This post is brought to you by Boudreaux’s Butt Paste and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.
When I was pregnant with Shane, I had two baby showers. Justin’s mom and sister threw me a shower for their side of the family, and my mom threw me one for my friends and my side of the family. I had so much fun and loved every minute of it, especially when the time came to open up the presents filled with the softest blankets and the tiniest little baby clothes!
While I loved and appreciated every single gift, I hadn’t registered anywhere and my friends didn’t have kids yet, so they didn’t know what to get me. A lot of them got baby blankets or newborn clothes, which were all so cute and so appreciated- but barely used. While Shane was able to fit into newborn clothes when he was born, he quickly grew out of them, leaving me scrambling to buy bigger clothes while trying to navigate life as a new mom. I had a stack of adorable, soft baby blankets, but ran out of diapers in what felt like a day.
Now that I’ve had two children of my own and baby showers for my friends have become a regular occurance, I realize in hindsight that I should have had a registry! With that said, I’ve also learned that when you’re going to the baby shower of a first-time mom, she may need some items that she didn’t even think to add to her list.
If you are about to attend a baby shower for a new mom, check out these items.- they are things you may not have thought of but that would make great gifts! If you have your eye on a specific gift to give, you can consider just tucking a couple of the smaller items into your gift bag- the mom may not realize how important they are now, but in a few months when her baby has diaper rash, she’ll be so grateful you thought ahead for her. Check out my suggestions before heading to the store!
1. Baby Clothes. I know, I literally just told you not to get these because they’ll grow out of them- but that’s exactly why you should get them. Buy some really cute baby clothes, but in bigger sizes. Everyone will be gifting newborn and maybe 0-3 month clothing, but think ahead and purchase clothing in 6 or 9 month sizes. Babies grow very quickly that first year and I swear, both of my kids just woke up one day three inches longer than the day before and unable to fit into their clothes. Having clothes for the next few sizes is helpful- just be sure to keep the seasons in mind and try to buy appropriately.
2. Anything to help with sleeping. Whether it’s a night light, a comfortable rocking chair, or a projector, getting baby to sleep is a main priority, especially in the first few months.
3. Personal favorites. If you’re a parent or have children in your life, you may have a special book or toy that means a lot to you or that you’ve seen work magic. Over the years I’ve discovered a few of those must-have toys {like our Sophie the Giraffe, which is worth every penny for a teething baby} and some “new classics” in the book department. I try to avoid gifting the actual classics, just in case a family member has a special connection to a specific book, but there are so many great books for babies out there! {We really like the Bear Snores On series and the Baby Einstein books.} If you have knowledge of a book or toy that will make the parents’ job easier, share it!
4. Grooming items. You can buy a grooming kit with things like nail clippers, a baby brush, and the tiniest nail files you’ll ever see. Or, you may opt for tooth and gum cleanser and infant {flouride-free} toothpaste, in order to start healthy habits early. These were things that I didn’t realize I needed with Shane until he started scratching everyone and I realized I’d have to do something about those nails!
5. Gift cards. Not just any gift cards- gift cards for the family’s favorite take-out restaurant or a store where they can buy other necessities for the baby that they didn’t receive at the shower. While I had generous friends who showered us with gifts, I still had a lot of baby stuff to buy- and it added up very quickly. I received some gift cards for stores like Target and Babies R Us and they helped us buy the huge amount of stuff that babies need. The take out is pretty self-explanatory- for awhile, it’s hard to find time to eat, let alone cook. Take some of the burden off and pick up dinner by giving a gift card.
6. Diapers. This goes along with the clothing- buy diapers, but in bigger sizes! Some babies are born so big they skip the Newborn size entirely. Even if that’s not the case, while babies will go through many, many diapers, there’s always the chance that baby will grow out of them before they get used up. Buy diapers in sizes 1 or 2 to help get mom through that first year.
7. Butt Paste. I know, it has a silly name- but this stuff is seriously good. This was one of those things I didn’t know I needed until I had it and it was a major game changer. Zac has always been prone to diaper rash and we tried several kinds of treatments for it. Finally I remembered something I had heard of when Shane was a baby but had never tried because he didn’t really get diaper rash. His diaper rash cleared up faster than I expected and we’ve been using it ever since! {Zac actually knows to ask for it now when his bottom is bothering him!}
There are three varieties of Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, and they all contain safe, simple ingredients. The Original Butt Paste is for mild or moderate rash, Maximum Strength is for stubborn rashes, and the All Natural Butt Paste is the same as the Original, but is made with natural ingredients and is petrolatum free. The Butt Paste formula was developed by a pharmacist and father of four, so it’s paraben-, preservative, and phthalate-free, and contains no artificial fragrances {great for sensitive baby skin}! It starts soothing on contact and clears rashes up fast, so baby will be better in no time.
What would you add to the list?