Next to holding a new baby, attending a baby shower might just be the next best thing. There are wonderful new clothes and accessories to admire and usually some tasty snacks and embarrassing games to be played. Whether you're on the giving or receiving end, the following is some information about maternity gifts that you need to know.
If you’re the mom-to-be, you’ll probably be asked where you registered. It’s a good idea to register at more than one store – two or three is ideal. At least one of these stores should be a major chain store, so that anyone who wants to shop for you will find it convenient. You can also register with online baby boutiques.
Make a list of things you’ll need for the baby before you begin to register. It’s easy to become tired and overwhelmed when you’re registering for gifts if you don’t do some planning ahead of time. You may also want to take your partner or a friend with you when you register to help the process go more smoothly.
If you have a particular theme planned for your nursery, be sure to make that information available to your shower guests. If you know whether you’re having a son or daughter, let people know this as well to help them pick out appropriate gifts. Finally, if you plan to breastfeed or use cloth diapers, that information can make a difference in gift choices as well.
When you register, register for items in a variety of price ranges. It’s common for a group of friends or family members to jointly purchase expensive items, like car seats or strollers. Inexpensive items, like blankets, bibs and baby wipes, can fit into most anyone's budget.
Before you register at a store, find out what their policy is on returns. You may get more than you need of a certain item, and it would be nice to be able to return those things to get a credit for the things you do need.
Even if you plan to use disposable diapers, it’s a good idea to register for a few cloth diapers – they come in very handy. Whatever type of diapers you plan to use, don’t register for too many in the newborn size, as most babies outgrow this size very quickly.
Babies outgrow their clothes very quickly too. While newborn clothing is absolutely adorable, and its smallness is quite charming, your baby will soon be out of the NB size and into the 0-3 month size. It’s a good idea to register for some larger-sized clothing as well, keeping in mind what season it will be as your baby reaches those ages.
When you’re receiving a gift, make sure to note who it’s from. This will make your job of writing thank you notes much easier. Try to complete and mail all of your thank you notes as quickly as possible after the shower, preferably before the baby is born. Once the baby arrives, you’ll be very busy for several weeks and will be grateful to have that task behind you.
When you’re giving a maternity gift, find out where the mom-to-be is registered and take a look at the things she has registered for to get an idea of her style. It isn’t necessary for you to buy something from the registry, but you should try to purchase something compatible with her style and choices. For example, you wouldn’t want to buy plastic bottles for someone who has registered for glass bottles or someone who clearly plans to breastfeed.
When giving a gift, always include a card with your name to make it easy for the mom-to-be to know where the gift came from. Include a gift receipt when you can in case the gift needs to be returned. And if you’re uncertain about what to buy, don’t forget that gift cards are always welcome.
No comments:
Post a Comment