Gifts for Expectant Families

Do you have a friend, family member or coworker that is expecting? Buying gifts for expectant families has become much easier with the creation of registries. Today the expectant family can go online and/or walk through the store of their choice and choose what they want and/or need for their new addition. They can choose the design, the size and the color of any item.

What happens when they haven't regisitered with a store? You panic because you are now left to figure out what to buy. Don't fret.

Here are some suggestions: (Trust me, I have 7 kids)
1. It is important that you think about the persoanlity of the family. You wouldn't give a sports crazed family a prissy pink tutu for their little girl when they are looking forward to her basketball and softball debut!!! When you make a conscious decision of the personality of this family, you have now chosen a theme. Are they sports fans? Many stores now carry sports apparel for infants with your favorite sports teams. That's right! You can buy a NY Yankees outfit, NY Giants or even the NY METS (Can you tell I'm from NY?) They carry them for boys and girls.
Is the family Christain? Most stores including WalMart carry beautifully illustrated Precious Moments (First) Bibles. Whatever the interest, there is a store that sells something for it. Are they chefs? Oneida sells a baby's first set of real Silverware. Yes, it's really silver.
2. If you are really close to the family, you can always buy a savings bond. This is a great gift. You will need the child's or parent's social security number. Make sure you are close enough to the family so that they won't have issues giving you that sensitive info.
3. Does the expecting family live far? Don't worry. Most stores where you can shop online will send the gift to the address you supply. What can you buy? Think of what parents always want. Parents want their children to be at the Head of the Class!!! Send educational tapes or DVDs! Don't know which ones? Some great ones are BabyBumbleBee, signing time and Baby Einstein. I own all of these and highly recommnd them.
4. Most people focus on buying things that are used during the first few months of a baby's care. Psst....they grow very quickly. Here are a few of the things that are needed in the toddler years: a potty, a tub ring for a toddler to sit in while bathing or a set of Dr. Seuss books that can be read at bedtime.
5. Is this family expecting their first child? Well, babies dont come with instructions. Why not buy a book that can be used as a resource for their new adventure into parenthood? There are also magazines that can help ease their anxieties of parenting. Parents, Child and Parenting magazines are three great resources. They give parenting tips, resources and product reviews. Besides, with a new baby...they might not have the time to read a whole book anymore. Therefore, parenting reference books like Dr. Spock's and parent magazines are great quick reads for help. Here is a link that will lead you to baby care
books, to make it easier.

I hope you find these tips helpful. If you need more help, you can leave a comment and I'll try to help you out....

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