One of your nearest and dearest is having a baby, and it’s time for the baby shower! As you can probably tell, we love a baby shower at Munchkin, but it can throw up some difficult questions when it comes to the gift you should buy. Do you know the style of parenting the new parents will go for? How close are you to them? And how much should you spend? It can also be hard if you don’t have kids yourself and don’t know what new parents need. Then there’s the conundrum of what’s a good gift for a baby reveal party.
But we’re here to help. We’ve got some great baby shower gift ideas as well as some answers to those important baby shower questions. So, here’s what you need to know.
Do you take gifts to a baby shower in the UK?
We all know that baby showers originated across the pond in the USA, but the days of referring to them as an “American thing” are gone. Baby showers are well and truly part of the fabric of pregnancy over here now, and it’s definitely the norm to bring a gift. Often those closest to the mum-to-be (or dad-to-be) will have gone all out on the venue, theme and decorations so it’s usually expected that guests bring a gift, unless explicitly told not to.
So, what do you buy for a baby shower gift? What you bring is really up to you. You can go big, practical, sentimental or just choose whatever you know the new parents will love. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking.
Practical gifts that new parents will need
New parents will always appreciate practical and helpful gifts. If you’ve been there before with your own new-born and know from experience those all-important essentials, it’s time to use that knowledge. And even if you haven’t you can still get a practical gift, like these…
The Shhh… Portable White Noise Machine is ideal to help baby get to sleep, while this Mini Portable UV Steriliser is essential for sterilising bottles or cups on the go. A digital bottle warmer is a super handy gift that would always be appreciated by parents that are bottle or combination feeding.
When baby starts to move onto solid foods, parents can never have enough feeding utensils at hand. We think our Bamboo Cup, Bowl and Plate Weaning Set is super cute. It will look fantastic in their kitchen, is durable and hardwearing and is a sustainable choice too – ideal for planet-conscious parents in 2023. You can also never have enough cups for when baby moves off the bottle. Our new C’est Silicone range makes for a great baby shower gift.
Helpful gifts ideal for baby’s development
It’s likely that the new mum or dad will have plenty of the practical things already in place for baby’s arrival, which leaves you some room for a baby shower gift that will help the little one learn and develop as they grow.
Bath toys are ideal as they offer plenty of learning possibilities and give the new parents a chance for a break if the little one is occupied in the bath (once they can sit up of course!).Bath squirts are great for fine motor skills,bath crayons andbath-time letters and numbers boost creativity whilst plenty of other bath toys promote problem solving skills – like this fishin’ bath toy for example. A combination of these bath toys would make a great baby shower gift or our early bath essentials is a fantastic bundle to tick off a number of helpful bath-time toys in one go.
And of course, you can’t beat a good baby book to help with their imagination just before bed. Little ones can never have enough books, especially when it comes with some toys too!
Big ticket gifts when you want to splurge
If you’re a god parent to be, an aunt or uncle, or just very generous you might want to go all out and get a big ticket item as a baby shower gift. We think a baby swing or bouncer is a fun and practical gift. It ensures baby has a safe space to relax in while mum and dad have five minutes of hand’s free time. Everyone’s a winner.
Our baby swing recreates the calming side-to-side motion that babies love and it can be carried around the house from room to room. Its Bluetooth compatibility also means you can create a soothing and relaxing playlist as part of the gift. Now that’s thoughtful.
How much to spend on a baby shower gift?
There’s no hard and fast rule of how much you should spend for a baby shower gift, but often it comes down to your relationship with the parents-to-be. If you’re a work colleague, a distant cousin or a neighbour for example, you can expect to spend in the region of £20. For close friends and relatives, you’ll be able to get a fantastic gift in the £50 price range. And if you’re a very close relative, a sibling or a god parent, you may fancy hitting the higher price bracket and going for a big ticket item of £100 and over.
But really, it’s the thought that counts. If you think about what the new parents might need, what you found useful as a parent or what will bring a smile to their faces, you’ll be on to a winner.
What’s a good gift for a baby reveal party?
In 2023, it’s likely that you may be invited to a gender reveal party instead of a baby shower. While this rules out gender-based gifts, it simply means you should focus on the ideas of buying practical and helpful gifts, presents that will aid with learning or big ticket items that parents may have on their baby essentials list.
Our baby swing, the white noise machine, the baby books, the bath-time gifts and the bamboo weaning essentials will all still make fantastic gifts regardless of the baby’s gender. Remember it also doesn’t hurt to ask what the new parents want or need – that way you know your gift will be appreciated.
Whether you’re shopping for a close friend or a family member and whether it’s for a baby shower or a gender reveal party, you’ll find plenty of fantastic baby gifts and gift ideas at Munchkin. And if you’re after more baby advice, simply head to our blog or check out our StrollerCoaster podcast.