18 Practical Baby Shower Gifts that Parents Will Actually Use (Not Just Clothes)
Shopping for baby shower gifts can feel overwhelming. There are adorable baby clothes, stuffed animals, blankets, and toys everywhere. But, after having five babies myself, I’ve learned that the gifts parents remember most are the practical ones they use every single day.
Whether you’re shopping for a first-time mom, a close friend, or a coworker, these practical baby shower gift ideas go beyond adorable baby clothes. From everyday essentials to thoughtful gifts for new parents, these are presents that won’t end up forgotten in a closet.
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The Best Baby Shower Gifts Help Parents, Too
When a new baby arrives, it’s natural to focus on the tiny, cute things—little outfits, soft blankets, and stuffed animals. Those gifts are certainly sweet, but after welcoming five babies into our family, I’ve learned that the gifts I appreciated most were the ones that made those first few weeks a little easier.
The best baby shower gifts don’t just celebrate a new baby, they support the new parents. A freezer full of meals, a gift card for takeout, a comfortable nursing pillow, or even an offer to help with laundry can make a far bigger impact than another newborn outfit. As exciting as it is to prepare for a baby, parents need care too. Choosing a practical gift is a thoughtful way to say, “I’m here to support your whole family as you begin this new season.”
Quick References for Baby Shower Gifts:
- Practical Baby Shower Gifts
- Baby Shower Gifts for Mom
- Non-Clothes Wrappable Baby Shower Gifts
- Big Ticket Baby Shower Gifts
- Common Baby Shower Gifts to Skip
Practical Baby Shower Gifts Parents Actually Need:
Freezer Meals
Any Amount: $10-$100
If you have the ability and time to make some meals in advance for the expectant parents (and they have freezer space!), having some casseroles, crock pot meals, or soups stocked in the freezer is a great way to bless the new parents. Do take into account dietary needs. Ask about allergies, intolerances, or just health philosophies. (One thing to remember: almost every single diet out there agrees that vegetables are beneficial!!!) But if you can cook to accommodate for that, a home-made, tasty, frozen meal is a huge blessing for exhausted, recovering parents!
As a bonus, getting really nutrient dense foods with lots of protein and “warming spices” are traditional for early postpartum.
Here’s a post I’ve written on how I go about prepping my postpartum meals if you need strategies or food ideas.
Money toward Doula Fees
Any amount: $10-$100
Doulas are so valuable to the birthing parents. A birth doula is someone who is trained to provide continuous emotional support to the Mama throughout the process of birth. A postpartum doula does a similar role, but it is usually spread out over several weeks following the birth, and will often include a lot of practical support for the new parents.
Birth is an incredibly intense and vulnerable time in a woman’s life. The doula serves as someone who helps to encourage, support, and advocate for the Mama.
I encourage all women to consider a doula. Whether the birth will be a planned c-section or a home birth or anything in between, doulas can help be a sounding board, someone who is primarily concerned about the Mama’s emotional well being, and also a constant companion through labour and birth.
According to The Effect of Doulas on Maternal and Birth Outcomes: A Scoping Review from the National Library of Medicine, birth doula care “was significantly correlated with positive delivery outcomes including reduced cesarean and premature deliveries. Doula support, specifically in low-income women, was shown to improve breastfeeding success, with quicker lactogenesis and continued breastfeeding weeks after childbirth. The emotional support provided by doulas was seen to reduce anxiety and stress during the labor period and reduce the length of labor. Women with a doula during childbirth helped raise their confidence and autonomy throughout labor.”
Doulas are usually not cheap, and many parents feel they can’t afford a doula. Perhaps if more people gave baby shower gifts toward doula fees, we would see expectant parents also prioritize the cost of a doula in their birth. I’ve written more about how doulas can be a key part of helping prepare for a good birth here in this blog post.
Birthing Class Fund
Any amount: ($10-$100)
A good birthing class is so empowering and beneficial for expectant parents. Birth is a big undertaking, and there are things expectant parents can do to increase the odds of an uncomplicated, straightforward birth.
I highly recommend utilizing Spinning Babies website and their education materials. One option is to take a Spinning Babies certified class. Another is to hire a Spinning Babies Certified instructor to do a private class. And a third option is to purchase the Spinning Babies online parent course or birth class.
There are other great birth classes as well. I’ve had friends take a Bradley Method Course, Hypnobirthing Courses (google in your own area), and online options, such as Built to Birth.
Meal Subscription Post Baby
Can be part of the cost or all of it: $10-$150
If you can find a discount code, I think options like HelloFresh are a reasonable cost for the food received. And it is definitely a blessing after having a baby to not have to do much thinking about meals! Particularly if the dad isn’t a super experienced cook… Having something with step by step directions makes a lot of sense and ensures that the whole family is surviving on more than snacks and toast! Providing ways to practically support the family after a birth is a great baby shower gift idea.
