Expecting parents typically get a lot of gifts. They’re offered hand-me-downs, gifts of congratulations, and loads of odds and ends from friends and family who are excited about the new arrival.
By the time the baby shower rolls around, you might be absolutely clueless as to what to buy for a new mom. If your expecting friend doesn’t have a registry or wish list, it can be even tougher to come up with something that will actually be a unique and useful gift.
If you’ve run out of ideas, here are a few of ours to help you out.
Practical Presents with a Twist
Babies have a lot of needs, and new moms have a lot of needs, too – helping to provide for some of their needs is a great way to make sure you’re giving a useful gift! However, we might not need to remind you that they probably don’t need any more newborn socks…
Instead, think about some less commonly gifted but still essential and practical items like baby onesies, baby wraps, a stylish and functional diaper bag with compartments, a diaper subscription service, or a bottle sterilizing and storage solution.
Personalized Gifts
Every expecting mom is going to be in love with their little one’s name and excited to meet them and decorate their nursery with special and unique items. This is why opting for a personalized gift is a great way to ensure you’re picking something they won’t have duplicates of and will truly appreciate.
Think of items like customized baby onesies or clothing, baby blankets or quilts, a handmade nameplate or nursery décor with the baby’s name, or some other unique personalization. You could also have custom-made items that align with the interests or hobbies of the parents-to-be, be it a favorite sport, a specific franchise, or a place they love.
Memory-Making Gifts
When you have a newborn, every moment is special. An expecting mom will be excited to document every step of the journey, through pregnancy and the first years of her little one’s life. A gift that helps her create and keep those memories will be appreciated for years to come.
You could offer the gift of a professional maternity shoot or a newborn photoshoot for when the baby arrives. Some other ideas include milestone cards or markers for the new parents to take photos of their baby each month or a baby journal or scrapbook where photos, notes, and memorabilia can be kept to look back on for years to come.
Subscription Services
New parents are busy people and always in need of help in one way or another – even if they don’t ask for it. Signing them up for a baby-related subscription service for a few months could be a real game changer to help them adapt to their new lifestyle.
Some options you could consider are subscription boxes for monthly baby essentials, a monthly parenting magazine, a diaper subscription service, or even a meal kit delivery service so that they don’t need to worry about cooking every night of the week with a brand-new baby to focus on.
Self-Care Gifts for Mom
A lot of the time, there is so much focus placed on the new baby that people forget about the needs (and wants) of a new mother. Giving birth and adapting to motherhood can be incredibly challenging, and it might be a nice idea to spoil Mom a little instead of the baby.
You could gift a prenatal massage voucher to help ease some of the aches and pains she may be experiencing towards the end of her pregnancy, or create your own bundle of self-care items you think she might enjoy using to pamper herself either before or after giving birth. A pregnancy pillow is another great option to help her sleep more comfortably!
Handmade and Artistic Gifts
If you want to gift something truly unique and from the heart, then opting for something handmade is a great way to go. Consider what skills you have and what you might be able to make for the baby or the expecting parents.
Items like hand-knit clothing, booties, hats, etc., will be incredibly special. If you’re an artist, then custom nursery artwork or offering to paint a mural on the nursery wall could be a great labor of love. You might be able to make handmade baby toys, or if you’re especially crafty and good with your hands, you could build a crib or a rocking chair.
Tech-Savvy Gifts
Lucky for us, modern technology has made parenting just a teeny bit easier, and it would be silly not to take full advantage of what’s available to us! There are loads of gadgets, tools, and even apps that you could gift to your expecting friends to help make their lives a little easier.
These could include items like a baby monitor with video and audio, gadgets like blenders to puree fruit and veg, air diffusers for easy breathing, pacifier thermometers, or even a sweet hand and foot imprint kit! Subscriptions for apps like pregnancy and baby development trackers, white noise or sleep assistance, etc. could also be helpful options.
Educational and Developmental Toys
Finally, you could choose to spoil the new little bundle of joy with some exciting toys that will also help them learn! A special book, an interactive toy, or a baby swing might be some good options to keep the little ones busy as they start getting older.
You might gift a cute growth chart for the nursery (especially if it’s on theme!) to help Mom and Dad keep track of how tall their kids are getting as the years go by. Finding educational toys is easy as pie, and these are gifts that will be beneficial in so many ways. The baby will love them, and the parents will love you for helping to stimulate and entertain a growing young mind from an early age.
