When we lived in Utah there were pregnant women everywhere! Where we lived in Utah County is actually one of the highest baby birth cities in the country so I’m not exaggerating haha. A lot of my friends were having their first babies and I felt like I had no idea WHAT to give them at their baby showers. I went with the typical package of diapers gift but since I didn’t understand diaper sizes or brands, I literally walked down the diaper aisle at Target, closed my eyes, and picked one randomly!
Now that I have children, have had two baby showers, and have been to plenty of other showers, I have a better grip on what expecting moms actually want at their showers! I wish I had a resource like this when I had no idea what I was doing, so for those of you who find yourself in a similarly overwhelming situation I hope this is helpful!
Something Pretty
Is it a good idea to give a first time mom an entire wardrobe of fancy dresses in size 3T for their new baby? Not really. But it’s nice to include one thing that’s sole purpose is to be pretty. Think bows for little girls (find my favorite bow shop HERE), a cute pair of shoes for a baby boy, a newborn photoshoot outfit, etc.!
Something Practical
Because the whole point of a baby shower is to gift the parents with things they need for this new venture they’re going on! My favorite practical gifts are gift cards to Target, a pack of cheap/white onesies, baby socks, burp cloths, baby toothbrush, baby first aid kit. You could also go with a similar swaddle blanket and reversible bib set from Red Rover Kids and kill two birds with one stone (since they’re pretty AND practical!) I now stay away from gifting diapers and wipes because you never know what size the parents will need, and you don’t want to give them more errands to run when they need to exchange them! I also stay away from soaps because babies might have sensitive skin, and I like to let the parents decide what products to use on their babies. Gift cards are my favorite way to go!
Something for Mom
She is the one doing all the work after all! A cute (and LARGE) tumbler for all the water she’ll need to drink after baby (find my favorites HERE), gift cards to Starbucks, a pair of high waisted leggings in a size up from her pre-pregnancy size (a good Amazon option HERE), cute hair scrunchies, gift card to a nail salon, or offer to pay for her Netflix for a few months 😉
Storage
I like to give baby shower gifts in something that can be used after. So a cute basket or storage container, a diaper bag or clutch, or a carryall tote. If you’re going in on a gift with other friends/guests, this is a great thing to split the cost on and mom will appreciate it so much! I recently tried out THIS DIAPER BAG on Amazon and am hugely impressed with it considering the price. For reviews on tons of other diaper bags, check out THIS POST. Hobby Lobby is one of my favorite places to find cute storage baskets and boxes, especially for nurseries and shower gifts.
Something Unique
This is where you can get creative with your gift! Think quirky sound machines, night lights, meaningful stuffed animals/lovies, a handmade blanket or baby book, a teething necklace, custom baby onesie, book with a personalized note, subscription to a meal service, diaper service, house cleaning service…you get the idea! These unicorn moccasins are from Your Tay and the mama and baby roller bottles are from Madison and Matthew!
Obviously you don’t need to get a gift from each of these categories every time you go to a baby shower, but as long as you pick from 2-3 of these categories to complete your gift it will be well loved and appreciated!
What are the things you appreciated receiving the most at your showers? I always appreciated the gift cards, and I received a travel white noise machine that lasted through both of my kids that I loved!