OT: Need Baby Gift Ideas!

[Aliceacc]

How about this then:

You arrive with a pre-bought gift cert to Target or Walmart or Babies R Us (after first checking to ensure that there's one nearby) and take her shopping for what she really wants?? You can keep an eye on the baby as she sorts through the options, you have some time together, and she ends up with a gift she's sure to love??

 

[pandapooh]

Thanks for the great ideas!

I might actually have to go with the gift certificate idea as I was kinda prying into what she needed and she has already stocked up on diapers, wipes, purell and almost everything apparently. Though she hasn't bought any shampoo or baby bath yet She told me the only size of diapers she didn't buy is newborn and she may need more size 1. How many diapers before the baby changes sizes? I"m thinking i may need to make a diaper cake of bigger sizes. I'll try to pry into the brand she is buying tonight.

Her pet peeve is people wasting their money. I'm in canada right now so i'll have to wait to get to LA to purchase the gift cards for her. I'd love to get her something though, so i'm thinking maybe blankets and shoes and the book for sure. I'm also thinking of taking her out for an afternoon at the spa so hopefully everything falls into place.

Keep the idea's coming! thanks everyone the dis is awesome!

 

[Syrreal]

You can also get her some of the pre-soaped wipes for the bath. I know that Johnsons and Huggies make them. You just wet them and they lather up with wash/shampoo.

 

[emh1129]

She might not need any of the bottle supplies.. I know we never used any of that stuff.

I think a baby sling is a unique gift, and often something that will get the most use.

 

[alyssa810]

Diaper sizing can be tough, especially if the baby is big. My DS was almost 9 pounds when he was born, so he was out of the newborns pretty quick. We received a new pack of newborn huggies from my DH's co-workers, but the baby was already out of them by they time they gave them to us...and it was such a hassle for me to exchange them in the beginning that I just decided to hold on to them. I don't remember how quickly he went from size 1-2, but we also had some size 2-3 (which pampers does and I LOVED) so there was some overlap (but I couldn't always find that size). I'd say if you do decide to get diapers, size 1 or 2 would be good if you aren't going to be there until the baby is 3-6 weeks, unless the baby is really big....then go larger. I think taking her shopping might be a good idea too, I know when I was home with Joel, getting out with someone to help was great.

 

[MousekaMaddi]

skip the cake=
love the baby tylenol, baby motrin medicine idea,with those medicine serving spoons that are easy to dispense medicine,

 

[Erin13178]

I always wanted a Bumbo seat. It's a chair like thing that helps the baby sit up on it's own, and they look so stinkin cute in there.

I would ask her and see if there are any bigger things too that she NEEDS. I don't think we coud've lived without our Exersaucer for real. When my dd was 3-9 months or so, I would have to shower and get ready. Well dd would always wake up, and instead of leaving her in her bed screaming, I would put her in her exersaucer, slide the thing into the bathroom, and shower with her in there. For the most part she was happy and I could keep an eye on her.

I didn't much care for the baby bathtubs, but there is like a mesh net thing that goes in the big bathtub that I loved for my dd. I got it for like $10 a walmart.

There's always sippy cups for later on, disposable plates, cups, and baby forks and spoons.

One small thing I would definitely get is Bordeaux's Butt Paste. That stuff is liquid gold I swear. I still have 2 bottles of it in the house and my dd is 4. It's wonderful for diaper rash, or really any kind of rash I've found.

These are just a few off the top of my head. But the gift card is always good.

 

[christa112]

A gift certificate to a photography studio!!! The best gift ever!!!

 

[El&Asmom]

A good sling hasn't been mentioned yet. I wish someone would have gotten me one of these with dd1. Unfortunately I didn't find out about babywearing until I had dd2.
A ringsling is one I would use as a gift since they are pretty easy to size unlike a pouch.

Here are two brands I like.
Zolo
and Sleeping Baby Productions.

I don't have their websites, but you can google them.

 

[jenlynn0808]

I always wanted a Bumbo seat.



but I thought these were recalled a few months back. One of the girls I worked with had asked for this for her shower, and I think we couldn;t find it b/c BRU had pulled them off the shelves...something about htem tipping over maybe...

