Must-Haves for new mom & baby

Good Ol' Fashioned Hospitality for Mom

Chances are the new mom is not the only creature in the house besides baby. There might be other children, pets, dad or even relatives visiting. Here are five things you can do to help out the new mom:

1. Bring over a dinner for the family; cooking is the last thing on her mind.
2. Offer to run mom an errand or two.
3. Take other children out of the house for a bit so they can get a little extra special attention.
4. Don't forget about the pets. Offer to take Fido for a walk so he can get some fresh air and out of mom's hair.
5. Be patient! New moms might not be ready for visitors. Be an understanding friend and let her tell you when she is ready to have you come over. If you cannot wait and must do something, send some flowers or a fruit basket to let her know you are thinking about her.

The Hand-Me-Down Game, Registry and Thank you

Chances are mom-to-be had a baby shower and registered for many wonderful gifts. Chances are also good that mom did not get every gift on that registry. Follow these helpful pointers on getting a delightful gift for mom - which she really needs.

1. Check new mom's registry to see if there is anything that is still left in your price range. She wouldn't have registered for it if she didn't want it.
2. If you have had children and are no longer in need of extra cribs, burp clothes, onesies or crib sheets, offer them up, she can always say no and recycling is the way to go.
3. Mom is going to hopefully get spoiled and will need lots of stationary for thank-you notes. Many women forget to register or stock up on cards before birth and find they are in need after the baby arrives. Mom spends so much time on the perfect announcement, it is a struggle to find something to "announce" thank you to all her friends. Try (www.thepaperdollstore.com) and order something adorable and personal for mom.

Baby Loves Best

Newsflash, baby will probably like anything you buy. They don't care what color the "I love my mom t-shirt" is or how trendy his or her new diaper bag is, mom is still in charge, for now. If the registry is done and you have no hand-me-downs, here are some great last minute gift ideas for both mom and baby.

Clothing and Accessories

For Mom: She still doesn't quite fit into her old clothes, so buy her the catchall one size fits all Michael Stars t-shirt. The line is comfy and stretches for mom and can be shrunk again with a little tumble in the dryer.

For Baby: Trendy babies are sporting Tuni and G clothing. From "text me for a playdate" to mommy and baby sets, this line is quite clever and can ship within hours. Try buying an outfit for 3 to 6 months or 6 to 9 months instead to help mom through the first year and not just first couple months.

For Mom and Little girl: Mom is in bed and resting and might not have time to go out and get her nails painted. Buy her non-toxic, non-odor nail polish that she can share with her baby girl as well without causing damage to the precious one's nails.

For Mom and Little Boy: Never too early to let the little guy start exploring sports and My First Sports Bag Playset by Baby Gund is a perfect present for playtime.

For Dad and/or Siblings: Bath time! Everyone in the family needs a bath and you can't have too many bath toys. From fun water books to the classic ducky, make bath time fun for everyone.