Picking the perfect baby shower gift can be tough. Of course, I always recommend giving the expectant mama the things she’s registered for. She did a lot of hard work doing her research and putting together her list of items she needs and will use with her baby. So, when in doubt, stick to her baby registry. However, if you also want to get her a little something different, unique, and truly helpful, you’ve come to the right place! I’ve put together my favorite unique baby shower gift ideas so you can get your soon-to-be mommy friend something she’ll love and find useful. I’m sure you’ll receive all those “oos” and “aahs” from the guests once she opens your gift. 😉
My Top 35 Unique Baby Shower Gifts
As a baby planner, I’ve tested lots of baby products over the years and have assisted parents in planning their baby showers and baby registries. This list of unique baby shower gifts includes everything parents have really loved, from baby items to items just for mom. I hope you find the perfect gift!
1. Soothing Sounds on the Go
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I love gifting a portable sound machine to new parents. Not only can parents clip this on a car seat to help baby sleep while going to the pediatrician’s office or running errands, but they can also use this in the hospital when the baby is born. Hospitals can be noisy and full of unfamiliar sounds. A portable sound machine can be super helpful in drowning out hospital noises and helping mom get some restful sleep after childbirth. This is a gift that will be used again and again. And it’s available in multiple colors!
2. Diaper Caddy
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Diaper caddies are a fantastic tool that I recommend to every new parent. They can conveniently store postpartum recovery items, breastfeeding items, diaper-changing items, and more. Having a caddy allows parents to easily tote their things where they need them and have everything organized in one place.
I really like this caddy because it comes in different colors, has eight outer pockets, and is a modular system — the dividers can be moved however the parents need them. You can even keep a caddy in your car trunk for baby items when you’re on the go. It’s perfect for quick diaper changes. This is why having more than one is helpful, so the expecting mom will be grateful!
3. Baby’s First Cold Kit
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If you’ve decided to gift her a diaper caddy and want to fill it with a few things the parents will use, consider stocking it with items for baby’s first cold! Most new parents don’t think of getting these items beforehand and then end up rushing to the store or Amazon Prime when their baby gets sick. These are things the parents would likely never think of, and they’ll be very thankful that you did!
You could also print out the directions for the medicine dosage for each age to make it even easier for them. (Just make sure to choose infant cough medications that don’t contain honey since babies can’t have honey until they’re 1 year old.1)
4. No-Contact Thermometer
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No one wants to wake a sleeping baby to check their temperature, so a thermal thermometer is a must. This is my favorite thermometer because it’s super accurate (from my experience) and is the only thermometer your child will ever need! You can set the mode to alert you to a fever based on your baby’s age. It can also measure surface and water temperatures. The expecting parents will love this one!
5. Baby Sleep Set
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New parents will do anything for a good night’s sleep. Items that encourage a good bedtime routine for more peaceful nights with baby would be a wonderful gift for any parent! I highly recommend this zip-up swaddle from Love to Dream, a bedtime board book to read to baby before bedtime, and a fantastic book all about babies (and their sleep). These gifts are some of my faves to give!
6. Diaper Bundle
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Every parent needs (and will most definitely use) diapers, wipes, and diaper cream. A unique spin on this traditional gift would be to stock a diaper caddy with the mom-to-be’s desired diapers and wipes (check her baby registry). You can also include some quality diaper cream and a bum brush.
This diaper cream is from one of my favorite brands. The set comes with one ointment that prevents and protects baby’s bum from diaper rash and another that treats it. Most diaper creams are just meant for treating diaper rash, so I love how this one has an option for preventing it as well. Also, no one wants to get their hands sticky whenever they apply diaper cream to baby’s bum. Definitely gift the parents a bum brush (one for the house and one for her diaper bag)! This unique gift is a must!
7. Recovery Essentials
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At a baby shower, pretty much all the gifts are for the baby (and rightfully so, since that’s what it’s all about), but it’s also good to get something for mom. She’s the one giving birth, after all! Getting her this recovery kit from Frida Mom is a great baby shower gift because a lot of new moms don’t think too much about recovering after childbirth. It may not be the cutest or sexiest gift, but it’s guaranteed that she’ll be grateful for these items after having the baby. These products will really help with her recovery!
8. Hospital / New Mommy Survival Kit
You can get creative with your gift and put some favorite little things you think the soon-to-be mom would enjoy in a jar, basket, or box — and voilà! You’ve created an awesome and unique baby shower gift. I love the idea of a hospital survival kit or a new mom kit. Some ideas I would add are chocolate, nail polish, tide pen, wipes, lip balm, mints, coffee gift card, under-eye concealer, electrolytes, hand sanitizer, dry shampoo, and deodorant wipes.
