3 of the Best Baby Shower Gifts to Give a New Mom
How to Choose
I love going to baby showers and buying cute little outfits as gifts. It wasn't until I had my own child that I realized how useless some of my gifts had been. Even the lavish outfits weren't as practical as some of the other things I needed. Now that I'm a mother, my perspective has changed. Who wants to give a package of socks as a gift unless they go with an outfit? But honestly, mothers really need a lot of socks. The dryer seems to eat twice as many of them as it does the adult ones.
Other items I never knew I needed until some kind, knowledgeable person bought them for me. Then I started promoting their benefits to every new mother I met. Here is a list of items I was thrilled to get after I learned how awesome they were.
For Runny Noses
This was an item I stumbled onto accidently and no one else seems to have heard of it. It's called Boogie Wipes and it is to be used in place of tissue for runny noses. If you have an infant with a stuffy head, this is great to help provide some relief. They contain saline to help unstop stuffed up noses. Within a few uses, you will notice their noses running more freely.
You know how it is to have a toddler that runs the opposite direction when you get out the tissue? Their poor little noses are so red and chapped that it's like using sandpaper. You won't have that problem with the Boogie Wipes. My daughter used to come to me to wipe her nose. They contain aloe and vitamin E for added moisture. I wish they made them for adults!
A Nose's Best Friend
A Mother's Guidebook
Another great item for a first-time mom is the popular book, "What to Expect in the First Year." It is part of a series that begins with pregnancy and guides the mother-to-be through all of the stages until they are ready to begin school.
The book for the First Year is filled with useful information for every aspect of the baby's life. It breaks the chapters down by month to let you know what to expect your baby to be able to do and activities you can do with your little one. I knew it was a great book when my daughter was sick and I read it for information before calling the on-call nurse's number. They almost quoted the book word-for-word on what to do and how to treat her.
The book, What to Expect The First Year, discusses everything you can imagine and some that you wouldn't be able to imagine. It gives great detail and many useful tips for different kinds of babies. I read my book so many times since I didn't have my own mother around anymore to ask questions.
A Highly Useful Book for New Mothers
For Safer Sleeping
Many new moms get a lot of gowns for their newborn to sleep in. This is a great gift, but it didn't take me long to decide I liked the ones with the mitts best. For those who are buying a gift but don't have kids of their own, this is a tip to keep in mind. When you look for gowns for the newborn, make sure they come with the attached mitts. You can buy ones that have mitts with them, but it they aren't attached, they will probably not stay on.
No matter how often you trim a baby's fingernails, they still manage to be sharp enough to scratch their face. The mitts are a great protection for the first few weeks. The gowns are easy to pull up for diaper-changing time so that it can be done quickly in the middle of the night. The ties on the end is ideal for keeping the baby warm if they do not like to leave the blanket on. You may have heard these gowns referred to as "potato sack gowns" and they do have a resemblance, but they are a great gift for any new mom.
Good Night, Little One
Have Fun Shopping
If you aren't sure what kind of gift to get a mom at a baby shower, these are some items that will be guaranteed hits. While they may not be the most unique shower gifts, they will be appreciated. I needed these items when I was a new mom and I have received hearty thanks from others when they got the same gifts.