Choosing a baby shower gift can feel surprisingly tricky. You want something the parents will actually use, something that feels special, and ideally something that will still mean something long after the shower is over. Here are our favourite ideas, plus a few practical tips to help you choose.
New parents go through a lot of outfits in the first few months, so good-quality baby clothing is always welcome. Look for soft, stretchy fabric that is gentle on newborn skin and easy to get on and off. Our Shnuggle Me Baby Grow, long-sleeve vest and short-sleeve vest are all made from locally sourced Softknit fabric and come in Petal’s hand-painted prints.
Tip: buy a size up. Most babies outgrow newborn sizes quickly, so 0-3 or 3-6 months gives the parents more time to use your gift.
A beautiful blanket is one of those gifts that often becomes a keepsake. The Little Blankie is light enough for naps and the pram, while the Cocoon Wrap is designed for swaddling a newborn snugly. Both come in 24 hand-painted prints, so you can choose a character that feels right for the family.
Some of the most appreciated gifts are the ones parents don’t think to buy: a hooded baby towel for bath time, burp cloths for feeds, a set of wet bags for the nappy bag, or a dummy clip to stop the soother ending up on the floor.
If you can’t decide on one thing, put a few together. With our Build-a-Bundle you choose a box (a white wooden box with a glass lid, a natural wooden chest or a classic white box) and fill it with your favourite pieces. A baby grow, a blanket and a beanie in the same print makes a lovely matching set, and the box itself becomes a place to keep first outfits and little treasures.
Framed artwork is a gift that grows with the child. Petal’s Prints are reproduced from her original watercolours and come framed and ready to hang, so parents can match the nursery to the clothes and blankets.
If you’re not sure of the baby’s gender, size or the parents’ style, a Little Wishes Gift Card lets them choose for themselves. It’s sent by email and available from R100 to R1,000.
There’s no rule. A thoughtful small gift, like a beanie, a dummy clip or a single vest, is always appreciated. Many guests spend somewhere between a few hundred rand and R1,000, and groups of friends or colleagues often club together for a bigger gift box or a nappy bag.
Our pieces are made with care by local makers, so orders can take up to 10 working days to prepare and dispatch. If your baby shower is coming up soon, add a note at checkout or get in touch and we’ll do our best to help. Delivery within South Africa is R150, or free on orders over R750, and you can add gift wrapping and a personal message at checkout.
