If you’re looking for some unusual baby gift ideas that are super useful, I have a top 10 list for you. I used to always buy  cute clothes when I attended baby showers…I mean they are so darn adorable and you could always find something to fit your budget. One of the best gifts I received in time for the Little Monkey’s (delayed) arrival was a cute box filled with my  friend’s favourite baby items. At the time she had a 2 year old and a bun in the oven, so she knew what she was talking about. Now that I’m a mom and have been for the past 10 months, I too prefer to share some of my new finds with parents to be. So while I will try my best to sneak in an outfit, you’re also bound to get  something from the list below as well. Again, something for every budget! Keep in mind that while I love my Baby Bjorn Airy Miracle baby carrier, Ameda Purely Yours breast pump and Uppa Baby stroller, these are big items that I think parents need to make a choice on based on their lifestyle and needs. So you won’t see them on the list below, even though I love love love those items.

 

Please note that all opinions are my own and I have not been commissioned by any of the brands below! It’s all me here! In no particular order…

 

Cooshee Changer (change pad)

I can’t tell you  how much I love this! While it is expensive as far as change pads go, ranging from $77  to $100 depending on where you purchase it from, I tell you it’s worth it! The change pad is  …ready for it.. waterproof! Remember Heard about all those pee battles and having to rush  around changing the change pad covers and handling a wormy newborn? Let’s not talk about the pilling laundry.. well this thing is a beauty because we were able to wipe it down with a baby wipe or just take it to the tub and wash it. The micro-cell foam dries quickly and had a weird calming effect on the Little Monkey. If she was balling during the first few months, all we had to do was plop her on the changer and she was quiet!

 

Dapple Travel Sized Surface Wipes 

 Every new parent becomes a germaphobe, especially in those early days. These nifty travel wipes are all-natural, and you know free of those bad phthalates, parabens, SLS, SLES, & dyes that everyone rants about. While it isn’t antibacterial, it works as if you washed the gritty spots with water and soap. I use it on restaurant high chairs (even though I put the TinyDiner tray  on it), air plane armrests, dropped toys and soothers. The list is endless.

 

Summer Infant Bibbity

I use the bib daily because it holds all the spills and when the  Little Monkey is ready for more, she just digs in and helps her self! Less work for me! It’s made from this TPE material, a non-latex, non-PVC, non-phthalate materials (so you know it’s safe!) and it washes down so easily and best of all.. it rolls up! I have one  in my diaper bag too! I will admit that it stains quite a bit when we eat blueberries and beetroot, but come day two the stains are gone! Just like magic. Cheap $7 magic! This bib comes in pink, blue and green, so … You can be matchy matchy with the diner tray.

 

Summer  Infant TinyDiner 

If you love dining out as much as we do, you need this tray! I love this for soooo many  reasons and the fact that it retails for about $14 means you can have more than one! Like the bib it’s made from a rubbery material that wipes down easily for a  mess free less  messy clean up. When I get home I wash it well with soap. Best of all not only does it roll up ever so nicely but it also has suction cups (so she can’t pull it off!) and it has this cute little flap to collect all those missed targets (she doesn’t get every piece of tofu from the  mat into her mouth, takes a few tries). I’m sure my regular readers have noticed this little tray in all our dining out pictures.  I always have it in my diaper bag and absolutely love that I can just throw food on it directly for her. I know I’ll be using it on air plane tray tables quite a bit as she grows older.

