Gentlemen, baby showers are not just for the ladies. I admit I did put up resistance to go the first time the Pretty Lady and I was invited to a couple’s baby shower. Since then I’ve attended several and I’ve found them to be really fun. Author Jenny Wadlow gives some excellent ideas for baby shower gifts so you’ll know what to get when you are invited to one.
Baby showers can be wonderful celebrations to share with friends who are going to be welcoming a new member of the family into the world. As celebrations go baby showers are becoming more and more popular. It is customary to bring a gift for the expectant mother or her new baby. This can be tricky for a number of reasons.
First, you may not know if it is going to be a boy or a girl. This will make it hard to choose gifts like baby clothes. Also, if there isn’t a gift registry you may not know what she has already bought or what other guests might bring.
This can make buying something unique that will be useful or special to your friend and her baby tough. Here are some ideas that might help you pick something cool for your friend or her new arrival.
Baby Bath Toys
Bathing a new baby is a great bonding experience. While a newborn may not really appreciate a cute bath toy to play with, it will brighten up your friend’s experience. It will also be great for him or her to play with as they grow up.
It is also something not everybody thinks of right away, unlike rattles or other baby toys, so you are unlikely to end up buying a duplicate of somebody else’s gift or something your friend will have more of than she knows what to do with (as many new mothers find with the mountain of stuffed animals they are given!).
Organic Baby Clothes
While baby clothes are always a favorite at showers, what is fairly new on the market is the selection of baby clothes made from organic cotton. This is kind to the baby’s skin, kind to the environment and easy to wash and look after. Organic cotton baby clothes is usually of very good quality which is sure to be appreciated.
It is also good for keeping the baby cool in warm weather, so it’s a good idea for summer newborns. There are so many styles available that finding something cool should be easy, even if you are buying unisex clothes for a baby whose gender you don’t know yet.
Toys with a Personal Connection
Is there a cartoon character or animal that reminds you of a special story with your friend? Or something you know she really liked as a child? If so, this can be a good theme for a stuffed animal, rattle or mobile.
It helps if it relates to an inside joke or adventure between you (perhaps you spent a whole morning watching Spongebob Squarepants in college, or you share a funny story involving horse riding). If it is simply that you know she has a thing about pandas or she collects anything to do with bears, then chances are other people will have the same idea and she’ll end up with hundreds of gifts on the same theme!
Another option is to forgo the baby gifts altogether on the basis she will already get lots of them and buy something for her. Consider treats she may have missed out on while she was pregnant, or even some fitness gear if you know she is desperate to get back into her old jeans after the baby comes! Anything that pampers her will be appreciated while all the other attention is focused on the baby!
This guest post is authored by Jenny Wadlow. She is a freelance blogger who works at a toy store. She believes the best collection of Sophie the Giraffe toys can be found at the store. She likes to blog about children and toys you can buy for them. You can get in touch with her on Twitter @JennyWadlow.
