If you’re wondering what to bring to a baby shower, I have a few ideas that won’t need to be squeezed into a drawer. Think dinner. Groceries. A clean bathroom. A few afternoons when someone else takes care of the things that still need doing.

These are gifts I’d suggest to a friend who wants to give something thoughtful and useful. Some cost money. Some cost time. All of them start with what the parents would actually like.

1. A month of housecleaning, from all of you.

Get a few friends or relatives together and pool your money for a cleaner once a week for a month. If it’s a larger group, you might be able to cover two or three months. Double-check that she’s comfortable with the idea before you book anything, and let her choose the housecleaner and schedule.

One person can handle collecting the money and making the arrangements. Give the parents a simple note saying what’s covered. The gift should leave them with fewer things to organize.

2. Groceries she can choose herself.

An Instacart gift card gives her room to choose the groceries, snacks, and everyday supplies her family actually uses. Choose a gift card for purchases rather than an Instacart+ membership if you want to help pay for the groceries themselves.

Check that it’s a service she uses and that delivers to her address. If she’d rather send you a shopping list, offering to pick it up and put it away can be just as lovely.

3. Her favorite food, whenever she wants it.

A DoorDash gift card, or a gift card directly from her favorite restaurant, means she can decide what sounds good when she’s ready to eat. Ask what she likes. This is a great time to remember her favorite order.

You could also offer a specific dinner delivery on a day that works for her. Make it clear she doesn’t need to invite you in or turn it into a visit.

4. A freezer stocked with meals she loves.

Ask what she’d enjoy eating and how much freezer space she has, then bring a few ready-to-heat meals. Label what’s inside and include clear heating instructions. Smaller portions can make it easy to grab one meal at a time.

Soup, a favorite family dish, something comforting she’s been craving. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Having food ready when you’re hungry is such a thoughtful kind of care.

5. In the Bay Area? Mama Tong soups.

After my third baby’s emergency C-section, one of my best friends brought me warm soup from Mama Tong in Berkeley, in a thermos I could keep. Then she stocked my freezer with more. Food I could eat right then, and meals waiting for later. I’ve written about how much that gift meant to me.

Mama Tong makes Chinese soups and bone broths inspired by traditional postpartum foods. You can explore their soups and where to buy them if you’re putting together a food gift.

6. A handmade gift book with actual dates.

Make a little book of gift certificates for things you will come over and do: wash the dishes, clean the kitchen, vacuum the floors, fold laundry, or run an errand.

Here’s the part that makes it a real gift: choose the dates with her and put them in your calendar. Don’t leave her with a stack of coupons she has to remember to redeem. Confirm before each visit, and make rescheduling easy.

Only promise the time you can give, then show up and do what you offered. A gift can be as simple as someone noticing what needs doing and making sure it gets done.

7. A practical essential she might not have thought of yet.

If she’s still putting her list together, show her a few useful ideas and let her choose. These are things I’ve recommended in my before-baby essentials list, which also includes my other Amazon links. Check what she already has before buying.

Affiliate links: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My full list also includes a feeding pillow, a digital thermometer, and a baby electric nail file. She may not have considered them yet, or she may already have a different plan. Ask. A useful gift is one that works for her family.

And if you want something to wrap? Make a wipe cake with unopened packs of the wipes she likes. Let her choose the diapers. I’ve been buying wipes long past the baby years.