Baby shower gift ideas.

[Joe Bob]

My oldest is going to have a boy in about 2 months. Shower is scheduled in ten days.

My Momz has made her famous silk bordered receiving blankets. I was thinking of a Pampers subscription. I'm not aware of a baby shower registry......

Something unique would be trite. Something usable belter so. I mean the kid is always gonna crap....

Geez, close to $200 a month.

[Zeke]

What's wrong with a washing machine? I mean you and I didn't have Pampers.

[craigster59]

Gift card to Buy Buy Baby?

[911 Rod]

Going through this right now as I will be Grampa shortly.
We are going to pay for a couple of months of house cleaning when the baby is born.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Zeke

What's wrong with a washing machine? I mean you and I didn't have Pampers.

I have never changed a diaper, so I am an real expert!

One of my buddies that had a kid said he would never be so poor as to not to be able to afford disposable diapers. He remembered the days of his young sisters using cloth diapers, and the diaper pail, and his mom washing out the diapers and then putting them in the washing machine. It stunk up the entire house, and grossed him out.

[asphaltgambler]

Just attended my 1st baby shower as a stand-in for my wife, it's my youngest nephew's soon to be born son. My wife got him some cool overalls/ 'work' shirt along with a stuffed John Deere combine pillow and a 1st Bible signed / dated by us.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

I was thinking of a Pampers subscription. I'm not aware of a baby shower registry....

Me personally? With the right card from you (covering the sentimental), that could not be a better idea; covering, pun intended, the practical.

Congratulations, btw.

I got married in my mid 30's and both my children look to be on the same trajectory: At my first Baby Shower, I'll order two Pampers subscriptions: one for the kid, one for me.

[PorscheGAL]

I always give books and safety stuff. I can give recommendations of some of my favs if you want.

[unclebilly]

My youngest turned 8 on Monday… how did that happen so fast?

Things we found useful:

1. Vibrating bouncy chair for babe.
2. Change table / dresser if they don’t have one yet.
3. Good convertible crib that becomes a bed as they get older.
4. Jolly Jumper (my son was a big fan as was I when I was a baby).
5. Nursing shirts for momma.
6. We tried lots of high end car seats / convertible systems. The Britax marathon car seat was the best and it was designed to fit that back seats if an air cooled 911 (this is now the allegiance or emblem). You need a car seat in each vehicle so you aren’t screwing around with the isofix mounts all the time. This goes for bucket mounts when they are younger too.
7. Good sun hat and sun glasses for babe.
8. Sophie the giraffe was a big hit with both our kids. This is a cheap toy they can chew on when they are teething.
9. Get a knit wool blanket. These are cheaper to buy from a ladies auxiliary at a church or hospital foundation. These are awesome because babe can’t suffocate under the covers.
10. Clothes are outgrown so fast. We had really nice clothes for both our kids that were hardly worn. We handed them off to friends (still do this). We have friends with an older girl and a younger boy so we trade. I saw one of our friends sons was wearing a certain Laguna Seca sweater the other day (wonder where that came from).

[BReif61]

Some good suggestions already. Here are my thoughts on practical gifts, as I am currently living this life:

1.) Never have enough diapers OR wipes.
2.) Do they have enough bottles?
3.) Does their dishwasher work? I would have gone insane by now from hand washing bottles
4.) Mechanical swing. Ours moves in multiple axis and plays music and can change settings based on feedback (crying). It has been invaluable.

[911 Rod]

Cash. People want to choose their own stuff.

[stevej37]

gift card to Hooters....for when mother cuts him off.

[Joe Bob]

Cloth Diapers: While sustainable and recyclable are a PITA. Can't tell you how times I pricked my finger with the fasteners. The ex had a service, didn't even have to rinse them. They came and exchanged them twice a week. With twins we had a crapload every week.
Not very cheap, but you get a warm fuzzy. But she that rules went with disposables for convenience. They didn't leak and have a built in rubber/plastic panty.

The person who events a biodegradable or and end use disposable will be an instant billionaire.

Thinking back, the best item was the wind up swing and the floor carriers that had the battery powered vibrator to put them to sleep. They even had a foot rocker so you watch the game and rock them. Inevitably I was feeding one while rocking other.

[aschen]

100$ per month for 18 years in a 529 @ 7% is something like 45k

Not sure if you can or want to commit to something like that, but a year of college from gramps is a hellofa nice gift, delayed gratification and all

[wilnj]

Originally Posted by BReif61

Some good suggestions already. Here are my thoughts on practical gifts, as I am currently living this life:

1.) Never have enough diapers OR wipes.
2.) Do they have enough bottles?
3.) Does their dishwasher work? I would have gone insane by now from hand washing bottles
4.) Mechanical swing. Ours moves in multiple axis and plays music and can change settings based on feedback (crying). It has been invaluable.

All of these are great ideas but absent a registry, as impersonal as it may seem, cash or equivalent might the best path.

We have 3 kids, each 2 years apart (luck, not design). All used different bottle systems. What worked for one, was a night full of gas for another.

Diapers was the same, even within the same brand, one type was fine, the other wasn’t.

My guess is that the soon to be mom has a bunch of friends who are more up to date on what’s a good value, what works, etc. They will help her decide how best to spend your gift.

When we had our first, my wife asked her girlfriend who was one of the first in her friend circle for advice on what to add to her registry and got a 5 page email that read like the Frodors Guide to Baby Gear.

If you have the means, something like the 529 or other annuity type gift from the grandparents would sure be welcome if I were a first time Dad.

[stealthn]

Diaper Gennie - hands down, was a lifesaver with twins.

The other was a setup so you could clean/steam bottles in the microwave. Can’t remember what it was called.

[rusnak]

a puppy. Just kidding, I have no idea.

[Joe Bob]

Originally Posted by rusnak

a puppy. Just kidding, I have no idea.

I gave her and the husband two Dachshund puppies for a wedding gift....

[herr_oberst]

Catchers mitt and a pack of Luckies.

[mattdavis11]

I have no idea, she takes care of that. However, I can't stop laughing. Joe Bobz and a baby shower! I think I have been to a wedding shower once or twice. Thank god I wasn't the only poor schmuck there and I brought beer.