Skip to main content

Best Baby Shower Gifts

We often have lots of friends and family members coming in looking for baby shower gifts for the new little one to come!  While here at A Mother's Haven, we do certainly have many cute baby clothes and toys, which make wonderful presents for a new baby, we also have all sorts of practical and yet adorable gifts that the new moms will both love and actually use, time and time again!

We asked some of our moms what baby shower presents they used most, as well as what they would give to other expectant moms, and here are some of their top suggestions...

* Aden + Anais swaddle blankets : these fabulous cotton muslin blankets are great for swaddling baby, as well as for covering up while nursing, using as a burp cloth, draping over the stroller to shield baby from the sun, and so much more!  So soft, these large 47x47 blankets are a definite must-have!  Available in four-packs or individually with many cute colors and patterns for boys and girls.  Aden+Anais has also started making these wonderful blankets in bamboo!

* Food! : whether homemade frozen casseroles or gift certificates to local places that deliver, the gift of easy and convenient food for after the baby is born will definitely be used and treasured by new parents!

* Sophie the Giraffe teething toy : this natural rubber teether is so popular with babies!  Not sure if it's the smell or the taste, but Sophie goes straight into the mouth and stays there, getting gnawed on!  Sophie's legs are skinny enough for little baby's hands to hold on, and her ears are the perfect size for munching.  If you don't get Sophie as a baby shower gift, you'll definitely want one before your baby starts teething!

* Moby Wrap or Baby KTan : these baby carriers work wonderfully with newborns and small babies, holding them close to your chest so that your baby can hear your heartbeat and you can feel comfortable while having your hands free.  The Moby Wrap gives you more adjustability, while the Baby KTan is a bit easier to learn and use.  Both come in various colors, good for use by both parents.

* Cleaning Service : new parents will be focused on caring for baby, not on caring for the house, so the present of some time from a cleaning service is often a great way to show you know what they really need!

* Sleep Sheep On The Go : this little sheep has four soothing nature sounds that lull your little baby down to sleep.  Wonderful either for the crib or for the car seat, the On-The-Go version of the Sleep Sheep and the Gentle Giraffe are very versatile and great for calming both baby and new mom!

* Hooter Hiders Nursing Cover :  for breastfeeding moms, having a nursing cover on hand while out often means the difference between comfortably feeding your baby while still socializing and sneaking off to some corner to hide.  Hooter Hiders are popular because of their rigid top, which allows mom and baby to look at each other while breastfeeding, but without letting others see.

* Diapers (Disposable or Cloth) : the more diapers, the better!  Babies, and thus new parents, will definitely need lots of diapers over the months.  Often better to stock up on the medium or larger sizes since you don't know how big the baby will be at birth - he or she might be out of the newborn size very quickly.

* Happiest Baby on the Block (book and DVD) : Dr Karp's way of calming babies and getting them to sleep longer is well-known among moms for its ease of use and effectiveness.  The book is great to have on hand for quick reference, and the DVD is wonderful to watch and be able to see exactly how the techniques are used and how quickly crying babies can be calmed down.

* Money for the new mom to use only for herself : whether for a massage or a quick girls' night out or whatever makes mom feel like herself again, some cold hard cash allocated only for 'Mommy's use' is a very helpful baby shower gift!

* A Diaper Bag : From Backpacks to totes Diaper bags come in all shapes and sizes! Choose from the Honest City Backpack, Skip Hop Duet 2 in 1 or the Newlie Satchel Diaper Bag.

* Motherlove Nipple Cream : while nipple cream may not be the cutest baby shower gift, it is definitely one of the most useful!  As moms know, breastfeeding and pumping is not always the most comfortable experience, and it's great to have some resources on hand to help.

These suggestions are all creative baby shower gift ideas for a new mom - whether as part of a baby gift basket or just as a small unique present.  Hope this list helps you the next time you're looking for a gift to a mom-to-be!

(And if you are a mom, we'd love to hear what else you think should be on this list of the best gifts for a baby shower!  Please comment below about what other things you loved getting at your shower, or would have loved to have got!)

This list was compiled with help from our Facebook community for A Mother's Haven. Thanks to all of our Facebook friends!

Visit us at:
16101 Ventura Blvd. Suite 230
Encino, CA. 91436
p. (818) 380-3111 w. shopthehaven.com

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How do I clean my Medela pump tubing?

We get a lot of moms coming in asking about cleaning their Medela breastpump tubing , whether for the Symphony hospital-grade rental pump , the Medela Freestyle pump or for the personal-grade Pump In Style Advanced breastpump. One thing to note, milk shouldn't normally be going into your Medela tubing when you pump.  If you see milk coming back into the tubing, make sure of two things: 1. Your pumping bottles are upright while you're pumping and 2. Your valves and membranes are attached fully, and that they don't have any holes or cuts.  Only air is supposed to go through the tubes. Every time after you pump, disconnect (and clean) all of your pump parts, but leave the tubing connected. Let your pump keep running for another 5-10 minutes with just the tubing connected - this will usually get rid of any little bit of milk or condensation. If you do see some milk in your tubing after letting the pump run, you can clean your tubes by: 1. Holding the tubing upright

More Milk Plus & More Milk Special Blend

Many breastfeeding moms worry about whether or not they are making enough milk for their new baby.  One thing that you can do to help with improving your milk supply is to take the More Milk supplements from Motherlove .  But which of the different supplements to take? First Decision - Capsules vs. Liquid Drops - Moms tend to agree that the liquid drops taste horrible!  So most people do buy the capsules, for ease and convenience. - But the liquid drops are slightly more effective because the herbs are able to get into your system faster and more directly, so if you can handle the taste, you might want to buy the liquid. Second Decision - More Milk Plus vs. Special Blend - Both the More Milk Plus and the More Milk Special Blend contain fenugreek seed, blessed thistle, nettle, and fennel seed - all of which are galactagogue (or milk-increasing) herbs.  The More Milk Plus works for most women whose milk supply has decreased due to growth spurts, separation, illness, or stress.

How to Clean Medela Pump Parts

When you are breastfeeding and pumping with the Medela Symphony , Pump-In-Style, or Freestyle breastpumps, you want to make sure that you carefully clean all of your pump parts after every pumping session. (If you don't have access to water and a sink after each session, you can use the Medela Quick Clean Wipes to clean as much as you can during the day, and then do the full water cleaning when you get home.) After each time you pump: 1. Detach the breastshield connectors and your bottles or storage bags from your tubing.  Keep the tubing attached to your pump, and allow your pump to run for a few minutes to help get rid of any humidity or condensation in your tubes.  It's great to do this while you're storing your breastmilk (fridge, freezer, etc) 2. Once your milk is stored, take apart all of your pump parts.  Make sure that you disassemble the valve , the membrane , the PersonalFit connector , and the PersonalFit breastshields so that you can clean in all th