Help! Need budget ideas for very cute baby gift..

[ZPT1022]

ETA: I totally forgot one! If she's a nursing mom, you can get a nursing cover for about $10 from uddercovers.com. Just use the code "onefree" at the checkout, and pay shipping and handling. I just ordered a new one in December and use it all the time. I got the black and white one, Rockwell. They aren't the fanciest of fabrics but they get the job done.

Wow, thank you for posting that!! I'm expecting and this will be great to have!

 

[momxx5]

Burp clothes were a great gift we recieved. The lady made them herself.

I have made "taggie" blankets that we all hits.

Another idea is books.....start a small collection of children's books.


My all time favorite. My mother made one for each of my 5 children. I have made some for others.
Using a blank lacy edge handkerchief balsting stiches turning it not a bonnet. There is a poem that goes with it....along the lines of wearing it home for hospital or on Christening Day and then when older a few snips and a wedding hankie it will be....something old, or if a boy he will have something special to present to his furture wife on their wedding day. They are always a big hit.

 

[Mickey527]

Check out Kohls clearance. They have fantastic clearance and the baby items are usually Carters. If you know when the baby will be born you can guestimate the size for next year and get clothes for next winter. I remember way back when...that at my shower I got so many clothes for newborn that my son never wore since he was 9 lbs when he was born. I didn't get the next size up so I had to go out and buy alot of clothes for him so the next size is always appreciated.
I just sent my nephew some clothes for his kids: 3 long sleeve shirts, 3 pair of pants size 2, 3 long sleeve shirts and 3 pair of slacks size 6, and 2 teen blouses size 16. I paid $2.40 for each item (most regular price $16) and had a 15% off coupon too.

 

[Disneychix]

I could NEVER have enough bibs.... babies spit up a TON and if you could make cute ones...even better .

I second this! I never knew babies went through so many bibs!

 

[lovehoney]

I love the extra large flannel receiving blankets. A friend of mine found 2 packs at Target - I think they were called swaddling blankets. They are huge. They were circo brand. I wanted to buy more for my pregnant niece, but I can't find them anywhere. If you can make them that is great.

I use them to swaddle, as a cover in the crib (they are big enough to tuck in on both sides of the mattress) and as a nursing cover.

 

[mamaLori05]

I second the Target and Kohls clearance! Even Baby Gap has awsome baby clearance. You can get a lot for very little. I just bought a 2pack of cute onesies, 2 bibs, sunglasses, a cute super soft blanket, and some pacifiers for about $10. I've also gotten really cute Baby Gap outfits for about $10. Seriously, hit the clearance sections. There is ALWAYS a ton of baby items on the clearance racks. Expecially 0-3 and 3-6 month old stuff.

 

[TxRabbit]

You can give her a tupperware of homemade baby wipes and give her the recipe and makings for them. They are awesome. My DS never had a problem with diaper rash or anything and I largely attribute it to these wipes...

You take Bounty paper towels. They HAVE to be Bounty brand because they are one of the few that will hold up, and they are slightly cheaper than Viva. I think Vivas would work, but they are more expensive. Saw the paper towel roll in half (so it resembles a HUGE roll of toilet paper). You want the tupperware container to accomodate this roll. Pull out the cardboard center.

Mix together 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 cups water, with 1/8 cup (2T) baby liquid body wash, 1/8 cup baby oil, and about 3 drops of Tea Tree Essential oil and 5 drops of lavender essential oil. (The essential oils are the most expensive part of the recipe). Pour the water into the tupperware container and then add the paper towel roll. The paper towels will adsorb the water and become thoroughly damp. The tea tree oil is a natural anti-bacterial element that will keep the wipes from spoiling.

Wrap up the wipes, the other end of the paper towel roll, the essential oils, the body wash and the baby oil as a gift. Include the recipe.

