The Five Best Baby Shower Gifts
Ask first time parents-to-be what baby shower gifts they would like to receive. Watch their response -- you'll quite likely see a look of real confusion on their faces! Or maybe they'll come up with a stock answer like "diapers" or something similar.
Exactly what a new arrival needs is not obvious to someone who's never had a baby before. And many times, guests are in no better position either, when it comes to deciding on baby shower gifts.
Of course, there's a lot more to baby showers than just gifts. But helping parents to stock up for the new arrival is an important part of these celebrations.
That's why the following list of top five baby shower gifts can be quite useful.
Top gift #1: Monitors
Monitors are excellent anxiety-busters, especially for first-time parents. That's why they hold the No.1 position on this list.
Once they can listen to the baby from anywhere in the house, parents find their confidence levels zooming. The latest monitors are very sensitive and can pick up the slightest sound from baby, even her breathing.
If your budget allows for it, take it one step further and buy a video monitor. That'll really ease anxiety. However, they are much more expensive, so perhaps this can be a joint baby shower gift from two or more guests.
Top Gift #2: Playtime mate for baby
Babies love to play. Anything that helps them play and be active not only keeps them engaged, but also stimulates all round development.
One of the best products for them is an activity gym or playpen. This is a soft cloth mat surrounded by a baby-friendly structure of bars and arches with many different toys suspended from various points. Baby gets to play in a safe environment.
Basic activity gyms are excellent baby shower gifts. There are also more advanced ones that include noisemakers and a variety of toys. The suspended objects have different colors and textures to help develop baby's cognitive abilities.
There are also excellent portable gyms and playpens available to help parents move around with baby. These are lightweight and designed to be easy to carry around.
Top Gift #3: Baby sling
Most babies love being carried around in a sling. It's the next best thing to being cuddled in mom's arms. Many parents have had the experience where babies get restless and cry while they use other types of carriers, but immediately calm down when put into a sling.
Baby slings are believed to foster a closer parent-child bond. Whether that's true or not, slings do have another great advantage -- they leave your hands free to do other things. That's definitely a big plus and is a reason why this baby shower gift is highly appreciated.
Top Gift #4: The baby travel pack
Moving around with baby can be a chore -- you have to pack a seemingly endless array of baby stuff even for short outings.
One way to ease this problem is to have one or more baby travel packs handy. What's a travel pack? Essentially, a diaper bag filled with baby necessities. It can include disposable diapers, a small toy or two, bib, complete change of clothes for baby, safety pins, and other supplies.
It's a great advantage if the parents receive more than one travel pack. Then one pack can always be kept ready whenever they want to go. No need to mess around with picking up and stuffing items into a diaper bag at the last minute.
Top gift #5: Car seat
Lots of parents say that a well-designed car seat is a wonderfully useful baby shower gift to receive. In fact, it's useful from the moment they leave hospital with the baby.
There are infant car seats available as well as infant-toddler convertible seats. The former can be used only till the baby is up to 22 pounds or so (typically). While the latter can usually be used till the first birthday.
Both are great baby shower gifts specially designed for the baby on the move!
Make sure these top five baby shower gifts are part of the event you're hosting. The guest of honor will end up thanking you long after the party gets over!
About the Author
Jessika Ryder is a successful business writer and party enthusiast providing valuable information on baby showers. Her numerous articles provide tips on baby shower invitations, gifts, party planning and other aspects of these celebrations.
MORE RESOURCES:
The Web DailyFreeman.com Kingston Daily Freeman 9:30 am Baby/Toddler Playgroup, for ages infant to 5 years old, Athens Cultural Center, 24 Second St., Athens. Children must be accompanied by a parent, ... |
Baby Bear Hugs names 2010 sweetest baby-toddler winners Holyoke Enterprise Aria Ann Brunick, Claire Hubbard and Bryson David Burnett were named the winners of the 2010 Baby Bear Hugs Sweetest Baby-Toddler Contest. ... |
 Momlogic.com | Skinny Jeans for Toddlers: Would Ya? Momlogic.com Here's the latest skinny on baby/toddler fashion trends: skinny jeans! Yes, before kids are even potty-trained, they can still be on the cutting edge of a ... |
Warm up on cool days Calgary Herald A surefire way to bring smiles to everyone is to see a baby, toddler or young child dressed in a cute and charming hand-knit outfit. ... |
Revolution Foods and Plum Organics Partner With Kia Motors Presents YO GABBA ... MarketWatch (press release) LDBRAIN Entertainment EMERYVILLE, Calif., Aug 24, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The Nest Collective, home of leading baby, toddler and kids food brands, ... |
The Mother of All parentcentral.ca (blog) ... The Mother of All Parenting Books, Sleep Solutions for Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler, Mealtime Solutions for Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler, ... |
Miss America Brands Launches New Apparel Website Business Wire (press release) Developed by Miss America Brands, the recently launched website offers t-shirts, hoodies and accessories in baby/toddler, kids, juniors and adult sizes. ... |
 Times of Malta | First playground up to MSA standards inaugurated at Munxar Times of Malta Out of 3 baby/toddler swings one is missing. Another structure were kids can climb on is very shakey, to say the least as we are expecting to fall over any ... |
Essentials Lists Kiddicare Confused about what you need to buy for your baby, toddler or pre-schooler? When you're getting kit for your kids, its often hard to know what's an ... |
Wardle Village Church Rochdale Online Mother and Baby/Toddler group meet every Monday and Wednesday 9.30am- Noon upstairs with Surestart invited to come for songs and activities. ... |
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