Gifts For Every Budget

If there's a special first-time expectant mother in your life, you may be wondering what gift would be most appropriate for you to buy for the baby. You can go ahead and ask the mother-to-be what she would like as a gift, but first time parents are often clueless about their basic baby needs. Instead, consider buying one of the items in this gift list. We came up with a list of no-fail gifts in a range of prices. You can't go wrong choosing one of these practical gifts.

A parent can never have too many onesies, those ubiquitous one-piece baby outfits. They come in both short and long-sleeved versions, are comfy, inexpensive, and help to keep a meandering diaper in place. A onesie can even double as sleepwear on hot summer evenings. If you want to get fancy, buy a plain white onesie and have it personalized with the baby's name.

Colicky Babies

Or how about buying the baby a swaddling blanket? Most newborns find it comforting to be wrapped up tight in a blanket. Swaddling can help to calm even a very unhappy, colicky baby. But swaddling a baby takes a great deal of practice and new parents don't have the luxury of learning time. Buy a special swaddling blanket that comes with Velcro closures in strategic places to make swaddling a breeze.

Blankets other than swaddle blankets aren't recommended for newborns since they pose a risk for crib death (SIDS). But wearable blankets, also called blanket sleepers, make a terrific alternative. These are generally made from fleece or cotton and can be zipped up the front so they look something like a nightgown.

Another terrific gift is a feeding pillow. These pillows are shaped like half-circles. Mom rests the pillow on her lap while nursing or feeding the baby his bottle. The pillows usually come with washable slipcovers in a variety of attractive patterns and colors. The slipcovers are separate.

White Noise

Another wonderful aid for tired parents is the white noise machine. This works on the same principle as the swaddling blanket: anything that calms the baby to sleep gets the parents some much-needed sleep as well!  Believe it or not, these machines are not really that pricey. You don't need to shoot for a high-end model; the less expensive one will do just fine.

A little bit higher in price is the mesh bumper guard. These are useful for the baby after he gets a little older. When the baby begins to roll from front to back and over again, crib bumpers begin to pose a hazard since a baby can easily become entangled in these bulky side pieces. After more time elapses, the baby may even attempt to climb those bumpers and may fall over the side of the crib. It's still important to have some kind of guard in place so pudgy arms and legs don't get stuck in the crib slats. A mesh bumper guard is the perfect compromise because the baby can roll right over to the bumper guard, get his face pushed right into the net and still be able to breathe.