Another gift that is more budget conscious is a hooded towel. You can make two hooded towels from one hand towel and two bath towels. I received one that was just slightly different from this one I found online:

http://www.makeandtakes.com/easy-hooded-bath-towel

but it is essentially the same. If read that and then read what I'll type, you can see that my instructions are a simpler way to dress up the hooded towel. If you can, see how her seam to create the hood is on top of the head. I'm going to describe a seam to make the hood that puts the seam at the back of the head.

After you cut the hand towel in half (before attaching it to the bath towel), fold the decorative edge over so that the decorative band just makes it into the fold. Could be 2 to 3 inch fold. Add something like eyelet lace or other washable adornment to the finished edge of the towel and sew down that finished edge, creating a permanent fold. The fold you just made will the opening of the hood, around the face.

Fold the towel so that the hand towel's left and right sides come together. You want the right sides to be together so you can't see the laced hem. So if the fold were north, the laced edge fold would be on the left side, the raw cut edges (the old center of the hand towel) would be on the right, and the finished edges of the sides of the towel would be south. Sew the raw edges (the old center of the hand towel.) Turn right side out.

Now attach the hand towel to the bath towel. Find the center of the long side of the bath towel and lay flat and open. Match the sewn seam of the hood to the center of the bath towel and otherwise join them together as the instructions show. The hood I've tried to describe looks a little bit fancier than the instructions. You could add appliques to the towel as she described. Mine didn't have any.

These towels last forever and kids really love them as they get older. I hope I made my instructions clear, let me know if you want me to clarify anything. I don't have mine anymore because I gave them away or I would post a picture. I've made several of these over the years and everyone loves them.

 

[semo233]

I am going to try to make one of these for my sister who is having a C-section on March 3rd:

http://www.babybunch.com/content/test

Watch the video to see how!

I need to get to Target or Kohl's though to pick up those great bargains!

 

[Evi]

I once did a recipe book with a baby blender for a friend. You could forgo the baby blender and just research recipes and then make them a recipe book for baby foods. You could also make them a baby's first days book to fill in. If you knit you could knit them there first babyblanket. Or sew them a nice big play blanket the kind you stretch out on the floor that can be easily washed. If there really close you can give them coupon book for services that you would provide like baby laundry, babysitting if you have time and they live close you could cook dinner for first week etc.

 

[TnTWalter]

I just did one for a friend...I'm throwing her shower and spent $$$ on that so had to go 'cheap' on the gift. Box of generic diapers, rubber bands, cute ribbon, little baby toys, [rubber duck for 'top'], tulle to 'wrap it and tie bow on top. I made a 3-tier cake this time. Here's what I purchased: box of diapers [I bought 12-18 pounds and 96 diaper box for $12 because I have another shower next week! a $1 blue duck for top; 2 long-sleeve onesies with mittens [$6 for both again will split up]; I'm making a 'wild thing' iron on for one with his name on it [that's his room theme], 2 bibs [$1.50 ea], butt paste [best stuff most expensive toy], rattle [$2], wash clothes [.94 for 4 dividing up again ;o)]. Cute blue polka dot ribbon [sadly the next shower is a girl...LOL] for $1.50; 1 yard of tulle for $1 [blue netting]. I did also buy cardboard cake stands in the party aisle at walmart [10 for $4.50] and cut each to size. Each tier is narrower than the other. You take the diaper and roll it up and wrap rubber band around it. Then you squish them in and wrap the ribbon around [to hide the rubber bands]. I use a pin to fasten.

Voila. <$20 easily. Big hit at showers.

 

[sherry7]

You can give her a tupperware of homemade baby wipes and give her the recipe and makings for them. They are awesome. My DS never had a problem with diaper rash or anything and I largely attribute it to these wipes...

You take Bounty paper towels. They HAVE to be Bounty brand because they are one of the few that will hold up, and they are slightly cheaper than Viva. I think Vivas would work, but they are more expensive. Saw the paper towel roll in half (so it resembles a HUGE roll of toilet paper). You want the tupperware container to accomodate this roll. Pull out the cardboard center.

