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Inexpensive Baby Shower Gifts
Part 2

Sick Kit

One of the best gifts I have found to give is a "sick kit". It is a combination of items needed by a new mom when baby gets sick. Items such as Pedialyte, Tempra Drops, under arm thermometers. medicine syringe, medicine spoons etc. make good gifts. It saves the new parents a frantic trip to the pharmacy in the night. The pedialyte comes in flavors and you can include other items such as diaper rash cream, baby band aids for future use, teething gel, all the little things that new moms haven't thought of. I have also seen in stores an "ice pack" for kids with Bert and Ernie on them. This would be for toddlers, but would be nice to have in advance. It is the little things that come in handy. I usually pick up a small basket and line it with a receiving blanket and pile in the stuff that I purchase. Sometimes I add items such as baby cereal, juices, etc. to help fill it out.

People will oohs and aaa at your gift and more will "steal" the idea from you! It is great and they parents will thank you each time they reach for items from your gift.
-- Debi

Provide Help

Food! Make up a bunch of freezer meals that the new mom can just pull out and heat up after she has the baby. This is especially helpful if she has other kids and/or a cooking impaired husband like mine! The women in our church get together and provide 2 weeks worth of dinners for all new moms, and it's a lifesaver! One hint - if she does have other kids, try to find out what her kids like to eat. It's not a whole lot of help if she has to make a separate dinner for her children, as in the case of the tuna casserole for my allergic-to-fish daughter.
Homemade coupons good for cleaning the house, running errands, etc. Customize them to the new mom's situation - walk the dog, take the older kids to the playground, whatever. These would be especially appreciated if they include any seasonal activity that normally occurs around the time the baby is due (offer to can her tomatoes or bake Christmas cookies). A coupon for babysitting is also a wonderful idea, but realize that if this is her first, it will be awhile before she's comfortable enough with the idea of leaving the baby to take you up on it.

One hint for using the coupon idea above (my personal favorite shower gift) - call the mom after the baby is born and schedule a time to do the coupon activity. I've had friends who've decided that because I homeschool 5 kids I am much busier than they are, and so they've hesitated to use the coupons. Now I simply call them and inform them that I'll be there at 10am on Friday to clean their house!
-- Cindy in Newbury, OH

Diapers

When many of my friends and co-workers were having babies, I found that they really appreciated my standard gift: a package of diapers (disposable or cloth) tied up in a receiving blanket. I bought packages of 3 light blankets with the cutest prints. You can accent this with a rattle or other small toy. This should not cost more than $10.
-- Janet

Things I Got and Used

The best gifts that I received for my baby shower and then have given to friends/sister-in-law are: a small laundry basket, rear view mirror, audio tapes, and mesh laundry bags (like the ones for nylons). Since baby clothes have to be washed in different detergent this is a great help and I know where all of her clothes are. Safety 1st makes two different rear view mirrors. I like the one that attaches to the car's rear view mirror rather than the one that attaches to the visor. I am able to see my daughter in the back seat without having to turn around. Audio tapes of lullabies and playtime music are great! I cannot tell you how often the lullabies have put my dauther to sleep. I wash all of my daughter's socks in the mesh laundry bags-no more lost socks! These are also great for storage purposes when the child outgrows the socks and you want to keep them for the next child. You can get all of these for under $5.00 a piece. Hopes this helps and good luck!
-- Lisa

A Different Gift Wrap

I have a suggestion for wrapping your gift. Instead of paying for wrapping paper and bows, or gift bags, spend th same money on receiving blankets and diaper pins. You can wrap your package with the blanket secure it with diaper pins and make bows out of baby washcloths. These are things every mother needs plenty of and your gift will be that much nicer because nothing will be wasted. You can buy a relatively inexpensive gift and it will be a show stealer because it will look wonderful, and no money will be wasted.
-- Shari G.

A 'Baby Tree'

A different gift to give for a baby gift, a small tree in a planter pot & take hooks (Christmas tree hooks) & hang baby items such as pacifier,booties,rattle,tie a bib on a branch,any thing that will hang on as for base of pot wrap with bright paper & tie on a pretty bow.
-- Judy

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Inexpensive Baby Shower Gifts Part 2