Theresa's Mixed Nuts: Oh, Baby! New Baby Gifts Parents Actually Need

Monday, July 3, 2017

Oh, Baby! New Baby Gifts Parents Actually Need

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


We will be welcoming a new addition to our family tree this fall, and we couldn't be more excited! My cousin is expecting her first baby (a boy!!!), but what makes his arrival even more special is his rainbow baby status. My cousin has been longing to be a mother for many years. Years of loss and grief and heartache, so you can see why this pregnancy is such a blessing and an overwhelming joy for our family. We'll be welcoming the bundle of joy in just a few short months, so I've been loading up on practical gifts that I know that the new parents are going to use and appreciate. Now, I say practical because when I think back to my baby shower, I remember the mounds of gifts that I received, but a lot of it was what I call "fluff" gifts. Gifts that were lovely, but I didn't get much use from. At the end of the day, I went home with more newborn outfits than my daughter was able to wear before outgrowing them, newborn sized diapers that I had to take back to the store to exchange for a bigger size because babies do grow fast, a million bottles of lotion that I swear we are still using even though my daughter just turned 18, and feeling a little sad that some of the practical gifts I registered for were passed over for "cute" gifts. 

Don't get me wrong. I will be the first to admit that shopping for a new baby is fun. I often feel pulled to buy that oh, so cute stuffed animal or frilly dress, but after thinking back to what I would have liked to have received at my shower, I stick with buying the gifts that I know the new parents will get use from.


Another bottle of lotion? Gee, thanks.....

If you are attending a baby shower soon, these are all wonderful gift suggestions that won't break the bank and new parents will surely be glad to receive.

1. Diaper Bag. Even if mom already has one, I often found that having a backup bag came in handy. Lotions break, bottles spill and having an extra bag on hand to use while the other one is being washed made life a lot less stressful. 

2. Size 1 and up diapers. Honestly, I usually go with a size 2. I received nothing but newborn sized diapers that my daughter quickly outgrew. It's a hassle to have to exchange diapers for a bigger size when you are a new parent, so you can't go wrong with opting for a size 1 or 2. 

3. Baby Wipes. Since these are used for more than cleaning a tushie, we went through a TON of baby wipes.

3. Diaper Rash Cream. Even the most pampered booty will get an occasional diaper rash. You want to start treating it as soon as it surfaces, so a stash of high quality creams is a great idea. I always swore by Boudreaux Butt Paste for my girls, but any of the name brand creams will help soothe a rash.

4. Umbrella Stroller. A fancy stroller with all the bells and whistles is good and fun, but can be a hassle for quick trips because they tend to be bulky and heavy. I found I got more use out of a cheap $20 umbrella stroller than I did from my pricey, top of the line stroller.

5. Baby Record Book. Babies grow so quick, new parents are going to want to record every milestone as soon as they happen. A baby record book will surely get used and filled up quickly and will be a gift that will be treasured for many years. 

6. Crib Sheets. I subscribe to the thought that you can never have enough crib sheets. Dripping bottles, spit up, vomiting, diaper blowouts. These are things that happen often and I think the bulk of newborn laundry comes from washing sheets from those messes. Having several sets on hand is a real sanity saver.

7. Receiving Blankets. See crib sheet explanation on why extras are important. 

8. Baby Carrier. My second daughter wanted to be held all. the. time. Being able to keep her happy while keeping my hands free was a huge blessing I received by wearing a baby carrier. 

9. Thermometer. It's scary how quickly a baby can become ill. A good quality thermometer is one of the most practical gifts new parents will be glad to have on hand.  

10. Car Seat Canopy. Babies need lots of sleep and while it's ideal to leave them at home for uninterrupted slumber time, it isn't always practical. New parent or not, errands still need to be done and sometimes you just have to bring baby along. A car seat canopy is a great way to allow baby to continue to sleep soundly when you have to be out and about.

I first saw a car seat canopy at my nieces baby shower and was jealous as all get-out that I hadn't even heard of them when my girls were babies. I thought it was the most genius baby product ever! You can keep baby tucked away in a cozy, dark setting so their sleep isn't disturbed by simply attaching the canopy to the car seat and snapping it closed, keeping baby snug in a cocoon of peace. 

