Practical Gift Baskets for New Mothers

Before having my own children, I used to put together cute baskets for the Mom-To-Be. These baskets would contain small useful items, such as pacifiers, bibs, one-piece t-shirts, rattles, teething rings, baby powder, and other very practical items. Of course, after having my own children, I realized that about half of the items I used to put in baby gift baskets were probably useless. Knowing that, today's gift basket would likely contain the following items:

Diapers and Wipes
Yes, this seems like something that is so practical that it shouldn't be given as a gift. However, I did not have to buy diapers or wipes for my daughter until she was about 6 weeks old. This was a wonderful gift that I still remember now that diapers are a thing of the past for me - at least I hope they are!
Stick with unscented or hypo-allergenic wipes, and ask other mothers what brand of diapers they liked best. Don't buy newborn or size 1 diapers, as they are quickly outgrown.

Clothing - Bigger is Better
All of a sudden, the newborn and 3 month clothing doesn't fit anymore. It's great to have some bigger clothes for the day you discover your baby has nothing to wear. Some 6 and 9 month clothing is great! One-piece t-shirts and footed pajamas are most practical since babies tend to live in those type of outfits for the first few weeks or even months. As a general rule, the more snaps, the better. Clothing that the baby can be laid on and then snapped is much easier to get into than a shirt that has to be pulled over an infant's head. Don't be tempted by cute dressy baby clothes. They won't get worn much and can be costly. You can never go wrong with a gift card to any store that sells baby clothes.

Books and CDs
Board and cloth books are nice basket gifts. They will grow along with baby and take a lot of drool. My children still enjoy a few of the books I read to them when they were babies. "Pat the Bunny" and "Good Night Gorilla" were favorites in my own household. Instrumental CDs never get old, either. Baby Einstein or classical CDs by composers such as Debussy and Chopin are soothing suggestions.

For mom, don't forget the "What to Expect" books or any similar titles. Subscriptions to magazines like, "Parenting" or "Working Mother" are also good gifts. There is a wealth of information in these resources.

Crib Sheets and Vinyl Mattress Pads
Sometimes there's no telling how many of these you will use in a week. The vinyl pad, if it's not a fitted sheet, will be useful for years! I am still using one on my 4-year-old's bed.

Meals and Cleaning
Gift certificates for local takeout restaurants, home-cooked meals (I remember getting a whole lasagna from a friend) and some housekeeping, whether from a service or from a friend are always appreciated. A homemade coupon good for some everyday chores is an inexpensive, memorable, and valuable gift!

Health and Safety Items
Safety devices that keep the little one out of the cabinets and electrical outlets are great, and there never seems to be enough outlet covers! Baby thermometers, especially ones for ears of forehead are nice.

These suggestions make excellent gifts for a new mother to be. It will be highly unlikely that there will be duplicate gifts that can't be used. Most of the items are relatively inexpensive and readily available. Putting together a personalized basket of care with some of these items is easy on the pocketbook, very thoughtful, and extremely practical.