Newborn Gifts

I just had a c-section about 3 months ago and my suggestion would be something for the mom maybe a spa package that you can put together.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi R.,

I would say picture frame(s), if you are looking for things to give her, a gift certificate to s spa would be a nice gift and for baby diapers, wipes, baby wash and lotion. Since we are getting close to the winter months I would say sleepers 0-3, 6-9 and the same with onesis', and socks but by them bigger like 6-9, they might be big now but in a few weeks they won't be. Also is she doesn't mind the clothes being used you could get her a gift card to Childrens Orchard or something like this. Hope this helps you, W.

Hi R.,

It's totally not glamorous but diapers and other necessities (onesies, burp cloths, baby wash) were the best gifts we got because we went through them so fast! I think the custom made "diaper cakes" are really nice and they usually have things on them like nail clippers, baby comb, etc...
If you decide on any clothing I always buy bigger sizes for new parents. Because they don't have the luxury of hand-me-downs so once the baby outgrows all the newborn stuff then parents have to go buy a wardrobe (again and again!)
Even more un-glamorous but TOTALLY useful was when a friend gave us a $50 Wal-mart gift card. We used the whole thing to stock up on diapers and boy was that nice!
Something cool my brother got us was a clay hand/foot impression kit. It was special and unique, although we forgot to do it when my daughter was a newborn so it's her foot impression at 8 months! :)

~B.

Lots of good ideas here (really stuff like Desitin,Motrin,Diapers, Wipes etc. are great so you don't have to get up and go in the middle of the night.) I got a great gift set from my MIL that was a personalized piggy bank, a tooth fairy box and a first "curl" keeper. If you know if it's a boy or girl and or name etc. it makes it a lot easier or if she's like like me and didn't find out she'll just get more personalized stuff later. Another idea is wall art or decor for the nursery. I painted and bought/registered for cute linens, lamps etc. and when I got it all in there I realized the walls were bare! A gift certificate to a portrait studio? Just some ideas...Good luck!!

Hi R.,

I sell Discovery Toys and I am making up gift baskets for baby gifts. I am also looking into making diaper cakes like the one mentioned in another post. You pick how much you want to spend and I can make you a wonderful gift that is unique, needed, used and very appreciated! :)

F. Buffon
www.discoverytoyslink.com/F.

Besides my all-time favorite baby gift (The Baby Book by Dr. William Sears-- absolute MUST-have!) I think the best gift is a prepared or mostly prepared meal. After we had our first baby, my sister-in-law made a huge batch of tuna & noodles. It was SO nice to have a warm meal! New parenthood throws you for such a loop that it's definitely a luxury to have a meal that is all ready to go, and you can acutally eat it while it's WARM!

I like the following recipe because it's so easy and you can freeze most of the ingredients to have on hand when you need a spur of the moment dinner. You can slice the chicken, onion & peppers and give them to your friend frozen in ziplocs. She doesn't even need to defrost them before throwing into the skillet (though puting the ziplocs in the microwave for a few seconds first will speed things along). Include a jar of salsa, box of instant (whole grain!) rice, package of tortillas, & bag of shredded mexican cheese (which can also be frozen-- don't defrost cheese before using) and she's got at least two meals there. She can eat it with rice the first time and tortillas the second, and it seems like a whole new meal:

SALSA CHICKEN

slice into strips:
1 lb chicken breast(grocery store deli will slice for you)
2 bell peppers (green and/or colored)
1 medium onion

Heat 2 tbsp oil in deep skillet (you'll need a lid later). Sautee chicken, peppers & onion until chicken is cooked through

add (14-16 oz) jar of salsa (cheap is fine-- I'd try mild first)

simmer, covered, 10 minutes

sprinkle with shredded mexican cheese & allow to melt. Serve over rice or on tortillas.

Variations: I also like to add corn (frozen or canned) or black beans when I add the salsa.

R., You can get her a diaper wreath or a diaper cake. And i make both of those. You may check out two pics of mine at www.flickr.com/photos/kates_craft_corner. Please let me know, as it takes a day to create!!

If you think the Mom has everything she needs, I have done a "what you want after the baby" basket for Mom. Very few people think about the Moms (and how many oneies can you have). Depending on how well you know her - I would get her a pair of jeans that's in her regular size, a bottle of wine, and a gift certificate for a massage or pedicure

As some have said, they grow fast! I have a 10 month old that never even used the 0-3 month onesies & etc. If you go for clothes get 6mth plus. And nothing to fancy as I have stuff still on hangers that was just too nice to put on a baby that spits up or has a blow out.

But honestly, diapers are GREAT! I would suggest getting a couple packs of off brands or brand name so that the mom can find ones she likes. People tend to glam on to the name brands (yes Pampers are great but $$) but I have found that Parents Choice at Wal-Mart are my favorites next to the name brands (I have tried alot!)

