Need advice re: baby shower stuff...

You don't have to be a man to have this kind of trouble. I asked a friend of mine what I should buy someone else--she said you can never had too many small flannel blankets since they are always getting dirty. Probably the best thing I ever gave anyone, though was a gift certificate to Target.

I always buy off whatever someone registers for, so I can't offer an advice there. However, I know someone who recently went to register for a wedding shower and she was told that they could automatically reigster her for the "most poplar items". If a baby store will do the same thing, it could give you a starting point.

you can never have too many onesises, sleepers, bottles, pacifiers, blankets, towels, diapers, and wipes. The rest of the stuff is just fluff really. I'd say stick with the necessities.

Well I know they need clothes . Simple gifts would be baby powder,bottles,teething rings,or a gift certificate like Susan said. Maybe a stuffed animal or a small toy. My sister just had a couple of babies so I have been to her baby showers and a few of my friends. Good luck.

Go with the essentials first: Diapers.

Since the baby was born three months early, it should be a prem (premature baby). So, caps and mittens for prems are good ideas.

And it is a good idea to talk to them. A lot of young couples are sometimes overwhelmed and really thankful if someone really talks to them about their needs and their baby's needs.

diapers, onesies, desitin, (for diaper rash!), a baby monitor, and one of those infant carriers. Those were the things I used themost when my son was a bay...but there's a whole ton of other stuff they'll need too.

Jill is right on the mark. Joyce too. You can't go wrong with diapers, onesies, sleepers & wipes. It's amazing how fast they go through them.

Going into winter ... socks might also be good things to throw into the mix ... and since they tend to slip off little feet, would be good to have many sets. Or get booties. :)

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You mght want to talk with them. One of the best things anyone ever did for us was buy about 6 months cloth diaper service for us. I loved it and used it for the rest of our kids. I also bought a CARTON of wipes for a friend of mine. You can never have too many of those, but check first if they want certain kinds (some have no alcohol).

Go in together with other friends or family to get big ticket items.

Just don't get everything in one size, extra small, once babies start to grown they can grow very fast , so I say a few things in several sizes is a great idea, they also will need a bassinette probably better for a premie than a crib at least right now. Sheets for bassinette and for crib later are good items too, If they have a washer /dyer tha's great if not rolls of quarters and laundry soap, baby clothes usually are washed in Dreft or a soap that has NO additives, it is more expensive than some other types. Also to consider is formula unless mom is nursing baby.with that are bottles and bottle washer and extra nipples ( they can wear out)
good luck and I hope all works out

Since they will be at the hospital for a while, you might want to get THEM something. It is very hard when you are waiting for a premie to come home. I hope and pray everything goes well for them and their newborn. Hospitals have come a long way. The baby will need special care. A basinet would be a great gift. This way when the baby comes home, they can keep it close by, in their room, until they feel better about the baby sleeping by itself. Another good thing would be an intercom, so they can hear the baby in the night, should it awake and need attention. I wish them the best.

usually, new mothers register at a local baby store, or Walmart or Target. Diapers, baby baths, baby towels, onsies and bottles are all pretty standard.

They always need Diapers! Gift cards for local stores are great too!

diapers, gift cards so if they are not breast feeding they can buy formula.

Baby boppy, it's a half circle cushion so you canlay them on it. It helps when your feeding them. I like it!

make sure they have a car seat, you can't leave the hospital without one.

do they have the CRIB and Mattress??

High chair

Bouncy seat

Swing

DIAPERS

Wipes Desitin

Baby tylenol

love the boppy!

crib sheets

blankets

if they need more stuff and can't afford new please go on their behalf to a local resource center they can point you in the right direction to get FREE BABY stuff, gently used, or new. Or at least very low cost stuff.

2 things to know: Do not get a used crib matterss, it increase the chance of SIDS by 30%. ANd never buy a used car seat, there are to many chances it is not good anymore. There are several organizations that can get yo one of those for free or for a donation of $10.