 

[Erin13178]

I always wanted a Bumbo seat.



but I thought these were recalled a few months back. One of the girls I worked with had asked for this for her shower, and I think we couldn;t find it b/c BRU had pulled them off the shelves...something about htem tipping over maybe...

Hmmm I didn't know that. But then my baby hasn't been little for over 3 years.

 

[mousemommyx3]

I'm pretty sure they were recalled but only to add the sticker that reminds parents not to put their baby in the Bumbo anywhere but the floor. There were some incidents with the Bumbo tipping off of tables and counters.

I have three girls and my favorite gifts have been Robeez (also Pedipeds rock if their feet are wider) DD 20 months still only wears Pediped shoes! I also love the Burts Bees Baby stuff. Great for sensitive skin. Another great idea is a gift card for carryout/delivery or a few freezer meals. Gymboree gift cards are fun because you can get adorable clothes without feeling guilty spending all that money!

 

[chiefdragon]

One of the best gifts that I was given for my shower was gift cards to Wal-Mart and Target.

 

[The_Princess's_Mommy]

Some of the best gifts I received were:

1) Baby Bjorn (or any other baby carrier)
2) Bumbo seat (yes, they were recalled, but only to put a warning label on the seats. they are back on store shelves again)
3) Pacifier holder that clips on to a carseat/stroller/etc
4) Ray Shade (it extends the canopy of the stroller - it's FANTASTIC!!)

Good luck!!

 

[starann]

I'm also a huge fan of buying books for babies. It's never too early to read! My favorites include "I Love You as Much," Sandra Boynton or Baby Einstein board books. And you can never go wrong with anything that has pictures of babies or animals. My daughters LOVED those!

Ditto....I Love YOu As Much is a BEAUTIFUL book, and Sandra Boynton books are too cute!

Footed sleepers from Childrens Place are nice gifts (I loves putting my kdis in them, and they zip up ,which makes it super easy!)

Gift Cards to a Photo place are nice too. I really have enjoyed Portrait Innovations.

 

[pandapooh]

Thanks for all the great ideas!

Update:

My friend gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, she's 20 inches long and very very cute. She was born on August 19th 2008 and they are both doing great!

Hopefully crossing my fingers on this, i can incorporate a drive down to see her into upcoming trip to the states. She's 12 hours away from where we are planning to go but i might be able to work it out!

And then I can pick up some great items down in the states on the way there! Thank you so much guys!

 

[Walt Disney Worlders]

One of the best gifts that I was given for my shower was gift cards to Wal-Mart and Target.

Me too! We had no idea how many times per week we would have to go to a store like that! We were very strapped for cash, and those GC's were a lifesaver to me.

 

[MrsJ Henry]

I have been giving a wonderful book called "the twelve gifts of birth" Wonderful beautiful book. they also have a few others in the lind. You can get it at borders and I alsways get mine on Amazon.
So many people love it and now i have two girls at work who have been giving them as presents also.
Warning...... It's a tear jerker!

 

[irene_dsc]

Congratulations to your friend!

I know, it can be so confusing to figure out what to get people! One person's must have is another person's waste of money, it seems. I do usually try to discuss bigger gifts with people ahead of time, to avoid giving a bummer gift. Or, I do something relatively neutral, like board books my kids have liked. It is definitely harder pre-kids, because you don't really have that experience of what is good.

If you *do* get Robeez, I'd skip the smallest sizes, and do (iirc the sizing) 6-12 months. That was the size we used the most.

Baby carriers are a great idea, if you think she'll use one. Sleeping Baby Productions is a good basic ring sling, so are the MayaWrap lightly padded. A Moby Wrap is a good basic stretchy wrap.

Have fun!

 

[perkinsrose]

I ALWAYS give baby and kids books as gifts. Never too early to read to babies and start their personal library.

Most of these books by Tana Hoban (see amazon.com link) are particularly good for newborns because of their vision and books are in bold black & white.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_g...rl=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=Tana+Hoban


Extravagant & non-practical, one gift my older kids still love is their Vermont Teddy Bears that came with personalized bibs with their name & birthdate.

http://shop.vermontteddybear.com/new-baby-gifts-ideas.html


Just remembered, I believe Vermont Teddy Bears have a lifetime warranty. Though they are a very high quality toy, many years later DS's bear's leg came loose. We sent it to the "hospital" and it was repaired free of charge. The bear came back with a hospital band on its wrist!