Guide to Gift Shopping for a Gender Neutral Baby

Don't you love looking through the aisles of pink and blue in the baby section of a store? The little pink dresses for the girls and the blue polo shirts for the boys are too adorable. But, what do you do if you're looking for something for a baby whose gender is to remain a surprise? I was recently invited to a baby shower whose parents wanted to wait to find out what they were having until the big moment. I found myself at a loss of what to buy for this new bundle of joy. If you're lucky, then the parents went with a registry to make your selections easy. If not, here's a guide of some great ideas for a gender neutral gift.

If you absolutely have to buy clothing you can always go with yellow or green outfits that will match either a boy or girl. A pack of onesies will never go to waste in a household with a new baby. There are also plenty of funny shirts that will work for a baby. I bought one for a friend that said "iPee" instead of iPod. You can find these all over the Internet and E-bay usually has decently priced new ones.

If you want to stray away from clothes then there are plenty of items a new mom will need that you can buy as a gift. You can never, never go wrong with diapers and wipes. First check to see which brand of wipes the mom to be plans to use as doctors now recommend you stick with the same brand and type. A package of diapers will never be turned away.

Every new mom will need a good diaper bag. Target carries durable diaper bags in a variety of colors. Make sure to buy one with plenty of pockets and compartments. With all the extra stuff a mom ends up carrying, it's nice to have it partially organized!

I found that a mom always needed extra washcloths and towels. There never seems to be any around when there's a few going through the wash. It's one of those things that is helpful but many people forget about asking for. Towels and washcloths are easy to buy as the colors don't really matter for a boy or girl, how many people are going to see them?

Blankets and other linens are another easy choice. You can buy blankets in a variety of neutral colors like white, yellow and green. A mom can never have too many blankets, we stash them everywhere. You can also buy extra fitted sheets for the baby's crib. A pack of white fitted sheets would match anything the mom decided to decorate with.

Toys are another safe choice. I love the Baby Einstein toys. They're fun for the baby and also help with learning. Something I found particularly helpful was a mirror/game combo that hung on the back of a seat in the car to entertain my baby. Baby Einstein makes a great one of these that teaches them colors in different languages and plays songs. Read the packages and follow the age guidelines, they're made for the specific ages for a reason. Bath toys too are a good choice, what toddler doesn't love to play in the tub?

Hopefully these will help and remember, if all else fails, go with a gift certificate!