15 Parents Share Their Go-To Baby Shower Gift

“My nursing pillow. It was something I wouldn’t have thought of, but I used it through all five kids. Honestly, I even still use it to this day, 13 years later, as a laptop pillow. It was so handy and because I could buy a new cover with each baby, it felt 'new' every time, too.” — Chaunie B.

"My mom packed a full hospital bag for me and gave it to me at my baby shower. She thought of everything! She packed pajamas, a robe, underwear, bras, toiletries, and a kit of after-birth necessities — and a bottle of Prosecco with two plastic champagne flutes! It was actually a tradition that her mom started and did for her when I was born." — Nicole B.

"My favorite baby item I received is a velcro swaddle. They have so many different kinds of swaddles, it can be overwhelming. But the one I have zips and then velcros closed, keeping the baby's arms close to their chest. In those early newborn days, it is so hard to think straight, let alone do a swaddle in the dark at 2 a.m. They were a lifesaver!" — Amanda G.

"My favorite, most used gift has got to be all the books we received from friends and family! My husband and I asked our baby shower guests for children's books instead of cards, and I'm so glad we did, because we pretty much built our son's whole library off of that." — Luz R.

"The best gift you can ever get a mom is a portable white noise machine. We used it when he was an infant and napping downstairs, in the car running errands, while going on trips. We loved it so much we bought a second one so we would always have one fully charged and ready." — Erin B.

"My husband and I could not live without our baby monitor that detects the baby's breathing. We each leave our phones plugged in next to the bed through the night with the monitor on. We rest peacefully knowing that we can check in on her breathing and that an insanely loud red alert will sound to wake us if she were to stop breathing for any reason." — Serena B.

"Never expected this to be my favorite gift, but hands-down the most-used item I got was a folding changing pad that has pockets for diapers and wipes. I literally cannot leave home without it! It's padded where the baby's head goes, so it's comfortable for them and it wipes clean so easily if there is an accident." — Dorothy S.

“When I was planning my registry, I tried to avoid any 'luxuries' that would be short-lived before they were outgrown. I decided to opt out of a baby swing or rocker, but a few weeks after my daughter's arrival, I realized my mistake. Sometimes you just need your arms back! I doubled down and bought one for our house and one for the grandparents' too.” — Amanda R

"My favorite gift is definitely our stroller. In the past year, especially, we've gotten so much use out of it. Before the pandemic, we didn't bring it many places because it felt more annoying than anything, but now we use it constantly. When you're limited to where you can go, just going outside with a toddler can be an adventure. We're also lucky to have family who lives in the neighborhood, so we look forward to our daily walks to see them." — Greg R

"I received a low-tech, incredibly inexpensive silicone breast pump that became my most-used baby item, without question. I used it to suction to my breast while my baby fed from the other. It gently eased milk clogs, saved my clothes from staining, and helped me create a milk stash without me ever needing to actively sit and pump. I even bought myself a second one so that I always had it at the ready!" — Gloria P.

"By far, the best gift I received was a play gym. As a first-time mom, I was pretty clueless about how to engage in stimulating, developmentally appropriate play with my daugher and what milestones I should be looking for as she got older. The play gym comes with a handbook with everything you need to encourage engaging play with your newborn for the first year. The one I have even turns into a tent for toddlers to play hide-and-seek as well as a play mat that's great for learning colors and counting. My daughter is almost two and she still loves it!" — Laura H.

"Honestly, my favorite gift is just plain ol' gift cards! This is what I always get for friends and recommend they ask for. That way they can use it on anything they need as it comes up down the line — diapers, wipes, toys, gear … whatever it is! No one needs as much as they think they do. So rather than cluttering their space with stuff they may not actually use, give them the gift of flexibility and the freedom to buy what they want, when they actually need it." — Meghan S.

"I'm obsessed with my daughter's crib mattress. It's completly breathable, so I never have to worry if she is sleeping facedown. Also, because of the special material it's made of, I can wash it in the shower if she ever has an accident!" – Anthony F.

“The sentimental gifts were my favorite, because they are the kind of thing I would never be able to buy myself. For my second child, our friends each gave us a vinyl record of a song that meant something in our friendship. They also put handwritten notes explaining the choice inside each vinyl jacket. Now, every time we play one, I tell the story of who gave it to us and why." — Megan C.

"We didn't get this at the baby shower, but the best gift we ever got was food! Our friends brought us home-cooked meals and banana bread and one even sent a grocery order to our house. We had no food in our fridge when we got home from the hospital, so having friends stock it for us was one less thing we had to worry about." — Jessica B.

Psst: Each item and price is up to date at the time of publication; however, an item may be sold out or the price may be different at a later date.