Mama is definitely getting a new “lap-top” accessory, the low-tech, high-maintenance kind that has a built-in no-sleep feature. If your favorite mom-to-be is now a mom-for-real, it’s not too late to shower her with attention. Of course, this shower is more of a visit.

The gift-giving advantage is that you know what gender the baby is and might have a good idea of what she needs, has, or still wants. The disadvantage is that her life, as well as her schedule, her sleep patterns, and her patience, have changed. A full-blown shower with all the trimmings may not be in the cards right now.

The “Lap-Top” Shower is the solution. It combines the speed of a pop-in visit with the gift-giving capacity of a shower, and it has the added benefit of Mommy getting to show off baby to boot.

Menu Ideas and Options

These recipes are easy to pack up and take out — to the exhausted new parents. Make a pan of one of the choices below and send with love and a loaf of French bread.

The “Lap-Top” Shower Menu

• Tortilla Lasagna
• Chicken with Rice
• Quickie Pasta Bake
• Oven-Fried Chicken Nuggets
• Real Macaroni and Cheese
• Black-Bottom Cupcakes

Setting It Up

The setup for this is simple: Call the new mom and find out when she has 30 minutes to see you. Emphasize flexibility and shortness of stay. In addition to any baby gift you plan to bring, consider a little something for the new parents to eat after you leave — dinner, a plate of cookies, or even a few comfort-food grocery items to save Mom a trip out.

Helping Hand Do’s and Don’ts

New moms, especially brand-new mothers, don’t always realize the daunting adjustments that are made during the first few weeks of parenthood. She will be forever grateful if you remember these simple rules:

• Do ask. Babies are so lovely to hold, but ask before you grab. Newborn moms may have a preferred way for you to pick up or handle their precious bundle. Be respectful of this new experience and be guided by her wishes.

• Do help out. Throw in a load of baby clothes, wash a sinkful of dishes, make up a batch of baby bottles, or offer to run an errand.

• Do offer to watch baby. Mom may not feel like going out, she may just want a hot shower or long nap. Give her an opportunity to get cleaned up and refreshed.

• Do bring presents for older siblings. This is not a strict requirement, but it is a thoughtful gesture that let’s the sibling know that they have not been forgotten in the hullabaloo over the new baby. Crayons and a coloring book, a picture book, or some miniature cars can keep big brother or sister occupied while you visit.

• Do bring food. Dinner is great, and so is lunch, breakfast, or kid-friendly meals.

• Don’t make figure comments. As any wise mother can tell you, the baby weight doesn’t drop the day you deliver. It can be a stunning shock to many new moms that their pre-pregnancy clothes don’t fit in the weeks after the birth.

• Don’t give unsolicited advice. It may be tempting, and you may be right, but new moms want to learn on their own.

• Don’t eat the food. If you have brought a meal, leave it for the new parents. There will be plenty of time down the road for dinner parties. Moms, dads, and babies need lots of extra rest and time to get to know each other.

• Don’t bring germs. Even if it’s just “allergies,” keep sneezes, coughs, and runny noses away from baby. You will have a lifetime to visit. Make sure to wash your hands when you arrive at baby’s house.

• Don’t overstay your welcome. Moms and babies need rest. Unless you are babysitting, keep your visit short and sweet.

• Don’t bring other children. Double-check with the new mom before you bring young children to visit baby for the first few times.

• Don’t bring a crowd. Entertaining a crowd of adults can be overwhelming to a new mom who may be exhausted and whose house may not be as spiffed up and party ready as she would like it to be.

Gifts That Work with This Theme

In addition to the baby gifts that come with a first visit, there are a number of things that you can bring to help moms and dads make the transition to parenthood. During the first two weeks after baby is born, there are lots of hands ready to help.

But as the next few weeks pass, the offers of help diminish and just about that time is when baby gets her second wind, so to speak. This is the time when a prepared meal that arrives on your doorstep along with an offer to watch the little napster while mom showers is a godsend.

Here are some practical ideas to take to the first visit:

• Kid-friendly food basket. If there are older siblings, their particular food likes may have been forgotten in the avalanche of meals that have arrived. Bring a box of kid-friendly foods like peanut butter, grape jelly, Ritz crackers, goldfish crackers, bread, bananas, juice boxes, pretzels, applesauce, mini-yogurts, frozen waffles, string cheese, cereal (Cheerios is always a safe bet), and milk.

• Drugstore run. Toilet paper, sanitizing soap, baby detergent, hand lotion, shampoo, infant Tylenol (check with mom first), and ChapStick.

• Date night at-home basket. For the many Saturday nights that will be spent at home, give mom and dad a six-month subscription to Netflix, bags of microwave popcorn, and a movie-trivia book.