Unique Baby Shower Gifts That Are Actually Useful

By: Chelsea from the YouTube Channel: MommysTrying

Whether you’re a first-time parent, a parent who has been out of the baby game for years now, or someone who just isn’t familiar with baby items at all, buying baby shower gifts can sometimes feel a little awkward just because you’re not sure what to get. You may also just want to get gifts that are different from the normal baby clothes and burp cloths and stand out a bit. Nothing wrong with that but where do you start?

I remember building up my baby registry and of course listing the essentials like: a car seat, crib, mattress, stroller, etc. You know, those bulky expensive items we all need for a baby but are way too expensive to even ask anyone else to purchase? The ones you know you’ll be purchasing yourself? But you put it on the baby registry anyway and for those “just in case” scenarios, right?

Side note: Try not to feel bad for placing items on your baby registry as I did! I know it almost seems like a charitable thing asking friends and family members to buy you stuff for the baby you’re having. But think of it this way, if someone really wanted to get you something and treat you they will! Plus, having a baby registry, in general, is just an easy way to keep track of the items you’ll need when you’re preparing for baby. Plus, your loved ones know how expensive it can be to raise a baby so they want to contribute and help you with this new and exciting chapter in your life! Just don’t go overboard with name brand items when you can get the same thing for $100 cheaper. I know it can be really easy to get hyped up on marketing tricks and trying out the latest baby gear! (long Mom rant over)

Anyways, when I was building my baby registry (which was soo much fun by the way!) I spent countless hours trying to find unique items that parents wish they would have asked for that could really make it easier on my family later on. I looked for items where the company truly stood behind their name and would offer you a replacement of an item if something was damaged. But, I actually didn’t find much. At least from what was available to me 2 years ago.

So, I wanted to share the items that my husband and I have found along the way that have helped us. These are items we wish we would have put on our baby registry from the very beginning so we would have had these items on hand already.

These items could be some items you don’t typically see on a baby registry and may even be used for years after it was gifted which will definitely make the gifter stand out from all the rest.

Unique Baby Registry Items:

1.“SureGuard” crib size mattress protector

I actually never considered having a crib mattress protector until it was time to transition my daughter from the bassinet to her crib. Which meant that I had to take the time to research for a good one when I could have used that time with my daughter and I could have had one already picked out which irked me the most.

• This wraps over the top part of the baby’s mattress which is also waterproof.
  • Available in 9 different sizes: mini crib (a Graco Pack N Play sized) and goes all the way up to a CA king size mattress
  • For a crib size $26, $22 for mini crib, Queen $40, etc. just to give you an idea with the price tag
  • This is a fitted-sheet style with a stretchable skirt fitting up to mattresses up to 6’’ deep, 100% cotton terry top cover, 100% waterproof, hypoallergenic (blocks dust mites, allergens, bacteria, mildew, and mold)
  • 10-year quality guarantee the company mentions in their listings
  • They also have a “SureGuard Mattress Encasement” ($35 for a crib)
  • This does not make extra noise when your child is on top of it and it does not make your baby sweat
  • After 2 years of use this is still my go-to mattress protector as the only other one I’ve tried was Walmart’s “Parent’s Choice” brand which pilled immediately after the first wash.
    • Both brands do their job but the type of quality is clear
    • Haven’t seen any holes, no overstretching or shrinking, discoloration, etc.

