Baby Showers

United States
July 9, 2008 1:03pm CST
When you are invited to a Baby shower what do you prefer to give to the mom-to-be? Clothes, necessities, large ticket items such as high chairs, strollers.......? I prefer to sew the new mom a diaper bag and a baby quilt and stuff the bag with things that she will need on a daily basis, such as diapers, wet wipes, ointments, pacifiers etc....
6 responses
@mac1946 (1602)
• Calgary, Alberta
9 Jul 08
as I was taught to make our own diapers out of flannel.I usually give a couple dozen diapers and a dozon pair of plastic panties and assorted creams and pwoder. I am against disposibles for environmental reasons and prefer to try and start them out right. Blessed Be.
• United States
10 Jul 08
I have given cloth diapers a few times a few years back, but with the cost of them, and the fact that NO ONE now-a-days knows how to use them I have stopped buying them. Its realy ashame too since not only are they environmentally friendly but in the long run they are sooooo much cheaper ! Thanks for your response :-)
@mac1946 (1602)
• Calgary, Alberta
10 Jul 08
I have actually seen a good trend of mom's returning to the cloth diapers,I for one,reward the parents that use cloth diapers/training pants with plastic panties with a free key cut or discounts on my locksmithing services and have done so for almost 30 years now,and have seen the differance. while I babysat for many years,I found it better to buy bolts of flannelette and make my own diapers for the kids,and in those days,the plastic panties were quite cheap,so I was able to build up quite a bunch that I still use or sometimes sell to those wishing to change over. while doing a cost effective survey,I found the saving was around three to five thousand dollare over the cost of cloth in the normal two years most children are in cloth diapers compared to the 3 to 4 years in disposables. Many Blessings to all.
• United States
10 Jul 08
I do wish that that trend would move on over to my little piece of the country ! The young girls around here think that if you put a cloth or flannel diaper on their child that it means instant rash, not to mention that they have to actually wash them ! Heaven forbid ! ! Have a great day :-)
@fifileigh (3615)
• United States
19 Jul 08
it depends how close u r with the woman? i prefer to buy expensive items on their register list for woman i am close to, but by simple stuff for woman i barely know. but either way, i try to buy something they need and will use...a good idea with be buy a large basket and fill it up with little things she will need in her first year as a mother...like the basic necessities in motherhood to help her get through it the first year...i am sure it is a scary experience, especially being a mother for the first time...i am still single and no kids...but i have heard stories...
• United States
20 Jul 08
Becoming a mother for the first time is a very scary experience. For the second time too, now that I think about it...lol
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
9 Jul 08
I like to make up a gift basket. i will fill it with all sorts of baby stuff. I'll put in a pack of diapers and wipes. then diaper rash cream, teething medicine, teething rings. i try to pick useful stuff that sometimes new moms go through a lot of. i like making gift baskets alot. if i could make money doing it i would.
• United States
10 Jul 08
I like gift baskets too. I went to a shower a month ago and did my usual goodie bag/diaper bag and homemade quilt for the girl. Her mother seemed a little insulted that I didnt get her something larger like a stroller or car seat ! That made me start to wonder if I was being "cheap", and in actuality it not cheap. I spent $40 and 3 days of my time. But after reading that you do the same thing that I do, I feel better. Thanks :-)
@bmorehouse1 (1028)
• United States
16 Jul 08
I have not been to a baby shower for a very long time, but for the most part, I usually just try to give disposable diapers and maybe add some wet wipes. That is something that is needed on a daily basis and are very costly to buy. If you give clothes the baby has a tendency to outgrow them real fast. Usually the baby receives more clothes than what they can actually wear more than once or twice. Of course if I am going together with a few other people we usually find out what the new mother needs and then buy that. For instance a stroller, a high chair, a car seat, etc, etc.
• United States
16 Jul 08
You think like I do. I would rather buy the new mom something that I know that she is going to need.
@Kofficup (150)
• Philippines
17 Jul 08
I attended my sister's baby shower, I gave her and her baby presents. At that time she already had some of the "hand-me-down" stuffs from her sis-in-law. I gave her the most important for a crying baby, Antonio Vivaldi and Beethoven's classical albums and Gift Certificate worth few thousands (because we're sisters hahahah). And I also expect that the baby my sis would have was such a hyper boy, that was the hint that made me decide to give her the calming, soothing sounds of our timeless classical musicians.
• United States
17 Jul 08
That is an excellent idea ! I never thought of calming classical music. Although, I dont think that I could afford expensive gift certificates...lol Thank you for the idea, I have 2 showers coming up in the next month :-) Have a great day !
@deem1977 (242)
• United States
10 Jul 08
I don't have a standard item that I give for baby showers. I think it is quite common today for expectant parents to register for gifts they are interested in receiving -- very similar to brides and grooms. If they have registered, I usually try to get something from the registry because that way I don't have to worry about them returning it or getting them something that is not to their taste. If they have not registered, I usually get clothing or sometimes I get a feeding set -- the juvenile plate, utensil, etc. sets. One of the reasons I like the idea of the feeding set is because they are fun as they usually have some kind of juvenile theme -- like Disney or animals, etc. also, because a feeding set is not something that you use for a brand new baby. Therefore, it is a gift that is not practical immediately, but then after a few months or so, they are able to take it out and enjoy the gift when the other things like diapers, etc. are already used up or outgrown.
• United States
10 Jul 08
Going by a registry is great, but I have found that most new parents put silly stuff on them. They arent thinking about what they are going to need everyday and how much its going to cost them. Most of the showers that I have gone to are for YOUNGer mothers that have no idea what they are in for, so I prefer to get them necessities rather than the frilly stuff that they think that they want :-) Thank you for your response !