The Baby Gifts To Give Again & Again (& Again)
These are the gifts we give to our new mom friends as — shall we say — the real parenting favorites.
As you can likely tell, the Scary Mommy editors are big shoppers. We each have our favorites on Amazon, and we also revel in the products we love so much we just had to share them with you. So we’re launching a new monthly column called Hang On, Buying, which will focus on the products — from home goods to gifts to fashion to food and more — that we buy time and time again. This isn’t a methodical list; whether we’ve bought them many times or once, these are the products we can’t imagine living without.
This month’s installment focuses on baby gifts. The Scary Mommy editors are veteran moms of kids from teenagers on down, so we know what’s up. These are the gifts we give to our new mom friends as — shall we say — the real parenting favorites. Of course diapers and wipe warmers are great, but consider these the gifts that the in-the-know, tried-and-true moms know about.
The What: Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes
The Why:
This is — hands down — my favorite gift to give a baby. This super simple product provided hours, and I do mean hours, of entertainment for my kids. The take-along toybox plays classical music (think Vivaldi) in upbeat ways as colors flash to the beat. It’s virtually indestructible; babies can gnaw on it, throw it, practically submerge it in water, and it won’t cease working. It’s a miracle toy and one I’ve given time and time again. — Kate Auletta, Editor in Chief
The What: Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers
The Why:
This is my #1 favorite baby book. It is beautifully written and illustrated, and kids love to check out every detail. I also love how inclusive it is on every level, showing different types of people and families without ever pointing it out. I have read this a million times and never gotten tired of it. Just misty-eyed every now and then. — Sarah Aswell, Deputy Editor, News & Social
The What: Hatch Rest+ 2nd gen
The Why:
If this is on the registry, I'm slamming it into my cart. I've used this every night of my kid's life since birth to block out our sounds around the house during naps and after bedtime. I love that it connects to an app on my phone so I can control the light and volume when I'm not in the room, and the 12-hour battery life means when Florida thunderstorms knock our power out overnight, the white noise keeps going uninterrupted. — Katie McPherson, Associate Editor, Lifestyle & Entertainment
The What: Moby Wrap
The Why:
I got a ton of different baby-carrying gadgets when I had my first baby, but the Moby wrap is the one that won out over everything, and I used it every day for years with my two kids. My Moby has been with me on countless trips, walks, hikes, meetings, and social gatherings, and it has never let me down. I love that it's simple to use, incredibly versatile, and grows with your kid. — Sarah Aswell
The What: Citi Mini GT2 Stroller
The Why:
If anyone ever asked what stroller I recommend, the City Mini is a clear winner. Sturdy (it lasted me two kids over about seven years), easy to maneuver, easy to fold (no, really), easy to adapt (you can easily use it with many infant car seats), compact, and lightweight. It checks off every box! — Jamie Kenney, Senior Staff Writer, News and Entertainment
The What: Hanna Andersson 2-Way Zipper Pajamas
The Why:
If my daughter's entire wardrobe could be made of just Hanna Andersson clothes, I would do it. As for babies, these sleeper PJs are essential for any new mom. Cute prints. Check! Double zipper (a la Kylie Kelce). Check! And 100% organic cotton. Check! — Katie Garrity, Editor, News & Social
The What: Cubtale Smart Breastfeeding Tracker
The Why:
There are a lot of apps now that do this, but I preferred having something physical that I could hold and just toggle or click to track sleep, feedings, diaper changes, meds, and more. I especially appreciate that this one has an easy switch on the side you can use to remind you which breast your baby last nursed from. The coordinating app stores all of your info and compiles it into easy-to-read reports you can even share with your baby's doctor. Plus, the "necklace," which lets you keep the tracker close at all times, is super cute. — Julie Sprankles, Deputy Editor, Lifestyle & Entertainment
The What: Baby Bath Cushion
The Why:
Why don't I see more parents using these instead of buying a huge and expensive baby bathtub? I loved how easy, economical, and small these bath pads are, and I got so much use out of mine! They are also wonderful to travel with. — Sarah Aswell
The What: Eli & Ali Tush Swiper
The Why:
Not getting Desitin under your fingernails during a diaper change or juggling a weird extra spatula-like device? Life changing. I have bought these many times for friends' baby showers and multiple times for myself when someone uninitiated invariably threw out the attachment with the empty tube of diaper cream (grumble grumble). — Katie McPherson
The What: JolyWell Baby Night Light
The Why:
When you're fumbling around all bleary-eyed in the middle of the night during diaper changes and feedings, overhead lights or even bright floor lamps just feel so jarring. I love the cute egg shape of this lamp and that you just have to tap to turn it on or dim it. — Julie Sprankles
The What: Creation Farm Calendula Comfrey Super Salve
The Why:
My mom was super crunchy when I was growing up, and her most famous "potion" was a salve she made for diaper rash, eczema, and other abrasions out of calendula and comfrey oils. When I had my first child and he got his first diaper rash, I tried to find something similar and stumbled upon this brand. I haven't been without it since. It clears up diaper rash like magic. My kids are both long out of diapers, but I still keep this around for any surface-level skin ailment. — Jamie Kenney
The What: Woven Woven Weighted Blanket
The Why:
While this blanket shouldn't be used until your children meet the proper weight requirement, I used a weighted blanket for my whole postpartum journey. It helped me sleep (I was WIRED from anxiety), and then once my daughter was big enough, I passed it along to her. Plus, this Woven Woven blanket isn't made with any sort of beads or rocks to make it feel a bit heavier. This one is filled with 100% natural cotton fiber. — Katie Garrity
The What: Boppy Nursing Pillow
The Why:
Whether or not the parent in question is planning to breastfeed, a Boppy is going to be a household MVP, especially during maternity leave. Holding a baby 24/7 can be surprisingly strenuous, and the Boppy pillow allows everyone to relax just a little bit more. As baby gets older, you'll find a bunch of other uses for it and, not for nothing, it is a really comfy pillow for Mom or Dad to take a couch nap with. — Jamie Kenney
The What: Electric Baby Nail Trimmer
The Why:
My husband was so terrified to trim our baby's nails — I swear he only did it once before we got an electric filer. This one is really, really easy and quiet. I always make sure to pop it into gift bags for new moms! — Julie Sprankles
The What: Mo Willems Pigeon Book Set
The Why:
Willems' Pigeon books have been a childhood institution since they first started coming out 20 years ago, and with good reasons: the character is hilarious, the illustrations are charming, and each book can be read in probably under 5 minutes, making it the perfect nighttime read. — Jamie Kenney
The What: Cheryl's Cookies
The Why:
When I planned my best friend's baby shower, I made sure we had Cheryl's Cookies as a party favor for every guest. These are seriously the best sugar cookies I've ever had. They come in so many different flavors and shapes and can be shipped right to you! Once you taste their buttercream, you'll never be the same. — Katie Garrity
The What: Miss Rumphius
The Why:
This is hands down the best children's book. There are three messages within the pages: Live by the sea (take it or leave it); travel far and wide; and make the world a better place than you found it. It's beautifully illustrated, too. I love this book so much. — Kate Auletta
The What: DoorDash Gift Card
The Why:
If there's one thing I'm ALWAYS going to gift new parents, it's a gift card — usually for a meal delivery service of some kind. I remember oh-so-well how exhausting it was to breastfeed, be up at all hours, and try to remember to feed myself. Being able to just pop into the DoorDash app and have some comfort food delivered? Priceless. — Julie Sprankles
Hang On, Buying highlights the things we love so much we had to let you all in on the secret.
