Buying for babies doesn’t have to be hard. NYMetroParents editorial director Dawn M. Roode shares her favorite baby shower gifts, culled from items she found essential when her own son was born, and cute ways to celebrate a child’s arrival. Oh, baby!
For the Greater Good
I have a few go-to baby shower gifts, and they are inevitably the things that I could not live without when my own son was born. Two essential books (below), a package of good old cloth diapers—to use for everything from spit-up to all-out spills, and at least one set of swaddles from Aden + Anais. These 100-percent cotton muslin swaddle blankets—large enough to make performing a tight swaddle foolproof, and so soft it’s hard to believe they get more comfy with every wash—are breathable, cute, and versatile. And this special “Hayden’s Heart”swaddle ($19.95), inspired by a young boy who lost his battle with Congenital Heart Disease (the leading cause of infant deaths in the U.S.), benefits Hayden’s Heart (haydensheart.org), a nonprofit whose mission is to raise awareness for CHD and help affected families with medical and travel expenses.
Special Delivery
You know the saying: Good things come in small packages. Well, they don’t get any more whimsically wonderful—or tinier—than these hand-crafted gifts shipped from “The World’s Smallest Post Office.” We nominate these Tiny Packages from Leafcutter Designs ($10.50) for your expectant friends: Choose witty messages such as “Here’s to your new little peanut!” (above) and “Congrats on building your family” (accompanied by tiny A, B, C blocks), or write your own. Gifts are enclosed in the ever-so-small parcel along with the object of your choice wrapped in a crumpled copy of The Small Times newspaper!
Stick with Me, Kid
Give the mom-to-be a set of Sticky Belliesmilestone markers or first holiday stickers so she’ll be all set to go when the photo opportunities arise. All new parents have to do is peel and apply these bright, heavy-duty round stickers to a white tee or onesie for a custom-holiday shirt that you’ll soon see garnering “likes” on your Facebook feed. ($14 for set of 12 major holidays or 12 months to mark age)
In the Bag
Every female in the greater NY metro area seems to be forever in search of ‘the perfect bag’—and what fit the bill last summer, say, doesn’t seem quite as perfect anymore when the season rolls around again. Imagine how much more challenging it is for a pregnant woman to discover the perfect bag! Well, NYC company Skip Hop comes to the rescue with their Forma Pack-and-Go diaper tote ($70): It’s made of stylish, lightweight quilted fabric with a contrasting color interior, and it’s supremely functional with 11 pockets! A convenient front zip-pocket holds a matching mesh packing cube (great for stashing your diaper-changing essentials) and one insulated cube (ideal for bottles or snacks). This is one baby bag that can confidently make the transition to everyday satchel even after kiddo’s out of diapers.
Reading Recommendations
These are the two essential books I always give as gifts—they were invaluable to me while my son was a baby: Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth, M.D. (Ballantine Books, $16). This guide advises parents on how to ensure children have healthy sleep habits, vital to growth and development. The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp, M.D. (Bantam, $15). This book presents a method for calming crying infants and promoting healthy infants from the beginning.
