In the last six years, I’ve had three babies. That means that I also had a number of baby showers for said babies…four, to be exact. And with those baby showers, I received hundreds and hundreds of baby items.
I can remember registering at the store before our first baby and not having a SWEET CLUE what I needed. They simply handed us a checklist of items and a scan gun and said “Have fun!” I can remember crying at one point because this hormonal, pregnant soon-to-be momma was SO overwhelmed. So many options, so many items needed. How could such a small person require that much stuff??
What I ended up noticing is that most people didn’t even look at this registry that I agonized over but rather just bought us something that they thought we needed…or perhaps was on sale. HA! Ok, I’ll admit it, I’ve done the same before for other moms. Sometimes it’s all about convenience and what’s in the budget.
And if I’m really honest, there were many items that I received that I just never used. I think many times people want to buy something that is cute or that they think you will need and in the end, it’s just really impractical.
Studies have shown that many times people bring impractical gifts to a baby shower because they really don’t know what the mom-to-be needs.
What I did need were bottles. And sippy cups. And a diaper genie. And a carseat. Even a gift card would have been a HUGE help because in the end, I remember going to Toys R Us after my first shower and having to buy many of these more practical items because I didn’t get any of them at the baby shower. Don’t get me wrong, I got tons of great stuff, which I am super thankful for. But when it came down to practically, there were definitely some major pieces of the baby essentials puzzle missing.
That is why I’m so excited to have partnered with PlaytexBaby™ to bring you this awesome list of six practical gifts that every new mom needs. PLUS, right now at Babies “R” Us Canada, there is a promotion with PlaytexBaby™ where if you spend over $40 on PlaytexBaby™ items, you will receive a $10 gift card! Talk about the perfect bonus to add to your gift! Keep reading for details!
Six Practical Gifts to Give a New Mom
1. Carseat
Let’s start off with the big one: a carseat! This is perfect for a group gift at a shower where people may not know what to give or simply don’t have the time to go to the store themselves and pick something up. There are loads of expenses when first becoming a parent including crib, nursery furniture, stroller, etc, so a carseat is the perfect gift that a few friends can go in on and bless the new parents with!
2. Gift Card
At the end of the day, the eaisiest and most practical gift to give a new mom is a gift card. Especially if you don’t know exactly what she still needs, this is the best way for her to be able to purchase additional items that she may not have received yet. It also allows her to have some time to figure out what she still needs, especially after the baby is born.
3. Receiving Blankets
It wasn’t until I had my own babies did I realize how VALUABLE a receiving blanket was. To be honest, I don’t think I even knew what they were until someone bought them for me. I ended up needing to buy TONS more because our first baby was a bit of a puker. So those blankets came in SO handy and were such a practical gift to have received.
4. Swaddle Blankets
On the subject of blankets, I’m convinced that a swaddle blanket is a gift straight from Heaven. No joke. Again, with our first, we had a little bit of sleep issues in the beginning (which was nothing compared to our second, but that is a whole other story in itself) and the minute we pulled out a swaddle blanket that someone had bought us, we all slept the night! It was incredible! Gifting a mom-to-be with a couple of these blankets could seriously be the difference between life and sleep deprivation!
5. Diapers
So definitely not the most glamorous gift on the list, but trust me when I say, the most practical gift out there. That baby is going to go through SO MANY DIAPERS and chances are, the new parents aren’t fully prepared for what’s about to transpire. Make it easier for them by equipping them with all their diapering needs.
6. Feeding Essentials
I would say this is probably one of the most overlooked areas when it comes to gifts for a new mom. People don’t often think about bottles, sippy cups and spoons. That’s something that comes later. But that’s the whole point of a baby shower: you want to help prepare them for the months ahead and anticipate what they might need.
What happens when momma wants to go out for the first time but doesn’t have any bottles because she’s been breastfeeding? Worse yet, what happens when breastfeeding might not be going so well and they need bottles to help supplement with some formula? I say this because I lived it with our first and I was completely unprepared for when my three week old refused to nurse whatsoever and needed bottles STAT.
I do remember receiving a gift from someone that was filled with baby tableware which I thought was awesome. They had plates, forks and spoons, plastic bibs and sippy cups, I can remember when I first opened the gift I thought “Man, I’m not going to be needing this for a LONG time.” And you know what…I just finally got rid of those cups and spoons, SEVEN years later! Time moves quickly and I’m sure glad I received those items at that shower!
PlaytexBaby™ has made this super easy for you by putting together bundles of all the baby feeding essentials for you to purchase and give to the parents-to-be. Everything they will need is all bundled together online to help make quick, easy and practical purchases!
As I mentioned above, from September 30th to October 31st, at Babies “R” Us Canada, if you spend $40 or more before tax on PlaytexBaby™ products (excluding Diaper Genie products), you will receive a $10 gift card to use in store or online! This is the perfect way to be able to add to your gift with another product or simply give the gift card in addition to your gift.
Go to www.babiesrus.ca/PlaytexBabyGifts for all the details and to get your shopping on!
Well I hope this list has helped you think of some practical gifts you can give to a new and/or expecting mom. Not that the fun toys and cute clothing aren’t wonderful too, but there’s something about practically that will ultimately make the difference for new parents in the long run!
Happy Shopping!
Love & Blessings,
