It seems like most of my friends are pregnant of late… and for the first time in a long time, I’m not pregnant along with them, so I’m enjoying going to their baby showers and spoiling them with gifts.
I realized I’ve been out of the baby item buying stage for a while, since we always handed down baby items with each child. I actually had to search for the top rated baby gifts and was appalled because they were all plastic toys or products with harmful ingredients.
Natural Baby Gifts
I decided a list of top natural baby gifts was long overdue and am sharing some of the gifts that I finally settled on for my friends and that I’ll be buying (or making) if we have another baby.
If you are DIY-er, I’ve included links to the tutorials to make some of these, but I’ve also found that many new moms don’t have time to DIY so I’ve included the best pre-made versions I could find.
You can check out all of my natural homemade baby recipes here.
1. Diapers and Wipes
With a newborn, you can never have enough diapers and baby wipes. Depending on your diapering preferences (or your pregnant friends), you may choose different options for this.
I have typically cloth diapered in the past and made my own wipes, but a lot of moms are not fans of cloth diapering. Even as a cloth diapering mom, I found that it was too difficult to take it all on vacation (and my husband HATES to use cloth diapers when I’m out running errands and he’s watching the kids).
I decided that keeping a small stash of natural diapers and wipes on hand was really helpful, especially in summer when we were traveling a lot. If you (or a friend) is a 100% cloth diaper user, find out the brand preference and help build the cloth diaper stash too!
2. Natural Baby Care
One thing I never really thought about with my first child until we got home was basic baby care supplies like combs and brushes, nail clippers, etc. Not super exciting gifts, but important to have, none the less.
3. Bottles and Sippy Cups
Another item I didn’t think about at first when looking for popular baby gifts (because I’ve always breastfed almost exclusively) is bottles & sippy cups. Even if a new mom plans to breast feed exclusively, I found it is helpful to have bottles on hand to use for pumped milk in the rare times when getting away for a few hours.
Sippy cups were really helpful when my babies were old enough to start solids, since we started with foods like bone broth (great in a sippy cup).
Unfortunately, many bottles and cups for kids are inexpensive plastic and can leech things like BPA into the baby’s milk or food. Look for glass, metal or other safe options.
4. Dishes and Utensils
Not a common item for baby shower gifts, but most baby plates and utensils are plastic and brightly colored. I understand why glass is a bad option with kids, but plastic isn’t a great choice, especially for young kids.
We recently switched to all plastic-free options in our kitchen, including stainless steel plates and cups for our kids. I also have sets of natural bamboo utensils that we take with the metal plates when we travel.
5. Summer Gear
My first child was born in the Fall and I didn’t even think about the need for any summer gear… until we had three daughters all born in late spring and summer.
We don’t use sunscreen most of the time (here’s why), but when we are going to be outside for a long time or when I have babies in a place where there might not be enough shade, I use natural sunscreen. I typically make our own, but there are a few good natural pre-made sunscreens available.
I also recently just gave a gift basket of summer baby items to a friend and included some beach toys instead of a bow. Even if you’re not going to the beach, these are great for playing in a sandbox (or the dirt!).
6. Lightweight Blankets
When I transitioned from winter babies to summer babies, I realized that none of my blankets would work because they were all much too warm for summer.
These muslin blankets are perfect for summer. They double as nursing covers and are perfect for swaddling in warm weather. One pack has lasted me through several babies.
7. Baby Carrier/Sling
I loved the Ergo Baby Carrier with the newborn insert. After a lot of research, I saved up for the Ergo wrap for my 3rd child and I wish I’d gotten it much earlier. It removed the need for a bouncer, stroller, etc., and I especially like that it support’s baby’s hips correctly to help prevent hip related problems.
Gifts for the Older Siblings…
If you are the one having the baby (congrats!) and want to have natural gifts for older kids so they don’t feel left out, here are my favorite natural toys for kids.
If you are pregnant or have as many pregnant friends as I do, click here for a chance to win a gift basket of all these items from Thrive Market.
What were your must-have baby items? Any that I forgot? Share below!
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