2. “Ely’s and Co.” water proof crib sheets

• $25 for 2 sheets so $12.50 each
• Jersey knit cotton in a modern taupe color (available in pink and grey colors), lined with waterproof TPU material to prevent leakage
• Super stretchy, always very easy to put on the mattress
• Waterproof crib sheets are the sheets daycares recommend getting
• You can also leave one of these at an Aunt’s and Uncle’s house when they babysit
• My family and I have had 4 of these over the past 2 years and we only had to toss 1 out
  • Somehow the waterproof liner melted in the dryer (perhaps the liner melted on the dryer vent itself?) and stuck to itself. And we dry my daughter’s clothes on the low setting in the dryer. It was obviously destroyed at that point and we just threw it away. But, that was the only problem I’ve come across with these sheets.
• Color isn’t as vibrant as it once was but still works like new after all this time

3. Medline washable underpads

• $26 for a 4 pack = $6.50 per pad
• 34’’ x 31’’
• 55% cotton, 45% polyester
• My family and I have used these for multiple things and we’re both glad and surprised that these could have multiple purposes
  • My husband and I were initially introduced to these at the hospital. This is the pad I slept on top of just in case of those miscellaneous leaks you may have after childbirth.
  • We also placed one pad on top of my daughter’s bassinet to protect it from the unpredictable spit ups or urine leaks throughout the night. It actually fit her Graco Pack n Play perfectly.
  • We’ve always placed one of these under my daughter’s changing mat since we never had a changing table for her. We’ve always and continue to change my daughter on top of our ottoman in our living room and this mat has always been under it to save us from some unwanted diaper cleanups.
  • If we’ve run out of clean mattress protectors and waterproof crib sheets I’ve also laid 2 of these down under a regular crib sheet for precautionary reasons for the night until the actual mattress protectors were clean again.
  • Lastly, we’ve placed one of these under my daughter’s potty to again, prevent any toddler toilet accidents and cleanups.

So, it’s safe to say these pads surprisingly served multiple uses throughout the last 2 years of my daughter’s life thus far and have saved us from countless cleanups. Who knows what else we’ll use these for in the future.

4. Booger suckers

• In my opinion, the best booger sucker for newborns which was actually discovered by my husband at a Walgreens pharmacy is called the “Well Beginnings” Nasal aspirator

• Marketed for babies 0+ months old
  • You can’t beat the affordable price of $4.39 that will give your baby and your family relief
  • Is made up of 3 different parts that you can take apart and clean with warm soapy water then air dry

• For the older child who has a sturdier nasal cavity the infamous FridaBaby NoseFrida The Snotsucker is a great booger sucker
  • $20
  • Looks scary at the first glance since it literally looks like a straw you’ll be using to suck those boogies up. There’s a filter to stop that from happening don’t worry!
  • You can also disassemble this to clean them
  • It’s as easy as running water through one end of the tube to flush the boogers out (the part that touches your child’s nose)
  • This little gadget works wonders if you use it with saline spray
• Saline spray
  • If you’re planning on gifting someone a booger sucker do them a favor and complete the kit by getting a $5-10 saline spray (under $5 for 1 oz)
  • Most of these sprays literally contain sodium chloride as the ingredients = salt water
  • For newborns/infants: You can place 2 – 6 drops in each nostril as often as needed or as directed by your physician
    • To use as a dropper – Hold the bottle upside down and squeeze lightly
  • For children and adults: You can use 2 – 6 sprays/drops into each nostril as often as needed or as directed by a physician
    • To use as a gentle sprayer – Hold the bottle upright and squeeze firmly

5. Pain soothing remedies

• There was a time where my daughter cried constantly and we didn’t think she had colic but maybe her pain was related to teething or gas pains? My husband and I weren’t sure but we wanted to help give her some type of relief.
• I had a coworker mention something called Gripe water
  • About $10 for a 4 oz bottle
  • Once opened discard within 6 weeks
  • This is meant to relieve occasional stomach discomfort from: gas, colic, fussiness, hiccups (straight from the bottle)
  • Made up of organic natural extracts such as: ginger, chamomile, fennel, lemon balm and passion flower
    • I was so comfortable giving this to my baby (less than 9 months old) because of its natural ingredients
    • Some people say babies find relief with Gripe water because of its natural sweetness
    • There are different ingredients in gripe water all around the world but the purpose is all the same to help ease the stomach pain for both babies and adults
  • I’ve seen my daughter have relief within 10-20 minutes after given a dosage of this whether it was her burping or farting her pain out
• For teething remedies:
  • Dr. Talbot’s Soothing Tablets by Nuby
    • 140 count for $7 = .05/each
    • Small tablets but I’ve always crushed them up and coated my daughter’s favorite teether in the powder so she can apply it to her troubled spots herself
    • Saw relief from my daughter within 20-30 minutes after application
  • Babyganics Teething Gel Pods
    • 10 single-use pods for about $7
    • Ingredients: coconut oil and stevia
    • I’ve seen my daughter find relief within 20 minutes after application
    • It’s tricky if your child licks this off of their gums right after the application
    • A review video I did on the 8 different Babyganics products I’ve used can be found here

