After almost a decade at this motherhood gig (and three rambunctious littles to show for it!) I’ve come up with a few items that I should have included in my baby shower registry some five and 10 years ago. Looking back on that time now, these things would come in handy down the line! It’s very easy to overlook these because we’re all focused on the here and now of welcoming a sweet, tiny infant in the coming months. If you want to give a gift that is guaranteed to NOT be duplicated by anyone else at the shower, check out the list of unique baby shower gifts below!
**Some items are for the infant years and some are great as you transition out of early childhood and into the pre-teen years.**
1. A “Baby Briefcase”
Something that’s completely off of your radar as you prepare for the ultimate PARENTHOOD task is all the papers you’re going to be handed (none of which is an owners manual, regrettably!). So this organizer from Baby Briefcase is the perfect gift to keep all the papers together and keeping the clutter at bay. You can find them at BuyBuy Baby, Nordstrom, and Amazon.
2. 4-in-1 Nursing Cover
Convenience is KEY when you have a new baby. And if you’re the kind of momma who prefers to cover up while nursing, THIS cover from Milk Snob is the one to get. It’s versatile and serves as a car seat cover, high chair cover, shopping cart cover, and nursing cover, all in one. The material is fabulous, too!! You can find them right here in Collin County too(Allen), so YAY for shopping local. They’ve also added a great bundle that make a perfect baby shower gift and include the original Milk Snob® Covers and super-soft Swaddles in select print pairings.
3. Gift Cards for the New Mom
Can you really ever go wrong with gift cards? Consider all that a home goes through when baby arrives. Gift cards for housecleaning services, food delivery, and even a night of babysitting are the most thoughtful things you could get a new mom. My house was a hot mess after each of my little bundles of joy. A housecleaning service made it all better.
4. “Baby’s Sleeping” Doormat
Although everyone loves getting a nice package on their doorstep marked “Amazon” or some beautiful flowers to welcome baby home, the doorbell ringing combined with a sleeping baby is a BIG NO NO. These doormats from Sweet Sienna Designs are the perfect unique baby shower gifts you never thought to give. There have been a few times I’ve gone to photograph newborns at home and there’s a sticky note reminding me to not ring the doorbell. This is way cuter and so thoughtful!
5. Name Labels
Whether you send your sweet cherub to daycare, grandma’s house for the weekend, camp, or off to school, these labels from Mabel’s Labels are going to be the next big things you’re hooked on. They’re extremely durable, laundry-, dishwasher-, and microwave-safe, and they’re 100% guaranteed. They are SUPER cute and one of the perfect unique baby shower gifts you never thought you needed or never thought to give.
6. School Years Picture Frame
One gift I would have loved to receive (especially now that my boys are in elementary school) is this creative photo frame from Stan’s Gifts Handmade . No one prepares you for ALL of the photos your little one get throughout their school career. These creative frames have a spot for each of their school pictures!
7. Tooth Fairy Pillow
Some kids start losing teeth around ages five or six. And sometimes accidents happen and teeth get knocked out around age three! Whatever the case may be, it’s great to be prepared with a cute Tooth Fairy Pillow.
8. Anything Monogrammed
Basically monogrammed EVERRRTHANG. Your baby, toddler, preschooler, school-age kid, pre-teen, teen, etc., will have places to go and people to see. And so will a slew of other littles right along with him/her. Some of the best gifts to give at a baby shower are personalized items. These backpacks, lunchboxes, blankets, beach towels, and more from Pottery Barn Kids and Jon Hart are everything a mom or dad need to make sure they end up with their child’s stuff after a field trip, sleepover, etc. One note: be sure that the baby name is 100% chosen if the shower is before the baby is born!
9. Books For New Siblings
Books will ALWAYS be in style and the perfect gift to give at any occasion. I love to not only give books for the new baby but also something for a big brother or big sister. Acquiring a new sibling can be overwhelming. A great way to make everyone feel special is by gifting big bro/sis something that is just for them during this exciting time. The books from I See Me! are personalized with the big siblings’ name(s).
10. Video Series
“Where do babies come from?” is a question I know A LOT of parents are not fully ready to answer but not long ago a friend of mine introduced me to the wonderfulness of this video series from Birds & Bees by author and speaker Mary Flo Ridley. You never know when these questions are going to be asked and it’s so reassuring to have this great knowledge early on rather than later in the game. This is one of those baby shower gifts you may feel awkward gifting but is such a valuable thing.
I hope this list of unique baby shower gifts is helpful. Let us know in the comments below what gift you plan to give at the next baby shower you attend!
