Hey all! It’s me, Jane, again from xo, lauren and jane, a blog about beauty, fashion, kids, DIY, life… and everything in between. I’m excited to be back sharing an easy, easy (emphasis on easy) but SO cute DIY that is perfect for a baby shower gift.
A new baby is so exciting… and so exhausting! Babies sleep 16+ hours a day… just not all at once or at night. So, when I had my first child, I spent a lot of time rocking her or cuddling her on the couch, fighting exhaustion. A dear friend, as my shower gift, gave me a new mother snack basket. It was perfect for staying hydrated and I loved the snacks, both of which are essential if you’re breastfeeding. I spent a lot of time sitting down, so it was easy to have the basket right next to me! Even if you’re not breastfeeding, you’ll need to stay hydrated and energized. Baby is counting on you!
My best friend in the world is welcoming her first baby in August, so I was excited to create a new mother snack pack for her. I added a few things to customize it for her, mainly things I found were essential in the first few weeks of motherhood for me.
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What to include:
Snacks: I included a mix of sweets and salty snacks, including some with fiber to help boost that energy and provide some nutritional value. This new mother snack basket included: Fiber One fruit snacks (soooo good), a pack of gum, Ice Breakers mints, Sour Patch Kids (mamas deserve a treat after around-the-clock newborn care!), Goldfish and fiber chewy bars.
Drinks: Lots and lots of water is essential for new mothers, especially those who are breastfeeding. In addition to water bottles (so easy and handy), I added a box of single-serve Crystal Light mixes, to give my friend the option of making her water a flavored water.
Personal Items: Lip balm. I love, love, love EOS. In fact, my friend, a professional makeup artist, told me EOS is so much better than so many other lip balms. Other lip balms are packed with petrolatum and other ingredients that feel good going on but actually suck moisture from your lips, leaving them dry and flakey. EOS is 95% organic, 100% natural, and paraben and petrolatum free. (Psst… here’s a tip on how to save on EOS lip balms.) The last item? Hand sanitizer, of course, from Bath and Body Works (smells soo good!). Gotta keep germs away from that new sweet baby.
Basket: I actually picked up this red bucket from the Dollar Spot at Target for $3. It’s intended to be a drink bucket, but coincidentally, it works perfectly as a new mama snack basket! Target typically has these in its Dollar Spot in the late spring and summer months, in a variety of colors. I may or may not own it in pink, white and red.
Once you’ve collected everything for the basket, put it all together. I tried to make it look cute, since this is one of the gifts I brought to her shower. It’s all in the presentation! I found it easier, space-wise, to remove the fruit snacks and chewy bars from the box and arrange them individually. I was able to fit six waters in the basket. For everything, including the basket and its contents, I spent about $25. You can scale the cost of the basket by switching up the contents.
Love this DIY shower gift idea? You can pin this image below to save it for later. It’s a gift that you can give to every new mom! I love sharing fun (and easy) DIY ideas, so make sure to check out the latest on my blog, xo, lauren and jane.
Go here for a free printable to go with your snack pack:
Amberly says
This is a genius idea, I love it!!
Jane Putnam says
Thanks, Amberly. It was one of my favorite shower gifts, and I’ve started making them for many of the expectant moms I know. Nothing worst than being exhausted with a newborn AND hungry/thirsty!
Sydney @ Tastefullyfrugal says
I was just looking for some cute DIY baby shower gifts and I think will definitely be doing this! Such a great idea!!!
Jane Putnam says
I’m so glad, Sydney! It was definitely a great gift to receive when I was pregnant with my first, and now I love giving it to mamas-to-be. 🙂
Michelle says
What a great idea! I had just given birth 2 weeks ago and wish someone had given me a snack basket instead of all those flowers that dried up after 2 days. From now on, my friends will be getting snack packs from me.