If you don’t have kids yourself, it can be challenging to know what to buy for babies and their parents. Often, people default to buying clothes. While clothes are always needed (and appreciated!), if you want to get something a little more special, I’ve thrown together a list of some great gifts for babies—or those that have them!
Sentimental gifts for babies and their parents
A sentimental gift is always a winner. As a parent, I love having keepsakes of my little guy. As time goes on, it will be harder and harder to remember these baby and toddler years.
If you’re buying for a newborn, a first year blanket is such a great gift. Parents can use these blankets to take monthly pictures of baby during his first year of life. At the end of the year, they can print out all the photos and frame them (or put them on display at baby’s first birthday party). A first year blanket is a great background for photos that allows parents to easily see the changes in their baby as he grows.
First year blankets come in all types of themes and colours. If you don’t know exactly what the parents’ tastes are, you can even get one that’s very neutral and simple, like the one pictured here.
Another awesome sentimental gift idea is a keepsake ornament. Parents can do a print of their baby’s hand or foot to commemorate her first Christmas. Each year, when they hang the ornament on the tree, they’ll look back and reminisce on all the baby snuggles, milestones, and fun of the first year. I regret not doing something like this for my son’s first Christmas! #allthefeels
For something thoughtful and fun, how about a zodiac teether? Every baby needs something to chew on when they’re teething, and the personalization of the zodiac sign makes this one extra unique.
You really can’t go wrong when you select a gift with a personal touch! You know what they say—it’s the thought that counts!
Gifts for newborn babies
Newborn babies require a ton of gear.
I got lots of essential and useful gifts at my baby shower, but there were a few things I didn’t ask for because, honestly, I didn’t realize how helpful they’d be.
One newborn gift I would’ve loved to receive is a mobile. Before my son was born, I thought they were cute but unnecessary. But once I went to a friend’s house and saw how she used her baby’s mobile, I realized that they really come in handy.
My favourite place to put a baby mobile is over the change table. This makes diaper changes so much easier as it gives baby something to focus on. Traditionally mobiles are used in the crib, and they can work really well for helping baby fall asleep, or to give baby something to look at and reach for when Mom or Dad needs to put her down in a safe place.
A sleep sack is another newborn baby essential that I wish I’d known to ask for. I had a baby who easily broke out of his swaddles, so a swaddle blanket just didn’t cut it for him. A sleep sack with adjustable wings helped keep his arms in all night so he slept better. Better sleep for baby equals more sleep for Mom and Dad, so this is a gift they will totally appreciate. A pack of three is perfect because there are always nighttime spit-ups or diaper leaks.
Educational gifts for babies
As baby grows he’ll be much more interested in playing, so why not get him an educational toy?
Activity cubes, like the ones pictured here, are a great choice if you’re looking for educational gifts for babies. These cubes come in smaller plastic versions or more traditional larger wooden versions. My little guy has both types.
Plastic cubes feature music, buttons to push, pages to turn, and other toys they can spin, slide, manipulate, and sort. They’re portable and compact.
Wooden cubes are larger and heavier. They usually include a track maze on top and are often sturdy enough for babies to pull themselves up on when they’re learning to stand. Babies are more likely to stay interested in a wooden cube for longer since they often include more complex activities like an abacus for counting.
Activity cubes are very interactive and are perfect for practicing all kinds of skills: fine motor, hand-eye coordination, counting and learning numbers, letters, shapes, colours, and words.
Gifts for new moms
Let’s not forget about Mom! She’s the one who carried baby for nine months, delivered him safely into the world, and is his primary nurturer and caregiver. I think she deserves something nice too!
If Mom is breastfeeding, a nursing scarf is a cute gift that she can keep long after she’s finished nursing. It’s basically just an infinity scarf that she can use to cover herself to help her feel more comfortable feeding baby in public. These come in all kinds of cute colours and patterns.
Since motherhood is a whole new level of busy, why not treat the woman of the house to a kitchen gadget that makes her life a whole lot easier? An Instant Pot not only reduces cooking time, it also drastically cuts down on dishes. This will be especially appreciated once Mama goes back to work. If anyone who loves me is reading this, I don’t have one of these yet … Hint hint, nudge nudge…
One thing I regret not asking for is a diaper backpack. Honestly, it is ridiculous to lug around a bulky diaper purse when you also have to carry a baby. It’s so much easier to throw a backpack on. And they don’t look childish at all—they come in cute colours and styles. They look grown-up and trendy! The shape and design of a diaper backpack is also way more practical and lends itself well to staying organized. The mom in your life will thank you for this one for sure!
Holiday gift giving can be overwhelming, but hopefully I’ve given you enough ideas to take some of the stress out of it. As a mom of a one-year-old, I can confidently say that any mom and baby will just be so happy you thought of them!
What are you planning to give to the mom and baby in your life? Share in the comments below, and for more gifts for babies, visit Best Buy!
