Best Baby Gift Ideas for Showers, New Moms, Baptisms & More
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This past weekend was so special for our family! Not only was it Father’s Day, but our sweet 5-month-old grandbaby Lily was Dedicated at church! Her parents promised to raise her in a Godly home and teach her about faith in Christ, and they shared a Bible verse that was their prayer for her. (It just so happens to be one of my very favorites too!)
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Colossians 1:9-10
Camille’s Creations Porcelain Cross
I had everyone over for lunch afterward, and we had the best time exchanging Father’s Day gifts and Baby Dedication gifts. I served a simple deli lunch, with sandwiches on Hawaiian Rolls (thanks to my mother-in-law), fruit skewers (’cause eating fruit on a skewer is just more fun!), and chips. For dessert, my sister-in-law brought a Lemon Icebox Pie.
For decor, I kept things simple! All I did was go to the grocery store and grab two dozen roses (one pink and one white), and I stuck them in THIS acrylic flower centerpiece that I pull out for every single occasion I host! For paper goods, I used THESE Caspari Hydrangea Garden luncheon napkins and cocktail napkins. I keep them on hand because they work for so many occasions!
But I digress! Anyway, the whole thing got me thinking about putting together a post on baby gift ideas! With new babies, new mamas to pamper, baby showers (See THIS POST for all the details on the one I threw for my daughter-in-law!), baby Dedications/Christenings/Baptisms, and more, I thought you all might enjoy a post and a gift guide full of baby gift ideas!
The smartest thing I did was enlist the help of my very talented daughter-in-law to give me all the scoop on the most helpful gifts she’d received and the products she couldn’t live without! Then my assistant Beth and I set to work, combining Sarah’s ideas with other great baby gift ideas from family and friends. (Not to mention adding our own.) All that led us to this post! Our hope is that you find it encouraging, inspiring, and a blessing!
SHOWER GIFTS
When it comes to choosing the best baby shower gifts, there are tons of options! Where to start? First of all, think about whether you want to give something practical (from the new mama’s baby registry), something fun (toys!), or something personal.
Practical Gifts
These are some of the practical items that Sarah put on her registry and has found the most helpful.
- These Swaddles keep babies feeling safe and help them sleep! This one has an easy-change zipper, which is so practical.
- This Hatch Sound Machine is one of the top requested items by parents. This Portable Sound Machine is a great idea too! (I actually have one and take it when I travel to block out noise in hotels!)
- The Snuggle Me Lounger is specially crafted to embrace baby’s entire body, providing a gentle and secure snuggling sensation.
- For hands-free wearing and increased connection, the Solly Wrap is so comfortable and is made of lightweight, breathable fabric.
- This Diaper Caddy is so helpful for new parents to move from room to room. Sarah has one, and we have one at our house too!
- This Baby’s Brew Portable Bottle Warmer is great for travel or when mom and baby are out and about. Perfect for breast milk or formula.
Fun Gifts (Toys!)
- This Play Gym grows with your baby. Sarah & Lily use this all day, every day! (THIS Fisher-Price Deluxe Kick & Play Piano Play Gym is a well-priced alternative.)
- A subscription box is a gift that keeps on giving.
- This Mozart Magic Music Toy is a favorite!
- THIS Baby Bible is so special! My friend, Carol, gave it to me as a Grandma Gift, and I’ve gifted it to others several times since! I love it because it combines stories about Jesus with actions and hand motions, and each story ends with a prayer. I can’t wait to read it to Lily!
- Books always make fabulous gifts! Consider THIS Board Book Bundle or get on Amazon and DIY your own Classic Board Book set! (Suggestions of my favorites are below!) Arrange the books in a cute basket, and tie it up with a bow! Add titles like:
- This Rain Stick was one of the first toys Lily was interested in as an infant!
- These fun Spinners suction to most surfaces. Think bathtime, car rides, etc.
- This colorful Water Mat is ideal for (supervised) tummy time!
Personalized Gifts
If you’ve been hanging out with me here on Empty Nest Blessed for any time at all, you know that I think personalized gifts are the very best gifts to give! They show the recipient that you went the extra mile just for them! Here are some of my very favorite personalized baby gift ideas:
- It’s always sweet to gift something sentimental, like this Porcelain Baby Shoe.
- So fun to give a Personalized Burp Cloth.
- A Personalized Bib is always appreciated!
- I love the idea of this cute Personalized Name Puzzle.
- A Set of Two Personalized Pacifiers is a unique idea!
- THIS Layette set with a Personalized Name Block is a beautiful splurge gift.
- My favorite Etsy Shop for personalized keepsake gifts is Camille’s Creations. (It’s where I got the Porcelain Cross we gave Lily for her Dedication.) You can check out the shop HERE for lots of other options.
NEW MOMS
When we were getting ready to welcome baby Lily into our family, Bob and I made an intentional and conscious decision not to be grandparents who lost interest in our kids’ lives and became solely focused on the grandkids. We always make it a point to hug our son and daughter-in-law first and then snuggle Lily. We told our kids that the way they feel about Lily is the way we feel about them! 💗
When it comes to baby gift ideas, there are so many thoughtful things you can do for new mamas! Here are some of the things Sarah really loved in those early weeks:
- When you’re recovering from childbirth and tending to a newborn, cozy loungewear like this soft Bamboo Set from Kindred Bravely is crucial!
- These Soothies Cooling Gel Pads will definitely be appreciated by any new mama (and also THESE nursing pads.) A new mom told me they were the softest she had found!
- In the midst of a new mom’s busy routine filled with feedings and diaper changes, her daily coffee may become even more essential! That’s where this practical gift comes in, ensuring her coffee or tea stays at the ideal temperature. (Note: Breast milk can contain small traces of caffeine. The amount varies from mother to mother.)
- I gave Sarah THIS dainty 14K gold Name Necklace with Lily’s name on it!
Speaking of clothing, Sarah said she realized she had so few clothes that were conducive to easy breastfeeding (and not being quite back to pre-pregnancy sizes). She would have loved some gift cards to a few places for new clothes! (I wish I’d thought to gift her with those!) Here are a few spots to try:
- Seraphine – Darling for maternity and nursing clothes.
- Roolee – Designed for mothers by mothers!
- Baltic Born is one of the brands she’s loved.
- Kindred Bravely is a wonderful brand.
Sarah also wanted me to pass along the Can Do Kiddo website! It was created by a Pediatric Occupational Therapist, and it’s been a great resource for her. There are lots of free resources and also courses you can purchase to help with developmental questions about a variety of topics. As a first-time mom, these have been so helpful! (The courses would make a great gift).
BAPTISM/CHRISTENING/BABY DEDICATION
I think the best baby gifts for Baptisms/Christenings/Baby Dedications are those that convey love, support, and a recognition of the spiritual significance of the occasion! We gifted our precious granddaughter this porcelain scroll cross. I wanted our gift to serve as a cherished memento for both Lily and her parents, so I put the date of her Dedication on it. Here are a few other gift ideas to mark this sacred occasion:
- This personalized baby wood block would be a wonderful keepsake.
- This night light would light up the baby’s room as a tangible reminder of God’s love.
- How about this Silver Engravable Cross?
- Add a photo from the day in this Personalized Silver (or Gold) Frame.
- This timeless and classic Herend Prayer Box would make a stunning splurge gift!
- This God Loves You Personalized Story Book has a cute rhyming text, and the child’s name is on the front AND spread throughout! There’s also a place for a photo!
- I love this Personalized Ceramic Cross Plate. It would be darling hanging on the wall in a nursery!
GRANDMA GIFTS
The promotion from parent to grandparent is a precious transition that deserves a thoughtful and heartfelt gift! It’s an opportunity to commemorate the vital role grandparents play in shaping the life of this precious little one. To my surprise, several of my sweet friends gifted me with thoughtful grandma gifts! Here are some favorite ideas:
- Matching aprons for those baking days with Grandma. My dear friend Shannon gave me this thoughtful gift! (I couldn’t find the exact ones she gave me to link for you, but the ones I linked are cute too.)
- THIS Grandma photo board wood sign is a great way to show off all of those photos!
- I love this Grandparents Keepsake Album as a way to document all those big milestones!
- Consider gifting a grandma something she could use when taking care of the baby, like a Monogrammed Bib or a personalized Burp Cloth.
- Consider personalizing THIS 18K gold necklace with her grandma name. This is what Bob did for me! (This Personalized Disc Necklace is a pretty option too!) For other personalized jewelry, check out Capsul Jewelry. They make custom jewelry that you design yourself! I love this amazing brand!
Bob and I want to thank you all for sharing our joy at becoming grandparents this year! About this time last year, I made the big announcement, and now we’re enjoying the joys of grandparenting!
Even if you’re not a grandparent, you probably have baby showers to attend (or host!) and friends to buy grandparent gifts for! What a joy during this season of life, right? Do you have any go-to baby gift ideas you’d like to share with our little empty nester community? If so, please leave it in the comments at the bottom of this post!
I hope this post was helpful to you! You can take another look at everything we featured in this post (PLUS MORE!) in the boutique below. If you see something you like, be sure to click on it for alternate styles and pricing information.
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