by Emily McDowell

Created on: May 09, 2010

When shopping for presents for a new Mom, often the gifts that are the most picked are cute little outfits, soft and fuzzy stuffed animals, pacifiers, rattles and toys for the baby to play with. Although these are thoughtful presents, the fact is that new parents are usually inundated with them. There are other items that may not be as fun or visually appealing, but they are so useful that new parents will appreciate them more than anything else.

Diapers, wipes and disposable diaper sacks. Ever heard of a diaper party where all the guests bring the new mother a pack of diapers? That's because these items are so expensive, and there are so many different brands that it is helpful for moms to try them all without having to go out and purchase the diapers themselves. The same goes for wipes - these are used on a daily basis and can add a lot of expense to the budget. Disposable diaper sacks are convenient to tote around in the diaper bag and will come in handy when there is nowhere closeby to throw away a dirty diaper.

Receiving blankets. Babies go through tons of these blankets, and usually they are thin so parents need to use a couple of them each time they bundle their baby. Another good idea is to buy a blanket that fastens together to keep the baby swaddled in the receiving blankets - this will help to keep them sleeping longer.

A Snugglie or backpack to carry the baby around in. This is something that new moms and dads can wear and hold their baby while keeping their hands free. This allows them to talk on the phone, type on the computer or do other tasks while keeping the baby right next to them. It is also very helpful in calming down a fussy baby because they love to be right next to Mom or Dad.

Burp rags and cloth diapers. It's inevitable, all babies spit up. Some babies spit-up more than others so it is a necessity to carry burp rags everywhere you go. I find that the best burp rags are the large white, cloth diapers. They have a large area that can protect babies clothing as well as yours, and this also allows it to be used more than once before washing. Moms can never have too many cloth diaper burp rags. Usually they run out of clean ones before the next load of laundry.

A sound machine. These machines will play lullabyes or soothing sounds such as waves that will allow the baby to know when it is time for a nap. When a routine such as dimming the lights, getting a warm bottle ready and turning on the sound machine is followed each night, a baby will associate it with going to sleep and it will trigger them to become drowsy. Sound machines usually have timers on them allowing parents to choose how long they will stay on - or they can run all through the night.

There are hundreds of baby products to choose from, and it can be especially difficult to figure out the right gift if you have never been a parent. The most useful ones are the items that are used again and again. Not only will they get a lot of use, but Mom and Dad won't feel that the item is just added clutter to their home.

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