Baby Shower Gifts for Mom
House Cleaning Services
Amount: $50+
Hiring a cleaner to come in and clean for new parents is going to depend on the couple. Some families would LOVE to have someone come and help out, others would be very uncomfortable with it. However, having a professional come and do something might be more comfortable than having a friend come over.
But getting to enjoy a clean bathroom and clean kitchen without having to do the work (and loose the sleep!) to make it happen postpartum is absolutely delightful. This can be a really practical and helpful baby shower gift.
Nursing Supplies OR Bottle Feeding Supplies
Amount: $20-$100
Obviously this depends on the mother and what her plans are. I think many women do want to breastfeed, but many, many, many women struggle with it because breastfeeding can be very HARD. It’s a time-demanding, energy-demanding, sometimes painful process.
I personally think anything that can be done to support the mother with her breastfeeding journey is also supporting and blessing the baby. Happy boobs = happy Mama = happy Baby!
I love gifting Mamas with one or more of these breastfeeding comfort supplies:
- a super comfortable sleep bra
- reusable breast pads
- nipple cream
- a haakaa (a way to collect and store milk while the baby is nursing on the other side – great way to build a small freezer stash)
- a breastfeeding pillow
- Comfortable every day nursing bras like this Momcozy one and this Medela one
I also have a short breastfeeding mini-course to support moms in their first few days or first few weeks of breastfeeding. It would make a wonderful baby shower gift for someone wanting to breastfeed.
Breastfeeding with Confidence Mini-Course
Breastfeeding with Confidence is a practical mini-course designed to help new mothers improve their baby’s latch, reduce latch-related pain, and feel more confident during those early weeks of breastfeeding. Through real-life demonstrations with my own newborn baby, you’ll learn how to recognize a good latch, identify signs of effective feeding, and use a variety of breastfeeding positions to support a more comfortable breastfeeding experience.
If the family plans to bottle feed, then asking them if they need some supplies might be very helpful. I haven’t personally bottle fed any of my babies, so I’m not well aware of what is needed. But I’m sure there is a long list of needs!
Baby Shower Gifts that Aren’t Clothes:
Montessori-Style Toys
Amount: $20-$100
Generally, toys aren’t super necessary for brand new babies. But it won’t be long before the baby begins to be interested in things around it. A simple, wooden mobile or baby gym, wooden cars, wooden rattle, or silicon/wooden teethers will likely get some use in the near future. As a bonus, they look beautiful on the shelf, scattered on the floor, or coming out of storage for future kids.
Favorite Parenting Resource Books
Amount: $10-$30
If you are a seasoned parent and there is a parenting book that particularly helped you in some way, I totally think it is acceptable to gift a copy of the book to the parents. It’s nice to include a note that reassures you don’t have expectations they will parent exactly like you or something. Each parent needs to find their own philosophy and rhythm. But most parents do feel like they run across situations they have NO IDEA how to handle… sleep issues, feeding issues, eventually temper tantrums and behavioral issues, and it can be very helpful to have a resource to check out.
I have loved Love and Logic Magic for the Little Years, Loving Our Kids on Purpose, Of Course I Love You Now Go To Your Room (possibly only available in Australia/New Zealand), Raising Passionate Jesus Followers, Habits of the Household, and Parenting Toward the Kingdom. I have picked and chosen what I want to adopt from these books in my own parenting philosophy, and it has worked well for me.
One caveat, though: don’t use book gifts as a means for trying to change someone’s mind! For example, if you know your friends are planning to co-sleep and parent with an attachment parenting style, BabyWise is probably not the best gift for them! Be sensitive and respectful in your book selection.
Reading material – board books, Baby Bug Magazine, Parenting Magazine for Parents
Amount: $10-$100
Reading to babies is one of the BEST things for the baby! Help parents have some materials to read to them by picking out some reading materials.
I personally love Sandra Boynton’s board books, or Lift-the-Flap Books by Cottage Door Press (very sturdy!). Alternatively, there are “baby magazines” that you can subscribe to. My mom always gives a subscription to BabyBug for baby showers.
I have loved having these sweet little magazines show up in the mail for my own kiddos throughout their first year.
Diapers and Wipes
Amount: $10-$100+
Diapers are a necessity of newborn life for the vast majority of people. They will need diapers and wipes, so it is a GREAT baby shower gift idea!
I suggest including gift receipts (taping them to the diaper package). This way, if the parents get a whole bunch of diapers in one size, they can return them and exchange them for different sizes when they need them.
