One of my husband’s co-workers if having a baby… well, his WIFE is having a baby ;)…twins in fact. That alone should earn her some sort of award, but since giving her a trophy seems weird, I am going to settle on a practical gift. I like to give something useful, and my standard gift has always bee a case of diapers, a case of wipes and some handmade burp clothes, or a small toy for on top.
Over the years {and countless baby showers later}, I have seen some pretty creative gifts–some practical and some not so much. Here’s a few of my favorites:
- Sleep sacks. These little zip-on blankets are like baby snuggies. Baby stays warm and new mom doesn’t need to worry about baby getting tangled in blankets while sleeping. {Do remember how nerve-wracking being a first time mom was?!}
- Gift card to a photographer. What mom doesn’t want to commemorate how perfect her baby is? A picture package will help her do just that.
- Gift certificate for a house cleaning. Between sleep deprivation and a sudden influx of bouncers, cribs, changing pads, diapers, etc., keeping the house clean is near impossible. About six weeks in, a new mom will think you are the most amazing human being in the world when a simple phone call results in someone else cleaning her house. This is a great one to “go in” with someone else on–just ask around for a reputable cleaning company and throw a little cash their direction.
- Freezer meals. Adjusting to caring for a whole human being is hefty business–not having to cook is a huge load off. Providing some freezer meals for new mom is huge.
- Go Oprah on your gift and give a basket of “your favorite things.” Every mom has their favorites–put your favorite brand of binkies, teethers, washclothes, onesies…or whatever you couldn’t live without when your babies were little. You’re giving the gift of your experience along with usable items.
- Red dancing shoes. Okay, so I’ve never actually seen these gifted at a shower, but They. Are. Awesome. What a seriously fun way to play with your little ones.
- Baby mill. Basically it’s a take-along baby food maker, so mom can grind up what ever is on her plate and make quick, easy homemade baby food on the go.
- Gyroscopic Bowl. These are those snack bowls that are virtually impossible to spill. So, unless you know the new mom just loves vacuuming crushed gold fish out of the back seat of the car, you can rest assure she’ll appreciate this gift.
- Stroller accessories. Yep, you can outfit your stroller just like you would any room in your house. You can buy clip on cup holders, smartphone compartments, hooks for diaper bags…you name it, you can find a way to attach it to baby’s house on wheels. And really, thank goodness, because man, babies need a lot of stuff. {Ever wonder how the pioneers made it through baby rearing without a boppy, bouncer, etc? I know I do.}
- Clothing in bigger sizes. I know how tempting it is to pick out those tiny little outfits, but most likely the baby will grow out of those in about two seconds, and mom and dad will need the next round of clothing in the wait. Opt for a larger size {make sure to do the math and figure out what season baby is likely to be in when they are ready for that size}.
Those are pretty much my favorites. What is YOUR favorite gift to give? What was the BEST gift you received?
~Mavis
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Kari says
If the mom plans to nurse, I like to give a nursing cover. I also love to give the little elasticized baby gowns. It is so nice not to have to undress them to change them!
Mavis says
I love that idea!! They have some really stylish covers these days!
Martha says
I love to find out what their diaper of choice is and give a package of disposable diapers. Even cloth diapering mamas love to have the convenience of some disposable diapers for outings or when in a pinch!
Liz says
This is kinda lame, but : Things that are on her registry! I got so many super cute outfits and blankies and stuffed animals, but some of the gifts I was most excited about were the people who got me the baby nail clippers and nasal aspirator and diaper covers etc etc. We got so many sweet and generous gifts, but I’ve been going over my list and realizing that I’m missing a lot of important things 😮 it’s all those “unfun” necessities. If nothing else it’s a good idea to take a look at the registry to see what direction mama is going for certain things. For example we got an adorable (and Huge!) diaper cake and several packs of diapers…and we’re going with cloth :-/
Stephanie says
I have to agree with you. I usually pick a few smaller items from the registry and also 1 or 2 things that I enjoyed as a new mom or an outfit, etc. That way its like the best of both worlds. I also agree, if you are using disposable diapers, they are a great gift and I swear I will never stop using baby wipes! They work on everything.
Julie says
I remember being a new mom, having a sick baby (nothing serious) and waiting what seemed like an eternity for hubby to get home from the drug store. One of my standard shower gifts, therefore, is a collection of infant Advil/Tylenol, teething gel, Triple Paste for the “really bad” case of diaper rash, vapor bath to help with colds and sniffles, and any other kind of pain relief I can find.
It doesn’t look very exciting. In fact, one day hubby asked, “Is that all you’re going to give? It looks so cheap!” The next time I gave him a list and asked him to pick up most — but not all — of these goodies. He was stunned at the cost.
Mavis says
Sometimes the least exciting gifts are the best!!
Ashley says
I always loved getting and giving books and diapers/wipes. Can never have enough of either!
Mavis says
Amen on both {especially the diapers/wipes}.
Sarah E Welch says
I always make sure to include something just for Mom, usually a piece of jewelry. I think it’s important for Moms to still feel like their own person, and they so often get left behind in babyland.
Mavis says
Such a great and thoughtful idea!
Ashley says
I think the best mom gift I’ve seen given was a small bottle of booze and a giant pack of pads (given with humor, of course). I found it hilarious before I had kids, but after having babies I see the practicality, lol.
Carrie says
I love to give Amazon or Papa Murphy gift cards with something small from the registry. My friends and I also bring our favorite hand me down clothes to share. Maybe I am too practical, but all the extra baby gear on the suggested list provided when you create a registry just takes up too much space and energy and really aren’t essential. With 3 small kids in the house, less is best has been our moto 🙂
Mavis says
I love the food gift card idea! New moms are sooo tired. A night off from cooking is a great idea!!
Becka says
Speaking of jewelry for mom: have you seen the stylish teething necklaces that you can get now? They are made of silcone and come in a variety of colors. They are perfect for babies who always want to put mom’s necklaces in their little mouths.
Teresa Young says
I like to give some board books with matching stuffed toys – for example, The Very Hungry Caterpillar book and the matching toy caterpillar. I’ve found them at Barnes & Noble.
I also like to give a large BJ’s size box of pretty paper plates, napkins, cups & cutlery – so the family doesn’t have to worry about doing dishes for the first couple weeks.
Ashley says
I like to do the book/stuffed animal, too. Kohls Cares has books and stuffed animals for $5 (sometimes $2.50 on clearance) that are great quality.
Jules says
One of the best gifts I got when I was pregnant was chocolate. Just-for-me-no-sharing Chocolate. Along with that I also had someone bring me a meal Before the baby was born – I was so tired in that 9th month of my fifth pregnancy, my cooking creativity was nil; having a meal made and ready for all of us was such a blessing!
Cori says
Freezer meals are so nice! New mamas always need to eat!!
I’ve received some nice baby blankets as gifts: flannel, but larger than the typical newborn receiving blankets. Closer to 45″x45″. These work so much better for swaddling. I’ve made them for friends too!
Pam says
I am having my first baby in six months. I appreciate the experience of your ways! Burp cloths are my project this weekend 🙂