The BEST Baby Shower Gifts
My favorite quote about a new life entering the world is "Every time a child's born, the world receives another chance."
- anonymous
And to give the world the best chance possible, a shower is a super awesome way to welcome that baby's arrival... and a meaningful, expression of your love and support for the parents too.
For parents, my hope is that this article gives you some great suggestions for your registries and for gift-givers, these are tried & true, great gifts for anyone heading into the infant phase of parenting.
When it comes down to it, babies don't really need much, so I always try to buy items that will make life easier on the parent(s) ;)
My favorite categories are:
MILESTONES & MEMORIES
Here are some items that parents need before the baby's born, but see below for some longer terms awesome ideas.
For longer term:
Collect short videos of the parents' friends saying something sweet to the baby; tell them to save it till their child is 18
Mom/Dad, over the years, collect onesies and tshirts etc that are super cute (I keep mine in a bedding zipper bag) and make it into a keepsake quilt when your little one goes off to college
Use a great photo app to capture each year in photos
Chat Books is awesome for many reasons, including their super funny commercials, but their collaboration and notation features are HUGE!
MOSAIC, ... the books are gorge and you can use awesome multi-color sharpies to write in details for your little one.
Create a safe place to record cute sayings... record their little voices as they figure out how to put together words. We have a shared Google Drive folder for our little one, where we have a file with phrases, audio files, videos and photos!
HOME STAPLES
Pack-n-plays are genius and pretty much the only thing you really need, but having a comfortable nursery is, well, comforting, so nest away with your chosen bedding set/theme/decor and these gorgeous staples:
Our favorite Pack-n-play with nap rest
Convertible crib, mattress, mattress cover, linen set... you can buy the conversion accessories later, BUT it's a great idea to get all of the pieces right away in case anything is discontinued.
Changing station with pad and cover (or skip the changing table and use your dresser, on top, add a non-skid pad under a changing pad instead [we did this and loved the extra floor space].)
Glider and ottoman
Safety Locks
Diaper Pail
Smartphone Monitor with 2-way Audio
Cool Mist Humidifier (also a diffuser for when little one is older)
Convertible Car Seat (or scroll to the Travel Systems below)
Safety Gates
MOM CARE
No offense to the Dads, but a Mom's bod goes through some major stuff, so this section is all about the mamas
For healing, the hospital, should send you home with these, but if they don't, buy them:
Warm water squirt bottle
Antiseptic spray
Post Op undies/pads
While prenatal massage is the BOMB! No post-birth massages till breastfeeding subsides a bit... that can be painful!
To avoid some possible complications of breastfeeding, use a dual pump.
Keep it clean and pump as needed. You can create a ton of milk from just around 8 minutes.
Extra cold packs or a larger cooler is a great idea for moms who are away from home for a long time.
Date your storage bags with a sharpie and use the older ones first. Milk can be frozen for up to 6 months!! So, for instance, you can start weaning around 6 months and still offer your baby breast milk for over a year!
If your freezer space is limited, choose an upright chest freezer that fits your house :)
Stylish, Comfortable and Dependable Pumping
Super Useful Breastfeeding Accessories
The BEST post-birth comfort pillow... to aid healing. A comfy place to sit helps you drive to appointments or to see friends comfortably.
BABY CARE & DEVELOPMENT
There are so many AWESOME and inventive ways to care for your baby and help them along their development (I've always been a fan of Fisher-Price & Melissa & Doug). Here are some featured soothers that work, gadgets that make life easier, developmental aids and "muscle makers" that are awesome!!!
Baby Soothing
Baby Gym Time
Protect your little one's knees from bruises and scrapes when they are curiously crawling.
Diapering is so personal... eco-friendly or convenient, these are the best of the best. When changing 8-10 diapers a day, sometimes ease of use is just as important as Earth and ingredient concerns. Here are some great options to help make the changing process as stress-free as possible, so you can focus on loving your little one. Also, check out the awesome waste bags for changes-on-the-go, below, under Travel Items.
Disposable Resusable
Disposable Disposable/Reusable Reusable
The following items are great daily care staples; some of them are useful way past the infant stage. It can be overwhelming with all of the products out there to care for your baby's delicate skin. After comparing 30+ brands, and considering their ingredients and how they source them, the ethos of the companies and the safety testing practices, Arbonne's ABC Line is my choice for my family. And their FC5 Skin Conditioning Oil is great for cradle cap too (among so many other things)! Arbonne Preferred Clients get so many perks and save 20-40% off all purchases.
The Bamboo Washcloths above, in Diapering, are also perfect for bathtime!
For Safer Laundry ( For the Dryer Balls, see also Using Essential Oils in your Daily Life)
Feeding supplies that work:
Bottle Feedings
Introducing Solids
TRAVEL
On-the-go, lightweight solutions are a necessity, so here are some of our favorite items, and remember, DON'T OVER PACK. A favorite lovey, a mobile changing station, feeding supplies, clothes and a safe place to sleep are all that baby really needs. A binkie or light feeding during take off, will do wonders to help your little one fall asleep on a flight.
Strollers/Stroller Systems
Running Errands? Comfort/Germ Protection with Style
Portable Bed
Changes on-the-go
Easy Carrier
Inflatable Bathtub
Feeding Time
No Dirty Diapers Left Behind
Travel Humidifier
FUTURE PLANNING
Gift Cards are seriously always great, especially to stores/restaurants that deliver!
Also, instead of a card, it's a great idea to find a cool book and write a sweet note to the baby in the inside of the cover.
And it is never too early to start planning/saving for a child's future. If you're looking for something different to do for the little one, maybe help the parents start this process. Parents, talk to your financial planner about a college savings account, get a whole life policy for your child, update your will, set up a trust. Of course it's not as cute as a fashionable outfit, or as fun as a toy, but your little one will thank you for looking out for them when it counts.
- Berly Wedding, Finder of Cool Things, Coach and Arbonne Independent Consultant
Toddler Time? We've got some awesome finds for that too (coming soon)