# Take presents to the new mom at the hospital? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 16, 2004, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-presents-to-the-new-mom-at-the-hospital/275009 "2004-11-16T04:52:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-presents-to-the-new-mom-at-the-hospital/275009/21 "2004-11-18T14:08:57Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > So would a stand-alone freezer be a good baby gift? I don’t mean a chest freezer, but we’ve got one that’s just a bit larger than a mini-fridge out in the laundry room. If breast milk can be frozen, a freezer could be useful for quite a while after the food gifts are gone. I’d love one. My due date’s June 2nd. Doper collection, anyone? 😃 Seriously, if she has any space at all to put it, it’s a fantastic idea. I’d make space, even if I had to put it in my bedroom. And yes, breast milk can be frozen. Most breast pumps have “systems” which include little ziplocks with ounce markings on the side. You pump and pour into the bag and freeze. When it’s time to eat, you melt the “milk cube” under warm running water and it’s milk time! ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2004, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-presents-to-the-new-mom-at-the-hospital/275009/22 "2004-11-20T01:57:44Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I’d love one. My due date’s June 2nd. Doper collection, anyone? 😃 > > Seriously, if she has any space at all to put it, it’s a fantastic idea. I’d make space, even if I had to put it in my bedroom. If you do a gift registery to tell friends and family what you’d get use out of, [this](http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=APPL&pid=04624502000) is one you could put on it and some people could go in on it 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2004, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-presents-to-the-new-mom-at-the-hospital/275009/23 "2004-11-20T02:12:44Z")
If you know they have room, and a desire for one, than yes. I only have a little freezer. This is despite have enough money and space to go buy a bigger freezer. The desire for one has not overcome the frugality and laziness factor. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2004, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-presents-to-the-new-mom-at-the-hospital/275009/24 "2004-11-20T04:00:24Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > If you do a gift registery to tell friends and family what you’d get use out of, [this](http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=APPL&pid=04624502000) is one you could put on it and some people could go in on it 😃 Sweet! Since we’re not registering for furniture and 'spensive stuff (except for a baby hammock someone on the Dope recommended), maybe I will add it to the registry. I have a very strange registry - it includes lots of things that don’t immediately scream “baby.” Like [this](http://www.isabellacatalog.com/showbook.cfm?invnum=1803&userid=31051802), which will be much nicer to \*my \* nerves than a plastic wind-up lullabye machine, and [a couple of these](http://www.isabellacatalog.com/showbook.cfm?invnum=4245&userid=31051802), which I want to hang (well out of reach) in place of a plastic mobile with freaky looking smiling bears and butterflies. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2004, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-presents-to-the-new-mom-at-the-hospital/275009/25 "2004-11-20T04:22:41Z")
For a baby gift, I’ve found that clothing in sizes 6 months to a year is greatly appreciated. People end up with piles of newborn stuff, but nearly nothing to put the kid in a few months down the road. A gift that won’t be used for months may still be greatly appreciated. But _after_ she gets home. If you feel compelled to take something to the hospital? A card is always nice, or a milkshake or something consumable! Also, it’s always nice to start the kid off with a few classic books. Newborn isn’t too young to have your own copy of Winnie the Pooh. But WORD on the food! It’s been far too many years since my kids were born, and yet I can still remember how pathetically grateful I was for anyone who made it a little easier to just get through those early days, when the simplest thing was a major chore, and cooking was nearly out of the question! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-presents-to-the-new-mom-at-the-hospital/275009.md?page=1)