Again, these are items my husband and I have felt comfortable giving our daughter since the ingredients are natural. We’ve also felt comfortable leaving all 3 of these pain-relieving remedies at Grandma’s house since they are so easy to use.

6. A sturdy nail cutter and nail file

• Try to avoid those small packages that seem to contain “everything” a new parent may need (brush, nose bulb, nail cutter, etc.) since the items in those kits are low in quality. Try to buy separate pieces instead.
• “Safety 1^st ” Light Zoom Nail Clippers
  • $10
  • The handles on these nail clippers are big and chunky which is a pulse so you can really get a hold of the already miniature-sized nail clippers
  • I’ve never used nail clippers with a “light zoom” on it, as linked above, so I can’t speak on personal experience with that particular one
    • Models of baby items change all the time so the hyperlink above is not the one I stated in my Youtube video but it looks very similar to the nail cutter I have
• “Babygoal” nail file
  • $5 for a 3 pack
  • Glass nail files
  • Quality of these particular ones don’t seem to last long where you’re searching for a rough spot on the nail filer half the time you’re using it

So, I would recommend you taking the time to look for a good nail clipper and nail file because it will be used more often than you think you would use them. Babies nails grow surprisingly fast and we can’t let them scratch their baby soft face!

7. Single use thermometer covers

• $2 for 50 count box
• I ultimately wanted to get these just because I did not want to wash the thermometer once I took my daughter’s rectal temperature
  • For those of you who are unaware of taking babies temperatures, most Pediatrician offices will not accept temperature readings if it’s not taken in the rectum. At least for children 6 months and under.
    • The action of doing this was probably the worst thing I had to do for my daughter (I was mortified!) but it had to be done because she was sick and the doctor needed the temperature.
• These came in handy because my husband and I never had to second guess ourselves if our daughter’s thermometer was clean or not for the next use
• I would recommend you applying some type of lubricant (sex lube) to the tip of it before using it

8. Haakaa silicone hand pump

• $13 without a cap and $21 with a cap
• This is meant to catch any letdown milk that’s usually soaked up in a nursing pad when breastfeeding that fits any breast size
• Is made up of food-grade silicone and is BPA, PVC, lead, and phthalate-free
• This is an item I wish I would have gotten myself but of course, having that Mom guilt I felt like I couldn’t splurge on myself. I totally regret not getting this because I would have saved so much breast milk!

9. “Halo” swaddlers

• $20 per swaddle
• Think of swaddlers to be a wearable blanket your baby can safely wear without suffocating themselves since they’re safely wrapped in this fabric
  • Imagine a baby burrito, that’s what the baby looks like swaddled up
  • Newborns also love being swaddled since it reminds them of being in the womb
• My daughter slept with this every night until she grew out of them
  • These are sized based on your child’s age and height
    • Newborn sized: 0-3 months old, 19-23 inches
    • Newborn to small: 0-6 months old, 19-26 inches
    • Size small: 3-6 months old, 23-26 inches
  • These are also available in a thick microfleece for winter nights or breathable thin cotton for summer days
• The “Halo” brand has the best quality for a swaddle I’ve seen and kept my little one (L.O.) swaddled throughout the night compared to other cheaper brands my husband and I tried on our daughter
  • The velcro on these was large and strong enough to keep my daughter wrapped in it without a limb escaping out

10. Travel-sized plastic bags

• $6 for 48 bags = $0.13/each for plastic bags or $10 for 60 bags = $0.17 eac for biodegradable bags
• These are great to place dirty diapers in and soiled clothes if you’re out of the house and have to do diaper changes
• Imagine those small travel-sized bags you see dog owners have attached to the dog’s leash. That is exactly what this is. It just so happens they also make these for babies and can be quite handy to have.

