My question is what did all you mommies really enjoy/wish you had received? Or for mommies and non-mommies alike, what gifts have you given that were especially appreciated?

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KittenGoddess
Scarleteen Advocate

"The whole world is full of morons...they just congregate on the internet cause it's easy for them to push the buttons."

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Kythryne Aisling
Scarleteen Sexpert

It's something that can be used to wrap the child up for some bonding time, or for when it gets older something to comfort them. Just a simple, thermal-like matertial with the silk/lace type stuff around it does wonders.

Another thing we got my cousin was a Diaper Genie. It's a diaper disposal thing that locks in odors. She really liked that one.

-A package of cloth diapers. Even if she's planning on using disposables, cloth diapers are excellent burping cloths!

-A Boppy pillow. They're crescent-shaped and are used for a ton of things -- supports the baby during breastfeeding, props the baby up for sitting time, props the baby up for tummy time, and when the baby's older it can be used at bedtime as a safe pillow for when he or she has a headcold

-A big fluffy towel and matching washcloths. Baby washcloths tend to roll up in the wash, making them a huge annoyance to use. Pick out a color your friend likes, go to the craft store and get some appliques, stitch them onto the towels and call it a gift

It included WHITE towels and facecloths (good for bleaching stains out of), Of course your basic baby shampoo, wash, and lotion... and some of those cotton gloves you use to keep lotion on your hands at night, so that when you hold your baby while bathing, they don't slip.

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We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.

And The Runaway Bunny.
I can't think of anyone quite like Margaret Wise Brown; every kid needs at least a couple of her books.

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Milke, with an L, SSBD, RATS, TMNTP

Stay away from shampoos, soaps, powder, ect... I got so much of that stuff. You really only go through like one bottle of shampoo, and one big bottle of powder a year. I am still using the stuff up! I have had to cart it around every time I have moved.

If you want to buy clothes, buy size 9-12 months (which will more then likely be worn at about 6 months). My son had more clothes then he could wear at first, cause I got so much from showers. And once he outgrew the stuff, I had nothing!

A gift receipt is a must. That way they can return it if they get 2, or if they had their hearts set on a different make!

After the baby is born I get gifts for the mom and dad. I either get a gift certificate for a restuarant or make a meal for them and I watch the baby. Just something so they can have some peace and not be just mommy and daddy.

What they can do if extended time is spent in them, once the child's feet touch the floor, is incline a child to be a 'toe-walker" which can create pretty extensive orthopedic problems.

I had a client years back when I was teaching who had to learn that in a terribly hard way: one of her daughters ended up having to learn to walk in casts after she had her tendons cut because of damage caused by extensive time in her bouncer when she was first learning to stand and balance.

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Heather Corinna
Editor and Founder, Scarleteen

While I can see how a doorway bouncer or Johnny Jump-Up, or an exersaucer can have adverse effects on the child's development, since those are used when standing, I don't quite catch the connections with bouncy seats, which are used while the baby is almost in a laying-down position, and use is discontinued by the time the baby's old enough to sit unassisted. Can you educate me further, Miz S? I thought they sounded too good to be true when I was using one with Ev. :/

Here's the type of seat we're talking about: http://www.fisher-price.com/us/babygear/category.asp?c=bgb
Here's a doorway jumper: http://www.tippitoes.com/pages/more%20about%20Tippitoes.html

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Anarcho-mama's comment about cloth diapers made me think of something. My friend's parents got her a diaper service for a year when her son was born! It was a cloth diaper service, they picked up and laudered the dirty ones, and brought her clean ones. And when her son outgrew a size, they started sending her a bigger size, so you don't need to keep buying them. I thought that was an amazing gift, but I'd imagine quite pricy. I am sure you could do it for a month or something though or go in on it with co-workers. You can find diaper services in your yellow pages.