Itty bitty booties, soft cuddly blankets and fluffy stuffed animals are all great (and exceptionally cute!) gifts to bring to a baby shower. Of course they get lots of "Oohs!" and "Awws!" when the new mama unwraps her packages. But when it’s time to start stocking the nursery, your soon-to-be very busy friend or family member might find that she’s missing some things that she really needs. As an experienced mom of four, take it from me—essentials are just as, if not even more, appreciated than the adorably sweet stuff.
Cartons of diapers and tubs of wipes aside, there are plenty of practical items that are slightly more giftable but just as needed by expectant mothers. Tuck them in an embellished basket, and you’ve created a special delivery that’s sure to delight.
Creating baby gift baskets
Step 1: Choose your packaging
For the basket, choose a container that the mom can reuse. An actual basket is great, but you can get creative with bins, boxes, bags or even giant bowls. Toss in some tissue or crinkle paper for fab presentation!
Step 2: Pick a theme
Do you know if the baby is a boy or girl? Decide on a color scheme first, then match it with any colored items you’ll be including in your basket. I start with blankets, printed towels or toys, then match other items according to their look. If you know the colors or theme of the baby’s nursery, you can design the basket theme around that.
Step 3: Gather and assemble
Now for the fun part! There are a lot of things new parents need on a daily basis, so try to include those. Natural baby wash, lotions and remedies (such as natural teething get) always make great gifts. For me, making sure these items are safe and gentle for baby is top priority because it takes the guesswork out of it for mom.
Here are some of my favorites:
Earth Mama Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash
Gentle and natural, this body wash bubbles up beautifully and doubles as a shampoo.
Earth Mama Angel Baby Calming Lavender Baby Lotion
Not only does this lotion smell amazing and help soothe baby, it has a convenient pump-top!
Ideal Baby Sunny Side Hooded Towel
Hooded towels are just the right size, and they keep baby warm while you’re getting her dried and dressed. Ideal Baby makes matching hooded towels, washcloths, blankets and even sheets in adorable matching prints. Bonus: They’re made from muslin, which is super soft!
California Baby Super Sensitive, Fragrance-Free Diaper Rash Cream
Diaper rash happens, so provide something that offers relief naturally. This un-scented product is allergy-tested and safe to use with cloth diapers.
Teething strikes when we least expect it. Some babies are even born with teeth! So it's nice to set a new mama up with some of the tried-and-true tools to make the process as worry free as possible. Comotomo teethers are BPA-free and especially designed for the tiniest of hands to grab and hold.
Christopher’s Kid-e-Col Colic & Teething Drops
A multi-purpose solution, these handy drops can be used to soothe the crankiness of color or ease gum pain when little chompers start poking through.
You can add additional items, such as toys or stuffed animals, if you’d like. Or, add something more sentimental like a book with a special message written inside.
Now that you know see how easy it is to put together a baby gift basket, hopefully you’re inspired to make your own. To make it even easier, you can click the button below to add all of these items to your cart now!
