In general, when people think about buying gifts for a baby shower, they think about gifts that are useful for a teeny tiny newborn baby. In some ways this is good because the new parents will have everything they need for their baby right away, but it also means that there are no supplies available for even a few months down the line when their baby grows and changes. If you want to break the mould for your next baby shower and get something the new parents will really need, then consider getting them a gift that will be useful for them later on. Here are a few ideas:

Clothes

Clothes are the number one item that newborn babies will constantly be growing out of simply because they grow so fast in the first year of life. Instead of buying those teeny tiny newborn clothes that the baby will grow out of before she has a chance to wear them, why not give her some baby clothes that are a few sizes bigger? This way you can feel good knowing that your gift will be useful months or even years down the line. The same idea applies to other garments such as hats, shoes, rain gear and diapers as well. Another great idea is to make up gift baskets filled with a variety of clothes and accessories in a few different sizes.

Toys and Books

At the baby shower, the parents to be will probably receive plenty of cute little toys for their baby to play with, but these are generally toys that will no longer be interesting at the toddler stage. The baby will need new and more interesting toys to play with as she gets older, so you can provide her with a small range of fun toys to use down the line. The same goes with books: throughout the first few years of her life, the baby will develop the capacity to read more and more complex books. When that time comes around, the parents will be very happy to have some in storage ready to be used.

Food Storage Containers

It may not seem very fancy or creative, but food storage containers will come in very handy when the baby is a little older. Snap-lid containers and spill-proof sippy cups are lifesavers for parents who are on the go and have their babies in tow.

Rear-view Mirror

In the first year or so of life, the baby will face backwards in her car seat for safety measures. As she gets bigger, however, the seat is turned around and faces the front of the car. This is when items such as a baby seat rear-view mirror come in very handy. With the mirror, the parent in the driver’s seat can keep one eye on the road and the other on their baby at all times. They might think the gift is weird at first, and it might even sit in a box gathering dust for a while, but it will definitely come in handy later on!

Scrapbook Supplies

If you want to give a lasting baby shower gift, then give the gift of memories. Get the parents-to-be a beautiful engraved memories album and a few scrapbooking supplies to help them along. During the shower, make sure to snap plenty of photos of the party so that they have something for the start of their baby memories scrapbook.