Now that I’m a bit more out of the “brand new parent” phase, I’ve been thinking about gifts people got me after giving birth (AKA “push presents”), and things I give new parents now. Nearly all of these things are not ones you’d normally see on a baby registry, but they’re really, really nice/useful.

• A microwavable heat pad
• A water bottle with a straw (specifically a straw, so it can be hands-free)
• Getting their house deep cleaned
• A bidet
• A really nice soap/lotion set from Lush or something
• A postpartum massage
• A hands-free book/e-reader holder
• A Theragun

All of these were so dang helpful to me, and it’s nice to give/receive something that sees a new parent as “an adult that happens to have a baby now,” and offers convenience and comfort, rather than, “your entire life is baby now, baby baby baby.” We love baby, of course. But we gotta love the parent, too.