essential baby shower gift ideas
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I am always beyond excited whenever one of my friends announces she is pregnant. Every time is so special but especially when it's her first child. There are so many unknowns of what to buy and register for your new bundle of joy. Recently I've had several people ask me about newborn essentials so I decided to create a blog post about some easy ideas to create the most useful baby shower gift for the expecting mama-to-be in your life.
I always go for items off the expectant mama's registry but then I also add a few products which worked well for my family too. I have learned that practical is best. The cute outfits and blankets are adorable but necessities are what the mama will be looking for when her baby has a stuffy nose or is up googling remedies for cradle cap.
I am going to create a luxury baby item list soon but below you can find a fun way to give the gift of baby essentials.
I always start with a cute basket whenever I decide to give essential baby items as a gift. I found both of the baskets I am featuring today at Target. They are adorable and were cheap! I love the idea of a reusable basket. The new mama can use it for books, toys, socks, or to hold diapers and wipes on her changing station. Honestly the possibilities are endless! My favorite baskets to use are from 3sprouts and petit pehr. I also always pick up a few whenever I have a chance to run to Home Goods.
The first basket I am featuring is for a mom-to-be who is expecting a baby boy. The items inside the basket are gender neutral so you can give them to a mom who is expecting a girl too.
Did I mention the majority of these items can be found on Amazon? Amazon is always for the win! You can also find these at Target, Wal-Mart, and any baby store if you are out and about. (Click on the name of the product to take you to the Amazon link)
Water Wipes- are my favorite wipes for babies with sensitive skin. The wipe only has two ingredients; water and a small amount of fruit extract. Perfect for newborns! My other favorite type of wipes is from The Honest Company. Pampers sensitive is another alternative but it is not sensitive enough for my girls.
Munchkin Bottle Brush- I have always used this type of bottle brush because it is durable and comes with a nipple cleaner too. Very easy to use! These brushes come in a variety of colors too!
Munchkin Diaper Bag Dispenser- this is perfect for a mom to throw in her diaper bag to have peace of mind if a blowout occurs and then she will be prepared to bag it up until she can find a trash can! A lot of doctors offices do not let you throw soiled diapers away in their trash cans so I also found these useful because it never fails that one of my girls will poop while they are being examined. The bags are scented so that's a major plus too!
Nose Frida- I LOVE THIS PRODUCT!!! It is not luxurious at all. I mean it's literally a device that helps you suck snot out of your baby's nose but it works so well. It is easy to use and to clean too. The kit comes with a few refills but a box of refills is also cheap. You can even use a kleenex if you are out of refills. Do yourself a favor and youtube this product if you need any help with "trouble shooting."
Little Remedies Saline Spray- This is what you will spray into your little ones nostrils before you use the Nose Frida to break up the mucus and then spray again after so their nose does not become too dry. I like this brand of saline because my doctor recommended it to me when the girls had their first cold. Always make sure you do not purchase the kind that has any type of decongestant in the spray. Decongestants are not safe for newborns- you want "drug free" saline.
Lansinoh Soothies gel pads- all new moms need a pair of these if they decide to breastfeed. This item was one on the expecting mama's registry so I definitely wanted to add it to her newborn essentials because trust me, these will be essentials during those few first weeks/months of breastfeeding.
Lansinoh Lanolin- There are many different brands that make lanolin but basically lanolin is a soothing gel that is safe to use on your nipples to help relieve the pain and cracking from breastfeeding and pumping. I used to place lanolin inside the breast pump flanges to help soothe the pain of pumping the first couple weeks. Oh the joys of postpartum life!
A cute book! It can be your favorite one from your own childhood or a new one you saw in a store but every mom wants to build a home library for their little ones and a book is always a great gift! A lot of people are adding on baby shower invites to bring a book instead of a card and that is an idea I love!
Super Yummy teether- this is my favorite teether for babies and one I have been gifting a lot recently. It has four different types of textures, is a great size because it's perfect for a baby's hand to grasp, it smells like vanilla, is non-toxic, and has a convenient hole at the top which you can add links so you can attach it to a high chair, car seat, or stroller so you never have to worry about losing it! (sorry about the run-on sentence but this teether is just that great!)
Aquaphor- I could honestly devote an entire blog post about my love of aquaphor. Remember in the movie, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," the dad who thought windex was the cure to everything? That describes me when it comes to my holy grail of aquaphor, coconut oil, and breast milk. Aquaphor is amazing. We use it to help moisturize their skin, place on their bums after each diaper change, and to help any small cuts or abrasions heal quicker. We also use it a lot during the summer months if they have been in the pool or out in the sun a lot. We recently used it on their face when our girls played in the snow to help combat wind burn. It's an amazing product and all families need at least one tub in their home at all times.
Mustela Foaming Shampoo- I always recommend this foaming shampoo for newborns. It is extremely gentle and really works to help treat cradle cap. We used it on the girls for quite a while because we liked the texture of the foam and it never stung their eyes or dried out their skin.
Dreft Laundry Spray- I was given a bottle of the Dreft laundry spray as a baby shower gift and I am so happy I was introduced to this awesome product. I swear it has been my saving grace to treat tough stains on clothes. I have even started to use it on our clothes too because it works so well. I am also currently loving all laundry products from Norwex- especially their fluff and tumble wool dryer balls. (You can find the dreft spray much cheaper at target versus amazon)
Honest Foaming Hand Soap- I'm obsessed with the The Honest Company's foaming hand soap. I especially like the "free and clear" kind because it will not irritate a baby with a strong scent
The Honest Company baby wipes- I like these wipes because they are made without harmful chemicals and I swear the wipe itself is much more durable than other wipes we have used. I highly suggest for all moms to check out the monthly diaper bundle pack from The Honest Company. The bundle includes four packs of wipes, 5 packs of diapers in adorable prints, and one pack of overnight diapers. You can switch around how many diapers/overnight diapers/training pants you would like to be part of your bundle each month. You can also include three extra items in your monthly bundle and each item will be 25% off. It's a great way to try a lot of Honest products at a lower cost.
A textured book- books with varying textures are awesome for newborns, infants, and toddlers. The baby can explore the different textures and will enjoy the vibrant pictures. The "That's Not My" series from Usborne books is one of my absolute favorite because each book focuses on a different animal, object, or person/mythical creature. We have so many of these books and my girls still love to sit and "read" them.
Super Yummy Teether- told you it was my favorite go-to gift for newborns!
Some extra ideas for future baskets
The Honest Company size 1 diapers
aden and anais Burpy Bibs- there are so many cute designs of burpy bibs by aden and anais. We used these everyday until well past emmy and elle's first birthday.
Kiss Kissy newborn gowns- these gowns made nighttime diaper changes a breeze. I remember I almost shed a tear when the girls outgrew their gowns. The gowns can also easily convert to pants.
Noodle and Boo lotion- my favorite lotion for babies and toddlers. I started using this lotion as soon as the girls came home from the hospital and we still use it after every bath. It has the best scent and makes their skin silky smooth!
Any baby first aid items is also great to add to these baskets- nail trimmers, thermometer, hair brush, etc.
I hope these ideas help you create your own newborn essentials baby gift basket! I added tissue paper once I was done arranging the basket and now it is ready for the beautiful mama's-to-be! Sadie had fun posing with the baskets too. Never want to leave anyone out! Please comment below if you have a baby essential that needs to be added to this list. Thanks for reading!
