Buying presents for a baby shower can be daunting – especially if you have no idea what babies need!
Should you buy clothes? Big clothes? Little clothes? Blue clothes? Pink clothes? Gender-neutral clothes?
Toys? Books? Can you read to babies?
Nappies? Cute shoes? Do babies wear shoes?
What’s a muslin wrap? Why do babies need sleeping bags? Are they going camping? So confusing!
No need to stress! Here is a helpful gift ideas guide for those of you who aren’t quite sure what present you should buy a mum-to-be!
5 baby shower gift ideas
The ‘recommendation’ gift
If you’re already a mum you may decide to buy the mum-to-be a product that you have found invaluable. If you’ve discovered what you consider the best sippy cup/feeding spoon/swaddle on the market then pop that in a giftbag and save the new mum a whole lot of trial and error.
The ‘all-in’ gift
This is a great idea for those who haven’t had much experience with buying for babies – pool your money for a big ticket item (like a rocker or swing) or a hamper filled with smaller, necessary items (like towels, face washers, wipes etc). Include someone who’s already a mum in your group though – to ensure you’re not spending all your money on something that won’t be useful! Choose an equally useful item to house your hamper … maybe a baby bath or a tub that can be used to store toys down the track.
The ‘cheap but expensive’ gift
You don’t have to blow the budget to give a nice gift. If you’re struggling to find something that doesn’t make you feel ‘cheap’ then consider something that isn’t expensive in itself BUT is expensive for what is it.Look for something that is a bit of a “luxury” item and not one that a budget-conscious new mum would be likely to buy herself. A few examples are cool bibs, funky muslin cloths or cute teethers.
The ‘baby basics’ gift
If you like to buy practical gifts then you can’t go past nappies/wipes/singlets/body suits etc. Try to buy in some larger sizes so the new mum isn’t overwhelmed with 0000 clothing that the baby will only wear for a month or so. Nappies are a handy gift and don’t forget you can always build or buy a nappy cake to make it more like a gift!
The ‘mum indulgence’ present
This idea is particularly good if the mum-to-be isn’t a first-time mum or if she’s more keen on the idea of a get-together with friends rather than a gift-giving extravaganza! How about some beautifully scented body wash so she can have a luxuriously long shower after the baby is born. The smell will forever remind her of that special day. Or maybe a gift voucher for a much-needed massage/pedicure/facial.