New Baby Gift Ideas

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Diaper-Cake
I love diaper cakes. Here is a great how to video or you can do a google search and find lots of people that make them for you. If you don't want to use diapers, You can do them with towels. Then just decorate with some cute $1 toys or whatever.
http://www.thinkwedding.com/Art-Wedding_Towel_Cake.htm
Towels are cheaper and easier to make and still useful for the new baby.
It is all in the presentation.

Hi K.:
I am a grandmother and have been to many baby showers only to see so many duplicate gifts given. About 15-20 years ago I decided to do something different. I would buy a small clothes basket and fill it with the usual: powder, shampoo, a package of baby face cloths, baby oil, baby soap, a receiving blanket (color optional), booties, baby bottle, rattles, one special outfit, socks, small package of diapers, and anything else that catches my eye. I wrap each item loosely with white and/or color tissue paper and set them into the basket, add a bow to the handle and I am done. Believe it or not, the new Mom getting the shower I attend looks forward to my gift, its mainly because they have seen it given over and over at each other showers. When I choose to give something different it has been told to me how disappointing it was not to get the usual from me. Now it is expected, and I found it easier to shop like that than searching for just the right thing only to find it has been duplicated.

I know the most perfect gift. 4MommyNeeds has 4 different items that are perfect for the new Mommy. Actually they even have items that are perfect for where you abby is too. 1. Burpi-Bib(soft velcro-so if it touches baby skin)
Bib attacehd to it with same soft velco is a burp cloth.
This enable Mom or caregiver to seperate section that has become dirty with food or spit up and have the other for more cleacing or for next time.
2.Bib-ease- elongeated bib since bibs don't catch all they need too.
3.Swadler- swadle youyr baby w/o all the fuss with the extra blanket behind their back
4. paci-pocket- place your babies pacifier where you know it is and it stays clean. Attach with diaper pin where ver you want it.

They are alwasy very appreciated! ____@____.com

If they don't already have one, my absolutely-could-not-live-without-piece-of-mommy-gear is the Ergo Baby Carrier (www.myfavoritebabycarrier.com - they have a 90-day money back guarantee). They might not use is right away with the new baby, but I suspect that it will come in handy, since the 18-month old will probably be pretty clingy with all the changes going on.

This is a front-pack/back-pack/hip-carrier that is the most easy-to-use and comfy carrier I've ever experienced (my old version doesn't have the hip-carry function - but even just using it as a backpack is WELL worth it). I keep it in my car; won't take any trip without it; put my 21-month old in it for grocery shopping - to avoid her "shopping" for me; I lugged my oldest ALL over England in it, when she was 9-months old. I can even still carry her in it, at 4-years old, when she gets whiny and tired of walking. ;-)

Best wishes to your new niece and family,
M.

I make custom items for babies and they're perfect for situations just like this where there's already an older sibling and they don't need all the baby gear. It's fun to give a second child something personalized with his/her name on it because second and third children seem to get so little that is just for them. What about a blanket or a bib/burp cloth set? How about a step stool or rocking chair for future use? The wooden furniture gifts last a lifetime and can be passed down to future grandchildren! My company's name is Ellie Cate's and you can look at our products on our website: www.elliecates.com. I'd love to hear from you!

Good luck with the search!
A. Graesser

I like to send out "birthday keepsakes" (the website is of the same name) It is simply a printed page that has all the facts about the babys b-day. "what was going on in the news", "what celebrities share their b-day", "what the fads are". These are only around 12 bucks or so. You just go to the site enter in the babys name, weight and so-on. They give you the option of sending it as a gift
For what its worth, I think having that little tid-bit of trivia is fun.
Margaret :)
P.S. I also got my daughter a growthchart of this site. Yet, just another fun thing to do.

I make baby gifts and have many different cute and unique ideas. I could email you a few pics of some cute things if you would like. I can take diapers and make them look like a baby, its very cute. I also make diaper cakes (cost is a lot less than the internet prices), diaper wreaths, and mom survival kits in a bottle. Just message me if you are interested.

There is a lady here in Austin who makes the CUTEST Taggie blankets. I got my first one as a shower gift and my son LOVED it (still does and he is 2 1/2). My 2nd son loves his too...they both sleep with them and they are so adorable. I buy them for everyone who has a baby and people ask where I get them all the time. You can email her to order. Email me if you want her contact information.

