Baby Shower Gift Ideas

I would suggest going in on a postpartum doula. (I'm not just tooting my own horn.) This is a truly priceless gift. What else can prevent postpartum depression, relieve sleep deprivation, increase marital satisfaction, keep the house clean, address lactation difficulties, and increase family bonding all at once? Its a really meaningful and practical gift.

The other thing I would suggest is organizing a supper circle, where friends and family sign up to deliver hot meals to the new family.

I don't know if you are a crafty person, but you could try and make a diaper "cake". I made one for my sister in laws co worker who had been having a difficult pregnancy as a little pick me up. She loved it. I used diapers tied with ribbon for the cake layers and then decorated the cake with useful items, like desitin, a rubber ducky, a thermometer, wash cloths, hair brush, nail clippers,etc. It cost me a little more but the fact that it made her so happy was worth every penny.

P.S. If you know the gender of the baby or if she has a theme you can use the as decorations on the cake.

I always buy a diaper bag and fill it full of goodies for mom and baby. Like a travel wipee container, baby shampoo, bottles, blanket, books, toy, outfit and thermometer for baby,
and pepsi(if mom's not breastfeeding!), an orange julius gift card, a favorite novel, offers for baby sitting, etc.for mom.

the best baby shower gifts that i recd were disposable diapers and wipes... no matter what, you cant go wrong with a gift like that... if the diapers dont fit you can exchange them anywhere that sells them, you dont have to worry about buying for a boy or girl, and even if someone else gives the same gift they will still be used...

This was the most memorable gift I received:

I got a laundry basket that I had registered for. There was a piece of rope hanging out of it. I pulled on the rope and started passing it around the room. There were about 15 pieces of clothing that were clothespinned (the wooden old-fashion ones) to the rope, looked like they were on a clothesline. It was adorable and sort of a participitory gift.

I copied this idea when sending it to a friend of mine. I used a crib sheet that my friend had registered for and just bought a bunch of onesies and bibs. I opened up the packages of onesies and filled up the rope. You could use a laundry basket, wicker basket, baby blanket...Im goping to do this again for my sister-in-law for her shower next week.

Good luck,
S.

PS...I grew up in Rogue River/Grants Pass!

a "Picture People" gift certificate is really great!

I don't know your budget but for all of my friends I have given a baby shower gift from www.redenvelope.com It is a frame that you put the baby's picture in the middle and then you take an imprint of the hand and foot and they go on either side of the picture. Makes for a wonderful keepsake. The frame comes in wood and white.

If you like the idea but it is too expensive, Michael's sells a stepping stone that you could do the imprints on too. Michael's sells the stepping stone in a heart shape and round shape plus you can decorate it with glass pieces that come with the kit.

Hope that helps and good luck!

Hi K.:
Although this idea is not unique by any strech of the imagination I would still have to suggest a really nice personlized growth chart. I was on the website for "Red Envelope" the other day and saw some really special growth charts for hanging in my daughters room. I personally have never given or known anyone tthat has given a growth chart as a gift but I think it would be an awesome gift as well as one that would be used for a long time to come.
Good luck!

Best and most appreciated gift: Six months of diaper service! It was so great that we continued it until our daughter was almost potty trained. The company was Tidy Didy and I loved getting the fresh clean diapers every week!

Hello, and Congratulations for you and your friend. I had my first BabyShower in March of 2005.... in which my Mom took care of everything. We had a raffle going on with the people invited...that who ever brought a pack of diapers would get a ticket and at the end of the babyshower the drawing was held and that perosn won an additional gift. This was great because I had diapers for at least 4-5mos after my son was born. People brought diapers of different sizes so that helped. Three things I received which really used are his wipes warmer, a boppy pillow, and his bedside pillow (I forgot the name of it) but he sleeps between the two pillow walls that don't allow the baby to roll around to much. Good Luck!

Hi K. -

I know you have your gift picked out, but I just want to tell you about the Dear Sweet Child Letter Box that my company sells. Each year you write a letter to your child and keep them in this box. 21 days before their 21st birthday you send each letter from over the years and then give them the box as the final present on their birthday. The letters can be filled with advice or just what your child is doing that year. My website is www.valuesandtraditions.com if you are interested in checking it out or contacting me with any questions.

Thanks!

I like to give the baby mirrors that hang from the review mirror and the one that pins to the back seat. I believe that if you cant hear your baby then you can still see them. I bought myself some when my son was little and still use the small mirror that attaches to your review mirror. I also believe that if parents get used to using them then it might help with people leaving or forgetting their babies in cars.

Hi K.,you got so many great ideas from your responces its going to be hard to choose if you go that route.what I did for my sister in law was if you know the name of the child what i got her was a personalized book that the story is about the child and it has the childs name through out the whole story.I found it online but I will try and find the number for you. but she loved it so much.because it was unique and different,and she has read it to him every since birth and now he is 2 1/2yr and he always ask her for that book. and in the book they put who its from the date or whatever you would like to say in there in print. and from me and my husband we made up some of there family favorate dishes and had them pre frozen so all they had to do was pull it out and warm it. she said that was the biggest help. because she was so tired from the birth and the adjustments then on top of that worrying about what to cook. hope this was another good idea. good luck on your adventure.~L.~

Others have had some really great ideas, but what about getting not only a "baby" present, but a present just for mom? I got a friend a body pillow to help her be more comfortable in the end stages of pregnancy (when it's so uncomfortable to sleep), but anything that pampers mom would be good...gift certificates to get hair, nails, facial, massage, etc., or maybe bath and body things.