Good LUCK

Don't stick with just preemie and newborn stuff either. Get larger diapers and onsies and other items so they can ease into the baby's growth spurts gently. I never buy newborn stuff anymore because everyone else does. I always go 3-6 months or even 6-9 months.

I would recommend going to a store that offers an online registry, such as target and registering for them. Often the staff can help point you in the right direction and will give you a sheet of common things to register for.

A gift card, then they can get something they didn't get that they wanted.

Lots of diapers and onesies. Only get a few in the small sizes cause them little boogers grow faster than weeds even if they are premies. Socks, never have enough, get them all same color, easier to pair up after laundry day. Spit towels, or lots of "wipes".

Check on a registry. Find out what they already have. If the baby is still in the hospital and will be for a while (quite possibly well beyond the original due date), they might need breast feeding pumps/bottles, emotional support, and money. If the baby is home, the list is different. Climate makes a difference.

You can almost never go wrong with flannel receiving blankets, sleepers and the like. For the big items, car seats, cribs, etc., find out what they already have then help fill the blanks. People often have very set ideas on what they're looking for so don't get something big without working with them. Clothing and the likely make a fine surprise. Work with the parents if it's going to be something bigger.

Check out Babies R Us registry, even if your friends don't have a registry yet - they have a checklist to help make one up and it can be found on the www.babiesrus.com website. Always check out comments and rating of baby stuff before buying. Most sites now have that kind of information.

Leave most toys and older things like high chairs and non-bottle feeding tools for later. At my house, at least, my baby spends most of it's time in someone's arms.

I'm having a baby myself in March. Not angling for stuff myself, but I have a registry on BabiesRUs and Walmart.com that you can look at for ideas if you'd like. It might help. I researched many of the items on the websites and Consumer Reports, particularly those that have safety implications (like car seats). Just let me know and I'll send you links. Remember, I'm not asking for anything. I just want to help.

Being pregnant, I'd say the one thing I'm going to want the most is diapers. They cost a lot and you need a ton, so each pack I get is going to really help me save!

Two sets of answers here: Usually for a newborn, parents need a lot of T-shirts and onesies - a full length outfit that snaps from crotch to bottom.

However, a preemie is a different story - born three months early. You need to know the weight of the baby. When the baby is around 5 pounds (I am sure this is not the case), he or she will fit in baby clothes.

I doubt a baby less than 4 pounds will fit in the newborn size. The average newborn is 7 and 1/2 pounds. My son was 6 pounds (Not preemie) and he was swimming in newborn sizes for a month. My daughter was 8 pounds and fit in the newborn sizes for only a month.

Some people have suggested doll clothes for preemies but most doll clothes don't have what babies need - T-shirts, sleepers and onesies. I suggest you go to a preemy baby clothing web site. Or send out another article with a speicific request for preemy baby clothing - good to get the birth weight as the baby is now.

You can always get an assortment of T-shirts, sleepers and onesies, too - such as newborn, (0 - 3 months) 6 months (that is the upper range) and 9 months.

Since preemies take longer to reach the weight other babies are at by a year, you would probably be safe going with clothes up to 9 months. But you would want to get something for the baby now.

As far as gifts that are not clothing, stay away from PILLOWS - a no no! and I would even stay away from typical receiving blankets, as these, too, are made for newborns about 8 pounds. When we took my 6 pound son home from the hospital (1988) we had to have a towel wrapped around his frame in the infant seat - he was too small. The problems for preemies are much more complex.

I would check a preemie site - such as this - I have not used this -

Gifts for preemies

Also, infant diapers will be MUCH too big for a preemie and the preemie skin is probably much too delicate. Preemies have a host of medical problems, too, so best to ask the parents, ask around of parents of other preemies...