Mix together 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 cups water, with 1/8 cup (2T) baby liquid body wash, 1/8 cup baby oil, and about 3 drops of Tea Tree Essential oil and 5 drops of lavender essential oil. (The essential oils are the most expensive part of the recipe). Pour the water into the tupperware container and then add the paper towel roll. The paper towels will adsorb the water and become thoroughly damp. The tea tree oil is a natural anti-bacterial element that will keep the wipes from spoiling.

Wrap up the wipes, the other end of the paper towel roll, the essential oils, the body wash and the baby oil as a gift. Include the recipe........

The baby wipe recipe is very interesting, and it looks like it would save a lot of money over buying regular baby wipes. Couple of questions for you though....

Is the lavender essential oil absolutely necessary, or is it just to make them smell nice?

How easily do these rip off the roll when you go to use them?

Thanks.

 

[Disney Khi]

I could not function without a baby carrier. I have three and I use at least one each day. One is a wrap, one is a ring sling, and one is a mei tei. Since you said yo can sew, you can google for directions on how to make one. The directions that I have seen look easy, but unfortunately, I can't sew so I had to buy mine. I have even seen some no-sew directions but they still involved masuring and cutting, and I was afraid my non-crafty self would screw it up.

I also really like the dinner idea that others have mentioned. I would have loved that when dd was born.

And I must be in the minority here, but I have way too many bibs and blankets that I got as gifts so I personally wouldn't give those given my experience, but I may be the only one.

Oh and you might want to check and see if she is using cloth or disposable diapers. I use cloth diapers and wipes and have seen some really cute patterns for cloth diapers and covers on-line that are inexpensive to make. There are even patterns for wool covers made from thrift store sweaters. Those kinds of things always make me want to learn how to sew! Also a friend made me some wipes that are great. They are just squares of fabric that are terrycloth on one side and cute print flannel on the other. They work great.

Good luck with your gift decision!

 

[TxRabbit]

The baby wipe recipe is very interesting, and it looks like it would save a lot of money over buying regular baby wipes. Couple of questions for you though....

Is the lavender essential oil absolutely necessary, or is it just to make them smell nice?

How easily do these rip off the roll when you go to use them?

Thanks.

The lavender essential oil is purely for smell. I liked it. Tea tree oil is ESSENTIAL. It is the thing that keeps the wipes from going bad. In other types of bathroom products, tea tree oil replaces the need for any kind of alcohol.

These rip off the roll very easily. If you can imagine, when you take the center tube out of the paper towel roll, then you pull up on the wipes from the center. I always purchased the select-a-size towels. It was useful when DS was itty bitty. And then later, I would generally only need the smallest size for a regularly wet diaper.

To travel, I just put some wipes into a Ziploc bag. Sometimes I made it nice and neat. Sometimes, I just grabbed a long length and shoved. It worked very well for me. I ended up buying two sets of the tupperware (actually I used a "Rubbermade" brand) containers so that before I was totally done with the first roll, I could make the second. Prior to that though, I would just empty out the container when it got towards the end, and use that for a traveling batch.

 

[Forevryoung]

I could not function without a baby carrier. I have three and I use at least one each day. One is a wrap, one is a ring sling, and one is a mei tei. Since you said yo can sew, you can google for directions on how to make one. The directions that I have seen look easy, but unfortunately, I can't sew so I had to buy mine. I have even seen some no-sew directions but they still involved masuring and cutting, and I was afraid my non-crafty self would screw it up.

This was another gift that I made my friend (along with those big blankets I posted about before).

I used a website's directions and purchased the rings from slingrings dot com (as suggested by several sites, strong and I think they were $5 for the set). It was an item that my friend asked for but it wasn't as cheap as the blankets.

I made mine out of cream linen (sale at Joanns) and it was quite simple to hem and pleat to make the ring sling. It's also held up well over the past year. The nice thing about making my own ring sling was that I got to make it as wide/long as my friend needed it.

Definitely a great gift for someone who would be willing to use it!