Great Baby Shower Gifts Seldom Given

When most people buy gifts for a baby shower they think of the usual baby necessities, such as diapers, strollers, blankets, baby clothes, etc. All of these gifts are great, but gift givers seldom think about what mom and dad will need when they come home with the new baby. Adjusting to the birth of a baby can be challenging especially if it’s your first child. The new mom will spend most of her time just feeding, burping, and changing baby. Newborns generally eat every 2-3 hours and may nurse for up to 45 minutes at a time.

And as if labor itself weren’t enough of a body stressor, frequent night feedings and fussiness can lead to sleep deprivation. Mom naps when baby naps, which often means that the laundry and dishes pile up.

It can also be a challenge for new moms to get to the store to pick up basic necessities. Getting ready to go to the store can be a big chore, one that new moms might not have the energy for. You have to pack up the diaper bag, get baby dressed up, get yourself ready, and fumble with a car seat strap, that in my case, I could never seem to figure out.

If your breastfeeding it can also be a major hassle to nurse in public, especially if the only private place where you can sit down is a bathroom stall. I remember the frustration I felt on my first shopping trip after the birth of my daughter. I only had two hours to get ready to go to the store, drive to the store (which was 20 minutes away), do my shopping, and drive back before the baby’s next feeding. I might also add that I was so tired and disoriented that I forgot half of the things that I went there to buy.

So if you want to give a great baby shower gift that goes above and beyond, here are some suggestions that the mom and dad to be are sure to appreciate:

Gift cards for take-out restaurants
Home-made gift certificate, good for one home cooked meal

Gift basket with household necessities such as:

ear plugs to prevent a headache (baby crying)

Tylenol to relieve a headache (baby crying)

Lanolin for sore/chapped nipples (breastfeeding)

Maxi pads

Coffee (to combat sleep deprivation)

Healthy snacks that mom can keep next to the bed (ever been starving but not want to get up and risk waking the baby?)

Extra large water bottle (Nursing moms need to stay hydrated)

Or you could make a gift certificate good for grocery shopping services.
Gift certificate for house-keeping services
Home-made gift certificate for house-keeping services.

When my son and daughter-in-law went to the hospital for an emergency c-section, a month ahead of the baby’s due date, they were completely unprepared. The house was left in shambles. As a gift, I cleaned the house for them while they were at the hospital. They said it was the best gift they could have asked for because they were so stressed about coming home to a messy house.