Desitin - CVS baby ointment - is very helpful. I had to wash off the baby wipes liquid off my son after each change then apply desitin to each change, otherwise, he would have a bad diaper rash - diaper rash is usually caused by the uric acid or by other things, such as the lanolin or other liquid in baby wipes. My daughter never had a rash. My son was a bit delicate as a baby, but a preemy has a lot of other medical problems. Ask the parents.

The baby won't need anything until he or she is home from the NICU. Do you know when that is?

Diapers
Diapers
wipes
Did I mention Diapers?
Don't just buy the newborn size either, they will grow into the bigger sizes quickly.
Gift cards for a Target or Walmart are also awesome.

There is some great advice here already. I'm wondering if this is the first child. If not, they might need someone to watch other kids while they're with the newborn.

You know, diapers are always helpful....

I may have a different take than others but here is what I REALLY, REALLY loved, as a new mother: and knowing you also write money articles, these ideas might appeal to you:


1. Offers of babysitting or just offers of time and energy to relieve new mothers when they are feeling frazzled or in need of help. Take the baby out for a walk in stroller once a week or come over and chat if the mom is feeling isolated. If the baby has colic (heaven forbid!) there isn't much to do to relieve the crying...but you can rock, carry and listen to the crying baby for an hour while the mother unwinds or just gets her hearing back.

The gifts were lovely and if the mom is on a tight budget, she'll appreciate clothing, diapers,, baby essentials. But your time and energy can be just as valuable and appreciated just as much. Doesn't cost a cent but it shows you care.

Call (not during nap time) and let them know you want to know what is happening, how things are going.

2. Gift certificates for carry out food from a good restaurant or offers to frozen, home-cooked meals for days when the baby was fussy, I was under the weather and I wanted good, quick meals but was too TIRED to cook

3. Did mention offers of time, energy and free babysitting ;)

4. Also, if someone wanted to come over and walk the baby in a stroller while I was taking a shower or getting my hair done or whatever, I was a happy person. It made me feel human again.

5. A basket filled with coupons for rentals of DVDS (good to have on hand during late night nursing), Desitin or other diaper rash cream (if you need it, you REALLY need it for diaper rash) and a balance of gifts for the mom and the baby. If the mom likes to read, a nice paperback or other book is good (again, for late night nursing). Digital thermometer.

Reassurance, support, etc.

diapers great choice

Stuff most folks wouldn't think about. How about baby-proofing items like drawer latches, plugs for unused outlets, etc?

And the folks that suggested larger-sized clothing are right on. Everybody got little teeny sizes for my daughter when she was born, and some of them NEVER fit her!!

Oh, yeah. I forgot the best gift anyone ever gave me. It was the following instructions:

Buy a hand towel. Go to a sewing/craft store and get knit ribbing to match or coordinate. Take the plastic top off your 3-lb coffee or shortening can and place it about 1/3 of the way from one end of the towel. Trace around it in washable marker (also available at the sewing store). Then cut out the circle. Cut a length of ribbing 1/2 inch longer than the circumference around this circle, and about 1 1/2 inches wide. Then sew one long edge of the ribbing to the circle, fold in half (turning under the raw edge) and sew again. This is the best toddler bib I ever had!!

I will yield to those with more expertise regarding babies. But let me suggest something I haven't seen here: winter is coming, and the room where the baby will be sleeping needs to be made as comfortable as possible. That might mean insulation, new storm windows, furnace service, anything along those lines.

Yep me thinks they got it covered but I have to say it again that if the baby will be in the hospital for awhile they will need lots of coupons or gift cards for food. How thoughtful of you for this. Good luck and let us know how it goes with the early arrival and family.

Regarding infant's clothing and children's clothing, Macy's East - anyway - probably the other divisions has sales from time to time that are $2.49 or $4.99 for kids and infant's clothing. Don't over look Macy's when it comes to Bargains. They have to compette with T and W. too.

