Do New Moms Hate Personalized Baby Gifts?

Okay, hate may be too strong a word, but while it is hard to believe, some mothers really dislike receiving them.   Are we making a HUGE gift giving mistake by giving her a gift she is only going to regret receiving?

The problem does not lie in the personalized baby gift itself, but in the givers, you and me.  Even if we have children, and they are years past baby stage, we tend to forget what new mothers need.  We tend to buy impractical gifts that are only going to clutter her closets with trinkets she’ll maybe use when she finally gets around to organizing her photos.

It is not that she does not want personalized baby gifts, she wants the right ones.

Here are three easy steps to remember while purchasing a personalized baby gift:

1. Buy useful items: Blankets, clothes, pictures frames, jewelry, nursery decor can be used or worn by the baby or in the nursery.
2. Keep Focus on Baby: While cute sayings are tempting, a new mom can find them annoying. It is best to keep personalization simple: Name and Birthday.
3. Keep it Small: Be thoughtful and remember she has to lug over-sized gifts home from the shower, office, or worse, hospital. If it is over-sized, ship it to her home.

I heard about an interesting baby shower gift from a friend about a year ago:  A Free Month of Baby Diaper Service.

I forget she told me until I searched for baby gifts in Fort Collins.  I was actually looking for local baby boutiques to visit, and found Rocky Mountain Diaper Diaper Service in the local results.  That triggered my memory.

What is odd is that Rocky Mountain Diaper Service does not have a website, but from the Google Map customer reviews, it sounds like they have happy customers.  Here is one:

I used RMDS for the first few months with both my children (then I washed my own after adjusting). I was always very satisfied and I am about to purchase a month for a friend as a gift. They also sell used diapers by the pound. Though some are way too worn out to use, many of them are just frayed around the edges and I bought 10 lbs with each baby and had enough usable diapers to get by.‎ – Marcella

They offer the 1 month free diaper service gift packages too.   970-493-2656.

As I am not sure if this baby gift has caught on just yet, but it is a unique baby shower idea, especially for the first time parents faced with the challenge of a new baby and dirty diapers.  Can be quite a shock until you get used to it.  Maybe help take the pressure off of all the new things to learn and do until they get used to having a little one around?

You can find a local Diaper Service at the National Association of Diaper Services.

From The Fashionable Bambino comes a great article on how to throw a great baby shower that include men.  Yes, men! And it appears celebrities are taking the lead in this new trend

Shower tips are from WE TV’s Celeb Baby Planner, Jessica Denay.  You can read the full article here.  So showers are going co-ed!

Baby showers are not just for women anymore, more and more celebrities are making their baby showers co-ed.

And….

The new trend is moving away from the traditional baby shower and making showers an event or a party – a fun event that everyone – man or woman can enjoy.

“Party” is the operative word – I think – if you want men to attend.  You tell men “shower” and immediate they are struggling with self-esteem issues.  And why not have men attend? That means more baby shower gifts for you and the little one.

My favorite tip is creating an outside area where men make cigars.

but Jessica mentioned that one shower she knew of that had an area set aside so that the men could make their own cigars. Whether or not they smoked them or just made them as a guy thing to hand out to friends

It is also a great way to get the men away from the women. …for awhile.

Other tips are scrapbooking, non-alcoholic drinks, and blessing cards.  You can read about all them here

I love receiving e-mails about new products especially when it a unique baby gift someone lovingly created with hopes of sharing it with the world.

Today I received an e-mail from the owner of oneZgrams.   As many of you know, I have seen thousands upon thousands of baby gifts.  So when one jumps out at me, I want to share.  The OneZgram jumped right off the page!

Here is a great new arrival gift new parents are sure to enjoy.

oneZgram

Now what I think makes this unique is the presentation.

cute presentation

How cute! Very affordable too! This one (and there are many others) is around $15,  includes a message, and can be shipped to the newest baby.  But enough from me.   What’s inside? I’ll let oneZgram say:

We fill the small bottle with a “I’m a boy or I’m a girl” oneZgram onesie, a washcloth, a pacifier and a “It’s a boy or It’s a girl” candy .  On the outside of the bottle is a ribbon with a gift card attached, then shrink wrapped, and mailed.  That’s what makes us so unique.

I love the Bump’s newsletter. Sign up now if you want to see a team dedicated to everything baby.  Just the letter’s name, The Poop, just says cute.

But in this edition, they included Baby Video Gallery.  And there are some great baby  videos.  Thought I would share my favorite.  It is called the Evil Eye.  It must have been on a funniest video show because it has a laugh track.  You can see the rest here

This is indeed a masterpiece! Makes a great alternative to the diaper cake as a shower centerpiece.

Made by Sarah Klass, created by Queen of Cakes.

Amazing Baby Shower Cake

Yes, some guys are actually invited. And the trick is to give a baby shower gift while also keeping your dignity. The fluffy stuffed gift bags with ribbons and bows doesn’t say man, does it? So here is a tip – Go with useful gag gifts.

If you know it’s a boy, go with the Organic Pee-Pee TeePees. The new dad, or friend or co-worker, will appreciate the joke behind this gift. And every woman sharing a bathroom with a man will nod in approval. Score!

If the TeePee is not your thing, go for cute baby clothes like the Puppet Socks. Match it up with Little Squirt Babysuit and GGOOOAAALL!

(Oh, no gift bags – boxes – just boxes – and most merchants will wrap it for you. You may have magic wrapping fingers, but most men gift wrapping looks like crazed stalker mail bomb wrapping!)

Finally, if these do not give you any decent ideas, baby toys are always a sure thing. Grab 3 or 4, toss them in a box, and while it may not be a baby shower crowd-pleaser, the new baby will appreciate them. After all, we know that we are just grown up children.

Check out more baby shower gift ideas.