baby shower gift ideas?
 

So I don't have a lot of money right now- but I want to do something nice for my sister in law. She's having a baby shower next saturday and I am stumped for good ideas for a gift that is nice but not expensive.

Any suggestions?

Mommies- is there anything that you wish someone would have thought of and didn't? Anything you needed right away and didn't have?

Get pictures of the two of you when you were babies/kids and put together a collage of them. With a cute enough picture frame, it's a great piece of wall art for the new nursery....

I'm practical beyond practical. If your sister is, she would love you for buying a big box of diapers.

Something that was not practical that I loved was a beautiful, embroidered bib. He wore it when we were going somewhere nice.

A photo album, coupon for future babysitting, a baby's first Christmas ornament, home-made anything - booties, photo frame, book, etc.

Personalized is GOOD! Put your thinking cap on and be creative.

maybe a gift certificate to a restaurant? Then she doesn't have to cook one night.

Really good hand lotion. My hands bled I washed them so many times after he was born!

Hand Sanitizers for guests to use.....Tie a fleece blanket???

I have three children. Here are my ideas:

~PRACTICAL items. I recently attended a baby shower, and the mother got a $60 newborn sized pink tutu, a big ceramic pig (piggy bank) from an upscale store, and many other expensive but rather useless items. Get items that the mom will really need AFTER the baby is born.

*diapers in a size or two larger than newborn size
*baby Tylenol
*Ora-Jel
*Hyland's Teething Tablets
*Johnson's Vapor Bath (for when they have colds)
*Johnson's Vapor Cream (like a diluted baby friendly version of Vicks Vaporub)
*Diaper rash ointment
*baby wipes
*burp cloths
*bottle brush
*Dreft laundry detergent or All Baby or some other infant laundry detergent
*Totally Toddler stain remover spray (gets stains out of ANYTHING)
*nursing pads and lanolin cream if she is going to be nursing the baby
*a book such as "What To Expect The First Year" or a similar title

If you are more creative, you can find an old basket around the house, and get a basket wrap kit in the craft section of the store. Fill the basket with filler, and maybe put in a box or two of baby cereal, a few jars of baby food, a set of baby spoons, etc. and cover it with the basket kit and a bow.

You can also make a basket for the mom to take to the hospital for the birth: warm spa style socks for her, a magazine for her to read while in the hospital, a hand held massager so that the father or someone can massage her lower back, etc. if she has back labor, a bag of lemon drops to suck on (since many don't allow the mother to eat until afte delivery), etc.

There are lots of things you can do. :)

thanks for the suggestions everyone!! I like the idea of doing something for HER - and buying practical.
I think I'll go with a bunch of consumables because I hate buying STUFF for people- so bath products, diapers, etc. I never thought about medicines, teething stuff, etc. great idea.
I am thinking maybe once things are settled and we have some more money a nice gift certificate for photos would be cool.

Thanks again everyone!

If you want to do something practical,yet creative,you can always make a diaper cake.There's a few different ways to make them,and many instructions on-line.

Blankets are good. Can you knit or crochet? Yarms pretty cheap if you have the time to put into it.

MyliCon infant drops were the greatest thing ever...

A wipey warmer. They rock.

For about $25 a Babies R US, I bought the cutest little memorabilia box that houses babie's first footprint, first pair of shoes, first pic, etc. :)