Top 10 Baby Shower Gifts Parents Actually Want

Hey everyone! A lot of people in my circle of friends and my close family are either pregnant or have recently had babies. So, I wanted to compile a list of my top 10 favorite ideas to give for baby shower gifts or to add to your baby registry. I’ll also talk about the items that moms do NOT want. Because yes, there are some things parents absolutely don’t want or need.

Also, if you are looking for a place to create a registry, I highly recommend creating your registry through Amazon. Almost any gifts you could ever need can be found there and nearly everyone has Amazon!

Favorite Baby Shower Gifts #10-8

#10 – Boppy Nursing Pillow and Positioner

Boppy pillows are incredibly useful for many different purposes. Even if breastfeeding doesn’t work out or isn’t the plan, they can still be helpful. I used mine to help put against my stomach after my c section which was a lifesaver. It can also be used to help prop baby up for tummy time or practicing to sit. And you can still use it if you decide to bottle feed!

#9 – Diaper Caddy

Diaper caddies are SO handy especially if someone lives in a two story house. When we first had our son, we were living in a house where his bedroom and changing table were upstairs, but we spent most of our time downstairs in the living room. Having a diaper caddy was so useful because then I could just change him wherever we were at the time. They also make a SUPER cute and multi-purpose gift basket for other gifts you may want to give.

#8 – Baby Book

I’m the type of person where I wanted to document EVERYTHING. I wanted every moment to be written down. I wanted to save all of the hospital mementos. There was something so therapeutic to me in tracking my kiddo’s milestones and keeping track of his growth. So, a baby book is always one of my favorite gifts to give, especially for first time parents. I have our son’s baby book practically all the way filled out! But just look at how precious this darling gender neutral one is.

Favorite Baby Shower Gifts #7-5

#7 – A Pre-made Meal Service Subscription or Food Delivery Gift Card

After having a baby, parents are EXHAUSTED. One of the best baby shower gifts that you can give is a subscription to a pre-made meal service such as Home Chef’s Oven Ready Meals. Another option would be to give a gift card for a service such as Doordash or Uber Eats. This is incredibly valuable so that your loved ones don’t have to try to cook in addition to healing from giving birth and trying to settle into their new roles as parents.

#6 – Summer Infant: My Bath Seat

This bath seat is incredibly useful for when babies begin to outgrow their infant bath tubs. We used this with our son and I know my sister used it with her kids as well. I highly recommend this as a gift for new parents because most new parents don’t realize just how short of a time those small baby baths last. I love that it suctions to the walls of the big tub too. We felt ours was VERY secure.

#5 – Brica Fold and Go Travel Bassinet

This folding travel bassinet is great for parents who plan to travel with their newborn. I remember when we took our son to California when he was 2 months old, this thing was a LIFE saver. It’s also great to use for naptime to keep baby nearby. Or, you could also use it at the park or out in your backyard. This thing is seriously so handy.

Favorite Baby Shower Gifts #4-3

#4 – Nose Frida

Okay, so I know what you’re thinking. This looks disgusting. And I thought the same thing. I protested this thing for the first two years of our son’s life. Until one day I finally broke down and bought one. This is a game changer. And no, the snot will NEVER reach your end of the tube.

The small bulb syringes can be painful and scary for little ones. Our toddler used to completely fight it. This is the first contraption that my son actually LET me use, though not every time, but still. Progress. Highly, highly recommend it.

#3 – Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail

This diaper pail has been a lifesaver for us. What I really love is that it actually does keep the smell of the diapers contained. You also do not need to buy special inserts like you do with a Diaper Genie or other diaper pails. We have used the one we received at our own baby shower since our son was a newborn.

Favorite Baby Shower Gifts: #2-1

#2 – Magic Merlin Sleep Suit

This sleep suit was a lifesaver for us. Our now two-year-old learned how to roll to his stomach at 2 months on the dot. I was a nervous wreck, so we bought this sleep suit to keep him on his back. Not only did it do that for a few more months, but it helped minimize his startle reflex. He slept amazingly while using these. We used to call them our Marshmallow Man suits because our baby literally looked like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, haha!

#1 – Hatch Rest+ Baby Sound Machine

This sound machine and night light combo was SUCH a huge help. What’s really cool about this is that you can control it from your phone. You can also set timed preset modes so that for example, at bedtime you use a lullaby with a red light. Or maybe in the morning, you set it to a green light with the sound of birds chirping. With the hatch light plus, you can also hear your child and talk to them! Such a handy device.

Now let’s talk about the gifts that parents don’t want or need.

The Gifts Parents Don’t Need or Want

Let me start by saying that parents are thankful for any and every gift they receive. But, most expecting parents create a baby registry. They put time and energy and a lot of thought into picking the items they really want and need. I HIGHLY recommend that you buy baby shower gifts from the baby registry if the expecting parents have one. I know that it’s absolutely the thought that counts, but take into account the thought and time that went into creating the registry too. And for the love of Pete, if they say they don’t need baby clothes, do not buy them more baby clothes. That being said, let’s get started.

#1 – Baby Clothes

Most of the time, parents do NOT need more baby clothes for their baby shower. I know that the teeny tiny clothes are irresistible. But especially if parents have said they do not need baby clothes, please listen. Sometimes parents have a particular style of clothes they prefer and sometimes they simply do not have more space. Regardless of the reason, please respect parents’ wishes. The exception to this is if they have added specific outfits they want to their baby registry or if they have said they’re short on baby clothes.

And while we’re on the subject, stop buying baby clothes that have gross sayings on them like “Sorry boys, Daddy says I can’t date until I’m 30.” or “Lock up your daughters” or anything similar. Ew.

#2 – Bottle Warmers

Bottle warmers are pretty unnecessary. You can just as easily use a bowl of hot water to heat bottles. If you’re using formula, you’re supposed to make bottles with boiling water and let them cool anyway. I just recently learned this myself, but this is because formula itself is not sterile and can contain bacteria. Boiling the water kills the bacteria that may be present in the formula. Our kiddo didn’t mind cold bottles though either.

#3 – Wipe Warmers

Wipe warmers are even more useless than bottle warmers. Kids can deal with cold wipes. They’ll live, I promise. And if you’re concerned, rub the wipe between your hands for a couple seconds to warm it up.

#4 – Bedding Sets

I know, I know. The cute little bed in a bag sets are darling. We had one too when our son was a newborn. But, often it is MUCH cheaper to buy a cute baby blanket, a sheet, and maybe a crib skirt separately, which is what we’ll be doing next time. Babies aren’t supposed to sleep with more than a swaddle blanket and a fitted sheet for a LONG time anyway. The quilted comforter that comes in those sets are just for decoration, and if the set you’re looking at comes with a crib bumper? RUN. Super unsafe.

#5 – Baby Food Processor

Unless you know the parents plan to make all of their baby food from scratch, this is pretty useless. These baby food processors just take up a ton of space and honestly, even if you do plan to make your own baby food, a blender or regular food processor work just fine. We had a baby food processor too and I think I used it maybe three times.

In Conclusion

These gifts are ones that we found highly useful when our son was a newborn, and some of them we still use to this day! Make sure you add these items to your baby registry. If you don’t have one, Amazon’s registry system is great! And if you’re shopping for expecting parents, make sure you buy off of their baby registry (or at the very least include a gift receipt.)

What were your favorite baby shower gifts? Which ones do you wish you never would have received? Spill the beans in the comments! If you found this post helpful and want to see more like it, make sure you subscribe to Growing Up Garlicky and check out the many posts on my Fun and More page. You can also check out any of the posts linked below. Thanks everyone!

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