Also, LOVE the personalized backpacks by Stephen Joseph. They make great gifts and are perfect size for church and daycare.

Good Luck!

CONGRATS Auntie!! I have a 9 mo. old son and lots of girl friends w/ girls. Here are some of their favs and mine. Pedi pods $30(shoes), bebe' foam seat($10 on ebay or $30 new), slinglings.com, I got a 'baby in sight' back seat mirror that lights up, plays music, and has a remote control from wal-mart for $25(my fav), if you get clothes I agree with Tammy, go with bigger sizes (9-12mos), i got a goodie bag for me that made me feel so good, and g/c to a picture place (JC penny's or sears), bet you'll get a good picture!

K.: when my nephew was born, I took my daughter to build a bear and let her pick out an animel and she stuffed it and named for her brand new cousin. That way she felt very special and the new baby got a very spcial toy that he couldn't anywhere else because she made it for him. Hope that helps.

A significantly filled gift card to a 24-hour pharmacy can be a godsend, especially if you have to send your husband out in the middle of the night for diapers or formula, or if you desperately need to get some baby Tylenol!!

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_ba/102-###-###-####-###...

I really like these and would love to get one for a baby gift. Also, a gift card to www.diapers.com is fabulous- can pay for formula, wipes and diapers with free shipping on orders $49 or more. I use cloth diapers so a gift card to www.emibeans.com would be fabulous.

S., mom to four girls

Yes gift cards! Check to see if they have a local Babies R US: http://www.toysrus.com/giftCertificates/index.jsp

Hello, K.!
A personalized gift is always a hit with any newborn. I am a stay-at-home mom with 3 boys and a girl on they way in July. I have my own embroidery business out of my house. Check out my website at www.baseyembroidery.com. All my prices include a design & name of your choice. I have over 400 designs to choose from. Any order over $50 will be shipped for FREE! Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks J. B. (Round Rock)

this might not be exactly what your looking for. but i figure why not get an unconventional gift. I Would LOVE it if somebody would give us a GPS. I know not exactly for the baby but it DOES indirectly benefit the children!!!!!!!

AND if not there is a great devise i want for my baby that is on the way it is called Coast Innovations Itzbeen Baby Care Timer
it keeps track of the last diaper change , feeding, and nap. SO.....We all know how hard those first few months are this would be a help.

http://www.amazon.com/Coast-Innovations-Itzbeen-Baby-Time...

I always find incredible things at this website:
www.glazedfromtheheart.com

The Arbor Day Foundation (www.arborday.org)has a Trees in Celebration/Memory program. You can plant trees in the honor of someone or any event. The receipient receives a keepsake certificate/card with the number of trees planted and their location. I did this for both my children in celebration of their births.

have you looked at babybella.biz? really cute stuff - my daughter loves the socks that look like converse tennis shoes.

DIAPERS, DIAPERS, DIAPERS!!! Also offer to watch the 2 childern so they can have a night out.

Hi K.,

Here is a unique baby gift you may consider.

www.babygift.net

I received these personalized shoes for both of my kids and I have bought these shoes for many friends and familes babies and everyone loves this unique gift.

I got an awesome gift for our daughter and I've already given out 3 to other friends with new babies! Go to www.craftefamily.com. They have custom engraved wooden blocks. Really cute thing to keep forever and not at all expensive. Also they ship!

Does she already have a sling? I loved mine when my little ones were tiny.
I also have a son with aspergers. He is twelve. He was diagnosed a little over three years ago.

It is always nice to get a blanket with the baby's name embroidered on it. It is special and can become a keepsake since it is personalized!

I just had a baby girl and have a 4yo boy, so I understand their situation. I really appreciated getting diapers and wipes, gift cards, and little dresses or especially girly clothes. They don't seem like very personal gifts, but the diapers will be used, it's fun to make her pretty, and the gc helps buy the things that others may have forgotten but mom still needs like nursing accessories or baby medicines.