11. Small detailing brush

• About $3 – 10 which usually includes the large bottle cleaning brush
• This detailing brush will be the difference between keeping your little one from getting sick or not
• Take the extra 5 seconds to clean the small parts your baby will have contact with
  • Breast pumping parts
  • Nipples that are used from bottles
  • Booger suckers
  • Straws from sippy cups
  • Etc.

12. “PBnJ Baby” Holder strap leash tether

• $10 for a 2 pack
• 4.5 x 2.5 x 0.75 inches (length x width x height)
• Has multiple names such as: holder, strap, leash, tether strap but they all share the same purpose of holding your child’s toy, pacifier, cup, etc. from falling on the ground when the child needs to stay stationary (such as keeping their snack cup with them while they’re in their stroller)
• When a child gets in a mood to throw everything on the floor this tether strap will be there to prevent the item from falling to the ground and saving the parents from those back-breaking bend overs
• This particular brand has:
  • One grippy side to hold the designated object
  • A thick button to tighten/loosen the cord to securely hold the item in place
  • There’s a buckle on the other end to secure on a stable object such as the nearby straps that are usually near your child when they need to stay in one place (again, imagine your child sitting in their car seat, a wagon, sitting in a shopping cart, their high chair, etc.)
  • Available in many different designs
• I wash these with the rest of my daughter’s laundry (normal wash cycle and low dry setting) and the quality and shape of them have not changed

13. “Baby’s Touch” baby safe ink pad

• $12.50
• ~4” x 2.5” sized ink pad
• This particular brand has black, blue, pink, and red available
• Advertised to be baby-safe, non-toxic, and acid-free
• This is great for those random arts and craft days or ideas that you may sporadically have and actually want to do
• Ideas of what you could use this inkpad for:
  • Monthly milestones – making a handprint/footprint comparing how fast your child is growing
  • Random times you want to send “hello, thinking of you” cards to friends and relatives or sending holiday cards where your child’s print is like their personal signature in the card
• If you are considering this particular brand the only thing I’ve noticed with this is once you have made that stamp of your child’s body part do not place the ink under direct sunlight, this will make the ink fade overtime.

PHEW!! I know that was a long list of the 13 unique baby shower gift ideas! You made it though! And good for you for taking the time to research what you could gift or put on your baby registry.

Below I have listed some tips for when someone is gifting at a baby shower and tips for the parents that are adding items to their baby registry.

8 Quick Tips when Gifting for a Baby Shower and Tips for the Parents To Be

1. Please be kind to the parents and avoid baby clothes with buttons!

If you’re planning on getting baby clothes please avoid the outfits that you to button. You don’t realize how time-consuming it could be and avoiding the overall tediousness of snapping the buttons back together after every 20-minute diaper change (not an exaggeration for a newborn baby!). My daughter lived in a gown looking thing (long outfit with an opening at the bottom) as a newborn just because we stayed home most of the time and it felt like we were changing diapers almost every 20 minutes.

2. Get diapers of different sizes

If there’s some type of diaper raffle or you’re just an angel and want to gift the parents some diapers gift them different sizes, not just newborn sizes if possible. I was fortunate enough to get a variety of diapers in different brands and sizes that my family and I really didn’t have to worry about diapers up until my daughter’s first birthday. And even until then, my godfather was extremely kind enough to keep our diaper stash supplied (forever grateful for you Uncle Pierre!). So I am forever grateful to our friends and family that helped keep that stash stocked and helping us financially as well since the cost of diapers adds up quickly!!

