Baby Gift - Naperville,IL

a basket full of baby needs:

infant tylenol
Gas drops (Mylicon)
pacifier clips
hooded towel
baby soap
lavendar scented item (lavendar is soothing)
classical music cd ( to play while baby is sleeping)
Gift certificate for a maid service (so that she can feel confident having people over when she has no energy to clean)

Any of these would be great, but she might want to pick some of them out herself.

bouncy seat
rocking chair
swing
a swaddler
a baby sling

I'd make a "goodie basket" buy a new laundry basket she cnan use for the baby's clothes and fill it up!
I LOVED having a pacifier holder, they clip on the diaper bag and keep the paci close by and clean.
Baby lotion
burp cloths
travel wipe case
A&D ointment is great for many uses!
cloth diapers, they have MANY uses. Not the fitted kind.
not sure if she's breast feeding, but if she does use formula those formula holders for the diaper bag where you can pour measured formula into a bottle are great!
Bouncy seat, pack n plays, jumperoo or exersaucer
many new fangled things that are out, never get used! I went through that!!
Congrats to your friend :)

I'm on my third baby, and my favorite thing this time around was a sound machine. My mom bought it, it's just a small circle that does different noises. The heartbeat was a life saver when baby was a newborn, and then I switched to the ocean noise around 12 weeks. As soon as I turn it on when I'm changing her diaper for nap, she starts rubbing her eyes! it's terrific!

I love my play gym. Otherwise, nothing much. I didn't use my swing with my second and third kids --they just take up too much space! The play gym can easily be moved, it encourages body movement, etc. The swing is good for a few weeks, why bother! I do also like my exersaucer.

other than that, I couldn't live with my baby carriers.

Every baby and mom needs a SnotSucker also called a "Nose Frida". I got it at a baby boutique, but you can also get them online. Here is the official website, but they are all over. Also, get the extra filters because they are really helpful as well. http://www.fridababy.com/shop/nosefrida/. These are like the bulbs that we used to clear out the baby's nose, but this one actually seals at the nasal hole and works! I honestly think that hospitals should give these to parents instead of a bulb.

A nice high chair is always needed, and appreciated.

Diapers are always needed and getting them in random sizes is great. My little guy didn't fit the newborns I got before he was born, and we had to go to the store to get size 1s for him when we got home. I was wishing I had an assortment like I did when my 1st was born.

Have fun shopping.

If she lives in a 2 story house, get 2 of diaper changing supplies. I live in a 2 story and it was awesome to not have to walk upstairs to put a dirty diaper in the genie, or go downstairs to use the changing station.

I have a 7 month old and love my Moby wrap and the Aiden and Anais swaddling blankets. Theses swaddle blankets are big so your baby can continue using them for a long time. I also used them to cover up while nursing.

I agree with Marie C., the "portable changing station" that folds up and holds some diapers and wipes was one of my favorites. It gives you a clean surface to change baby no matter where you are, and protects the surface under the baby from getting soiled.
Also loved my moby wrap, an easy way to keep baby snug and close to mom while freeing up her hands.
If she plans to breastfed, a nice nursing cover would be appreciated. It is much nicer than a blanket because they have a flexible plastic piece sewn into the seam at the neckline which pulls the cover out away from mom. That way baby and mom can be completely covered but still easy for mom to see baby and use both hands for latching on or closing everything back up when finished. Very handy, especially for a first timie mom or anyone that feels uncomfortable about nursing in public or in front of guests at home.

I loved the vibrator chair and the swaddling blanket (specially made one where you can really swaddle them tight. Our son was colicky and this thing was a lifesaver). I loved the adorable baby clothes. :)

Ergo baby carrier is worth every penny and comfortable and safe for mama & baby. Love my nose frida to suction lo

Do you live near your friend? Give her 12 gift certificates for an overnight where you keep the baby!!!! then, once a month she has a built in date night / night to herself where she can do whatever AND THEN SLEEP IN!!!!!!!

My favorite (and by far most used) gift was a changing kit. It has the changing pad, and pockets to fit a few diapers, wipes, and a small pocket for random stuff (like my wallet and a change of clothes.) It is about the size of a large pocketbook, or a small purse. I LOVED that thing, because it eliminated the need for a diaper bag, but let me carry stuff I needed. :)

A travel swing would probably come in handy too! I didn't have one, and foolishly turned down an offer from a family member to but me one. It would have come in SOOO handy!

Also, diapers. Any diaper purchases are appreciated. :)

We had a Boppy bouncy/vibrating seat that both of my babies loved. It looked like a papasan chair.

I also loved my Boppy pillow (and really appreciated having extra covers).

Probably the thing we used the longest (about 5 years) was a Playtex refrigerator bag that went into the freezer. It kept cold for several hours and held two full sized bottles. We could get three smaller sized bottles in it. We even used it beyond the bottle stage for Thermos type bottles when we were away from home for an entire day. When the first one got all torn up from three years of pretty much daily use we bought a second one. We probably would still be using it if my husband hadn't left it on an airplane!

All the various places you can "put" the baby, so you can have a variety, or one in each room :)
Bouncy/vibrating seat
Play mat
Round activity chair
Swing of any kind