Give them the staples (diapers, wipes, shampoo, diaper rash ointment, anything that we aould normally put into a diaper bag, just the big sizes) Since we go thru those very quickly and at times we are out of money when we need to get them for the store, that would help immensely. Plus its not something most people think of. Another thing I usually do is a handprint mold. I do this myself, paint and all, the only thing mommy has to do is get some paint, and put it on the baby's hand then put the hand onto the mold. I have a mommy poem on the back as well as my name, her name, and the daythe baby came. They usually LOVE this.

Mary

Ginabugs.com has several unique gifts. My favorite is a cloth baby doll that can be laundered and gets softer with each wash. It is the exact length of the newborn and the baby's name, birth date, height and weight is embroidered on its sleeper. They will ship the doll directly for you. I have given this gift three times recently and the moms were all thrilled. It can be for a boy or a girl.

Hi! I just started a new website selling baby items. It is under construction but should give you some good ideas. I will be selling SlingEzee products as well as Swaddle Designs blankets, lovies, and burpies. These were my 2 favorite items during the last years so I wanted to start selling them. I will be placing my first order with each company this coming week, so if you would like to give one as a gift, let me know and I will order the particular pattern or color combo you prefer. Email or call me for ***special pricing. Contact info is on website. I can give you a great introductory rate because I am ordering so many of each item and am anxious to move the product quickly. Also, I plan to sell the Nesting POD items as well, and hope to be placing that order next week too. This is a great alternative to the traditional playpen that she may already have.

Best Regards!!! L. Peterson
www.lbellebaby.com

i also agree with the gift card idea,target is a great choice. also someone said a cordless dust-buster... can't believe i don't have one. one more thing- a mom told me recently that a george forman grill can save your life. quick easy dinners, and hardly any clean-up. chicken breasts, veggies, good stuff... just a litte salt and pepper. new moms need healthy fast dinners.

The best purchase we made (with my number one choice of baby present: gift cards!) was a wet/dry, hand held, cordless dust buster. It is more helpful with my 15 month old after eating than with my one month old but that will change so quickly! It will pick up large chunks of sandwich, fruit, whatever will fit through the opening really. We have the 7.2volt Black and Decker version and LOVE it! You can have it shipped directly to them at no additional charge from Amazon.com. Check it out here:
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-CHV7250-Volt-DustBuste...

Other than that, like I said, it's nice to get a gift card to pick out what we find we need. Having a son and then a daughter, we have most of what we need but are having fun with the new, cute outfits. If they had a baby shower, they most likely have a ton of size 1 diapers and 0-3 month clothing so I would recommend going to the next size up. Avoid the inexpensive Huggies as I have found they leak at this young age.

If they registered anywhere for a shower, you might check out what went unpurchased as well. Good luck!

Oh congrats! A new baby in the family is always exciting, nomatter how many have come before them!

My favorited gift for new parents is clothing in all the sizes they will need in the future and not have nearly enough of! Everyone buys all the tiny baby stuff, and the cute little sleepers, blankies etc.

1 year from now, THEIR budget will start to strain at having another child to clothe and feed. So, maybe buy a couple of 6mo 12 mo 18mo outfits for them. They'll be SO thankful over the next year!

Enjoy the cuddle time! :-)
~T.

A vibrating bouncy chair. I loved mine when my son was little.
It let me shower in peace.
Babies r us has them.
I got mine for under 40.00. They have some new fancy ones that are $170.
Congrats on being a new aunt.

I was in the same situation and had pretty much everything covered. My mother-in-law got us a maid to come in one a week for four weeks and a gift certificate for a restaurant so we could order takeout. Those were very appreciated and helpful.

a portable wet dry hand vac. with all my kids it was the best investment i ever made. and easy to clean have near the table to pick up the wet or dry cerial, juice or what ever. good luck D.

Hi K.!

My name is B. and I have an online chidren's boutique specializing in handmade and custom items. I am located in New Braunfels, TX. Check my guestbook for customer feedback... My goal is to provide the utmost quality at reasonable prices.

http://www.doodle-bugzboutique.com

Thanks & Happy Shopping :)
B.

Congrats on your new niece!

The most special gifts to me were the unexpected ones. My in-laws came down for Father's Day when I was pregnant (we had told the families just before Mother's Day), and they brought this little yellow blanket with a monkey head on it. It was so random, and so cute & heartfelt (my hubby loved monkeys at the time)! It has been my son's lovey since he was born. We used to cover him with it at night, and now at 3 yo, he still sleeps with "Munky" every night.

