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.