Best Baby Gifts for New Mothers

"Congratulations!" a crowd of friends and family cheered at me. I heavily pregnant, surrounded by people holding baby shower gifts, and thrilled. In fact, I was lucky enough to have two baby showers: one thrown by work colleagues, and one for family and friends. The women's organization at my church also brought me gifts. I had always given friends baby gifts, but I never realized how appreciated they are until I became a mother. By the time my daughter was born, we had been given a bassinette, a crib, enough clothes to keep her dressed until she was a year and a half old, a baby bath, enough toys to keep a whole nursery full of children occupied, and various other baby accessories! This was a great help to us. Not only did it save our budget, it also gave many of my daughter's belongings sentimental value.

What are the best baby gifts for new mothers?

The type of gifts you give will depend on your financial circumstances, your relationship to the mother, and the mother's situation.

Good gifts for people that you don't know very well (such as work colleagues or members of your church) include:
New baby gifts that are practical, like newborn size diapers, baby wipes, and other toiletries.
Pampering gifts for the new mothers. You can never go wrong with a nice bath set or a bouquet of flowers.
Gift vouchers to stores that sell baby supplies, clothes, etc. This way you can choose how much to spend and you know that the money went towards something needed for the baby.

If you know the mother better, than you will probably want to five a unique or personalized baby gift. These can range from homemade crafts to expensive gifts. A few ideas are:
Make something for the baby. Crochet or quilt a blanket, create a piece of artwork to hang in the nursery, sew an outfit, or gather pictures to make it a family tree. Any gift made with love will always be appreciated.

If you know the baby's gender, then personalize gifts in blue or pink. Even better, if you know the baby's name already, you can get a gift with the baby's name. I have seen paintings, photo frames, toy trains, bedding, and other cute and personal gifts featuring the new baby's name.

Some gifts are better after the baby is born. For example, pay for a professional baby or family portrait. There are companies now that take the baby's fingerprint, and incorporate it into sterling silver jewellery. Hand and feet prints are always cute, and can be done either with plaster sets or with paint. (Hand and feet prints in different color paints on different colored backgrounds can be very cute framed and hung on a nursery wall.)

If you know the sex before the baby is born, you can look for gifts specific to gender.

Unique baby boy gifts include:
Boy clothes. There are now cute clothes for baby boys ranging from miniature soft suits to jean overalls and animal prints. If you buy clothes, don't just buy in newborn size. Babies grow quickly and will soon need clothes in bigger sizes.
Boy toys. Yes, many parents now want their kids to have the same toys regardless of gender. Even so, no one can deny that a little soft teddy bear or an old-fashioned wooden train set is adorable for a little boy.
Picture books. Babies recognize their parents' voices before they are born, and love being read to even as newborns.
If the parents are enthusiasts and/or alumni of a university, consider getting something from there.
If you know the mom's taste well, getting nursery decorations, for example pictures of characters like Thomas the Tank Engine or Winnie the Pooh, can be very sweet.

Unique gifts for baby girls include:
Girl Clothes. Little dresses are absolutely gorgeous, but try to include practical items like socks and onesies with them.
Girl toys. Soft-bodied dolls and stuffed animals can become favorite possessions. My daughter goes to bed every night hugging a pink poodle named Fifi.
Picture books. Every first daughter is a little princess; what could be better than books full of bright pictures and stories about princesses? Musical books are particularly good.
Although it won't be used every day, a unique and special gift for a baby girl is jewellery. My daughter was given a silver bracelet and a gold locket as a newborn. Both are very precious, and when she's grown-up she'll still appreciate them.

Although most gifts are aimed towards the new baby, you can give gifts for the parents as well (dads especially will appreciate this). Parenting books or babysitting vouchers can be perfect for this. Most of all, have fun. Trust your instincts and enjoy looking at all the adorable baby things. Every new mother will appreciate any gift that you give her.