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A friend had a baby girl - a month early - and hasn't registered for anything and isn't well prepared. Does anyone know of any good things to get - lotions, toys, bottles, educational/developmental aids? Any help, greatly appreciated!

2006-08-28 03:23:58 · 34 answers · asked by deb42278 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting Newborn & Baby

The mom had a c-section, any ideas on what she could use? Like a good lotion or cream for the stitches? Thanks!!

2006-08-28 03:51:55 · update #1

34 answers

My daughter is now a year old and was born 3 weeks early. What we had to go by was some outfits to fit a baby from 4 to 7 lbs. as the newborn outfits were just to large and we had to search high and low to find preemie diapers.

Here is a list of other items that I received or would of liked to received as gifts.

1. Bumbo Seat - the child can use it once they have neck control. It puts the baby in a safe sitting position. Great for those babies that like to see everything. Also found it handy to take to resturants and put it on the table or bench, it was better than some of the highchairs that resturants offer. Can be found at Babies R Us for about $60 Cdn.

2. Portable Swing - this was great as we did alot of travelling to see family and this folded down nicely so that we could take it along and give our daughter something familiar. It also took up less space in our home as we are restricted for space.

3. Gift Certificate for Wee Piggies & Paws - mother and child life cast. Check out www.weepiggies.com I had this done when my daughter was 4 mths old and it's my favorite "art" piece in the house and it captured how tiny her hand was.

4. Items for when the baby is older. The new mom will receive a ton of stuff for when she is little and I truly appreciated the stuff I received that was for the older child, this included but was not limited to:
Infant toothbrush and infant toothpaste
Plastic bowls, sippy cups, spoons and forks, plastic plates
Step Stool for the child to reach the taps or step up to the toliet
Large bibs
Safety items for the house - outlet covers, cabinet door locks, toliet seat lock etc.
Wooden toy box

5. A really nice outfit or coat for the child in about an 18 mth size

6. A Grobag - this is a outfit that you put your child to sleep in, it helps them regulate their temperature, it has a zipper so for diaper changes at night the parents just unzip, change, zip up. It provides the child with a familiar sleeping "area" they learn when it's put on it's time for bed.

7. Create a scrapbook - leave space for the new parents to put the pictures in, attach sticky notes to each page that contain picture suggestions and ideas about the information they should record. I have done this for a few friends and everyone at the shower just loved the idea.

8.a potty for toliet training, booster seat for when they move from the highchair, toys for 3+mths, a push walker (check out the Fisher-Price Ride and Stride Car)

Other items that you can purchase that I think the new mom would appreciate include:

Bath tub with bath toys, hooded towels, wash cloths, Gerber Baby Wash in Lavender, they have a lotion as well

Diaper Bag filled with diapers of various sizes and makes (ie. Huggies, Pampers, Luvs etc.), wipes, diaper cream - I liked Ihle's Paste or try something more natural, small bottle of Purell Hand Sanitizer, rattle, bottles, if she is breastfeeding then breastmilk storage bags etc.

Get a basket and fill it with things that they will need later on such as: infant Tempra or Tylenol (for when baby get's it's shots), infant sun lotion - I like Coppertone Water Babies Spray, Bug Repellant - "In the Bush" Citronella Body Oil by Butterfly Weed Herbals, this is safe to use on infants and works well, a Braun ThermoScan ear thermometer, infant toothbursh and tooth paste, teething ring, beginner baby food etc.

Get a large bowl and fill it with beginner baby food, large bibs, fork and spoon set, bottles, sippy cups, cups with straws, plastic bowls, plates etc., a book about making your own baby food or preparing meals for toddlers etc. Just think about anything that would be used during feeding time for the child.

A vibrating chair

Baby Einstein toys, books etc.

A good breastfeeding pillow

Gift certificate for a photography session

I also had a c-section and for mom I would suggest the following:

Prepare some meals that she or hubby can pull out of the freezer and heat up

Offer to come over and do the laundry, wash the floors, vaccum etc. as they want her doing as little as possible for the first few days

Bring a basket (matches her room) filled with all the changing necessities - diapers, wipes, wash cloths, receiving blankets, a change of clothes, diaper cream, changing pad etc. and have her leave it in the room she is going to spend the most amount of time in with baby. This way it eliminates her having to go up and down stairs to change the baby. I did this, I just would change my daughter on the floor, it was great and so much easier on me (I tried the up and down the stairs thing).

A gift certificate for mom to go and pamper herself at a spa when she is feeling more up to it. Also include that you will be the babysister.

I hope my list of suggestions has provided you with some ideas. Good Luck.

2006-08-28 04:00:27 · answer #1 · answered by twinkletoes 2 · 0 0

I always think that anything that isn't needed until 6 months away is a great gift - as I discovered when I had my daughter. We had so much newborn, 0-3 months and 3-6 months clothes, nappies and bottles that a lot of it got given away to charity as we simply didn't have time to use it.

Books are a fantastic gift for children, and the Spot books by Eric Hill, or Each Peach Pear Plum are great as they have colourful pictures and lots of repetition.

