041online

041Baby columnist Odette Parfitt looks into what moms-to-be should consider jotting down on their baby gift registry 

I have a friend who frequently tells me that, when it comes to baby shower gifts, you can always tell the moms from the women who don’t have children – purely because the moms know which gifts were the most useful to them.

Coming from my (limited) experience, here are just a few gift ideas I would recommend:

The practical

• Baby clothing: Yes, baby clothing seems like an obvious choice, and is literally always welcome. That being said, practicality always wins with baby clothing. In other words, if it’s super cute but has a bow tie on it, it might not be the easiest thing to put on. On behalf of all moms, let me say this: all moms have favourite outfits for their babies, and it’s usually the ones that are easiest to put on because babies do not dress themselves. Think zips over clips/fasteners, and both of those over buttons. Also, as a side note, buying bigger sizes (like 3-6 months and up) is always a good idea, because not all babies start out small enough for the newborn sizes. Finally, and this is important: do the math before you buy. A baby born in April will not need a pair of shorts when he/she is three months old.
• Linen savers: While these are not strictly a necessary expense, it does save you A LOT of effort in washing. A linen saver in a baby cot and maybe another on the changing station means any of the many baby stains that lie ahead for new moms, will be caught on something you can throw away and replace.

The never-enough

• Burp cloths/”spoegdoeke”: Babies spit up. Babies throw up. Babies generally let out a lot of fluids in a lot of ways (super glam, I know), and well-placed burp cloth can preserve your outfit, your couch, your bed…I think you get the picture. These will always be a welcome sight in a baby shower gift bag.
• Toiletries: Most toiletries are a good gift idea because babies do not grow out of shampoo and wipes don’t expire. This can be anything from wipes (always buy wipes) and bum cream to body wash, shampoo, aqueous cream, and many, many other things. Make sure you know beforehand though if the mom-to-be has any brand preferences, and fragrance-free is usually the safest bet because babies have delicate skin.

The not-so-obvious

• A baby book: This is one of my most treasured items from my baby shower (along with the other two items in this section). A good baby record book is great and not something a lot of people buy, but it gives the new parents a way to record all the milestones and memories along the way.
• Nursery organiser: I think that is what it is called officially, but I just refer to it as my nappy caddy at home. Basically, it is a small bag with side pockets in which you can place toiletries; the point is probably to organise the toiletries inside a cupboard, but personally, I stock it with nappies, bum cream and wipes so I can take it to my room every night and change nappies during the night without having to go to a different room. I am sure it has many uses though, and can add value in many ways.
• Wedge pillow: Another treasure I was gifted by a mom who knew better. Wedge pillows come in different shapes and sizes but the one I had was two triangular pillows stuck together with a bit of space between; it’s essentially designed to hold your baby in one sleeping position without rolling over. We were warned in the hospital against letting babies sleep on their side for safety reasons, so the wedge proved useful initially for keeping the baby on his back, and now that he is bigger it can offer him support to sleep on his side as well. 

These are just a few ideas, of course – do let us know what your go-to baby shower gifts are!

Odette Parfitt is a former journalist and current communications professional (which really just means she makes a living off stringing sentences together). She is a perpetual survivor of writer’s block and a newly-minted boy mom, keen to share any knowledge she has on parenthood and babies pretty much right after gaining that knowledge. At the moment, her hobbies include power naps and drinking cold coffee – but she’s hoping to expand her interests soon.