But if you don't go that route, getting something for the mom would be nice and different. She might enjoy a GC to her favorite clothes store to buy something fresh and smaller.

A friend of mine just had her third baby boy. I knew she had all the baby boy stuff she needed, so I came up with something different. She is really into scrapbooking, but doesn't like to buy much stuff because it is really expensive...so I got her the typical diapers and wipes, but then added a little basket of "Baby boy" scrapbooking supplies...stamps, die cuts, paper, etc. She said it was one of the best gifts she received. I figured that mom needed something more than baby.

If you can arrange several of her friends to provide dinner for a week after she gets home from the hospital. My church family did that for us during our move and it was better than any gift they could have bought. Each evening around dinner time, the doorbell rang and there was one of my friends with a complete dinner. They stayed just long enough to say Hello and then left again. What a wonderful relief that I didn't have to cook!

I had a friend of mine give me a "Tooth Fairy Box" as a gift. I thought that was very unique and really like it.

I think some of the best gifts I received was for when the baby gets older. They grow up so fast, you don't think about the stuff the need when they get past six months or so.

I had received some books geared for older kids, my five year old son, loves those books. They came is very handy.

Sorry, but after 3 children, there is no better gift than the gift of a dinner being brought to me and my family! Throw in a $10 gift card to target or Toys R Us. Perfect size and color every time.

I just found this gift for a friend of mine, but I really wish I had it for my baby 10 months ago. Another friend and I deliverd 2 weeks apart and we both found later that we ended up doing spreadsheets trying to remember when we changed the baby last, how often they were eating, etc. So I found this Baby tracker journal at www.timetoo.com, in which the new mom can quickly and easily keep track of the day.

Burt's Bees has a little baby gift set that I always get my friends when they have babies. It comes with a travel lotion, baby oil, tooth paste, soad, bubble bath, a comb and diaper rash cream. They also have baby perfume that smells so wonderful! I got these things when I had my daughter and fell in love with all and have passed it on since. You can buy them at most targets.
Good luck!

when my girls were born a friend gave each of them a savings bond. I thought it was a neat idea and something they can use someday when they are ready to go to college. The bond has enough years to mature that it will actually be doubly mature. You can buy them through your local bank. Initially my friend just made up a certificate and then after I had the SS# she got the actually bond.

I had a C-section and one of the best gifts I got, other than the traditional, was a gift certificate for a pedicure! It was awesome because I had gotten lots of things for the baby and nothing really for me, so it was a nice treat. And a couple weeks after having the baby it was nice to take an hour and go out by myself. Just a thought.
Megh

If the baby is a boy I know of a very cute and funny gift. It is called a Pee Pee Tee Pee. It is just a little piece of clothe that is cone shaped, and is for diaper changing time. I got one in Springfield, but I'm sure they are on line. Anyway, if you can make it out to a little privately own baby shop in your area, I bet you can find something really neat.

If this is her first, well keep in mind that she has no idea how many diapers she is about to go through. One of the best gifts I got with my first was a basket of the basics; baby lotion, baby wash, diaper creme, diapers, and you get the picture. It was nice to get these thing from another mother who knew what I was in for.

Amen for diapers! (Babies don't care about gifts but they do care about something covering their bum!)

one of the best things i got for my third baby was a "SwaddleMe" blanket. it was awesome, all babies love to be swaddled and this blanket makes it so easy to do. you can get them at Babies R Us for around 10 bucks.

My babies are c-section babies and because you spend so much time laying in that hospital bed, often with visitors, it's great to have a pedicure done the day before - plus, takes your mind off things :)

I know that's not really for the baby though! They have all those fun books on games or ideas for playing with a new baby, too - I like to give those as gifts as well. Gymboree has a great one.

Good luck to your friend!

I found the cutest little socks at a store called Maddy and Me in the Prairie Village shops. They look like little shoes and are made for newborns. As a special treat for Mom, take her some Christopher Elbow chocolates. They are out of this world!! You can get them at Foo's Frozen Custard in Brookside or at Ranchmart (95th and Mission) or you can google it and find out where to buy it. I know he's got his own place downtown, but I've never been there.

Hi R.,

I was thinking that one of those plaster kits in where mom can get the baby's first prints of foot and hand would be nice, we usually don't do it until they are older, and regret it later....

You can also get some baby Einsteins CD's with great music.

And the best...get her dinner ready for the day she returns home, I did that with my friend and she still talks to everybody about it on how much help it was!

Or a baby's first piggy bank with some money on it.

Hope it helps...

M. Abadie
www.MyKidsFirst.com

A gift certificate for baby photos! :)
~K.

www.only-young-once.com

I had three c-sections and one thing I loved was the boppy pillow.It is for Mom and baby.It is helpful to keep the pressure off your belly when you hold the baby or breastfeed.Then when baby gets older you can prop them up in it to learn to sit.