 

Motorola Baby Monitor

I know this is something of a personal preferance but a lot of our friends with monitors also seem to really like ours. I am a huge fan of our monitor and travel with it everywhere, yes even for diners at friends’ places, which makes up for the fact that it runs for about $300. Infact on our recent trip to Austin, I forgot the camera at  home and pretty much had a panic attack for the first day. I missed it greatly. I like that it’s tiny and can fit in my purse and the fact that we don’t need to listen to her cries  (coz you  know.. she wails for about 5 mins before she falls asleep. Whiner that she is) but can just watch the traffic lights go from red (holler!) to  green (zzzz). While we enjoy our dinner and glass of wine in the living room, we can play some tunes or speak to her through the full colour (great night vision) LCD screen. Did I mention that  you can control and move the camera from the screen? This means from the comfort of my couch I can find her when she flips around her crib. It has a great range (throughout a big  house, basement to backyard) but I so wish it worked through concrete floors all the way up to our condo’s rooftop. The fact that I can snoop on the Little Monkey and not have to creep in to check on her (most likely waking her up given my  stealth skills!) is absolutely fantastic.

 

Ice Cream Maker

I know you’re wondering … what? But seriously, this is so cute and comes in pink, green and blue (hello baby shower!). It’s so handy for the baby (did you check out  my recipes?) and for the parents (mmmm Carolan’s ice cream). Great for whipping up a treat for unexpected guests as it only takes 1o minutes and it barely takes up any room on your kitchen counter. Time is of the essence for everyone, especially parents and spending about $30 is quite the bargain! Oh by the way… the box the ice cream maker comes in… endless hours of fun for the little one.

 

Hydra Sense Nasal Aspirator

 Don’t give me that look.  This is 20 bucks spent well because you always have snotty nosed kids and till they’re about two I don’t think they know how to blow their nose. This little gadget is great because the parent (or whoever) can suck it out in a sanitary fashion (don’t worry you won’t end up with snot in your mouth, that’s just gross!). When used with the Ultra-Gentle Mist, it effectively relieves nasal congestion and the baby (and parents) will have a restful sleep. While it might seem like an odd gift that looks daunting, trust me, it works!

 

 

 

 

Bumbo

 This little contraption has been getting a lot of flack lately and I blame the parents. If you were smart enough to procreate and keep the kid alive through the first week, seriously… why let them sit on high surfaces unsupervised? Okay enough of the rant. I love the Bumbo even though I did not know of its existance till I received it as a gift. The Bumbo and the tray were one of our most used “toys” as the Little Monkey loved sitting in it since she was three months old. Now that she’s ten months it’s not as practical, as she climbs out. But meal times, both hers and ours, were pleasant because of the Bumbo.

 

OxiClean Versatile Stain Remove Powder

 Yes I said it. Detergent. This stain fighting powder is the best thing ever when you’re covered in poop all day long. Those yellow mustard smelling poops are deadly and seem to get on everything if you have an explosive  pooper on your hands. We did and this god send of an invention helped ensure that I did not need a  new wardrobe and that I wasn’t walking around in yellow stained t-shirts. I  am well aware that the chemicals might not necessarily be green and all that jazz.. but I do like wearing stain free clothing! The fact that you can buy this gift while picking up your regular milk supply is just a bonus. Priced at about $8 this is a great addition to your gift basket if you need to spend  ‘just a little bit more’.

 

 

Hot Tot Hair Care 

 This is one of those gifts that parents most likely won’t purchase but would love to receive as a gift. It is a bit frivolous after all and can be a bit pricey depending on how much and what you’re  getting. The endless smiles and happiness that my nephew’s crazy hair brings into my life is truly priceless and this natural, luxurious and professional haircare line designed for babies was the  perfect birthday gift as  far as  I was concerned (okay okay.. I also threw in an outfit.  shh.) There is a complete range from shampoo (Spotless  Tot) to finishing products like Structured Whip (hello mohawk!) and  Styling Gel.   I loved the sleek design of the  product and the fact that it was designed for the  tiny  tots in our life, so spending $24  for the Structure Whip (with shipping) wasn’t too bad at all. Anything to maintain those precious locks of hair (safely). This line is slowly rolling into Canadian stores so it should be easier to find and a bit cheaper without the shipping costs.

 

So there you go.. if you’re ever stuck on what to buy for a baby shower just get one of these items and the parents will love you forever. Unusual but helpful baby shower items are nothing to laugh at! All else fails, give them babysitting coupons that they have to redeem within the first six months!