Is Your Wife a Brand New Mom?

My favorite holiday last year was Mother's Day. A little odd to pick a Hallmark holiday, I know, but it was the first time that I was being included as an honoree in the day's celebration. I had just recently become a mom prior to Mother's Day 2006 and I was ready to be officially recognized. If your significant other recently bore your beautiful new baby into the world, make sure you get this first Mother's Day right. There are no "do-overs" on this one!

Breakfast in bed: Start out the day right by treating the new mom to breakfast. Maybe you're not a great cook. So pick up a couple muffins or bagels the day before and add a nice cup of coffee or tea. For an extra special touch, lay one of her favorite flowers on the tray. Make sure to take over the first bottle or breakfast duties for your child so that she doesn't have to scurry out of bed on her special day.

A gift from the baby: Don't forget to purchase a card & gift from the new addition to your clan. After all, the baby is the reason for the holiday and although he or she cannot pick out a gift yet, the new mom will appreciate the sentiment more than you know. This gift doesn't have to be anything expensive. If you have an older child, making a clay hand or footprint is a great idea and won't take you long with a kit you can purchase in many stores. A framed (engraved or not) photo of mother and child is also a thoughtful and sure-to-win-her-over gift. Other possibilities include: a necklace with the baby's birthstone, a MOM charm, or a mother &child pendant. The most important thing concerning the gift from your child is that it somehow include a sentiment of the child.

A material gift from you: Again, it's the thought and not the dollar amount that counts. As a new mom, your wife has likely experienced more emotions in recent months than she has felt her entire life. She's been stressed, elated, sad, proud, tired, energized and so on. Keep this in mind when you're picking out a gift. If she has a favorite hobby, like gardening or scrapbooking, get her some new tools for that hobby. If she likes to read, get her a new book. My most recommended present, however, is to purchase her a gift certificate to a local salon so that she can enjoy a manicure, pedicure, new hairstyle or a massage at her leisure.

Babysit: Granted, when it's your own child it shouldn't really be considered babysitting. In addition, you might think that Mother's Day should be all about her spending more time with her child. But at some point in the day, offer to give her some free time to do whatever she likes. Don't chastise her if she just wants to take a nap or a long bath. Let her go for a walk on her own or make a quick run to the mall for some power shopping. Don't feel bad if she wants to just enjoy a couple hours on her own. Don't feel bad either if she leaves you a list a mile long just to go upstairs for a 45 minute bath. It's hard to leave that little one in her life alone for 2 seconds, whether she feels she needs it or not.

Do NOT: Whatever you decide to do for her first Mother's Day, do NOT fail to do something. Anything. Even if your wife tells you it is unnecessary or that she'd rather save money. Do not show up on that day empty handed. And by that I don't mean that you must have a "material" gift. Breakfast and an offer to babysit count as gifts in her eyes as well.