Tired of giving the same old baby or shower gift of clothes and toys? Next time your girlfriend has a baby, try one of these unique ideas and you'll get a pat on the back for your creativity. Plus your gift will be remembered for years to come. Diaper Service Gift Certificate - Diaper services are a great way to relieve some of the stress associated with having a new baby. Mom has the option to extend the duration of the service for anywhere from a few months through the full duration of baby's diaper days. Even if Mom doesn't decide to renew or extend the service, it will be greatly appreciated and useful in the beginning when she is feeling overwhelmed. Diapers - Basically, new parents can never have too many diapers. Be sure to double-check and make sure that you select diapers that the parents will use - either disposable or cloth. To dress up the gift, you could consider buying or making a diaper cake which also includes lots of small baby items that the parents will appreciate. Just visit Baby Gifts & Gift Baskets to purchase a baby diaper cake or get some diaper cake theme ideas. Books - Help Mom create baby's first library by giving the gift of books. Be sure to include durable board books and some of the classics such as Pooh and Dr. Seuss. Pop-up books are another great thing to include as they encourage interaction and visual stimulation for baby. If you aren't sure which books to buy, consider buying a book gift basket from one of the many companies now offering deluxe or baby's first library sets. Pre-Made Dinners - Arrange for your circle of friends to cook and bring dinner to the new Mom for the 2 weeks after the birth. The friends will get to see the new baby and give Mom some adult interaction when they drop off dinner. For a real treat, have the friends stay and clean up the dishes or help with a little housework. Time Capsule - Give the new parents a time capsule that they can put together for the newborn. They (or you) can include a newspaper from the day the baby was born along with letters to the child, photos and other memorabilia. When the child opens it in the future at say age 18, they will have a blast perusing the items that were included. Photography Gift Certificate - Give the new parents a gift certificate to a photography studio such as Sears, Walmart, JC Penney or Picture People along with a nice photo frame or baby themed photo album. Who doesn't like taking pictures of their babies? The prepaid certificates are a great incentive to help parents document their little ones growth. Baby First Aid Kit - Buy a small tackle box and fill it with baby first aid supplies and instructions. Include items like an infant first aid book, Ipecac, infant thermometer, diaper rash ointment, nasal syringe, infant Tylenol, gauze pads, adhesive tape, tweezers, etc. Be sure to include a small combination lock so that little hands can't open the box, but adults can get in without a key. |