9. Postpartum Vitamin
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Another unique baby shower gift to get an expecting mom is postpartum vitamins. Her body is going to go through so many changes during postpartum, and nutritionally, she’ll need certain vitamins and minerals for her recovery. Choose a bottle of quality postpartum vitamins along with a DoorDash gift card to ensure that her nutritional and health needs are being met after she has the baby. 🙂
10. Wine for Mommy
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If the expecting mom is looking forward to her first glass of wine after pregnancy, these printed wine labels will make a cute and funny gift. Buy some bottles of wine that she loves and stick these labels on them so she can “celebrate” the different mommy milestones. She’ll love it!
11. Door Sign or Doormat
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I mean, come on . . . how cute and hilarious and REAL are these signs and doormats?! There’s nothing worse than someone ringing the doorbell and waking your sleeping baby after you’ve taken so much time and energy to get them to sleep. Placing these at the front door or over the doorbell will let visitors know to keep quiet. Seriously awesome baby shower gifts!
12. Silent Night
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Okay, these might seem like the strangest things for baby shower gifts, but hear me out! When you have a baby, you quickly realize how many creaks and noises your house makes. To help with “silent nights,” gift the parents this door silencer and some WD-40. This gift will get some chuckles, but they’ll also tell you how GENIUS you are! 🙂
13. Tap Night-Light
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I highly recommend a good night-light to use in the middle of the night feedings and diaper changes. The last thing parents want to do is fully stimulate their sleepy baby and mess up their circadian rhythms. A soft night-light like this allows parents to see what’s going on while keeping the room dark enough for their sleepy baby. All you have to do is touch the top of the night-light to turn it on and off. They can bring this to the hospital with them, too!
14. On-the-Go Changing Mat
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Nowadays, most diaper bags come with a changing pad, but you never know if the momma’s partner will take the changing pad with them or if it will get left in another bag. So, get the parents an easy, on-the-go portable changing pad they can always have on hand, just in case. 😉 Parents sometimes have to run a quick errand and don’t want to bring the entire diaper bag with them. That’s why I love this portable changing pad! With a spot for diapers, wipes, and creams, it has a place for everything you’d need for an on-the-go diaper change. You can even hang it on the back of the seat of the car!
15. Tubby Todd All Over Ointment
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This stuff is magic in a bottle. I’ve worked with a lot of families as their postpartum doula, and I cannot tell you how many times I’ve said they need this ointment. If the baby has eczema, rough patches, redness, dryness, rash, or other irritations, this All Over Ointment is a must! Don’t just take my word for it; you can read the raving reviews about it, too!
16. Silver Nursing Cups
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If the expecting mom is planning to breastfeed, she may experience some of the discomforts of early breastfeeding. It’s a new skill that she and baby have to learn together, so cracked and chapped nipples may be in her future. To help her with those aches and pains, give her some silver nursing cups. These will help speed up her healing time and prevent things from getting worse.
17. Haakaa
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The Haakaa is also a must (in my opinion) for every new mom who plans to breastfeed. When she’s nursing her baby on one side, the Haakaa can catch her milk from her other breast. This silicone breast pump is a game changer because it pulls and collects more milk than a regular milk catcher. Using the Haakaa, she can easily and quickly save more breast milk. I recommend this particular one because it has a cap and a suction bottom. These features make it less likely to tip over and spill. A mom is sure to cry over spilled milk, especially if it’s her breast milk!
18. Lactation Massager
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These things are magic, and I recommend them to every breastfeeding and pumping mom. A warming lactation massager can help increase milk flow and speed up the milk letdown reflex, which speeds up the pumping process. If the expecting mom is planning on returning to work, she’ll love having these in her pump bag. Two thumbs up from me!
19. Fridababy Bundle
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I love all the products from Fridababy, and I know your mama-to-be friend will, too. This bundle has it all and will seriously save the day. It helps with stuffy noses and gassy babies and includes baby nail clippers and a peri-bottle, which is perfect for a mama after having a baby. This is a great baby shower gift that’s all-in-one and already wrapped. 😉
20. Baby Mittens
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Most new parents don’t realize just how long and sharp their newborn’s fingernails are when they’re born! (They also grow incredibly fast.) Babies tend to keep their hands near their faces and mouth and can accidentally scratch themselves.2 Ouch! To keep them from scratching their eyes and face, get them some secure baby mittens.2 I love these because they secure around baby’s wrists with a hook and loop closure so they won’t fall off. They’re also soft, made of 100% cotton, and come in multiple colors.
21. Gentle Nail Trimmer
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Every new parent’s nightmare is trimming their newborns’ nails. It. Freaks. Them. Out! Who wouldn’t be afraid of accidentally clipping your sweet baby’s little fingers when trying to trim their nails? That’s why this nail trimmer is a fantastic baby shower gift idea. It gently yet effectively trims and buffs baby’s nails. Parents love it!
