When my son was born, my husband and I were blessed with many wonderful gifts from family and friends. As much as we appreciated their generosity, we also didn't expect that we would receive twenty-five (yes, twenty-five) baby blankets, and over thirty stuffed animals. Although they were cute, we really did not get to use them much; most pediatricians now recommend that blankets and stuffed animals be kept out of a baby's crib until age one, as they present a suffocation risk. My son also had an entire closet filled with adorable blue outfits, but almost all of them were 0-3 month size and by the time he was just four weeks old, my little nine-pounder was ready for the next size up.

Since then, I've become much more practical when I bring gifts to baby showers. Try to put yourself in the shoes of a new Mommy and Daddy, and get creative. Here are a week's worth of great ideas:

1. It's Monday night and the baby just won't settle down. Is she sick? Does she have a fever? Save Daddy a trip to the 24-hour pharmacy and give a collection of infant medications, such as acetaminophen drops, teething gel, and saline nasal spray. If you are able to spend a little more, add an infant thermometer or cool mist humidifier.
2. Save Daddy another trip to the store on Tuesday night by giving him packages of diapers (in several sizes), unscented wipes, and diaper rash cream. Don't forget an average newborn goes through about ten diapers a day.
3. On Wednesday, Mommy's trying to get a handle on all this new laundry. Give her a cute laundry caddy complete with a gentle unscented detergent, a stain removing spray, carpet stain remover (for the inevitable spit-up), and an air-freshening spray or plug-in. Better yet, if you live nearby, offer to pick up a load of dirty laundry and wash it for her!
4. On Thursday, after hours and hours of use, the baby swing slows down and finally stops because its batteries are dead. So are the batteries in the vibrating bouncy seat, and the musical mobile attached to the crib. Yikes! One of the funniest (and most useful) gifts I ever saw at a baby shower was a huge basket full of batteries.
5. On Friday evening, baby is ready for a trip to Grandma and Grandpa's house. She's going to need a carseat, stroller, travel crib, portable swing, and portable highchair. Just remember the cardinal rule: check the gift registry. Mommy and Daddy probably spent a lot of time putting together a wish list for those big-ticket items. Make sure you're getting them the ones they really want.
6. And don't forget, it's not all about the baby. Mommy and Daddy need to take a break and have some fun too! They won't be able to go out as easily now on Saturday nights, so help them have a simple date night at home with some popcorn, hot chocolate, and a gift subscription they can use to rent movies online.
7. And finally, remember that one of the hardest things for new parents to keep up with is cooking. Staying on top of the baby's round-the-clock feedings is hard enough! Make life a little easier for them by giving gift cards for local take-out restaurants, or, offer to bring them a hot meal yourself. Bring the food in disposable containers so they won't have to remember to wash and return your dishes to you. Another idea is to visit on Sunday afternoon and bring a supply of groceries for the coming week: milk, bread, lunchmeat and cheese for sandwiches, and ingredients for simple dinners such as pasta and spaghetti sauce. Your gift will be very much appreciated, and, you will have saved Daddy from another trip to the store!

Learn more about this author, PaigeTurner.
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