Instructions

• Step 1: Determine needs Determine what newborn essentials the parents already possess, keeping in mind that large items, like cribs, are usually the last items purchased.
• Step 2: Ask about gift registries Ask whether the parents are participating in store gift registries. These can help you buy a baby gift exactly suited to the new parents' needs.
• Step 3: Consider birth order Consider birth order when buying a baby gift to rule out buying items the family likely already owns.
• TIP: Consider buying a diaper bag without excess frills that dad will be comfortable carrying.
• Step 4: Consider gender Consider the baby's gender, buying blue items for boys, pink for girls, or yellow and green if the baby's gender is unknown.
• Step 5: Create a gift basket Create your own gift basket filled with baby shampoos, soap, washcloths, diapers, and other essential items, adding a rattle or first book.
• TIP: Be mindful of developmental maturity when buying play things, noting that a mobile or unbreakable mirror will stimulate brain growth beginning at the age of one month.
• Step 6: Go with a gift card Go with a gift card instead of a gift if you're unsure what to buy, and remember, the important thing is giving the baby who was just born a loving welcome into the world.
• FACT: Baby items are only the parents' first investment, as the average cost of raising a child in the United States to the age of 18 is more than $200,000.

You Will Need

• List of owned items
• Gift registry