My boss's wife made him a baby blanket, and a family friend made a really neat scrapbook. I really like home-made or unique types of gifts myself, and these are still very special to us!

Anything special for the little girl would also be nice, I think since they have an older son. Maybe some little girlie burp cloths or bibs (we could never have enough of these!) or things like that..

Gift cards! or money :) are always good.

wow....49 responses! I bet you have gotten a lot of great ideas!
Forgive me if this is a repeat suggestion as I did not read all 49 responses....but one thing we did for our daughter when she was a baby was buy a James Avery charm bracelet. She is 14 yrs. old now and it is loaded with so many memories! She loves wearing it and still loves adding new charms. It is something your niece can have her entire life and remember her special Auntie K..

S. - mom to 5

www.jamesavery.com

Try www.magickitchen.com. We got that with our second born and not having to cook for a week was heaven. The food was outstanding.

A CD is great or a bond w/ some socks and burpping clothes. Also send the Big Brother a little something too- like a Big Brother t-shirt [you can make it with foam paint and a plain t-shirt very inexpensive]
GL

My 9y/o also has Asperger's. Message me if you have any other questions about things.

I just bought these little legwarmer looking things that come in so many fun colors you can ust wear a onsie and put these on and super helpful withthe diaper changing.I bought them a kid to kid by lakeline mall they its a resale shop but these are in the new part not used I got them for my 6 month old love them..good luck
B.

With a newborn and an 18-month old, they have their hands full. I'd recommend a maid service or restaurant gift cards.

Hi K. - This is a bit of a plug but my company Babble Soft http://www.babblesoft.com provides easy to use web and mobile applications that helps you keep up with important daily baby care information which helps you communicate about baby's activities. It also has a wonderful baby's first year album feature with a family tree.

You can easily send them an email gift subscription and prices range from $9.95 to $37.95. You can see our parent stories here: http://www.babblesoft.com/testimonials.php.

Anyone can try it free!

Thanks,

A.
www.entrepreMusings.com - my blog

K.,

I had my first baby almost 7 weeks ago and the best gift I received was meals delivered to our home for the first week. It was great not having to think about what to cook or cooking.

I always do personalized burp cloths and/or receiving blankets, paci clips from a very sweet new mom in our neighborhood. She's got great prices and she's super-quick. They pack and mail easily and are so perfect for a second baby; simply because, often, like you mentioned, they already have everything and most things aren't specific to that baby.

Jamie Aldridge
Lilli Pad Gifts
###-###-####
____@____.com

1st choice-Diapers, you can never get enough, but since you are mailing the gift like you said something small, my 2nd choice--

Gift cards!!
Individual gifts are great, but nothing can compare to a gift card to babies r us, walmart or target. That way we buy what our baby really needs with it.

It can fit in an envelope with a beautiful welcome baby greeting card!!!!!!!!!!

My sister gave me a gift certificate for Dinner's Out (there are lots of different companies that do the same thing). You can go and make dinners or they make them for you and you pick them up. It was a life saver for when I just couldn't get it all together to cook dinner for my family and take care of a new baby. Just an idea. L.

My alltime favorite baby gift is a blanket. Fattamano blankets are all cotton (plush,) with satin edging in different colors, and they're machine-washable. I think they carry them at that kid store in Davenport Village.

I LOVE GIFT CARDS!!! Then you can spend it on what you needs...

J.

Send a gift certificate. Or a nice picture frame. Or you could go on-line and print out events of the day your neice was born. I have kept every newspaper except one on the day my daughter was born. She is now 25 years old!

I give a Tupperware Shape-O Ball at every baby shower. Every mom is thrilled and there's never a duplicate!

We found a solid oak high chair/rocking chair/desk combination. $179 + s/h retail cost. It is really neat and one of our Amish friends has made several for us to give away as gifts as the items was not patented or protected.

Miracle blanket

miracleblanket.com
(I think)

I loved money, when my kids were born. Especially if they live far away and have the basics. Money is a great option so they can actually get what they need, not what you think they want. Some people think that money is not personal, but if you put it in a card that conveys how you feel, and write your own heart felt message, it can be more thoughtful than an unwanted gift.

Have a great day!

