"THE best baby shower gift.” Forget nappy cakes; I gifted my pregnant friend a dessert roster.

When my friend announced that she was pregnant with her third child, I immediately put my hand up to organise the baby shower.

Most of the women in our friendship group were done having babies, so who knew when the chance would come up again? I ordered some teeny-tiny sushi, made some itty-bitty sandwiches, and organised some games.

I racked my brain for a meaningful gift idea. She knew she was going to have a little girl, and already had a boy and a girl. She was fully stocked with onesies, clothes and baby equipment.

Watch: Things pregnant people never say. Post continues after video. 

A gift made with love

I knew from experience that preparing meals was tricky with a newborn and older children (to say the least). But my friend is one of those people that actually finds cooking quite relaxing, so sending over prepared dinners was probably not going to appeal to her.

Instead, my friends and I came up with a slightly different take on the meal delivery service, which we explained to her in a card at her baby shower.

It was a dessert roster.

The mum-to-be is a well-known sweet tooth, so we thought this was a nice way to show how much we care.

There were eight women, so we made a plan to deliver something sweet and tasty to her every Friday afternoon for eight weeks once the baby arrived. The option was with her whether she shared it with her family or kept it for herself.

How was the dessert roster organised?

Once the baby was born, I sent a message to the group with the dates for the following eight Fridays. I had filled out the first date with my name and what I was going to make, and then the others worked out who was available for the other days.

Knowing that some of my friends are not keen on cooking, I was sure to mention that tubs of Connoisseur ice cream or packets of Tim Tams would be graciously accepted. It’s more about the delivery of something nice, rather than worrying about whether it was handmade or not.

We had a good selection of tasty treats, with cakes, slices, baked desserts and other sweets in the mix. By sharing in advance what we were going to make, we didn’t double up on anything.

What desserts did we supply?

1. Apple berry crumble
2. Jam roly-poly with custard
3. Two tubs of Connoisseur ice cream
4. Decadent chocolate mousse
5. Bread and butter pudding
6. Jam and coconut slice
7. Salted caramel brownies
8. Booze-free trifle

Why was it a great gift?

When I mentioned to my friend that I would be writing about the dessert roster, she said with a smile that it was one of the best times of her life. A newborn baby to snuggle, and dessert delivered to her on the sofa every Friday!

It was a gift that kept on giving, as it went on for two months. She said it made her feel so loved, knowing that one of her friends had taken the time to make or choose something just for her and bring it over.

I remember her telling me that the trifle she received was so big it lasted her family for days. She even admitted that on one particularly sleep-deprived day, that was all she ate.

For her friends, we had a chance to visit our friend and cuddle her baby. Everyone wins!

Holly Wainwright and Christie Hayes chat about what to expect in these first precious (and messy) days after giving birth in Mamamia's Year One podcast. Post continues after podcast. 

What other versions could you do?

If you’d like to organise a gift like this for your friend, there’s no end to the different ways you could arrange it.

Whether they’ve just had a baby, an operation, a bereavement, they’re renovating, separating, or caring for a sick relative – everyone needs a hand sometimes.

It could be once a week, or every second day depending on their circumstances (and fridge/freezer space for the food-based ideas).

• Meal delivery roster: arrange for friends to drop off lasagne, bolognese, curry and casseroles.
• Snack delivery roster: arrange to deliver nourishing snacks like banana bread, bliss balls and fruit salad.
• Ice cream delivery: send over a weekly supply of different flavours of the ‘good’ ice cream.
• Fruit and veggie box delivery: make their life easier by dropping off supplies each week.
• Babysitting roster: if the family needed it, you could arrange for friends to come by and babysit while the recipient naps, runs errands or just heads out for a walk.
• Cleaning roster: whether you arrange to pay a cleaner or pitch in yourself, this will always be a welcome gift for someone in need.
• Household jobs roster: someone could pop over to mow the lawn, walk the dog or pick up older kids from school.

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.

Feature Image: Getty.