How to Buy the Perfect Baby Shower Gift – 4 Simple Kids Clothing Rules on Which Items to Avoid While Shopping.
I have received a lot of baby gifts as a mother with 2 kids (one girl and one boy). I have definitely loved some of the gifts I have received, but the ones I did not like were quickly stored way in the back of the closet. If you have to buy a baby gift for somebody this article is for you. Your mission: Cute and Practical – that is what most parents need.
1) Please stay away from blue and pink clothing:
Ask a mom about their desire to get more pink or blue clothing and you will most likely get the same response…laughter. Everybody bought my daughter pink clothing. The closet was overrun with that colour, there was so much pink that I was sick of the colour. As a result the most used outfit in the closet became an adorable orange rusty colour set. It complemented our daughter’s skin tone and most importantly – it wasnt pink. When my son was born a couple years later I found that I could not even reuse the sleepers, socks and onesies because they were all pink.
A piece of clothing in either gender neutral or “different” (not pink or blue) colours, will mean your gift will get more use and stand out in the closet.
2) Stay away from clothing with snaps or buttons down the back:
When looking at any piece of clothing ask yourself two questions a) could I get this easily off the baby at 2 am in the morning in the dark without waking him/her; and b) when the diaper leaks can this outfit come off easily without spreading the mess everywhere?
Just keep in mind the first time an outfit becomes a royal pain to take off or put on the baby is the day it gets filed to the back of the closet.
What moms need are cute and practical outfits!
3) If it needs ironing – forget it!
I was not a supermom able to run the household and look after a newborn. Some days it was an accomplishment just to get a shower and dressed because of the night feedings and the exhaustion that came with it.
The laundry got done, but the iron never came down off the shelf for months at a time. The only time my daughter got to wear the frilly to cute for words outfits is whenever my mom visited and actually ironed them for me.
A new parent will appreciate wash and wear.
4) Baby clothes that are out of season are too much of a gamble:
Do you have a crystal ball to know how big the baby will be in 6 or 9 months time?
Out of season clothing at clearance prices may be tempting – you can get the baby so much more. Resist the temptation and stay away.
It is too much of a gamble – you are taking a huge risk that it will not fit the baby when he/she needs it. Then your gift would not be used at all.
My son was born in the early spring and we received a beautiful winter outfit in size 6/9 months. By the time that winter came he was too big to wear it and so it moved from the closet to the storage bin without being worn even once.
The hard part about buying a baby gift is you are really buying a gift for somebody you do not know. We have all received gifts that we have never used because they were not “right” – with some thought that wont happen to your baby gift.
Keep in mind these four words: colour, practical, durable and adorable and you will find a great baby shower gift.