Top Ten Baby Gift Ideas

If you’re entering the baby gift arena for the first time, you may be overwhelmed with the enormous amount of choices you have to make.

How old is the baby? What size is she? Is this safe for a baby? What age group plays with this toy? It can be a little confusing. But there a few ways you can narrow the search down.

Here is a list of the Top Ten Baby Gifts that every parent will love getting. Let’s assume you’re purchasing for new parents and a newborn. These gifts are either usable, fun, interesting, or necessities.

If you’re purchasing for a baby shower, you absolutely can’t go wrong with the gift of a jogging stroller. This is a stroller with a special streamlined design and wider tires so that mom can go faster.

And it’s not just for jogging. They’re great for strolling around town or busy sidewalks. They are sturdy and come with lots of storage for diaper bags. Just be sure to ask around to see if friends or close family are already planning to purchase one for the new mom.

Since mom won’t be allowed to leave the hospital without one of these, it’s a good choice as a baby gift. A model that is designed for infants and to grow with the baby through toddler stage is best. One with a detachable carrying handle is great so mom can lift up the top part that baby sits in and take it out of the car without having to unhook the base. Later, when baby grows, the seat becomes a regular car seat.

Most moms are too polite to tell you, but they’re going to be inundated with newborn clothes and be short on sizes as baby grows.

If you choose sizes from 6-12 months, you’ll be giving her a gift she will really love. And since leaks and spills tend to stain personalized baby clothes, avoid white if you can.

Some of the diaper bags available are just too poofy and cutesie for most moms. Yes, she wants to carry her darling’s necessities with her but she doesn’t necessarily want to look like a cartoon character.

Choose a streamlined style in a solid color like black or navy or red. She’ll be so thankful.

Sometimes people give baby book gifts that are cute but end up sitting on a shelf unused.

It’s a great idea to start baby off with a children’s book collection.

Select titles that are Newbury Award Winners for Best Picture Book.

That way as baby starts to sit up and respond to books, she’ll love the pictures

While it may not be glamorous, the gift of diapers is one every new mom will cherish.

It means fewer trips to the store and less expenses for the new family.

Diapers can get expensive! Select newborn sizes and wrap them up in pretty paper.

Every mom worries about their baby while she’s in her crib. Give a new mom an audio or video monitor so she can rest assured baby’s fine while she’s doing other things. Do your homework and find one that is sure to meet the new mommy's needs.

A huge selection of newborn, infant, and toddler toys is out there. You just have to ask a store clerk or search online by age to find the right present. For a newborn, you can purchase a toy like the Fisher-Price Aquarium that clips onto the crib and makes lovely lullaby sounds. It’s completely water-free but has an interesting design that makes it look like the fish are swimming.

Moms sometimes need or want to choose their child’s toys, clothes, or other gifts themselves. Maybe the baby has allergies to certain fabrics or to latex. It’s a wonderful idea to give Toys R Us or Target gift certificates so they can make their own selections at their leisure.

Choose a fun, bright, colorful baby activity center that baby can lie on while mom is cooking or has her hands full.

These are designed to stimulate baby’s developing sense of sight and provide lots of interesting things to look at.