OKand just welcomed her first child, loves this sweet baby brush from Officine Universelle Buly that can be monogrammed with the baby’s name.

[Editor’s note: Officine Universelle Buly lists all prices in euros, so the price shown is an approximate conversion in U.S. dollars.]

Findingcomfortable, actually cute maternity clothingis harder than it sounds. Yang was looking for an alternative to formfitting tops with ruching on the sides when she came across this “not tight” T-shirt from Bae at the beginning of her third trimester. “I liked that first one so much I bought three more a week after I had the baby,” she said. “I wore these almost every day for five months straight. It’s really good for nursing; I like how it keeps my midsection covered and drafts out when I’m pumping.”

Pregnancy cravings can run the gamut fromshaved icetospicy foods(and everything in between), and having an assortment of snacks to satisfy your current urge “is really nice because it changes so often and is really the most random things, like marshmallows!” says Jones. Japanese snack-subscription company Bokksu ships between 20 to 24 snacks, candies, and tea pairings directly from Japan, so you can gift the pregnant people on your list a snack for each of their sweetandsalty whims. Every box comes with a little magazine that details each item’s origin, flavors, and potential common allergens, so they’ll know exactly what they’re biting into. Single boxes start at $65, or you can get them a three-, six-, or 12-month subscription.

Cute, comfortable maternity clothingis notoriously difficult to come by, so consider it a win when you can find normal clothing that works with a bump. Merchant has loved wearing these low-rise pants from Cou Cou in her last trimester, calling them “extremely comfortable and soft.”

Here’s something a little more luxe. Home and lifestyle editorElyse Moodybought these 100 percent cashmere joggers when she was pregnant with her second child and promises that they would make an excellent gift.

This adorable lamb stuffy fromAgnès B.that Merchant recommends comes with its own iconicsnap cardigan.

[Editor’s note: Agnès B. lists all prices in euros, so the price shown is an approximate conversion in U.S. dollars.]

This porcelain massager can be used to target specific problem areas during pregnancy and postpartum, too.Strategist contributor Fiorella Valdesolo relied on it to combat carpal tunnelwhen she was pregnant (the condition is sometimes called “mommy thumb”) but also to alleviate clogged milk ducts when breastfeeding. To use, fill the porcelain vessel with hot water, cap it with the silicone lid, then pass the bumps across any sore spots. It’s glazed with crushed tourmaline crystal, which is supposed to have soothing, infrared properties.

Pregnant people can experience swelling, too, but good compression socks like these from Bombas can help. Corsillo wore them all throughout her third trimester and in the hospital, and while she said she still got really swollen anyway, “they made it more comfortable” because they were “so soft.” She adds, “I was also just nice to have warm socks that made me feel less stressed out about taking long car rides and also didn’t make me look like a grandma from 1950.” They also come in a merino wool blend, for colder climates.

Abody pillowto support sleeping on your side is another item that will help a pregnant person get a more comfortable night’s sleep. Yangpurchasedthis down-alternative one after striking out with other pillows she’d tried during previous pregnancies. “This pillow is exactly what I had hoped for: soft, lofty, airy, and cooling when I feel overly warm; warm and comforting when I feel a little cold; and easy to maneuver into place,” she wrote. They can pair it with this lovelylinen cover.

Here’s an oil specifically formulated for postpartum care byEbi, aBlack-owned businessthat makes its products by hand using plant-based ingredients. Diamond loved the therapeutic, organic belly oil for relaxing after a long day. “It’s really good for your skin and is superluxurious,” she said. “I loved the ritual of putting it on every night. It was a great way to wind down.”

A personalized-name stool like the classic from Damhorst Toys is another sweet gift that’ll get the pregnant person excited for the arrival of their little one. Edith Zimmerman, who writes the newsletterDrawing Links, calls it a “fabulous gift” that “we use constantly.” (Each of my two sons has their own, too.)

Here’s a stylishweekend backpackthat would make the perfect bag for the hospital — and beyond. It converts into a duffel, too, for added versatility.

Kovan bought this bedside bassinet after her sister, whose baby is 9 months older, recommended it. “It is more spacious than some others, so you can use it longer,” she says, in addition to being sturdy but still easy to assemble. It has breathable mesh sides, which allows her to easily see the baby inside. It’s also lightweight enough to pick it up and move it around the apartment, and the underside keeps everything you need handy for middle-of-the-night feeds and diaper changes.

Caraa makes some very stylish diaper bags and baby accessories that don’t scream “baby,” including this changing kit that could easily pass for a clutch. Made from a cloudlike padded and waterproof nylon, the portable diaper station comes with a removable memory-foam changing pad, pockets for diapers, wipes, and more, and a stroller strap.

A gift card fromthe Yinova Center, an acupuncture and Chinese-medicine practice based in New York, topped Corsillo’s pregnancy wish list. “I started going to Yinova on a weekly basis for fertility-focused acupuncture. When I was pregnant, I would go for help with anxiety and all the little aches and pains I had been getting as my body changes,” she says. “It was a calm oasis that I looked forward to every week.”