Baby Shower Gift Ideas
Yes, people have babies throughout the year, but did you know that the most popular birth months in the United States are July through October? This is according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. August is the overall most popular for birthdays. Do you know what that translates to? Yep, you got it. A lot of Baby Showers coming up in the next couple of months.
There are so many types of gifts that you could give the expecting mom. If it’s a first time mom, she might not yet know exactly what she will need or want. Some mom’s like fancy and frilly, while others want to know the simple basics of what they will need. For me, the practical gifts were really the best. They were things I used on a daily basis.
Ok, if you want to be practical, diapers are always a good gift. If she is a new mom-to-be, she might not realize just how many diapers this new baby will go through. Each person needs to find the diaper that best fits their baby, but for my two sons, Pampers Cruisers were our go to diaper. They fit well and did not leak. You could wrap the diaper box and put a big bow on it, or you could buy (or make) a diaper cake. The presentation makes diapers look way more appealing to the eye. This one is from Honest.com for $99.99.
Onesies are a must for every new baby. Depending on where they live, the temperature could determine if they need a bunch of the short ones, or need some long, zipped up ones. There are so many out there on the market. Any of your big box stores sell them like Target or Walmart. If you want something different, here are a couple of options:
If a baby boy is on the way, you could think about these Star Wars themed onesies from Amazon (dad will love them too).
If you want to go the organic cotton route for super soft fabrics in all sort of color options, Colored Organics is a great choice.
If the weather is a bit cooler or you need something slightly warmer for the night, a full length zip up one-piece is great. You can buy them in a lot of places, but Gap has some soft fabrics that hold up really well in the laundry. Many pattern options to choose from for boys or girls.
Sleep sacks are also a great gift to get the expecting mom. My kids are 13 & 15 now, but when they were young, I basically had to buy whatever my options were in the store. Nowadays there are some businesses that have some seriously fun patterns to choose from. MiliMili has beautiful bold colors and patterns. Absolutely love them! Their silky-soft bamboo jersey fabric is breathable, gentle on sensitive baby skin, and naturally anti-microbial, which means you can wash it less.
A good swaddle blanket is something every new mom will also need. There are different styles on the market. Mom might have to try a couple of options to see what best works for her new baby. Traditional swaddle blankets work for many babies. Aden + Anais has a big selection of patterns in a soft muslin cotton. They are pre-washed and breathable to help reduce the risk of overheating. Now, the trick is getting the new parents to understand how to truly do the swaddle wrap and keep those babies arms from escaping.
Another option you could get for a new mom to try is a swaddle blanket that was designed to make it a bit easier to keep your baby sleeping. Aden + Anais makes a version. Their wrap swaddle recreates the secure and cozy feeling of the womb while helping to prevent the startle reflex from waking baby. Plus, it eliminates the need for loose blankets in the crib for a safer sleep. It has adjustable tabs that offer the perfect fit and stay securely fastened thanks to a quiet, soft hook-and-loop closure. It also zips open around the bottom, allowing for easy diaper changes without having to un-swaddle the baby. You can purchase any Aden + Anais products on their website, or at some larger stores like buybuyBABY, Target or Amazon.
Another gift that I considered a must have is a Bumbo chair. The seat is intended for babies who cannot sit up unaided between 3 to 12 months. The floor seat gently supports the baby to sit up on their own. Although the period of use is limited, the floor seat is priceless during this stage of a baby's development when they are particularly curious about their environment and more content to sit up than lying down. They also make a Bumbo multi seat for when they are able to sit up by themselves (the next stage). You can buy direct from the Bumbo site, or find them at many big stores like Target, Amazon or Bed Bath & Beyond.
Every mom-to-be will soon need an exersaucer to entertain her kids. Yes, this is my opinion, but it saved me many, many times. The baby needs to be a bit older, but when you need to cook, do some work, anything where you need two hands, an exersaucer will give you those hands free moments. ExerSaucer activity centers help children develop their gross motor skills, fine motor skills, object exploration, cause/effect learning, self-awareness, tactile development, visual development, object permanence and hand-eye coordination. There are many brands of exersaucers, but this one by Evenflo called “Triple Fun Life in the Amazon” is very similar to what we had for my kids when they were young. You can purchase on the Evenflo website directly, or find them at many big stores like Amazon, Walmart or Kohl’s.
Something unique that the mom-to-be might not be familiar with, and is so cool, are the Rockabye Baby CD’s and digital track downloads. The label takes the rock music parents love and transforms it into soothing instrumental lullabies. In short, Rockabye Baby makes rock music baby-friendly and kids music adult-friendly. Their award-winning rock lullaby series consists of more than 90 releases to date, including lullaby renditions of Bob Marley, The Beatles, Coldplay, and Adele. You can purchase directly from the Rockabye Baby website, or on stores like Amazon or Target.
If the mom-to-be is expecting her first child, she might not be aware yet of how handy disposable adhesive placemats can be. When the baby starts to sit in high chairs and they go out to restaurants, having some disposable mats is priceless. These placemats stick in place, making them perfect for dinner tables, restaurants, or anywhere on the go. Whether protecting the table from your toddler or your toddler from the table, these placemats have you covered. There are many brands, but here are some by Parent’s Choice sold at Walmart in a pack of 12.
If you want to go the route of giving a small stuffed animal for the baby, in my opinion, nothing beats Jellycat. They are crazy soft and sooo cute! You can purchase on the Jellycat website, check your local boutique store, or find on big store websites like Nordstrom, Crate and Barrel or Amazon.
You could put together your own multi-item gift box for the expecting mom. There are so many small items that new babies need, such as socks, teethers, small stuffed animal, book, headbands for girls, onesies, burp cloth, etc. Take a look at this box that I put together using Disguise The Surprise dividers. I went to my local boutique store for some items and then went to our Marshall’s that tends to have some super cute items. Endless possibilities.
As you can see, there are so many options when it comes to getting fun gifts for the mom-to-be. Such a range from style and price. She will be thrilled with anything. Have fun at your upcoming baby showers!