22. SmartNoggin
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If you want to give something more fun, like a toy, the Smartnoggin NogginStik is a great option. This is a new-and-improved version of a baby rattle. It lights up a soft red, blue, and green when baby shakes it to promote visual stimulation and encourage visual tracking skills. The base of the NogginStik makes a soft rattle sound, and it has a mirror at the bottom for babies to see themselves. It also has an easy-to-hold handle for mastering grasping and fun textures to delight the sense of touch. It’s one of my favorite toys to give!
23. Pacifier Clips
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Pacifier clips may not be an exciting gift or a big wow, but I promise you that the parents will use these guys often (if their baby takes a pacifier). Finding the baby’s pacifier every time it falls is a hassle. And it’s annoying to keep cleaning the pacifier after it falls. This inexpensive yet super handy product makes life easier with pacifiers and babies!
24. Closet Dividers and Hangers
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Another unique baby shower gift the parents will love is a practical gift like these closet dividers and baby hangers. These help keep things organized and are always great, especially since baby clothes are so tiny. I really like these closet dividers (the different print options they have are precious!), and these clothes hangers are the sweetest.
25. ToteSavvy
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Instead of getting her a diaper bag, get her a ToteSavvy! Diaper bags can be expensive, and they’re such personal choices since there are so many different options available. It can be tough to choose the right one. The ToteSavvy insert is an excellent option because it can magically turn the purses she already owns and loves into the perfect diaper bags. LOVE!
26. Stroller Organizer
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Sometimes, you need things within arm’s reach — water, phone, keys, teething toy, pacifier, etc. And I love having things organized. This is why I can’t recommend a good stroller caddy enough! It will help the parents have their essentials close by. This stroller organizer can keep all their must-haves within arm’s reach. It’s a fabulous baby shower gift idea if they don’t already have one!
27. Slumberpod
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This may seem like the most extra item, but if the expecting parents are big-time travelers, they’ll LOVE the Slumberpod. I thought this product was a little silly until I tried it on a trip with my baby. It was a game-changer! If you have to share a hotel room with your baby (because, of course, you will), you quickly learn that you all have to go to sleep early, and sleep is minimal. With this product, my baby slept through the night, and my husband and I could still watch a show with our headphones on! It’s a pricier gift item, so you may want to get a few people to chip in on this gift, but it’s a unique one that I highly recommend for parents who love to travel!
28. First Year Frame
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The mom-to-be can capture and display all of her baby’s monthly photos in this sweet frame! It features 12 smaller slots and one larger opening to display their big year. There are so many adorable baby monthly photo ideas. It’s a unique baby shower gift they’ll treasure forever.
29. Baby Handprint and Footprint Memory Frame
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This picture frame is the perfect keepsake to remember baby’s absolutely adorable feet and hands! They won’t be tiny for long, so get those precious first impressions in clay now and save them forever in this beautiful photo memory frame. Also, include some inkless pads for the parents to easily stamp baby’s foot or handprint without a mess!
30. Newborn Photography Session
Being able to relive and cherish those brand-new moments with their little one is a gift that keeps on giving. A gift card for a professional newborn photography session is one of those gifts that are truly priceless. She will cherish those photos forever.
31. Night Nanny / Postpartum Doula Care
Now, this is something that you and a couple of friends can maybe pitch in on. Contact a local nanny or doula agency in your town or a well-recommended night nanny or night postpartum doula to come over and help take care of the baby overnight. Gift the expecting mom a gift card so she can meet and choose the nanny or doula she prefers. This gift of support and sleep is one she’ll forever be grateful for. It will allow the family to get at least one (or a few) nights of rest and help with baby chores.
32. Babysitting Gift Cards
The best part of this gift is that you can offer your time and make some coupons for your expecting friend. Or you can purchase a couple of hours from a trusted babysitter so mom can have some time to herself. Time really is precious, and she’ll so appreciate the much-needed break.
33. Spa Time
Speaking of a break, this baby shower gift idea is a no-brainer. Every mama will want some pampering and a moment to herself. Whether it be a facial, massage, mani/pedi, you name it, she’ll love it! Be sure to ask her if she has a preferred spa location or service that she enjoys. 🙂
34. House Cleaning Service
There’s nothing better than coming home to a clean house! The expecting mother really needs to rest, focus on her recovery, and limit the chores she does around the house. So, get her a gift card or contact a local cleaning service to clean her house once or twice after the baby comes.
35. Meal Delivery Service
The last thing new parents want to worry about is what to make for dinner (or lunch or breakfast). Set up a food delivery service with some gift cards, such as DoorDash or Grubhub, where they can pick meals of their choosing. You can do this for a few days or a week, or get together with friends and do it for a whole month or more! Also, setting up a meal train is a great idea! Both parents will love it.
With the items on this list, I promise that your gift will be the talk of the party! All these are extremely useful and will be greatly appreciated by the parents. What are some unique baby shower gifts that you’ve given and recommend? Is there anything you would add to this list?
