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Perhaps your friend or family member has made the choice to leave the gender of her coming bundle of joy a pleasant surprise, or perhaps you live in an area where it is not common practice for the gender to be revealed. No matter what the case, the mystery is a wonderful feeling of suspense for an expectant mother and those close to her to experience. It can also present many hurdles to overcome when shopping for baby shower gifts.

Clothing is a very typical gift for showers. It is practical, and as many new Moms will say, newborns can never have too many clothes. Special little outfits in those 0-3 month sizes are so sweet in their precious pastels and handsome hues, so the basic gender-neutral colours can seem rather drab in comparison. Here are some tips to ensure some Wow factor when your friend unwraps this gift.

Yellow, green and white have always been the acceptable standard for gender neutral colours for babies. If you want to stray from the norm, don't be afraid to dig around in both the newborn sections for boys and girls. Patterns with neutral bases may be classified as gender specific by the retailer, but a cute brown hoodie will look just as sweet on a baby girl with the right compliments as it will on a boy with a pair of jeans.

Basics never go out of style. Many Moms remember that they had tonnes of adorable ensembles to doll their little one up in for a day out, but what about hanging out at home? Simple white onesies or cotton sleepers are handy and comfortable. Bright colours and patterns stimulate a baby's vision, encouraging them to remain alert by attracting their attention. Help give Mom a break, those drab colours of yellow, green and white are actually very relaxing, and many believe may help baby nap during the day.

If you're not overly concerned by the price of the outfit you select, try heading to a baby-specific boutique such as Please Mum, The Children's Place or Baby Gap. Talk to a salesperson. As most are commissioned, they'll be more than happy to help you dig through racks and shelves for that perfect something. Ask them about colours and patterns that are uncommon but remain gender neutral. Most of these retailers train their employees on product recommendations and how to respond to these types of requests - take advantage of it.

Novelty t-shirts and sweaters have cute images and saying screen printed on them. If Dad is a hardcore AC/DC fan you can grab a cute miniature of Dad's favorite shirt. Mommy and Me t-shirts are

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