7 Must-Have Baby Shower Gifts

7 Must-Have Baby Shower Gifts

There are many necessary and practical baby items that moms may or may not receive at their baby showers.  Many baby shower gifts are fun and cute, but moms also usually want them to help put a dent in the list of things they have to buy for the new little bundle of joy.
From my personal experience, I know that my husband and I still had to buy A LOT of things for our son after the shower was over.  We received 4 sets of baby clippers and hair brushes as baby shower presents, but only 1 box of baby wipes!  There are a lot of cute things that don’t make the best baby shower presents; did you read the 6 Baby Shower Gifts to Leave at the Store last week?
We received too many clothes, lots of duplicate items, and almost none of the items we registered for!  Some items I initially thought I could do without, but later on found were incredibly helpful after all.
So what baby gifts do new moms really want at baby showers?  Below we bring you the useful, the handy, and the desirable baby gifts that many expectant moms will be hoping for at their baby showers (and don’t forget the budget baby gifts too).

Baby Shower Gifts That Moms will Love!

1.  Diapers and wipes. All sizes and brands of diapers are welcome! You’ll never have to wonder if the gift you’ve given will be returned or exchanged, because every baby needs diapers.  New parents will go through so many diapers so quickly, that having a large supply on hand will be greatly appreciated.
Even if the parents will be using cloth diapers, it never hurts to have a few disposables on hand for babysitters, baby staying with relatives, or baby going to daycare (some of which will not allow cloth diapers still).
2.  Digital ear and forehead thermometer, also known as a temporal thermometer.  These are fantastic for checking a feverish baby while she is sleeping, since you don’t have to wake the baby.  They work in the ear canal or on the forehead, and many even have a built-in flashlight for nighttime use in the dark. Is this a luxury? Yes, when it comes down to basic survival! A regular thermometer will do just fine, but lessening the discomfort and fuss from an already cranky, sick baby is a valuable thing.
3. Diaper Genie and refills, or another diaper pail. Stinky diaper pails are a thing of the past when you use a system that traps the odor.  The last thing you want during the sleep-deprived first days of your newborn’s life is to enter the nursery and smell dirty diapers!
We live in a small house, which means we keep close quarters with the nursery.  My husband and I ended up buying our own Diaper Genie and refills (when they were on sale, of course!), but I would have much rather given up a few baby outfits to receive this gift instead.
4.  Battery operated nasal aspirator. The old standby squeeze-bulb nasal aspirators (fondly referred to by many dads as “nose suckers’”) will work in a pinch, but not with much accuracy.  With a screaming stuffy baby, you want to clear the mucus out of his nasal passages as quickly as possible. A battery operated nasal aspirator will get the job done much faster and more accurately, and they’re not as invasive as the old style.
5.  Gift cards. Believe it or not, a very common question asked by our readers is this: “Is it appropriate to give a gift card or gift certificate at a baby shower?”  The answer:  Yes!  No new parent will be unhappy with a gift card, because it will enable them to get something that is already on their list that they didn’t receive.  Aim for cards to mass merchandisers that carry a wide variety of baby clothing, baby food, diapers and baby wipes, so they’re likely to find what they need.
6.  Baby Formula. If they’re not planning to breastfeed, having a stockpile of baby formula in the pantry can be a stress-reducer.  Formula is incredible expensive, and even if you’re buying the store brands, it can be a large added amount to your regular grocery budget.  I treasured the few free cans of formula that came from the doctor’s office, and wish I had received formula as baby shower presents. Just be sure to ask the parents which brand they intend to use. It isn’t good to switch formula brands, so consistency is important.
7.  Bottles and nipples.  This item goes along with #6, in that you have to ask the mom beforehand if she plans to bottlefeed and what brand of bottles she’s going to use.  We chose Dr. Brown’s bottles for my son, which are a bit on the expensive side.  Even though we listed Dr. Brown’s bottles and nipples on our registry, we didn’t receive any as gifts.  We got by fine on a few bottles which we washed frequently, but it would have been a wonderful gift to receive a few extra sets.
There you have it- 7 great gifts for baby showers!