We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A FridaBaby Baby Basics Kit which includes a snot-sucker, gas-passer, nail trimmer, and a silicone cradle-cap brush to deal with just a handful of the day-to-day issues a new bundle of joy will present.
Promising review: "If you are looking for a great baby shower gift look no further. This kit has been a lifesaver when it has come to my newborn. As far as the product 'Windi' is concerned, I thought I will never use this. Now I think the fart straw is the handiest product on the market with my colicky gassy baby. The head-scrubber gently exfoliates. The snot-sucker is way nicer than a bulb syringe. I have used every product in the kit and my son is still only 6-weeks-old." —SP
Get it from Amazon for $29.99.
2. A light but still warm Monica and Andy "Always" baby blanket for taking tummy time anywhere or snoozing in the stroller. Personalize it with an embroidered name for another $15.
Promising review: "Best blanket! We buy this for every friend having a new baby, we love it so much! Our boys have had theirs for years!" —Cherissa K.
"This is an amazing blanket, from the softness of the material to the colors and design...a perfect baby shower gift I can't wait to give!" —Lisa M.
Get it from Monica and Andy for $29.99 (available in 12 styles).
3. A Diaper Genie that'll be the quickest, most efficient, and least stinky way of disposing of an endless amount of disposable nappies.
I'm here to tell you that the Diaper Genie been a part of our babies' lives since their first diaper changes at home. It's not perfect but it is close. Once that diaper is slam-dunked in there, I only have to change the bag about once a day. Yes, you will get hit with the smell when you open it, but just don't get too close. Otherwise, all odors are contained when the lid is closed.
Promising review: "I have used these before and love that they keep everything clean and not smelly. I personally have put an additional air freshener on the inner lid to keep it extra fresh. This is also a really good gift for a new mom." —Rebekah
Get it from Amazon for $47.99+ (available in four colors).
4. An eight-pack (trust us, they're gonna want these in bulk) of Mama Bear diaper pail refills because that Diaper Genie doesn't grant any wishes unless it's full of these plastic bags.
Promising review: "I bought these for my Diaper Genie. I’m a first time mom, I was gifted a Diaper Genie but I wanted a more affordable refill. Looking to save money anywhere I can. I came across these and they’re great! They’re really sturdy and do not have a scent to it. At least, I can’t smell anything. This will always be my go-to refills." —Shirley
Get it from Amazon for $31.99.
5. A handmade and hypoallergenic felt whale baby nursery mobile so babies can fall asleep and wake up to some super cute narwhals and belugas floating between the waves and the clouds above their crib.
By Emily Decor is an Etsy shop established in 2017 that makes felt nursery toys and is based in Odessa, Ukraine.
Promising review: "This mobile is the star of my son's nursery! The quality is amazing. Every single stitch is perfect and overall is a beautiful piece. My 3-month-old loves looking at it and I've even noticed him smiling at it when he wakes up. Olya was very quick to respond to questions and made sure the mobile was exactly what we wanted. I can't say enough how wonderful this shop is!" —Krista McColl
Get it from By Emily Decor on Etsy for $124+.
6. A super spacious Evenflo Pivot Xplore all-terrain stroller wagon to push or pull one to two children on-road or off. Plus there's plenty of pockets and a detachable basket for storage and the dual UPF 50+ canopies mean they can spend even more time outdoors.
I love this stroller so much and use it for more than hauling the kids around (groceries, packages, etc.). Definitely keeping this "wagon" once they've grown out of it!
Promising review: "After much research on double strollers best suited for an infant and a toddler I came across the concept of a stroller-wagon hybrid. I was sold and nearly ready to bite the bullet on the twice-as-expensive competitor and am so happy I found the Evenflo Pivot Xplore! We've owned it for almost a week and my husband, toddler, and I are all pretty geeked about it! First impressions: it's everything you could want in a 'swagon.' It's durable, comfortable, easy to maneuver, and easy to fold. To top it all off it comes with all the bells and whistles like sun canopies, snack tray, drink holders, and a storage basket included!" —Kelsey
Get it from Amazon for $246.40+ (available in three colors).
7. "Rock Me Amadeus!" A Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube for kiddies to compose and remix some of Mozart's classical music masterpieces by adding or subtracting any combination of instrument sounds from eight works by Wolfgang A.M. himself. It's baby's first beats lab.
Promising Review: "We love this music cube. My son has played with it for three years. As an infant, he liked the colors and lights, as a toddler he loved to push the buttons and the music, now he uses it for random dance breaks — he jumps up and pushes the button and dances his heart out for the length of the music then goes back to whatever he was doing. It is in perfect shape despite living with a rowdy boy for almost four years. We have changed the batteries only twice. I have given this as a gift to everyone I know having a baby." —Janet B
Get it from Amazon for $28.99.
