When I was thrown a baby shower I ended up with enough onesies that my daughter would never have to wear the same one twice, despite the fact that I’d registered for very practical presents with nary a onesie in the mix.
Afterward, it occured to me that people, experienced parents included, really like to give cute gifts, even if they aren’t as useful as a diaper bin.
So when I told the fabulous Brooke Showell of UrbanBaby my plight and she agreed to offer up her top 10 baby shower gifts, I was excited to see what she’d come up with. Turns out I’d have been extra psyched if my baby booty had included her recommended loot. See for yourself with Brooke’s great guest blow below. –Erika Lenkert
10 Great Baby Shower Gifts
By Brooke Showell
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The baby world has traded ducks and bunnies for serious design – as in David Netto’s nursery line, Lela Rose’s new Quinny stroller and all that mini-me fashion. A baby shower is the perfect time for glam goodies. But how do you make your carefully chosen gift stand out in the heap of blankies and burp cloths? At UrbanBaby we’re always looking for the latest gear that’s cool and practical. Here are some of our picks for shower gifts with “wow factor.”
1. Bloomers Baby Diaper Cakes
You can never have too many diapers, and this couture diaper cake does the trick. It’s tied with beautiful ribbon and wrapped in tulle, and looks good enough to eat. People on the subway actually stopped me on my way to a shower to ask where I got it (Note: Do not ride the subway with a giant diaper cake).
2. Build Your Own Box from Sophia Bean
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Soledad O’Brien tipped me off on these custom gift sets, and I’ve passed on the tip to my girlfriends – one even sends them overseas to colleagues in Hong Kong. You choose all the onesies, blankets, bibs and hats your heart desires, and they’ll wrap them up in a cute little cardboard box.
3. “This is” books by Miroslav Sasek
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It’s never too soon to start building baby’s library. This series of travel books for little jet setters offers an inside look of cities like Paris, San Francisco, New York and Rome in the 1950s and 1960s. The books have been reissued for modern babes, and the illustrations still hold their charm.
4. Hushamok hammock
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New Zealand is the latest epicenter of cool baby gear. This new Zen-like swing/cradle is perfect for nature-loving parents – you can use it indoors or outdoors, and it travels well.
5. Puella Petit
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We just cannot resist the ruffled bloomers and sweet little tops in this girls’ collection, inspired by its LA-based women’s line, Puella (Kate Hudson is a fan).
6. Pastel Toys
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With all the noisy, plastic electronic gear out there, any new mom will love an old-fashioned twist on toys. These charming wooden trucks and trains are handmade in Israel by adults with special needs.
7. Skip Hop Splash bottle drying rack, Chow baby food organizer and Toolbox diaper caddy
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The design of these accessories is so modern and cool – not to mention space saving – that you won’t mind keeping them out on display.
8. Serena & Lily Crib Bedding
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There’s a lot bedding out there. But Serena & Lily’s prints are simple and sweet yet not too cutesy. And we love the coordinating eco-friendly paints.
9. Mama Mio New Mama Kit
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A shower is all about the baby, but Mom’s got some hard work to do, too. These luxe creams keep a beauty junkie satisfied while her skin is going through some major changes.
10. JJ Cole Changing Pad & Tote
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This portable pad fits into a larger diaper bag, or can be carried as a tote. The pad’s modern stripes and cool color combos don’t scream “diaper.”
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Still want more ideas? Visit UrbanBaby. It’s an ultrahip source for all things parent and child.
Technorati Tags: designer, baby shower, gifts, diaper, bag, crib, chic, trendy, furniture, swing, handmade toy
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Tori | 20-Sep-07 at 4:05 pm | Permalink
I really love the trumpette baby socks and baby clothes that I received at my shower!This place is so cute! http://www.sandboxcouture.com
Ellen McNeill | 21-Sep-07 at 3:11 pm | Permalink
It was refreshing to see a variety of baby shower gifts recommended by Urban Baby. I must say though that not all onesies are boring even though a new mom might receive a number of them. My new business (MyConservationBaby.com) offers onesies and toddler tees with green messages such as Stop Global Warming and Protect the Environment. I have seven styles of onesies none of which are boring. Green messages on eco-friendly baby clothes is a new concept that can help spark dialogue about conservation and make a difference to a baby’s future while also being cute and adorable. The clothes’ uniqueness has been highlighted by ABC, the NBC “Daytime” show and soon CBS. So, I hope not all onesies are judged by five-packs.
Erika | 21-Sep-07 at 5:35 pm | Permalink
Thanks for the tip, Ellen, and congrats on your new business.
Forgive me if it sounded as though I was suggesting that onesies are boring or not a desirable baby gift. In my opinion they are the most practical, and often cute, attire for babies up until 1 year of age and beyond! It’s the totally impractical newborn fashions that I am more likely to protest!
My only complaint was that I didn’t need 40 of them.
Sugaree | 01-Oct-07 at 4:29 pm | Permalink
I think wipes are also a great gift but you could name a few more affordable gifts, especially for those single mothers like me who want to help their friends out with gifts they can use. Where can you get a diaper cake like that in Anderson, SC?
Rya | 17-Oct-07 at 9:48 am | Permalink
One of the coolest baby gifts I have seen was a pre-made memory book that covered the first year of the baby’s life. My sister received it when she was having her first. The pages were so cool, not like you typical rattles and paisleys. Try http://www.hipstertots.com.
Tinina Parker | 10-Nov-07 at 8:52 pm | Permalink
I just created a new blog called ChicMom & ChicBabe with lots of fun, stylish and eco friendly baby gifts and Mom gifts. I am always looking for suggestions from other Mom’s. The concept is to create a site where Mom’s can share resources on products. Check it out.
http://chicpicks4momandbaby.blogspot.com/
Barrett | 02-Mar-08 at 5:32 pm | Permalink
I always love to give what I hope will be the baby’s one special bear/stuffed animal. The alpaca teddy bears at juvieshop.com certainly fit that bill…they’re unbelievably soft, and not so large that they overwhelm a newborn.
Tuni & G | 14-Apr-08 at 12:17 pm | Permalink
We’ve got some great baby shower gifts. checkout our mommy and me sets which are our most popular.
http://www.tuniandg.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=10
lena | 22-Jul-08 at 11:45 am | Permalink
I just hosted an EcoFriendly Baby Shower for my friend and i ordered a centerpiece from http://www.GrowInStyle.com. The 100% organic ecofriendly diaper cake was the hit of the party! It was the most unique and creative gifts the mom to be has ever recieved, and it looked beautiful as a decoration! It contained a bunch of useful things the mom will get to use on her baby, including a blanket, recieveing blanket, onesies, burp cloths, dipaer cream , 2 natural teethers, sophie the giraffe and chan pie gnon teether as well as the all natural Natursutten pacifier- the coolest pacifier ever! the cake was very cheap and of the best quality that i came across.. the mom absolutely loved it! I highly recommend it to anyone considering an ecofriendly baby shower gift.
melanie | 11-Sep-08 at 2:29 pm | Permalink
I love Puella! Hautelook.com has a big sale on both lines! If you’ve never been to the site check it out, they have huge discounts.
Karen Sullen | 04-Mar-09 at 9:08 am | Permalink
These ideas are really cool, especially the cradle swing…very interesting. But I’ve also found some unique baby gifts at http://www.cornerstorkbabygifts.com.