Wondering what's a good baby shower gift? We've found the best newborn gifts for babies that are so cute, we're tempted to have another bub ourselves...
Have you been invited to a baby shower and need some newborn gift inspo? You’ve come to the right place! Shopping for a loved one’s bundle of joy gives us happy shivers. There’s something about teeny tiny baby clothes, trinkets and baby keepsakes that make us all warm and fuzzy. So, whether you’re buying baby gifts for a friend or are pregnant yourself and looking for baby gift ideas for your wishlist, we’ve got you. Here are the baby shower gifts and presents for pregnant pals we’re loving right now…
The best baby gifts & presents we’re loving for newborns and mums
1. For baby: Teethers
Babies love to chew – fact. We say help ease those inevitable sore gums with a cute teether you’ll be proud to show off in public. Enter Little Bearnie. This local baby brand sells loads of beautiful baby gifts and the teethers are an absolute favourite of ours. Totally IG-worthy, the accessories are all made using 100% food-grade silicone and toxic-free materials. It’s the brand’s first original product and was designed in-house by founder Valencia Chen. Grab a bubble tea version while you’re at it too so mum and bub can enjoy the same snack when they’re out and about!
2. For mum: Face and body oil
The baby shower gift table is usually filled with goodies for the little one. But don’t forget mummy too! If mum-to-be is a little conscious of stretch marks, Bio-Oil Skincare Oil (Natural) is the perfect gift. This is the all-natural version of the original Bio-Oil Skincare Oil, and packed with skin-loving natural ingredients. We’re also fans of the Earth Mama Organic Belly Oil which is oh-so-soothing, and the Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter!
3. For baby: Diapers (or go big with an adorable Diaper Cake!)
With the arrival of a newborn comes the need for tons (literally tonnes) of diapers. So it’s no surprise that we’re adding diapers as one of our top baby shower gift ideas. Sure, it’s an obvious gift, but the new mum and dad will thank you abundantly. To add a little pizazz, why not turn the gift of diapers into a tiered diaper cake! Complete with clothes and soft toys, this is an adorable replacement for an edible cake, and will be infinitely more useful for new parents.
4. For mum: Pampering time
Why not club together and buy your friend a pamper session so she can have some time out when those sleepless nights get a bit much? A post-pregnancy massage, facial, hair makeover or spa pedicure will always be gratefully received. Check out our tips as well for beauty products to make #mumlife extra simple, or consider creating a DIY survival beauty kit. Think face masks, nail polish, nail files, body scrub, hair masque…. she’ll love you for it.
5. For baby: Toys! We love My Passport Pal
A soon-to-be-born baby is undoubtedly going to love toys, so get them started with a thoughtful newborn gift! We love My Passport Pal, an adorable bear buddy in dungarees that you can adorn with flags for every country your little one travels to! Not only will each flag hold a memory of their travels, the cuddly bear is sure to become a favourite. Best bit: My Passport Pal is brought to us by a lovely entrepreneur in Singapore, Cristina. We love supporting our fellow mamas!
For other sweet toy ideas, we say ditch the plastic and opt for more eco-friendly offerings. Check out our round-up of gorgeous wooden baby and toddler toys for inspo!
6. For mum: Pregnancy care package
Every mum needs a bit of TLC during her pregnancy – and there’s no better way to show that you care than by sending a care package! Arlou & Rose has a range of gift boxes specially curated to celebrate mothers during every stage of their pregnancy journey – from the first trimester to postpartum. Each package comes with carefully selected goodies, like lactation bars to help with milk production and heat pillows to help momma relax. Oh, and did we mention that postpartum boxes come with gifts for baby too? Yay!
7. For baby: Night lights
A night light will no doubt feature on every mum-to-be’s wishlist. They’re wonderful for creating soft lighting in your baby’s nursery so you don’t have to stumble around in the dark. Also great for late-night feeding when you don’t want to wake your body up too much! We adore the range of night lights available from Deer Industries (which, by the way, stocks heaps of amazing gift ideas for babies!). It also sells neon signs for a true wow-worthy baby shower gift – how cool?!
8. For mum: Books or magazines
When mum isn’t busy staring at her newborn baby in the hospital, it can get a little boring and lonely hanging out in bed all day. Why not gift mum some reading material that isn’t baby related – a few magazines or a good book to keep her company when the many visitors have all gone home!
9. For baby: Comforters and blankets
We were gifted a comforter at our own baby shower and it has since become our now two-year-old’s most treasured possession. So much so that when we lost one (oops), he was so distraught that a worldwide replacement operation began. There are so many options on the market – some even have rattles and chimes sewn it too. Don’t underestimate their power for a good night’s sleep! Our idea for a great baby gift? Jellycat is a fave brand, and its Bashful Bunny Soothers are sooooo soft. Get them on their own, or they often come in beautiful baby gift sets or baby hamper – stock up from The Elly Store, RAPH&REMY or MyBabyGift.