3. Register for different bottle brands

If you’re looking at baby bottles and you’re fortunate enough to choose what type of bottles you may want your child to try out try to register for a variety of baby bottles. You can even register for one bottle from every brand you want to try out.

Before I had my baby I read so many reviews and heard so many horror stories of babies not being able to latch onto certain bottle nipples and thus not being able to eat. I knew I didn’t have the time or money to figure out which bottle my baby may like once she was born, so I listed about 5-6 different baby bottles on my registry. My daughter used all of these bottles so they didn’t go to waste but my husband and I were able to tell which nipples she agreed with the best and that’s when we bought more bottles from that company once we figured that out.

4. Consider purchasing baby skincare products that are marketed to be “natural”

If you want to gift some sort of baby skincare product like lotion, shampoo, wipes, etc. consider getting an “all-natural” type just in case the baby happens to have sensitive skin. Your gift could be the saving grace for the parents and prevents them from making a late-night trip to their local pharmacy to find something else that works for their baby. That way, the parents can just look through their stash of baby items, and your baby care item could be the one that gives that baby relief.

5. Choose unique, different, new baby items when possible

If you’re thinking of getting some type of bib, bowl, snack cup, etc. consider looking for one that looks different from the typical old fashioned types. There are so many different variations to baby items nowadays so pick a non-traditional looking one and the parents will be excited to try something new and up to date. Usually, those unusual unique looking items turn out to be some of the best baby/toddler items!

6. Don’t think your baby shower gift has to be related to “baby” care

If you really want to stand out with your baby shower gifts you could gift things that the child can use later on in life like in their toddler years. Just because you’re going to a “baby shower” it doesn’t mean your gift is limited to only baby gear. Babies outgrow things so fast, especially clothes.

I actually remember who gave me certain baby items and the ones that my daughter gets to use now (my daughter is 2) are the gifts that I remember. I’m very grateful to have those type of items on hand already for the different stages my daughter has gone through already.

7. Gift the Mom to be a Care Package

But truly, if you want to stick out as the gifter, give the Mom to be a personalized care package that only she can use once baby arrives. Some care package items could include: numbing spare for down there after she delivers, lotion to reduce her stretch marks, items that relax her (candles, lotion, books), gift cards to go out to eat or get a massage, etc. That care package alone will truly make you stand out, the Mom will remember it forever and will make you look like that extremely thoughtful friend or family member you are!

8. When in doubt gift card it out

If none of the above tips or unique baby shower gift ideas interest you just go with a gift card. No one who has ever received a gift card has complained about it. It’s free money and it’ll be used within the first month of receiving it.

BONUS BONUS Material

I also wanted to take the opportunity to list the handful of items that were gifted to my family and I that we have been using since day 1!

These are products my family and I used from day 1 all the way up to when my daughter basically started using sippy cups.

• Microwaveable bottle sterilizer
  • Great for deep cleaning bottles after daycare or traveling
• Bottle warmer
  • Great way to safely and slowly defrost my breast milk
  • We use this every night so my daughter can have some warm milk before bed
• A baby bottle drying rack
  • Initially, I thought my husband and I would be okay without having a separate baby bottle drying rack. WRONG! Your child will forever have their own stuff, both bottles and sippy cups. You will forever (it seems like forever) be cleaning their stuff just like how you clean the stuff you use to eat off of. Do yourself a favor and get a separate baby bottle drying rack. It will take up that extra counter space but you will need it and love it.
• A changing mat with at least 4 different covers (for backups when your child accidentally soils 2 covers in a row)
• A caddy organizer
  • Use this to organize your child’s diapers, baby skincare products (lotion, diaper rash cream, etc.), keep a spare change of clothes in one cubby, spare mat covers, etc.
  • This really helps everyone in the house to quickly grab something that’s readily available

I hope all of this information makes you realize how a gift can truly impact a family!