8. A sterilizer and dryer to win the war against the staggering amount of funky-smelling baby bottles amassing in their kitchen in a desperate attempt to overthrow the ever-changing status quo.
Bottle cleaning is the KP duty on your tour of babyhood (don't forget that you enlisted). 30 minutes is all it takes to make all of those rancid-smelling baby bottles sterile and dry. Our Papablic gets a workout multiple times a day, which is why this is a more economical and environmentally-friendly option than constantly running the dishwasher (especially if the dishwasher is you and not an actual appliance). The first time I traveled without it I realized how much easier (and better smelling) it made our life. Cleans easily with a little vinegar left in overnight.
Promising review: "Looking for a baby shower gift or simply a bottle sterilizer? You've found it. This durable and affordable sterilizer is perfect for those late nights that you don't want to wash dishes. Just put some water it it and pop the bottles in and that's it. You will thank me later!" —Emily Elizabeth
Get it from Amazon for $79.95.
9. A Lovery activity gym and playmat (which is washable) for developing their baby's physical, cognitive, visual, and motor learning skills. So much fun (and learning) packed into one colorful playset.
Promising review: "I'm becoming an aunt for the first time in May! I'm so excited and have been trying to think of the perfect gift to get my sister. Last week I got a text from my closest girlfriend with a picture of her 6-month-old son on the Lovevery play mat followed by this text: 'This play mat has been a saving grace for me!!! I was sick all last week and I'd put my baby on the mat and he loved it. If I put him down anywhere else he cried and needed to be held, but everything they've designed for his age keeps him curious and entertained. It's amazing. Get one for your nephew!!!!' That's a pretty convincing review, so, of course, I got one!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $140.
10. An electric nail trimmer set because tiny baby nails slice like Wolverine's adamantium claws, and cutting them can be a precarious proposition.
Promising review: "I use this almost exclusively on my 5-month-old and have since she was a newborn. I LOVE it. It’s so much easier than using clippers and it does come with clippers if you ever need them. It’s so gentle that it doesn’t hurt them if you accidentally slip, but it does work to file the nails down! When she was a newborn, I used it when she fell asleep on me after feeding (much easier when she’s asleep) and now that she only sleeps in her crib, I use it while distracting her with Baby Einstein. I definitely recommend this product!" —Kathryn
Get it from Amazon for $15.99.
11. A glass-framed baby handprint/footprint keepsake for designing their own precious memories with included gold paint, a paint brush, a name/date printing kit, and four interior color options.
Promising review: "I bought this as a gift for my friend, who is having her first baby. She thought it was awesome and can't wait to put her baby's hand and foot prints in it." —Susan Getchell
"This is an excellent product, it’s extremely easy to put together. I bought it super late when my baby was 7-months, we had to cut the matting off on the clay side so that his entire footprint would show. Definitely do this when your baby is a newborn or very small. It was a very sweet moment when we pressed his hand and foot into the clay. You don’t want to miss out on that. Buy it." —Sadiyah Gafoor-Ali
Get it from Amazon for $18.96 (available in two colors).
12. A set of foam play mat tiles to arrange in multiple design patterns that thankfully won't clash with the rest of the room (because gray and cream go with everything).
Carpet is simply not enough. This mat is part puzzle and part playground with 40 foam interlocking pieces for designing their child's play area with different shapes. The tiles are waterproof which makes them easy to clean after all that crawling and tummy time.
Promising Review: "Goes great with my living room decor/color scheme, and so much more attractive than any other play mat I've seen. I get many compliments! Sufficiently thick with enough protection for inevitable head bumps. Really helps prevent my living room from being overtaken by baby stuff — the play mat defines and confines the play space — and helps me maintain my sophisticated living room as an adult-friendly space." —LBM202
"We used these for baby shower decor AND the assorted patterns allowed the new parents to easily transfer these foam tiles into their baby room. No weird smell at all right out of the box. Went together easily and great quality! Absolutely would buy again! Great price!" —AprilB
Get it from Amazon for $85.99+ (available in three colors).
13. A Munchkin "Warm Glow" wipe warmer so that baby butts (and parents' hands, come to think of it) never suffer the touch of a damp, chilly wipe ever again. Plus it has a night-light with a 10-minute auto shut-off function.
Promising review: "An essential for my baby. Every diaper change was an event full of crying and screaming until I bought this. Then it became a bonding time full of coos and smiles. I absolutely love this thing. It is super easy to set up and use, and you can buy the wipes in bulk which likely saves you money as well. If your baby cries every time you change the diaper, I highly recommend this." —Jorge
"When this was given as a gift I never thought we’d use it. But now I love it!! Diaper changes are so much easier when you’re not putting cold and wet onto baby’s tushy. Love it and will give it as a gift to new parents!" —Amy L Jimenez
Get it from Amazon for $31.99.