10. For mum: Afternoon tea session
Whisk her off for a gorgeous afternoon tea once she’s feeling up to it. We’ve rounded up some kid-friendly options too to make life even easier! You could also buy a gift voucher to her fave cafe. Because we all know she’s going to need all the caffeine she can get…
11. For baby: First-aid kit
It might not be the cutest baby present, but can we just say: this is one of the handiest things you can gift your pregnant mate! It also adds a lovely bespoke gift element, too. Buy a cute tin or box, then fill with items like baby paracetamol, a thermometer, cute band-aids and more. Don’t forget to add in some hand sanitiser – they’ll need it for all those nappy changes. We like NatShield as it’s non-toxic, made from plant-based botanicals and safe for infants and pregnant women. Check out our guide to first-aid kits for the family home for more inspo!
12. For mum: A great diaper bag
Babies are cute and all, but they always demand so much STUFF. Nappies, wipes, nappy liners, sanitiser, bibs, bottles… the list goes on. So, when Mum is out and about round the shopping malls, cafes et al, she’s going to need a top-notch bag to house everything. We’ve rounded up diaper bags that are still gorge yet functional in our article. You’re welcome!
13. For baby: Muslin wraps and swaddles
Us been-there-done-that mums all agree on one thing: we love baby gifts that are multipurpose. Which is why the humble muslin swaddle is a lifesaver. Lightweight, they’re perfect to use here in tropical Singapore. Use them to swaddle baby tightly for sweet slumbers, as a nursing cover when breastfeeding, to clean off spit-up, as a towel, or as a mat to sit on at the park. Also, great shade covers for the stroller when you’re out on a pram-friendly walk, although be mindful of trapping in heat. We love the beautiful Aden + Anais prints (find a good selection at Pupsik Studio) but do check out our guide to all our fave wraps and swaddles.
14. For mum: All her fave foods
If you’re catching up with your loved one close to the birth date, why not create a care package of all the foods she hasn’t been able to eat during the pregnancy? A bottle of bubbles, gin, coffee, blue cheese, smoked salmon… let your imagination run wild!
15. For baby: Books and Memory Books
The early months with a baby are hazy, and the first five years seem to be endless, yet also over in a flash – funny how life works that way! To keep track of all those milestones and memories, we love these beautiful Memory Books available on Amazon. We adored capturing all the firsts for our own tiddlies so that we have mementoes to look back on. For the more sentimental, we also rate Letters to My Baby by Lea Redmond, where you pen a series of letters for your child to look back on. Buy online from Book Depository or any one of our favourite Singapore book stores.
Storytime! There are also so many great options for first story books to choose from. With so many amazing interactive baby board books on the market, you’re never too far from a great baby gift. Our faves? Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell and the That’s Not My… series.
16. For baby: Playmats
Playmats are a great way to keep teeny babies occupied and distracted… so Mum can make a quick cuppa! We adore the range at Smallable, with mats ranging from simpler, plainer designs to ones with activity stations, like the one pictured above. Of course, once you go down the play mat route, you’ll also find activity mats and activity arcs to distract you. So many cute baby gifts, not enough babies, we say! Done by Deer and Liewood are some of our fave brands to look out for.
17. For baby: Customised artwork
There’s nothing like a gorgeous piece of customised artwork to really show you care! We absolutely adore papercuts, and MissBespokePapercuts on Etsy has some wonderful baby gift options to consider. Of course, it helps to know the name and birth deets first, so this present for baby may have to wait until they’ve made their arrival! (You may like to contact the shop owner and enquire about a gift voucher.) We’ve also put together a whole list of ready-to-go or custom order art ideas for nursery and bedroom walls, so be sure to take a peek.
Other baby gift ideas for newborns and new mums
We could go on, but you’ve got some shopping to do! Here are some other options for baby gifts:
- Newborn photoshoot. Great if you have a group of friends all contributing to the pot, a photoshoot will mean pictures to treasure forever. They’ll never be that tiny again! Find out about some of our favourite photographers here.
- Rattles and pacifiers. Always needed, always useful.
- A money box/piggy bank. Great for adding to the rainy day fund and for storing pocket money when they’re older!
- Hooded towel. You could even get one personalised if you know the name ahead of birth.
- Clothes. A no-brainer really! Our tip? Don’t just buy newborn sizes otherwise the parents will have heaps of teeny tiny togs but nothing for when baby (quickly) goes up a size. Try a selection of newborn, 0-3 months and 3+ months to get the baby clothes collection off to a good start.
- Baby skincare. Baby bath wash, moisturiser, massage oil, nappy cream… all gonna be appreciated. We’ve got a list of natural skincare for babies that you’d want to check out for shopping ideas.
- Reusable Nappies. Perhaps your friend wants to go down the reusable diapers route? If so, check out our fave brands and help her get started with a practical baby gift.
So, now that you’re armed with a cute and creative list of baby gift ideas, it’s time to get shopping!
Disclaimer: *Kimberly-Clark Singapore PTE LTD’s calculation based in part on data reported by Nielsen through its ScanTrack service for the Infant Diapers category, Newborn Segment, for the 12 month period ending December 2018, in total Singapore scan channels. (Copyright© 2019, The Nielsen Company.)
