A New Take on Baby Shower GiftsWhenever I’m invited to a wedding shower, I purchase a gift straight off the registry. But when I’m invited to a baby shower, chances are good that I’ll never even peek at the expectant mom’s wish list. After all, she’s probably going to get that $800-Bugaboo and that useless wipes warmer whether I get it for her or not. But, as a seasoned mom, I know of a few sanity-saving items that she’s not going to read about in What to Expect When You’re Expecting. They’re mundane items that the mom-to-be usually stares at blankly when she opens them but will appreciate in the long run:

Bumkins bibs. These are the only bibs I could find that are waterproof but not stiff and can be washed in the sink (drying quickly) or the washing machine. They never stain or stink, and they have that handy catch-all pocket at the bottom. They’re also lead-, PVC-, phthalate- and vinyl-free. They come in a 3-pack from vendors like diapers.com, which can ship them to you within 48 hours.

Bibsters. When she’s rushing out the door with a baby who recently started on solids, she’ll be glad you gave her these disposable bibs that she can take along with her–and then throw away so she doesn’t have to stick a green bean puree-encrusted bib back in her diaper bag to take home.

First Years Take & Toss Spill-Proof Cups. Along the same lines as the Bibsters, these cups are disposable, but, unlike the Bibsters, can be used again and again (they’re even dishwasher safe). They’re also spill proof without the use of a valve. Genius!

SwaddleMe. Both my kids needed to be swaddled to sleep as infants. With my firstborn, I used a receiving blanket that kept unraveling. With my second, I discovered the SwaddleMe, which Velcros shut so it never comes undone. It’s even got a leg pouch that unfastens separately, which means you can change baby’s diaper without unswaddling the whole thing.

Halo SleepSack. The idea of putting baby to sleep without a blanket seems odd to most new parents, but experts have recommended doing so for decades in order to reduce the risk of SIDS. Make the concept easier for the new mom in your life by providing her with this wearable blanket. Both my kids slept in SleepSacks until they were about two years old (really!), when they finally outgrew them.

These are the items I couldn’t live without as a new mom, so I just get some tissue paper and a nice gift bag and pop all or some of them inside. I’m sure you have your own list of mundane baby products you couldn’t live without. So for your next baby shower, why not pass on the wisdom? Watch as the guest of honor tries to hide her befuddlement as she opens your gift (while all the guests who have kids nod knowingly). Then get ready for a phone call a few months later from a very happy new(ish) mom.

 

More by NJ Family's Real Moms of NJ Blogger, Renée Sagiv Riebling: