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There's no sight that inspires more "oohs", "aahs" and similar expressions of adoration than a new baby. First time mothers will often be surprised by the number of baby gifts they receive, even while pregnant and after baby arrives. It's not uncommon for even strangers to bestow baby gifts upon an expectant mother. Babies can be truly inspiring to us all.
The shower of baby gifts often doesn't end after baby is born. Traditionally, until junior is able to fend for himself, you may find yourself swamped with an incredible selection of baby gifts and toys that serve to entertain, pamper and humor your little ones.
At some point you'll find yourself on the buying end of the totem poll. When your time comes to shower a new mom or family with baby gifts, keep in mind that not all gifts are created equally. Baby gifts can be broken down into several categories, including those for infants, toddlers and beyond.
There are often several well intentioned items that end up in a corner or drawer never to be looked at again when received. To make the most of your best intention, keep in mind that infants seldom need elaborate toys and educational accessories to crowd their nursery.
Some well appreciated and useful gifts for infants include the following:
Diapers - Babies need lots and lots of diapers. The typical infant goes through 5-8 diapers per day that translates into as many as 56 diapers a week or more than 200 per month. Baby may not express their enthusiasm at the offering, but a parent certainly will. It's one gift that, as long as you get the diaper size right, you can't go wrong with.
Diaper service - This is a wonderful and thoughtful gift for someone considering using cloth instead of disposable diapers.
Other useful and practical infant gifts include:
Coming into the Toddler stage of course, everything changes! Here is where the gifts start becoming fun. Toddlers may make much better use of educational toys than infants. Among the offerings certain to be appreciated in this category include the following:
Once a toddler moves into an older stage, be sure to consult with parents regarding gifts. This is when children and parents tastes and preferences start to matter more.
Find out what types of hobbies their child or children are into. In some instances some of the gifts that apply for toddlers apply to older children as well. These include bicycles, books, and animals (stuffed or otherwise).
Many well intentioned friends consider buying an older child a pet as a gift. Many well meaning parents do the same for their children, thinking having an animal will help teach responsibility. But think before you buy a pet as a gift.
Keep in mind that young children are still barely grasping how to take care of themselves, and while having a pet can be entertaining and enlightening, a majority of the care giving will likely still rest on the shoulders of the parents instead of the child.
Indeed, even some parents will love their pet gift at first, until they get tired of it and realization sets in that pet has to be cared for just like any other living being. How many pets end up being homeless after Christmas, for example? There are plenty of other baby gifts available that don't have to be cared for.
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