If you know that the family is wanting to use cloth diapers, then find out if she has any cloth diapering set up needs. Cloth diapering is an initially rather large investment, particularly if you get everything brand new, so helping the parents get outfitted is very useful, but do ask the mom or someone in the know what brands/specifics she wants or needs. There are a LOT of cloth diapering brands and types out there. Most people will have done research and decided what they wanted to go with if they are planning this route.
A bonus with this system: if the parents are committed to doing cloth diapers, then you also could buy them a diaper sprayer attachment that goes on their toilet, and come over and put it on for them if you’re knowledgeable about that! Diaper sprayers can really make cloth diapering easier!
Rubber boots and/or Waterproof Overalls/Rain Gear
Amount: $10-$40
OK, this sort of breaks my “no clothes” criteria for this list, but it’s outwear, so that might not be exactly the same…. And it is USEFUL and promotes intentionality!
If the parents live someplace rainy, having puddle jumper type gear can be absolutely invaluable. For the overalls and jacket, I’d suggest about 12-18 months or 18-24 months, since that is about the age kids start walking and they are constantly falling down or sitting down. Usually a size 5 or 6 rubber boots are going to be when a baby generally starts walking.
Getting kids outside into nature is so good for them. And it can be challenging to do that in rainy weather. If you can support and encourage parents to take their kiddos for a walk outside (even in the rain), you’re supporting and encouraging the baby’s development, the parent-child bond, and a lifestyle of health and wellness.
A Sound Machine
Amount: $30-$100
This (like so much of this list!) is a personal preference for parents, but it can be very helpful to have some kind of a white noise machine.
There are various options – this is similar to what we have used, because it doubles as a nightlight. But a travel option with a LONG battery life that does continuous noise would also be a good idea.
Babies tend to sleep better with some noise but being able to control the noise amount and level can be very helpful! And if the parents want to sleep train down the road, white noise machines are a popular option.
Wipe-able Bibs
Amount: $10-20
My sister bought me two Baby Bjorn bibs when I was pregnant with my first baby. Those bibs have been worth their weight in gold in our house! I keep one in the back of the car, and the other hanging in our kitchen.
Whether we were out and about or home, I always had a wipe-able, liquid-catching bib for my kiddo. It has worked brilliantly!
BONUS: Vacuum Sealable Bags
Amount: $5-$15
The parents will inevitably get stuff they won’t need right away. If they live in a small space, it is SO handy to have vacuum sealable bags on hand to shrink down those larger sized clothes or extra cloth things.
Even if the Mama just uses them for her maternity clothes once she doesn’t need them, Vacuum Sealable bags are USEFUL.
Big Ticket Baby Shower Gifts:
Amount: Any
Most parents will want to buy some bigger-ticket items. I think it is perfectly OK to have a minimal amount of stuff for the baby to start with. And then see what you’ll need when you realize you need it. But many parents do prefer to be more outfitted.
So, putting money toward one of these physical large-cost items can be a really practical, helpful baby shower gift option:
- Crib
- Stroller
- Infant Sleep Hammock (I love these hammocks for my babies!)
- Dock-a-Tot
- Pack-and-Play + Co-Sleeper (This is my favorite style because it has the option of being a co-sleeper)
- Carseat
- Baby Carrier/Wrap (The Ergo carrier has been my carrier work-horse through five kids)
- Highchair
Birth Photographer/Videographer Fees (OR Maternity/Newborn Photos)
Any Amount: $10-$100+
Birth is such an intense time, and it is monumental. While not everyone will be interested in having photos taken, many people will want to be able to look back on the experience with the help of images. Sometimes doulas will also double as photographers, so sometimes putting money toward a doula will also give the options of photography.
But there are people who specialize in birth photography also. I have very few photos of my labors and births, and what I do have were just taken by my husband or a support person on their phone. I would love to have some well-crafted images from my next birth to remember the process.
A baby shower gift of money to put toward photos will ensure the new parents have images of some precious memories to look back on.
Baby Shower Gifts Parents Usually Receive Too Much Of:
If you want some ideas of what is best to avoid when buying baby shower gifts, this section may be helpful to skim:
Stuffed Animals
While they are cute and squishy, most newborns won’t be interested, and most parents won’t want them in their kids cribs. Save the expectant parents the challenge of storing, deciding what stuffed things to save for several years for their kids to eventually accept or reject, and/or the guilt of getting rid of something brand new they don’t want. Just avoid it!
IF you MUST get some kind of cute animal thing, may I suggest buying a (small, packable, breathable) lovey, and may I also suggest if you’re going to get one, get two or three of the exact same lovey! If the child happens to attach itself to that lovey and it becomes their comfort item, the parents will bless you for YEARS to come for buying them multiples when it was easily available. (Yes, I am speaking from personal experience!)