Car Seat Canopy

The most adorable car seat canopies come from BayB Brand. I simply love the many fun, bold, modern prints that BayB Brand offers on each of their canopies. Each one is made with 100% cotton outsides, and lined with super soft polyester minky dots material on the interior. 


Car Seat Canopy


Since the material is of perfect weight, not too thick for summer heat or too thin for cold winters, these canopies are perfect for year round use. The adjustable straps make these canopies compatible with any car seat model, and they are machine washable making care super easy for those inevitable messes. The easy open, easy close snaps allow for baby to stay snuggled up or allow for parents to quickly access their little one. 



In addition to these handy dandy car seat canopies, BayB Brand also offers matching blankets made from the same material. The design I chose for my cousin is this gender neutral Gray Arrow with Green.



There are many other fun colors and prints to choose from, such as this Blue Chevron or Pink Cheetah.



BayB Brand Car Seat Canopies and Blankets are definitely a practical baby gift, and under $20 each, are a quite affordable option, too! If you would like to learn more about the BayB Brand line of products, including those featured here today, be sure to visit their website

WIN IT!

One lucky Theresa's Mixed Nuts reader is going to win a BayB Brand Car Seat Canopy and Matching Blanket Set in the design of their choosing. The giveaway is open to residents of the US (No PO Boxes will be accepted) and will run through 7/19/17. Winner will have 24 hours to respond to winning email before a new winner is selected. Please enter on the giveaway widget below.



50 comments:

  1. Ooooh - I have a co-worker who is getting ready to have a baby - this would be an awesome gift!! I'm like you - jealous we didn't have these available years ago. :( So cute, and very practical!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think back to the crappy monitors we had too. Mine used to pick up the neighbor's phone calls all the time. Now they have high tech video monitoring. Makes you wonder what the next 20 years will bring in way of awesome baby products. Congrats to your co-worker!

      Delete
  2. Yeah, I've seen a lot of the fluff as my sister had twins. I'd rather have more useful and practical stuff any day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Man, I bet the fluff gifts are even worse with twins!

      Delete
  3. you need everything you can with little ones

    ReplyDelete
  4. THeresa, did you say baby wipes and diaper... Rash Cream?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Blue, I did day baby wipes and diaper... rash cream. Very handy items to have when you have a new baby :)

      Delete
    2. Yup and the Butt Paste you mentioned is the bomb. ;)

      Delete
  5. Hope she has a list for presents, so that she does not get ten of these seats and nothing else :)
    We've never had babies in our family, so I never had to be around them or buy anything for them, and I'm kinda glad for it :)))
    Sometimes when I see how much these things for babies cost, I get dizzy, especially in my country where people live on 300$ a month, if they're lucky to have job.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We do have registries here that guests can shop off of and it marks down what has been bought and what the couple still need. Sometimes people stray from the list though and buy what they want, not what the couple really needs though.
      I am to the point where I am glad that we don't have babies to take care of anymore. 5 more years before Allison is gone and Jason and I can focus on ourselves for a change. I do love babies, but I also love giving them back to their mom and dad at the end of the day (and not having to blow all of my savings on them either!)

      Delete
  6. These are all great picks. I've always been a fan of practical gifts. Blankets are okay, but how many do you really need?

    ReplyDelete
  7. As a guy, I really appreciate this post. I'm a typical male, so I'm all about functional items. We ended up with about two dozen baby blankets when my kids were born, and while we used them all, we didn't really NEED so many blankets. Great picks.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Quality rash cream is so important. I recommend it even more if you live in a hot climate.

    ReplyDelete
  9. These are definitely going to be handy for new parents. The canopy is perfect for all of the sleep babies need!

    ReplyDelete
  10. YES! Diaper rash cream is SO important and I feel like it gets overlooked so much. It is a definite MUST have.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Aww, this brings back memories! We had a car seat canopy for our son who is now 5 and it was so cute.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Those were some adorable baby items! You had the perfect list. I remember thinking, I don't need more clothes, I need diapers! lol

    ReplyDelete
  13. I don't really know of any babies on the way. If I had to guess - my one and only niece would be the next one to have a baby. What a cute carseat cover!

