After two babies, two baby showers, and attending several baby showers for friends, I’ve come across many very useful items that any mother would love to have for her new little one.
Since my blog’s tagline is Intentional Living for Real Families on Real Budgets, I couldn’t give you any ideas that would break the bank! So each idea below is $25 or less. I think you should find something that fits into even the tightest of budgets.
These are all items that we own and love. I recommend these items to family and close friends often. If you are expecting a baby soon or heading out to a baby shower for a friend, then you may just find a few ideas (or 10!) that you can add to your list!
1. Wet Bag
Whether the mom-to-be plans to cloth diaper or not, I think wet bags are a great gift idea. Not only are they perfect for cloth diapering on the go, but they are also very practical for many other uses. They can be used to store dirty disposable diapers when out and about with no trashcan around. They can be used when potty training to store accident messes. They can be used when taking young kids to the pool to store wet swim suits after swimming. As my children grow, I continue to discover new uses for these simple bags! I have several and use them all.
I recommend the Planet Wise wet bags. They come in multiple sizes and range in price from $9-$39 depending on the size of bag you get, with $20 being a very average price for a great medium size bag. They are machine washable (I’ve washed them in both cold and hot water with great success both ways) and I hang mine to dry to extend their longevity.
These bags are great for kids of all ages and will get a ton of use by moms over the years.
2. Nosefrida
If you have allergies that run in the family, take my advice and don’t have a baby without one of these. Yes, they are a little odd. And in the beginning I thought they were slightly gross. However, if you consider all of the germs that are growing inside those nasty bulb syringes, you will probably reconsider.
The Nosefrida has a filter and is easily washable and can be disinfected. We use ours multiple times each week with our baby. They run around $15 on Amazon and I think are worth every penny!
3. Sound Machine
We didn’t have a sound machine with our first and instead wore out two small portable fans that we used as white noise. When we got pregnant with our second, I added an affordable sound machine to our registry. When we received it, I was excited. However, I didn’t realize how awesome this little invention was until our baby was actually here.
Even though our sound machine is very basic, it has several different sounds, a volume button, and a timer. It provides a soft soothing noise when my baby sleeps and covers all of the other noises taking place in our house when he is sleeping (AKA his 4 year old brother).
You can find a sound machine on Amazon for $15-$20.
4. The Mommy Hook
My mom actually bought this for me on a whim during a trip to Target with me and my then 2 week old Caleb. I was going stir crazy, she was visiting, and it was 100+ degrees outside so to Target we went! I thought the Mommy Hook looked pretty practical and she offered to buy it for me and I’m so glad she did! I use it every single time I pull out our stroller! It’s so useful for so many things from my purse to my diaper bag to using as a toddler handle grip when walking on the street with Caleb. Plus, it’s only $5-$6! You can’t beat that!
5. Swaddle Blankets
These blankets are so multi-purpose! I have one in my diaper bag at all times. They seriously can be used for just about anything. A few of my favorite uses for swaddle blankets include:
- nursing covers
- clean place to change a diaper in public
- lightweight blanket on a chilly day
- swaddling newborns to sleep
- a carseat cover on a sunny day
- a burp rag
The list could go on and on. These blankets can range in price greatly depending on which brand you purchase. I’ve used several different brands and have not really noticed too big of a difference between them. For most of the ones I own, the more you wash them the softer they become. I would recommend every mom to have at least a couple of these!
6. Diapers
Obviously you will need diapers. They are probably the most practical gift you could give to a mom-to-be. I always recommend taping a gift receipt to your diaper packages. You never know if baby may be sensitive to a certain brand of diapers. Plus, the mom-to-be could receive several diapers in a specific size and need to exchange some of them for a different size.
If you know that the mom-to-be is going to use cloth diapers, you could ask her what brand(s) she plans to use and purchase her a couple for her baby shower. Cloth diapers range in price from ~$5-$25+ per diaper with many averaging in the $15 range. Cloth diapers are much more economical in the long run, but can be a pretty big upfront investment. This would make cloth diapers a very practical gift for a baby shower of a cloth diapering mom.
7. Baby Wipes
I think every mom would appreciate a box of baby wipes. This one is pretty self-explanatory. Babies are messy. Baby wipes help to solve this problem. Moms can go through them quickly so purchasing a box with several packs would be ideal.
Note: I would also attach a gift receipt to baby wipes because of possibility of allergies to certain brands.
8. Links
We use these pretty much every day. They are awesome at connecting baby toys to car seats, high chairs, exersaucers, jumpers, or any other place where you have your baby sitting. If you don’t know this already, babies like to throw toys on the floor over and over and over again. By attaching the toys to a strap where baby is sitting, the toy can’t go too far. These links will save any mom’s sanity! And at less than $5, they will fit into any budget.
9. Board Books
I love board books for little ones! As a former teacher, I almost always add a small board book into all the baby gifts that I give at showers. Growing a child’s book collection is invaluable.
Board books are so much more durable and often times have a shortened storyline for younger children’s attention span. They are usually pretty affordable (between $5 and $10) and can be a great little addition to any gift!
10. Anything Off the Baby Registry!
If you don’t like any of the ideas above or haven’t received ideas from the mom-to-be, make sure to buy off of her registry if she has one. Mom’s usually put a lot of time and effort into researching items for their baby registries. They pick items that they think they want and will use. This is really the best place to find practical gifts for any new mom.
Additionally, if you buy an item off the registry or at a big box store (Target, Walmart, Babies R Us, etc.), make sure to include a gift receipt! Often times, moms-to-be receive multiples of the same item and need to return the extras. It makes it SO MUCH EASIER if a gift receipt is included with the gift! Not only does it make it easier for a return or exchange to be made, but she also know where to return it.
What’s your go-to gift for moms-to-be?