When a mother-to-be attends her baby shower, she’s usually pleasantly overwhelmed at the outpouring of gifts she receives. But if you want your gift to be one that she remembers above all the rest, check out the following ideas you can try.
First, try giving her exactly what she wants. Chances are she spent a lot of time deciding what to put on her registry. If you know the mom-to-be, you can probably look at the things on her registry and see something that strikes you as being a quintessential example of her personality or taste. That's the gift to buy – she'll likely be thrilled to get the thing she was secretly hoping someone would give her.
In the same vein, be careful not to give her things she doesn't want. For example, if she’s planning to breastfeed, she may not want any bottles or may only want a specific type. And while a few disposable diapers can come in handy for moms who plan to use cloth diapers, a new mom may not know that and can – in her increased hormonal state – think your gift of disposable diapers is somehow a negative comment on her choice.
In addition, personalized gifts are always memorable. However, if you choose to go this route, make very sure that you get the spelling of the baby's name correct. For example, is it Cathleen or Kathleen? Is it Landon or Landyn? You don't want to be remembered as the one who gave the new mom a misspelled present!
On the other hand, the most memorable gifts sometimes come after the baby is born. In a household with a new baby, there’s always work to be done, including laundry, dishes, sweeping, changing bed linens, buying groceries and running errands. Everyone offers to help, but few people actually show up with a hot meal, or come with a basket of laundry supplies and insist on doing several loads of laundry while the new mom enjoys spending time with her baby.
However, when you do come to help, spend your time helping with the housework and let mom enjoy her baby – unless she specifically asks you to watch the baby while she naps. Everyone wants to babysit and leave the hard work to mom, so doing the hard work for her and letting her enjoy her baby will really make your gift memorable.
Finally, one of the best ways to make your gift memorable is to make it unique – something only you could give. For example, you might want to knit, crochet or sew a one-of-a-kind baby blanket. Or, if your talent lends itself more to drawing, how about a picture for the baby's nursery? Scrap-bookers can make baby books or welcome announcements for framing. Those handy in the kitchen can prepare meals for after the baby's arrival. Even if you aren't very creative, you can write a letter to the baby, telling them about how you met their parents and sharing a memorable anecdote. That’s a gift that’s sure to be treasured!
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