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is a really helpful list! Saving this list! Thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love the idea of giving people what they can use especially expecting parents. Imagine how much money they'll save if you give them one of the things on the list! It's totally going to be helpful.

    ReplyDelete
  16. These carseat canopies are too cute. Great shield for baby from heat and color and nicely designed!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Well since I'm due in September, I may as well enter. =) I'm probably a little too practical when it comes to baby gifts. All those cute newborn clothes I got at the last shower? I took half of them back and exchanged for larger sizes or something we really did need. You can never go wrong with wipes. That's what I've decided.

    ReplyDelete
  18. What a clever idea for keeping the baby comfortable. I love the animal print Car Seat Canopie.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh I love this. I will need to start asking for this for my pregnancy help ministry

    ReplyDelete
  20. We are wishing for a gray arrow with blue minky backing cover to go with lil Bradley Boy #3/Levi's camo carseat!

    ReplyDelete
  21. The gray arrow with green would be the one i would choose to get for my new grandchild coming soon.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anything to help them out that would lower the cost of their expenses would be really awesome. These are great gift ideas for expecting or new parents!

    ReplyDelete
  23. My favorite print is the owl one. I love the bright colors!

    ReplyDelete
  24. These are some awesome items!! My daughter just had her baby, and I'll have to check these out for her - I know that she'll love them!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I really love the BayB brand beige diaper tote bag. Its so polished. I wouldn't even think it was a diaper bag.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Funny thing: I bought 1 box of newborn diapers, and the rest bigger sizes with Mica. Well the little turd had a freaking tiny butt! They used premie diapers for him in the hospital. He wasn't small length wise, just around. A string bean baby! Travis had to go buy about 5 boxes of newborn diapers for him.

    Usually I agree with you on the diaper thing. I most certainly used all the bigger sizes I had too. Might as well buy bigger for the average baby.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I like the grey arrows with green! I am trying to pick relatively neutral things right now as this is my first baby (boy), but I want to be prepared for the future too and not have to re-purchase everything!
    addictedtorodeo at gmail dot com
    Ashley C

    ReplyDelete
  28. I agree, practical over cute at least 98% of the time (gotta leave a little wiggle room for 'cute'). The designs on those covers are cute though, so with that gift, you're offering both! :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. My favorite print is the Black Chevron because it is classic but still grabs your attention.

    ReplyDelete
  30. BayB Brand Car Seat Cover - Blue Chevron

    ReplyDelete
  31. so true! Those are the things we really need when we have a baby

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hmmm.. there are quite a few prints I like from BayB Brand but my fave two are SHIPS AHOy or BASEBALL.. either will work for me!! (Nicole Bowers)

    ReplyDelete
  33. I like the cheetah print!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Aww congrats to your darling cousing!!

    ReplyDelete
  35. These are such a wonderful gift!! I love the Grey Chevron color. Would be perfect for myself or for someone I love.

    ReplyDelete
  36. I like the stars print stretchy car seat cover. It's so cute!

    ReplyDelete
  37. I love the BayB Brand Stretchy Car Seat Cover Canopy - Stars.

    ReplyDelete
  38. I like the BAYB BRAND CAR SEAT COVER - SHIPS AHOY!

    ReplyDelete
  39. They have many pretty prints. One that I like is BAYB BRAND CAR SEAT CANOPY - GREY ARROWS W/ GREEN

    ReplyDelete
  40. My favorite print is the football print! My niece is expecting her first baby boy and this is super cute!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Have a new grand baby! Would love to win! Thanks for the chance!

    ReplyDelete
  42. I really like the BayB Brand Stretchy Car Seat Cover Canopy - Pink Stripe

    ReplyDelete
  43. I really like the BayB Brand Car Seat Canopy - Elephant with Gray, because I love Elephants and I think it could be used for a boy or girl!

    ReplyDelete
  44. I absolutely love the Cheetah print BayB Brand car seat cover. it's adorable!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your comments! I appreciate every one of them :) Except promotional posts with added links. Those will be deleted.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...