Ask first time parents-to-be what baby shower gifts they would like to receive. Watch their response -- you'll quite likely see a look of real confusion on their faces! Or maybe they'll come up with a stock answer like "diapers" or something similar.
Exactly what a new arrival needs is not obvious to someone who's never had a baby before. And many times, guests are in no better position either, when it comes to deciding on baby shower gifts.
Of course, there's a lot more to baby showers than just gifts. But helping parents to stock up for the new arrival is an important part of these celebrations.
That's why the following list of top five baby shower gifts can be quite useful.
Top gift #1: Monitors
Monitors are excellent anxiety-busters, especially for first-time parents. That's why they hold the No.1 position on this list.
Once they can listen to the baby from anywhere in the house, parents find their confidence levels zooming. The latest monitors are very sensitive and can pick up the slightest sound from baby, even her breathing.
If your budget allows for it, take it one step further and buy a video monitor. That'll really ease anxiety. However, they are much more expensive, so perhaps this can be a joint baby shower gift from two or more guests.
Top Gift #2: Playtime mate for baby
Babies love to play. Anything that helps them play and be active not only keeps them engaged, but also stimulates all round development.
One of the best products for them is an activity gym or playpen. This is a soft cloth mat surrounded by a baby-friendly structure of bars and arches with many different toys suspended from various points. Baby gets to play in a safe environment.
Basic activity gyms are excellent baby shower gifts. There are also more advanced ones that include noisemakers and a variety of toys. The suspended objects have different colors and textures to help develop baby's cognitive abilities.
There are also excellent portable gyms and playpens available to help parents move around with baby. These are lightweight and designed to be easy to carry around.
Top Gift #3: Baby sling
Most babies love being carried around in a sling. It's the next best thing to being cuddled in mom's arms. Many parents have had the experience where babies get restless and cry while they use other types of carriers, but immediately calm down when put into a sling.
Baby slings are believed to foster a closer parent-child bond. Whether that's true or not, slings do have another great advantage -- they leave your hands free to do other things. That's definitely a big plus and is a reason why this baby shower gift is highly appreciated.
Top Gift #4: The baby travel pack
Moving around with baby can be a chore -- you have to pack a seemingly endless array of baby stuff even for short outings.
One way to ease this problem is to have one or more baby travel packs handy. What's a travel pack? Essentially, a diaper bag filled with baby necessities. It can include disposable diapers, a small toy or two, bib, complete change of clothes for baby, safety pins, and other supplies.
It's a great advantage if the parents receive more than one travel pack. Then one pack can always be kept ready whenever they want to go. No need to mess around with picking up and stuffing items into a diaper bag at the last minute.
Top gift #5: Car seat
Lots of parents say that a well-designed car seat is a wonderfully useful baby shower gift to receive. In fact, it's useful from the moment they leave hospital with the baby.
There are infant car seats available as well as infant-toddler convertible seats. The former can be used only till the baby is up to 22 pounds or so (typically). While the latter can usually be used till the first birthday.
Both are great baby shower gifts specially designed for the baby on the move!
Make sure these top five baby shower gifts are part of the event you're hosting. The guest of honor will end up thanking you long after the party gets over!
About the Author
Jessika Ryder is a successful business writer and party enthusiast providing valuable information on baby showers. Her numerous articles provide tips on baby shower invitations, gifts, party planning and other aspects of these celebrations.
![]() Google News Updated : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 06:55:22 GMT Argentine Lower House Passes Grain Export-Tax Plan (Update3) - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By Eliana Raszewski July 5 (Bloomberg) -- Argentina's lower house of congress approved the government's plan to increase taxes on exports of grains and oilseeds, risking a resumption of three months of strikes by farmers. Export Tax That Angers Farmers Advances in Argentina Argentina lawmakers approve farm export tax hike Publ.Date : Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:41:30 GMT Analysis: McCain struggles to regain footing - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - WASHINGTON (AP) - John McCain calls himself an underdog. That may be an understatement. The GOP presidential candidate trails Democrat Barack Obama in polls, organization and money while trying to succeed a deeply unpopular fellow Republican in a year ... Rural voters lean to the GOP Neither Obama nor McCain meets Energy Party standard Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 04:40:55 GMT McCain Battles a Nemesis, the Teleprompter - New York Times
New York Times - Mary Altaffer/AP By MARK LEIBOVICH LAS VEGAS —Senator John McCain was performing relatively smoothly as he unveiled his energy plan. McCain Campaign, in Relaunch, Seeks Tighter Message Focus McCain Campaign on Obama and Iraq Publ.Date : Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:31:52 GMT Obama "puzzled" by Iraq comment frenzy - Reuters
Reuters - By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Saturday his plan to end the Iraq war was unchanged and he was puzzled by the sharp reaction to his statement this week that he ... Obama struggles to thread needle on Iraq Obama Refines the Blame on Iraq Miscue Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:08:23 GMT Ore. man completes flight of fancy _ in lawn chair - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - CAMBRIDGE, Idaho (AP) - Using his trusty BB gun to help him return to Earth, a 48-year-old gas station owner flew a lawn chair rigged with helium-filled balloons more than 200 miles across the Oregon desert Saturday, landing in a field in Idaho. Video: Ore. Man Uses Balloons and a Lawn Chair to Fly Believe it or not, he's lounging on air Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:50:31 GMT Hippie Arrests Draw ACLU’s Attention - New York Times
New York Times - By AP CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - The American Civil Liberties Union said on Saturday that it would investigate the actions of federal officers who had arrested five members of the Rainbow Family in western Wyoming during the group’s annual gathering. ACLU plans to investigate Rainbow Family treatment ACLU to investigate Rainbow Family treatment Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:40:38 GMT Smallest planet shrinks in size - BBC News
BBC News - The smallest planet in the Solar System has become even smaller, studies by the Messenger spacecraft have shown. Data from a flyby of Mercury in January 2008 show the planet has contracted by more than one mile (1.5km) in diameter over its history. First Results From Messenger's Mercury Flyby Mercury is shrinking, NASA craft finds; a cool clue: 'lobate scarps' Publ.Date : Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:45:26 GMT More Web Site Traffic |
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