Blankets
In general, baby blankets are cheap, easy to find, and most people end up getting way too many of them. Granted, they are handy, so if you really want to get a three pack of organic cotton swaddle blankets, go for it.
If getting a blanket is a MUST, though, may I encourage you to look at something a bit larger? I love the swaddle blankets from Max and Moose – not cheap, by any means, but they are nice for swaddling and for my toddler to use for her naps. They come in timeless colours and patterns, so they don’t feel trendy.
Also, an exception to this suggestion (for me) is anything handmade. I LOVE the baby quilts and hand-knitted blankets made by friends and family, especially when they are quality materials such as organic cotton or merino wool.
Clothes
As I mentioned above, baby clothes are usually pretty easy to come by. Babies hardly ever wear out the clothes they wear before age 1 since they are growing quickly. So usually with minimal effort, parents can source clothes for their kids. (Unless you know the parents are very particular, in which case that is a reason to buy them clothes they specifically like!).
If you are just heartbroken at the idea of NOT giving clothes, may I suggest that you think a little longer-term for the family? Opt to buy clothes that are BIGGER than 1 year old size.
Usually when kids become more active (ie: crawling or walking) is when their growth both slows down a bit and their clothes start to get more wear and tear.
Getting some basic items (such as cotton leggings or track pants, t-shirts, a cardigan sweater, socks, tank tops for layering or wearing solo, etc) in neutral, easily-matchable colors (such as black, white, grey, blue, or solid colors – avoid prints or screen prints) will ensure that those items are highly useful for the child when they get to that age.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is a good baby shower gift?
A good baby shower gift is one that will make life a little easier for the new parents. While tiny baby clothes and stuffed animals are always sweet, practical gifts often have the biggest impact.
Think about what will help the family during those first few weeks at home: freezer meals, diapers, breastfeeding supplies, gift cards, or baby gear they’ll use every day. The most memorable gifts are often the ones that provide support when it’s needed most.
What are the most practical baby shower gifts?
Some of the most practical baby shower gifts include diapers, wipes, freezer meals, grocery or restaurant gift cards, baby carriers, nursing pillows, postpartum recovery supplies, and meal delivery services.
These are the kinds of gifts that parents reach for frequently during the newborn stage. If you’re unsure what to buy, choosing something practical is rarely a mistake.
Should I buy clothes for a baby shower?
Baby clothes can certainly make a thoughtful gift, especially if you choose a larger size that the baby can grow into. However, many parents receive an abundance of newborn outfits at their baby shower.
If you’d like to give clothing, consider pairing one special outfit with a practical gift like diapers, books, a meal gift card, or another item that will be useful long after the newborn stage.
Should I buy a gift for the mom, too?
Absolutely! While everyone is excited to welcome the new baby, the mother is beginning one of the biggest transitions of her life.
A comfortable nursing pillow, breastfeeding supplies, cozy pajamas, a postpartum care kit, or even a gift card for takeout can help her feel supported and cared for.
Some of the most meaningful baby shower gifts are the ones that remind a new mom that she matters too.
What are some baby shower gifts that aren’t clothes?
If you’d rather skip buying another adorable outfit, there are plenty of thoughtful alternatives. Practical baby shower gifts that aren’t clothes include freezer meals, diapers, books, baby carriers, nursing supplies, meal delivery gift cards, photography sessions, house cleaning services, or contributions toward a doula or postpartum support.
These gifts often become some of the most appreciated because they help care for the entire family, not just the baby.
What should I bring to a baby shower if I don’t know the parents very well?
If you don’t know the parents personally, it’s best to choose something universally useful.
Diapers in a variety of sizes, baby wipes, board books, gift cards to popular baby stores, grocery stores, or restaurants are all safe choices that nearly every family will appreciate.
If the parents have a baby registry, selecting an item from their list is always a thoughtful option because you know it’s something they’ve specifically requested.
How much should I spend on a baby shower gift?
There’s no “right” amount to spend on a baby shower gift. A $15–20 homemade freezer meal may be just as meaningful as a $50 gift card.
My encouragement is this: don’t stress about the dollar amount. Choose a gift that fits comfortably within your budget so that giving is a joy, not a burden.
And remember, thoughtfulness isn’t measured by the price tag. The most meaningful gifts are the ones that make a new family’s life a little easier, remind them they’re loved, and help them feel supported as they welcome their baby home.
I love to hear from you!
What do you think? Do you have any helpful ideas for baby shower gifts that aren’t covered here? Or is there something you’re going to skip as a result of this post? Let me know in the comments below!