I remember being invited to so many baby showers where everybody brought cute, little outfits and shoes and toys and the like and they all "uuuuu'd" and "ahhhhh'd" over 'em... I usually brought the same present(s) every time:

I get a good sized cardboard box and buy the large, economy sized petroleum jelly (Vaseline) and put it in there... add the "industrial sized" baby powder, a package of diaper pins or two, a large, economy sized container of "Q-Tips", a big bottle of "Baby Wash" or "Baby Magic" (soap), 3 or 4 good sized terry washcloths and, if I could afford it, a small package of cloth diapers and a pair of plastic pants (for those times when you run out of disposable diapers and need something in a pinch... the diapers can also be used to lay over the should while burping, wiping up spills and all kinds of other uses!)

When the prospective mother got around to my gift (after all the "uuuuus" and "ahhhhhs" over the cutsey stuff that was only going to fit the kid for the first 2 days or so...) I usually got a great, big, HUGE, heartfelt "THANK YOU!...for giving me stuff that I really NEED and will really USE!" :o)

that SHOULD have read: "...the diapers can also be used to lay over the SHOULDER..." Hey. It's been a LONG day! ...lol...

If the baby was born 3 months early(my daughter was 4months premie), preemie clothes, and diapers will be the biggest thing the baby will need. The parents however will need some special intervention. Things that helped us were occasional cards of support, my wife had a friend that sent her a little note of support every couple of weeks. Take them out for coffee, to the zoo, anything to get their minds off the problems they will all be experiencing even for a little while. Remind them that while most people are ignorant they are not intentionally being hurtful when they say stupid things like "Is she all there?", my wife actually told one lady "No, she was born without a head." email me if I this has been a help and/or you want more advice.

I also wanted to mention that preemies don't necessarily grow at the same rate as other babies so larger size clothes aren't always a good idea. My daughter grew very slowly at first. She eventually caught up but wore a 2t until she was 4. and it took her a long time to get there.

Yes, having someone baby sit for the parents for the first couple of years is a great boon. The baby will have specialized needs that take a lot more time and energy; a few social service agencies have someone come in every few weeks to baby sit wihle the parents go out. But not many. Some preemies are on a special monitor for SIDS.

Keep in mind the baby could be only 3 pounds now...

I always have trouble knowing what to get for baby showers. I like getting blankets and washclothes, and onesies.

Walmart has a GREAT registry..... You should start there! They also have Site-To-Store shipping for FREE and many people online can order items this way. Even if participants order online, they can also have home shipping and its totally confidential and the address is automatically stored in the system ... I've loved Walmart for MY baby registry and will definitely be using Walmart again if we have another child.

Wipes - try getting sensitive. The majority of babies are sensitive to the scents used in wipes. Huggies and Pampers have unscented kind.

Formula

Diapers - White clouds work just as good and they're cheaper too! :) --- DO NOT buy this cheap yellow bag from Walmart - they cause severe diaper rash with most babies.

Pacifier Therometer, Clippers, etc

Nose suction thing

Baby gate

Film paper for a camera (if she has one), so she can take PLENTY of pics

Pacifiers in general

Bottles (parents choice is what I use and they're 1 dollar each, have cute mini kind for 1 dollar each at Walmart).

Baby book (so she can keep up with baby's progress and milestones). A lady from Gather bought me a VERY cute one at Walmart for 12 range and it says, Thank heaven for little girls. I LOVE IT! It has GREAT questions and lets you put photos in it! :)

Onsies

Bottle cleanser with brush kit, etc.

Baby monitors

Car seat

Stroller

High Chair

Bebe pod seat

Potty chair

Socks

Mittens (so baby don't scratch face)

Pants - never can have enough!

Blankets- NEVER can have enough. They get dirty fast!

A Babies R Us gift card?

Shirts

Bibs

Burp Cloths

Wash cloths

Days for sleep time are good!! Haha!

I think the biggest support would be visitors and people trying to let us know that they're there for us if we need anything. Knowing people are open to us makes a bigger difference than anything...

Gift cards for restaurants might be an idea - when our son was in the intensive care we spent so much on eating out while he was in there (we lived an hour away from the hospital)