Gifts for babies in the US

What a baby uses in the first year

A baby needs very little. The parents need a lot of a few things. Sleep bags, swaddles, a hooded towel and something safe to chew cover most of the first year, and they get outgrown or worn out, so a second one is never wasted.

Start with sleep. Safe sleep advice is no loose blankets in the crib, which is why the Kyte Baby sleep bag is our top pick. It is rated 1.0 TOG for a normal heated room. The Love To Dream zip-up swaddle solves a different problem: parents who find wrapping a blanket fiddly at 3am.

Then the daily kit. The Copper Pearl hooded towel, the Bumkins suction plate and a Mushie teether all get used daily for months. The Frida kits gather the small things parents forget to buy.

Sizes and ages

The most common mistake is buying newborn size. Babies outgrow it in weeks, and parents get plenty of it at the shower. Buy the next size up for anything sized by age or weight.

Toys have the opposite problem. The Melissa & Doug blocks and the Uncle Goose ABC blocks are rated for ages 2 and up, so they sit on a shelf at first. That is fine for a first birthday if you say so on the card. For a newborn, stick to a teether, a soft stacker or a blanket.

Budgets and registries

Under 25 dollars covers the useful small things: a Mushie teether, a Comotomo bottle, the Haakaa nail file or a Bannor teething ball. They work as add-ons to a card or a coworker collection. Most good shower gifts sit between 25 and 60 dollars: a sleep bag, a zip-up swaddle, a hooded towel or a Tegu train for later.

Above that, buy as a group. The large Frida kit makes a good shared gift. Check the registry before buying anything big, since duplicate kits are common and new parents rarely have time to return things. Ship to the parents' home, not the hospital.

Questions people ask

What is a good gift for a newborn baby?

Something the parents use daily. A wearable sleep bag, a zip-up swaddle or a pack of large muslins all get used from the first week. Buy the next size up rather than newborn, since babies outgrow the smallest sizes in weeks and parents usually receive plenty of them. Add a teether or a high-contrast board book if you want something the baby can hold or look at.

How much should I spend on a baby gift?

There is no rule, but most useful baby gifts cost between $25 and $60: a sleep bag, a swaddle, a hooded towel. Under $25 you can still give mittens, a teether, a comforter or a board book. If you want to spend more, join a group gift and choose something from the registry, so the parents are not stuck with duplicates.

Are toys a good gift for a baby?

Only a few. In the first months a baby can use a teether, a comforter, a wobble toy and a high-contrast book. Blocks and puzzles are rated for older babies and toddlers, so save them for a first birthday or say on the card that they are for later. Parents tend to get far more toys than sleep and feeding basics.

What should I avoid buying for a baby?

Newborn-size clothes, loose blankets for the cot, and anything big that is not on the registry. Newborn sizes are outgrown in weeks. Safe sleep guidance says no loose bedding, so a wearable sleep bag is the better buy. Big kits and gadgets are often duplicated, so check first or give a gift receipt.