Unusual Baby Shower Gifts

When you're looking for an extra-special baby shower gift, a little creativity and imagination goes a long way. No matter how small or how large your budget, there is something out there for you - all you have to do is think outside the box. Adding a creative or personal twist to a traditional baby shower present is often just what it takes to reinvent something old as an exciting new idea. If you are one of several people going to the same baby shower, why not combine your creative energy and have a brainstorming session? And if you are on a tight budget, remember that making a gift yourself not only saves money, but also gives you room to experiment. Here are some of our ideas for unique and usual baby shower gifts...

On The Serious Side

There's a growing trend among close friends and family of expectant-Moms to reserve and pay for the services of a doula as a baby shower gift. A doula is a trained professional (usually a woman) who provides emotional and physical support for the Mom-to-be and her family both before and after the birth. A doula would be able, for example, to provide tips on bathing and soothing the baby, breastfeeding, and in some cases she may agree to help with errands or household tasks. There's no doubt that hiring a doula would be a great gift for the kind of couple who would appreciate her services, but you need to be careful not to interfere with any plans that the expectant parents may already have. This really is a gift for someone that you know very well, and we recommend discussing the idea with the Mom-to-be before any money exchanges hands! If this is not the right gift for you, you could do something similar by giving vouchers for a massage or spa-day for Mom (and Dad) which can be used later, at a time that suits the new parents.

Looking For A Laugh?

A simple Internet search will provide you with many ideas for funny and humorous gifts for babies and parents-to-be. Again, we recommend caution here - you need to be sure that Mom and Dad share your sense of humor! Some great examples that we found were:

- Special "parenting" ear plugs for whichever parent is not on night-feeding duty!

- Humorously decorated cone-shaped caps, which, when strategically placed, will stop a baby boy from peeing on the person changing his diaper!

- T-shirts with funny slogans for Moms, Dads and babies.

- "Whose turn is it?" dice - which Mom and Dad can roll when it's time for that night-feed or diaper change in the mall. Or the "Wheel of Responsibility" - which helps Mom and Dad keep track of baby-related tasks and allows no excuses for skipping a turn!

What About Dad?

Dads often get overlooked at baby showers. You could make your gift stand out by including something for the father. Again, you'll find plenty of great ideas and places to order gifts online. We especially liked the "Dad's Diaper Belt" - a tool belt which contains everything he's going to need for changing those diapers. Sometimes its even nice to treat Dad to a spa day or massage. Afterall, he has been supportive the entire time!

Get Creative

A home-made gift is always special. You might want to make something for the baby or for Mom to wear. You could buy t-shirts or other items of clothing and add your own print, photos, a special message, a joke or a poem. If you like to write, you could create a story or poem for Mom, or for the baby to have when he is older, and present in a frame, printed on attractive paper.

Good luck with your gift-giving!