Check Toys for Safety Issues

An infant is in need of constant stimulation to help his or her development and many baby toys are designed especially for this purpose. Many toys today appeal to all of the child's senses. Even though toys make great a gift for new moms, don't jump the gun and buy some blindly. Unfortunately you can run into many safety issue with some toys.

You can never be too careful when a baby's safety is at stake. It's important to look into any toy beore buying it. Read reviews on the toy, get information on it from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and get the current year's report findings and recommendations as well as consumer tips on potentially dangerous toys at toysafety.net.

Spell it Out

A baby's room is a special place that is designed and decorated to accommodate the baby's needs and provide a sense of comfort. It should feel like a safe place to the child, his or her own area. If someone close to you is expecting a new little one, buy something unique for the baby that will make his or her room even more special; look into personalized wall hangings.

Wall hangings for a child's room come in vibrant colors that are visually stimulating and can boost a child's development. In addition, they come in many designs such as basic cutouts that will match any room, fun lady bugs monogrammed with the child's name, or whimsical letter formations that will spell the child's name across the wall. These hangings make great gifts that the child won't outgrow for years.

Get her Packed!

Expectant mom gift ideas are a dime a dozen so why not do something unexpected and unique for that special expecting friend or family member in your life? Pregnancy can be hard work and you better believe that that special lady has earned a break. Work with the daddy-to-be to pick a free weekend. Then, book a room in a bed & breakfast in a quaint town nearby or a hotel in a beautiful area.

Finally, buy her a great new travel bag and fill it with some great weekend supplies and attire. Want some ideas? Try these:

• Assorted toiletries
• Preggy pops (delicious lollipops that relieve morning sickness)
• Some sassy maternity t-shirts
• Some trendy and hip “Seven” maternity jeans
• A comfy robe and slippers
• Some bubble bath

Embracing Heritage

There are countless baby memory books out there but there are few that are actually created for babies of specific ethnicities. If you are looking for the perfect gift for an African American mother-to-be, try getting her a "Baby's Roots Memory Book." This special book is full of ethnic motifs and hand calligraphied titles that make each page beautifully vivid. It has enough space to document all of a baby's milestones for the first five years of his or her life. To name a few, it also has pages especially for:

• Birth certificate
• Family tree
• First birthday page
• Foot and hand prints
• Growth charts
• Christmas
• Kwanzaa
• Tribes around the world

Give this book to that proud mommy so that she can help her new child to embrace his or her culture and heritage.

Help the New Mommy Prepare

One of the best expectant mom gifts that you can get is a collection of items that will help the new mommy to be prepared when the new one arrives. Buy a huge basket or decorative bag or box and fill it with some of the following items:

• Soft baby clothes that are uncomplicated take off and put on (a baby with have to have frequent diaper and clothing changes)
• Plenty of socks and booties
• A bonnet
• Bibs
• Tons of diapers
• Lotion
• A blanket
• A changing mat

A new mommy will need many things but this list should get you started on helping her obtain some of the most important ones.

Hold on to Those Memories

Giving a baby keepsake box to an expecting mother is a great way to help her document monumental events in her new baby's life. Keepsake boxes come in a variety of styles and can be made from an number of materials (wood, porcelain, silver, cardboard, etc.). You can also buy boxes that are designed to hold specific mementos (first curl, first tooth, birth certificate, etc.).

If you can't decide on exactly what you would like the box to hold, buy the new mommy a multi-purposed box with many compartments to hold multiple items. A great pick is the "Thank Heaven For Little Girls Keepsake Chest" or the "Thank Heaven For Boys Keepsake Chest." It has a place for a photo of the child on the cover as well as drawers designed to hold items such as: first spoon, first lock of hair, certificate of birth, etc. It is also sizeable enough to hold the baby's shoes and a matching memory book. The whole thing is topped off with lovely ribbon accents.

Congratulate Her with a Baby Bouquet

• T-shirt
• Bib
• Onesie
• Burp Cloth
• Hat
• Sleepsuit
• Socks
• Mittens

Salute Her with Mommy Tags

Key to Her Heart

Get the New Mom a Gift Certificate

Ever since the mom-to-be got pregnant everything has probably revolved around the new baby. The future mom probably hasn't shopped for herself in a while and with her ever growing belly, she probably hasn't been in the mood to get any cute clothes anyway.

So, for the shower, you could surprise her with a gift certificate to her favorite store so she can get herself new clothes after the baby is born. You can go shopping with her and make it a girl's shopping day, or if she's in need for some time alone and a little break from a colicky baby, you could offer to watch the baby while she shops.