D. Mattern-Muck
The MOM Team
Raise your income and your rugrats at the same time.
www.formyrugrats.com

i just bought baby sunglasses and a sun hat with SPF. they fit 0-2 yrs. i love them. go to babybanz.com. also for breast feeding moms a cute nursing cover is a nice gift - i bought mine online in a really trendy print with a matching burp cloth.

Hi K.,

One thing that my daughter received was a Mud Pie piggy bank (they have a boy and girl version) with a significant savings bond stuck inside. She is now five and uses her piggy bank all of the time. The savings bond will be put to good use at a later time.

Best wishes,
L.

Diapers, food delivered or a maid service. Diapers.com has great prices and all the brands. Also they may need clothes if the babies are different seasons.

Your local coin dealer probably carries the coin collection unit for this year's coins. The one at my dealer is quite nice, costs around $20.00-#22.00. It is engraved "Coins of the Year of Your Birth", and has five holes for the coins. I entend to purchase some for summer births but will get them after the births so that I can have a plate with the name and date of birth engraved on it.
Hallmark also has books for the parents to record facts and memories of their lives to pass on the the child.

How about buying 1 or 2 cloth diapers for her? I recently switched to cloth with my 8 month old daughter and love them!!!! The ones that you might like to get her are Gdiapers and they even have a baby shower gift set. Check out www.gdiapers.com. Some others are www.bumgenius.com, www.fuzzibunz.com, www.kissaluvs.com, www.swaddlebees.com, and www.imsevimse.com. Just a suggestion but it would be a very unique gift for sure. :)Plus you can mail them very easily.

My sil gave me my first sling when dd was born. I did use it a lot with her, but my sling became indispensable after the birth of my ds. Having a hand free for my dd was an absolute must no matter how much ds needed at the time. I got really good at nursing in it, so he spent a lot of time in there for a while :-) It worked really well for our family.

You can buy them new on ebay for $25-$30 with various shipping costs. I also sell slings for about the same.

K. H, mama to
Catherine, 4y
Samuel, 15m

K., when our second child was born, we did two things, the first was to get a big brother gift for our first born and we requested that grand parents do the same and the next was we had a blanket made for the new baby with his name and date of birth. This was the one true non-hand me down! He still has it and carries it everywhere. Don't forget the new and probably tired parents. As an owner of a Dream Dinners we often have requests to send "baby gift" meals to the new parents, maybe there is one in Chicago.
S. Adams
Dream Dinners 620 North

All my babies were in the winter months. And the best thing i ever got i bought for myself. If chicago is in fact the windy city, then this will come in handy. I got a carseat cover. It goes over the entire carseat and is designed to block out the cold and the wind. They used to be only about 15 or 20$ and very east to send via the mailbox. Good luck with whatever you decide. And congratulations on the new niece.

Hi K.,
I am a first time mom of a 2 1/2 month old little girl. My sister in law sent us the On-the-go sleep sheep by Cloud B.
It has been a lifesaver. Cute little stuffed sheep that has 4 different sounds (ocean, rain, whale, & stream) Also has timer for 45 or 23 minutes. It is great as you can put in crib, attach to stroller or car seat. One of the best gifts we receied. I have already sent a few out as gifts myself.
I found the best price on Amazon for about $18. Just something you could add to the gift.

HI K.,

When sending a gift to a mom with "everything," I always find it fun (and very appreciated) to send something for HER. I put together a nightie, or comfy cashmere jammies, bubble bath, trashy magazines, chocolate, a beautiful candle and a bottle of wine. I'm sure you could find a pampering gift like this online who could delivery it beautifully wrapped straight to Chicago. Good luck!

I went to Gifts.com and ordered a personalized baby quilt ..it had the baby's name and date of birth...I thought this would be a great gift and a good keepsake as well..

Busy Books are a great gift idea... and one that can be passed down from generation to generation! I have 3 little girls and they all love their Busy Books. We keep ours in the car as they are great quiet activities for road trips. Also, babies really love Taggie's as the various ribbon textures give them something to pull on, chew, examine, play with, etc. Take a peek:
http://www.emmabeanbaby.com/
Hope this helps!
-A.

etsy.com has great handmade gifts. I get alot of stuff there. One of my favorites was a sign made with the new baby's name on it.