Getting Ready for Baby - Perfect Baby Shower Gifts

Being pregnant can be the most wonderful time in a woman's life. It can also be a wonderful time for her friends and family to indulge in splurging on all the adorable clothes, crib and bath toys, and baby accessories that make such great baby shower gifts. Whether you are looking for a complete layette for the mommy-to-be, or an heirloom quality newborn set, you'll have a difficult time choosing from the wide and wonderful variety that's available.

Having been recently blessed with a great-niece and a great-nephew, I can attest to the fact that it can be hard to choose which items to buy. The clothes for both boys and girls are so adorable, it's hard not to want one of everything.

One of the nicest gifts an expectant mom can receive, besides knowing she has the love and support of her friends, is a layette - a collection of clothing and accessories for baby, and one of the great thing about buying a layette is that several friends can go together on the purchase.

Though it is tempting to buy a whole bunch of the adorable newborn outfits, mommy and baby will thank you more for restraint in this area.

Babies grow so quickly, they will often have grown out of their "coming home" outfit within a week or two.

Buying baby clothes in size 0 - 6 months will be a bit big at first, but will ultimately have a longer usefulness.

Planning even farther ahead and buying some outfits in 6 - 9 month sizes will give mommy and baby some new outfits to look forward to in a few months.

As well, choose the colors of the layette and other accessories to complement the expectant mother's color choices for the nursery. 

You do not have to match every item - in fact, some contrast is desirable for variety and freshness.

I'm a big fan of stuffed toys, too. One of my sister's was given one of those English-style teddy bears - the rather stiff, "un-huggable" kind with articulated arms and legs.

I also remember Teddy was rather worn and a bit threadbare in spots by the time I came along. I never found him terribly attractive, but my sister wouldn't have parted with him for all the tea in China - not that she liked tea, at that young age, but I'm sure you know what I mean.

Almost every child seems to adopt one of their stuffed toys to be their very special buddy. My special friend was a bunny-fur winter jacket that had been given to my sister and then passed to me. My sister was loath to give it up, and used to retrieve it from me periodically. Apparently, though, I used to drag it about the house by its pom-pom-tied collar whenever I got it in my baby clutches.

One of my great nieces refused to be parted from her pink "Kitty". After a few accidents involving tears for the temporarily misplaced plush toy, her parents wisely bought another "Kitty", that was kept hidden away for such emergencies as laundering or forgetting "Kitty" in the truck overnight.

I love Fisher Price children's toys. I first came to know them when my son was born, and I have taken every opportunity to give them to friends and family so their children could enjoy such quality toys as well.

I realize this might sound like a commercial, but I really do believe they make excellent quality products.

They certainly stood up to a lot of wear and tear, and some outright abuse, at the hands of my toddler son and his little friends. Many survived in excellent shape, and were passed along to a new generation of little ones.

Some of the crib and bath toys now available are adorable, and provide hours of amusement for baby and parent alike.

Christening gifts don't need to be saved for the christening, and can make lovely shower gifts. Each of my sisters and I have a lovely sterling silver christening mug engraved with our names, and a silver teething spoon.

I was given a silver baby spoon when my son was born, but he never really took to it. Probably because it was curved to fit his right hand, and he showed a decided left-hand preference from quite an early age.

It is a lovely keepsake, though, nicely engraved with his first initial, and looks very nice when it's all polished up.

Sometimes it's hard to choose exactly what to buy. Perhaps the mommy-to-be has already received many of the necessities, or has been the beneficiary of an almost complete wardrobe for baby.

One thoughtful gift could be to arrange for diaper service for baby's first year. Whether the new mother is planning to return to work, or will be at home, at least for the first year, she will definitely appreciate your thoughtfulness. As this service can be rather costly, several friends can make up the full amount.

As well, gift baskets can provide a wide range of lovely clothes and accessories, from bath toys and accessories, receiving blankets, socks,stuffed toys, sort blocks, diapers, and onesies - almost anything you could imagine, including a little red wagon.

I love the look of those adorable "baby bouquets". They come in a delightful range of colors and containers, as well as featuring a variety of delightful baby products.

I am particularly susceptible to all the adorable clothes for little girls. Having a son was a wonderful thing, but I was never able to satisfy my "frilly dress quotient". I have had to make do with the various great-nieces and -nephews with whom I have have been blessed.

So many beautiful clothes, so few babies! As each generation grows up, I wait impatiently for the next crop. Ah, well. Perhaps I can borrow some wee ones for a while - perhaps from Paradise7, who has recently become a great auntie.

© 2010, Text by Elle Fredine, All rights reserved