If you’ve never had kids, you can relate to this feeling: You get invited to a friend’s baby shower, march into the pastel-colored baby department of the store, and are immediately overwhelmed by gift choices. Do you buy a toy that the baby won’t be able to enjoy for months? Another little onesie? Let us put your baby shower fears to rest. These are the gifts that expectant parents want you to buy.
Diapers for Other Ages
Newborn diapers are likely the first option that crossed your mind. It also crossed the mind of everyone else going to the shower. But babies don’t stay the same size forever, which means that eventually, they’ll need something other than newborn diapers. By that time, the parents won’t have baby shower diapers. Get some diapers for the future. Expectant parents will appreciate it.
Crib Bedding
For the childless among us, it may be tempting to get a cute baby blanket. But babies don’t use normal blankets until a year in. One gift that expectant parents really want you to buy is bedding made for cribs. If you don’t know anything about choosing crib bedding, don’t despair. Remember to look for tightly fitted bed sheets that are durable and washable. And if you want something to keep the baby warm, look for a swaddling blanket instead.
Sleep Training Devices
Speaking of sleeping, your mom or dad friend is probably hurting for some sleep. While you can’t gift them a few extra hours, you can offer them some support in their effort to get their little one to sleep. Since the womb isn’t perfectly silent, babies often struggle to sleep without some background noise. A white noise machine may help the baby—and your friend—sleep a little easier.
Breastfeeding Essentials
In your quest to buy things for the baby, don’t forget that the parents often need support, too. Especially the moms who are feeding their babies around the clock. A few essentials that a mom-to-be may appreciate include nursing pillows to support the baby’s head, nursing covers, or pumps. When you support moms, you support their babies, too.
