I have somehow been blessed as the baby shower guru among my kid-free friends. They tend to call me in a panic if they’ve been invited to a baby shower where the parents-to-be have not registered for gifts. Which is insane, by the way, get a baby registry! You don’t run the risk of doubling up on gifts, and you literally get to hand-pick crap you want for you kid! But I digress. It’s totally understandable that my friends without kids would find themselves a bit disoriented in the baby aisle at any store. For one, they want to get the parents-to-be something useful, but don’t know what that is. And two, they are probably wondering when their last period was. The reason they’ve consulted me about a gift is because I’m a parent and I know exactly what items I got the most use out of while my son was an infant. So if you’re panicking about a baby shower gift, panic no more, mama is here.
1. aden + anais Classic Swaddle Baby Blanket
These 100% Cotton Muslin swaddles come in a variety of colors, patterns, and animal prints. They’re usually sold in a pack of 3 or 4. These are useful for anything from swaddling an infant, to shading the carseat, as well as a spit up rag, and the perfect security blanket. I still get use out of these swaddles, and my son is three.
2. Halo SleepSack Swaddle
New parents aren’t always swaddle-masters, which is wear the Halo SleepSack comes in handy. The velcro wings strap a wriggly infants arms in so that they do not lurch themselves out of a peaceful sleep. The SleepSacks are so helpful, and keep a baby warm and comfy during those precious moments of sleep.
3. Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow Newborn Bottles
Baby bottles are one of those things that can be hard for a new parent to decide on. Dr. Brown’s natural flow baby bottles are really helpful in reducing air flow that can cause colic, excessive spit-up, and gassiness. These bottles can be paired with a number of cleaning and storage accessories as well.
4. Books
You can never go wrong with some really great kids books. Here are a list of a few your baby will enjoy and we’ve probably all enjoyed over the years.
– Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
- Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
- Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.