If you do want to get something your friend can use straight away, look for the more unusual gifts like a bath support for babies, which are great for first time mums and wriggly babies. An unusual gift that I got - but really loved was a 'hours' certificate, it was hand made by a friend who doesn't have much money, but was basically a gift certificate for her time - which was great it was for an accompaniment to a baby clinic appointment, babysitting while I went to the hairdresser, and 4 hours babysitting while I slept, that kind of thing - and that was a GREAT present!!

It's nice that you are so thoughtful, I hope you find a great gift, but remember it doesn't need to be expensive, and if you can't think of anything to get the baby, why not get a book for the baby and a gift for your friend instead like a beauty treatment or something so she can have a treat after all her hard work?

2006-08-28 03:33:22 · answer #2 · answered by Emma T 4 · 0 0

For starters, if she isn't well prepared, some first basics are:
blankets
diapers
baby wipes
bath needs (tub, cloths, towel, baby bath, lotion, brush, nail clippers)
sleepers
lots of onesies (not just newborn, some of each size is nice cuz she'll have them as she needs them)
some small toys/rattles
bottles & bottle brush
socks or booties
bibs
burp cloths
also maybe a disposable camera and a small photo album would be a nice idea!

2006-08-28 03:31:53 · answer #3 · answered by angelbaby 7 · 0 0

lotion for the c-section, I used vitamin E on mine. Now as for gifts for a baby girl. Blankets, diapers and wipes are always needed,
onesies are a big must, a few baby toys ,a baby sling to carry baby
when mom or dad is trying to work around the house and baby needs attention. Also a playpen,highchair,babyseat,babyswing,and crib. Depends onwhat the parents have and need and how much people want to spend.

2006-08-28 06:41:05 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

I'm sure she would appreciate the soaps, lotions, diapers, wipes, onesies, receiving blankets, and necessities much more than the toys. I know it kind of sounds like they are cheesy gifts, but money becomes really tight really quick when a baby is born, and anything that she doesn't have to go out and spend more money on, I'm sure she will like the best.

2006-08-28 03:29:58 · answer #5 · answered by JenJen 4 · 0 0

I think you should get a basket and fill it with things she could use. It doesn't have to be too expensive. For example: a bottle or two, a couple of baby wash cloths, a bib, baby powder, maybe a toy or two, (rattle?) a pacifier, wipes, undershirts, a sleeper or two. Just get a bunch of things put them all in the basket and put a big bow on it. A new mother will appreciate anything if she doesn't have much to start with.

2006-08-28 03:29:46 · answer #6 · answered by missy 3 · 0 0

Having a premie is very stressful. Consider maybe making a gift for the parents instead. What about a massage gift cert? Or a gift certificate for the parents to have fun at the movies or a play/sports game,etc.. and a hand made certificate saying you are willing to babysit for 3-4 hours so they can relax. If you have no experience babysitting, recruit someone else you trust and knows about babies to help you. Believe me, your friend will remember YOUR present above all others.

2006-08-28 03:32:22 · answer #7 · answered by TrueSoul 4 · 0 0

Either a couple outfits or my favorite is giftcards. That way they can go out and get diapers or whatever they need later on when they need it. But if you get lotions, Johnson & Johnson has fantastic gift set with the lavendar and chamomile soap, lotion, wash cloth, and a soothing CD of classical music for the baby. My dtr. loved the CD, and the lotion is awesome!

2006-08-28 03:29:12 · answer #8 · answered by DispatchGirl 4 · 0 0

first do they have any preemie or newborn outfits since the baby was early? if not you can do that. (babierus and even walmart have cute preemie outfits) diapers are always a plus you know they will be in them for at least 18months. BOOKS it's never to early to start reading to the little ones. Onsies are always helpful ecspecially since it is nearing fall maybe a few 0-3month and 3-6month. P.J.'s
I love having tons of them when they are little. They are easy and so cute on babies. Plus they go through so many of them when little. (from poopies going through the diaper and spitting up) Hope this helps and have fun shopping for the new little girl. I love shopping for babies!

2006-08-28 03:36:05 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

For the Mom...she shouldn't use anything...I had a c-section and I tried to kee it moist and it wouldn't heal and got infected. She should actually get some air to the wound.

For the baby girl- I would suggest like some of those gift packs that have a little bit of everything in them. You can get ones that have lots of medicene in them (everything that they will need for like the first six months or huggies makes a great one that has like diaper cream in it and diapers and stuff like that. Also I would recomend something cute...some cute receiving blankets or onesies...ask her what all she has odds are she might need something prectical like diapers or something! Also if you would like to buy toys...I would recomend Link-a-doos. My daughter loves them!! They are like lnks that snap together and they are really good for working on hand eye coordination.

2006-08-28 04:47:24 · answer #10 · answered by g_bug 3 · 0 0

Diapers and formula are the most needed things for a newborn. But if you're still unsure, a giftcard makes a great gift as well, since they can just go to the store and get what they really need.

2006-08-28 03:27:22 · answer #11 · answered by chiklatin_03 1 · 0 0

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