After all those drunken nights out and trash ass exes, your best friend is actually about to become a mama. Being the woman you are, you're there to support her no matter what. You already know that she's going to need you now more than ever but this is definitely going to be an adjustment for the both of you. This is new territory and you want to get this right. I get it.

My own best friends showed up and showed the hell out when they found out I was pregnant with Nola. Beyond anything I put on my registry, my girls somehow knew all of the extra little intangible things that I would need to keep me sane in the weeks and months following my delivery.

Being there for your girl during her pregnancy and journey into motherhood is so much more than simply nabbing a gift off of her baby registry (though, you should do that too). That stuff is really all for baby and moms get lost in the madness. If you're looking for things to help support your girl on her newest adventure, here are a few gifts I swear by that truly added value to my life postpartum and during pregnancy.

Spa Treatments

I was pregnant with Nola in the thick of the pandemic so I didn't quite get to take advantage of massages and manicure/pedicures like I would have wanted. That being said, there are tons of services that let you send a technician to a private home for some much earned relaxation. In Atlanta, businesses like Spa Theory offer in-home treatments ranging from blow outs to nails, facials and massages. In other cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and New York there are local mobile spas that do the same.

If your friend feels comfortable getting out of the house, book her a treatment at a spa in a swanky hotel. That way she can also have lunch afterwards (mama's gotta eat!) Either way, carrying around a baby all day does a number on you back, ankles, pelvis...hell even your vagina hurts while you're pregnant. Your bestie deserves to be pampered.

Food

I love to cook, obviously. But when I was pregnant, the thought of spending time on my feet making dinner just exhausted me. After I gave birth, cooking was out the window as I struggled to adjust to the demands of motherhood. Whether your girl has had her baby or not, this gift will be much appreciated.

When one of my friends was pregnant with her daughter, I cooked up a few meals and placed them in her freezer to reheat at a later date. If you can't do that, DoorDash, Postmates and other delivery services let you send gift cards...DO THAT SHIT SIS. Is there a restaurant your friend has been dying to go to? Tell her to get dressed and take her out! If you don't live in the same city, buy her a gift card so she can enjoy a meal out on you.

Bath Time Treats

When I was pregnant with Nola, I took a bath every single night, especially as my pregnancy progressed. I loved the ritual of selecting different bath bombs, soaks, salts and oils to pour into the tub with me. It was such an incredibly relaxing time and I loved feeling my baby girl moving around while I took a load off. Two of my all time favorite bath-time brands are Soaked and The Witch's Bath. Both brands are owned and operated by black women and insanely luxurious.

Soaked specializes in bath tea bags that are loaded with high-quality salts, flowers and essentials oils. My go-to's are the Soaked in Gratitude and Soaked in Joy. The bath bombs that the Witch's Bath sells are so popular, you damn near have to join a waitlist to score some and even then you might miss out. Here the bombs lean towards the occult and even the spooky which I love. The Sage Bath Bomb truly has to have some witchcraft in it because it's magical. The Wealthy Witch Bath Bomb will have your friend feeling like a million bucks. Score a few for yourself too!

Cleaning Service

Linda, Linda, LISTEN. If you do nothing else for your friend, please make sure that after she gives birth, there is someone there to keep her house tidy. Those baby bottles, pacifiers and pumping parts aren't going to clean themselves. Services like Molly Maids, Merry Maids and Maid Brigade have cleaning crews across the country. Hell, even Amazon and Task Rabbit allow you to send someone out to help your girlfriend. You can do a one-time cleaning which could run you around $170 on the higher end or offer to cover the first month or so of cleaning. Trustttt me when I tell you, she'll thank you for this one forever.

Laundry Service

Along the same lines as a cleaning service, doing laundry sucks in general, add a screaming baby, raw nipples and vaginal stitches to the mix and well...it sucks even more. I can't think of a single woman who wouldn't appreciate someone coming and doing laundry for them postpartum. This is something that could literally be Free 99 if you sign up to do it. You can also outsource it to a company like SudShare which is a national wash and fold laundry service that literally will pick up your friend's dirty clothes, wash them, fold them and return them back to her house. Ummm...YES.

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