Or you could always give yourself (always a very special gift because it comes straight from the heart and requires effort on your part)...make a book of coupons for things she might need now or once the baby arrives. You can make pretty coupons and decorate them and make them redeamable for things like free babysitting for a few hours (so she can run errands, take a shower, sleep without interuptions) or free dinner (you can make a casserole and all she has to do is heat it) or an offer to run errands, shop, pick up videos for a movie night at home, whatever SHE could use. It's always hard to find time for yourself and things like this are always helpful.

I would give grocery delivery service - or prepackaged meals. Safeway.com was a life safer for me (I also used webvan, now out of business). The prepackaged meals that you can make yourself at a business and bring home and freeze are yummy. Recipes and ingredients are ready for assembly at the business (it's fun to go with a friend) and meals are inexpensive and ready to freeze.

a great gift idea would be to make a teddy bear out of disposible diapers i did that for my friend and she loved it and it was the hit of the party. what you do is undo the diaper and then roll it and add another and keep doing that untill you have a belly and a head two arms and two feet. use double sided tape to hold everything together. its really really easy.

If you are looking for something extra special for your friend, consider getting her a gift certificat for a belly art session. Great memory maker and wonderful start to any baby book.
Check out some examples of what we have done:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/____@____.com/
Contact us via our web site: www.timehonoredart.com
Sessions start as low as $50
Have a great day!

MY FRIEND SELLS THESE GREAT SLINGS THAT SHE MAKE AND THEY LAST ALL THE WAY INTO TODDLER YEARS,THEY ALSO COME IN THESE BEAUTIFUL HAND MADE BAGS.SHE HAS A WEBSITE SO CHECK IT OUT
http://www.laboroflove.zoomshare.com/
THEN MAKE SURE TO CLICK ON HER PHOTOS OPTION AT THE TOP.LET HER KNOW L. REFERED YOU. THEY ARE ABSOLUTLY BEAUTIFUL

If you want a gift for mom, I would suggest a pre-labor massage as the worst thing is back labor and that helps the back labor part to not be so bad.

If you want a gift for baby, I would recommend the fisher price aquarium swing. I had 2 (1 for me & 1 for grandma) and that thing made us through every difficult night. It worked when he was cholic, teething, crabby, sick. It honestly worked better for me than the car rides that everyone tells you to take the baby on. I cannot tell you how many nights that my son spent hours sleeping in that swing! That gift was by far the most useful in the long run that I received at my shower!

K.,
The single most wonderful thing someone could have given me as a baby shower gift would have been a gift certificate for one household cleaning session. There are TONS of services out there and most of them will do quotes over the phone. The average cleaning (depending on the size of the house) is about three hours. Some places charge a flat rate and some go by the work that is done.
Its more expensive than a package of diapers but, believe me, its more appreciated too!
When I was home on maternity leave with our daughter I was amazed at how busy I was even though I wasn't working and didn't have ANYTHING schedule for over two months! My mother came up about two week after Aurelia's birth and just spent the weekend cleaning when me and the baby were napping. It was the most thoughtful, relieving thing I think anyone really DID surrounding the birth of my daughter.
Don't get me wrong. There are material gifts that were given that were (and still are) marvelous but the gift of housecleaning, whether it be done by you or a hired service, is so much off a new mother's mind.

A Kiddie Kangaroo for car seats/infant carriers makes a wonderful shower gift...When installed on the infant carrier, this soft saddlebag storage system allows Mom to carry her wallet, keys, phone, baby's bottle, diaper change, and wipes on the infant carrier while running errands thus leaving purse and diaper bag in car or home...Later the Kiddie Kangaroo transfers to the toddler car seat and they can stash and use their own sippy cups, toys, snacks and more thus eliminating mom trying to reach back while driving to retrieve items from the seat or floor for their child. Increased safety, independence and quiet makes this a great gift. Check it out on the web www.kiddiekangaroo.com for stores and websites to purchase.

The thing that I got for my baby shower that I absolutely loved was a certificate for a pregnancy massage. It was great! I was 8 months pregnant and after the massage I felt the best that I had felt through my whole pregnancy!

My husband is a manager of a picture people studio so I am biased, but that would make a great gift.

I also watched this show (for mothers) and they have a baby shower gift that was gorgeous. They call it a "diaper cake." You place an opened package of diapers around baby supplies and wrap it up with bows and flowers so that it is shaped like a layer cake, thus the name diaper cake. And there are so many ways to make a diaper cake. Check out: http://www.babycakesinc.com/

A never fail gift is Diapees & Wipees. It holds a few diapers and a travel pack of wipes. We sell those like there is no tomorrow!! =) I think because they are handy not only for organizing your diaper bag, but great for quick trips, or dads that may not want a bag-people really seem to love them. Hope that helps!

I started a business of my own after I fell in love with a gift I had gotten for a relative. So now all my friends and relatives get gifts from my biz, and love them.

I give custom Birth Annoucement Photo Afghans. The photo is knit right into the blanket, along with the birth stats. That makes them machine washable and dryable. I also give Hand drawn portraits. Both are unique, and will be treasured forever.

I gave my Husband and his brother a hand drawn portrait of their Dad the Christmas after he passed in an auto accident. I had never seen my Brother in law cry except for the funeral and the day I gave him the portrait.

Scrapbooking stuff makes great gifts too. My kids are 6 and 9 and I wish I had been introduced to scrapbooking sooner.

Good luck!