I have a few friends who are pregnant at the moment but not all of them have a gift registry set up. Friends without children always ask - what is a good baby shower gift? 

This is my list of favourites and go-tos and also the things that I avoid. 

My favourites

Natural fibers

I love merino wool and organic cotton clothing on babies. It doesn't overheat a baby like polyester or fleece would and it doesn't irritate their skin. I like to gift a good quality bodysuit or onesie in merino/cotton from Farmers, Nature Baby, or Baby Caterpillar. I always appreciated clothing in bigger sizes (3 or 6 months and older).

Clothing

If you are buying clothing in bigger sizes, remember to account for the seasons. You wouldn't want to get a woollen jumper that will fit the baby during the summer months. A pair of Delinky Kids waterproof overpants in size 6-9 months is a perfect gift to use when the baby starts crawling. 

I love a footed onesie for babies, either with domes or a zip. 

Baby products

The cheaper supermarket store baby products like Johnson & Johnson was quite harsh on my kids' skin and I was gifted so much of it. I love to include a set of Ecostore baby products: baby wash, baby shampoo. and baby moisturizer. Other brands I also love are Mustela, Sebamed, and Cetaphil. 

Nappies

A good and cheap "filler" for a baby shower gift bag is a small pack of nappies. I always get a size bigger than newborn size. 

Books

I love to read and I love to read to my children. I always appreciate any book as a gift and try to include a book into my gift. We particularly love books by Eric Carle (Hungry Caterpillar) and Lynley Dodd (Hairy Maclary). Lynley Dodd is a local New Zealand so support local if you can. 

Other bits and bobs

Other items I love to gift:

• A hand-made bib and burp cloth set
• Wooden rattle 
• Soft toys
• PlayGro rings - a favourite! 

Gifts for mum

This is more of a gift for mum than for baby: Manuka honey breast pad. First time mums might not think this is an awesome gift because it's something for your breasts and we, as a society, don't openly talk about breasts and nipples. But every mum I know who has used Manuka honey breast pads, love them and would gift them to new mums. 

For a pregnant mum at work, a few colleagues would always put a few dollars towards a supermarket voucher or a food delivery service to use after the baby is born. I prefer a voucher or delivery service over expensive flowers. 

If I'm visiting a new mum, I put together a snack pack for her which contains nuts, dried fruit, bite size chocolates, flavoured water, and muesli bars. I was so hungry in the weeks after having my baby and snack pack gifts were a life saver. 

My avoid list

I went to a few baby showers before I had my own kids and I cringe at the gifts that I gave. These days, I follow a mantra of quality over quantity. This list is made up of gifts I have given and regretted, and gifts that I have received. 

• Dresses or jeans for a newborn
• Anything with buttons, especially buttons on the back
• Shoes for a 0-6 month old
• Polyester blankets 
• Any toy that requires batteries
• Toys with small parts 

Have you received a baby shower gift that you loved or hated? Share it with me in the comments.