Best Baby Shower Gifts: A First Time Mom’s Favorite Baby Gifts Under $50

My girlfriend sent me a text message the other day looking for a baby gift under $50 for her expecting friend.

Here are some baby shower gifts which I feel are not only useful, but thoughtful — thoughtful in a sense that every time I use the item, I think of the person who gifted it to us.

These are all great baby gifts under $50 (…and yes, I really do love and use them all).

My Favorite Baby Shower Gifts

In no particular order…

Baby Diaper Cake – with different size diapers and decorated with small items like a paci-finder, teething toy, rattle, Nuk, etc. (Around $50)

Here are some places to order diaper cakes as baby shower gifts, plus DIY tips to make your own diaper cakes.

Moby Wrap Baby Carrier or Sling Carrier – helpful during those weeks of cluster feeding and baby wearing days. (Around $45)

Epoch Baby Hair and Body Wash – this tearless 2-in-1 foaming wash contains hibiscus used by native cultures and elderberry fruit. It gently keeps baby’s hair and skin soft, conditioned, and clean. Smells and feels great! (Around $20)

Baby Age Blocks – fun blocks with numbers, days, weeks, and months to capture baby in an age-stamped photos. (Around $10)

Graco Sweet Slumber Sound Machine – provides 12 soothing sounds to help baby sleep, plus an mp3 plug in port. (Around $45)

Baltic Amber Teething Necklace – since it can be worn as early as 4 weeks of age and all the way through the toddler years, this is an item that will continue to get a lot of use as baby grows. It provides natural pain relief for baby through teething and growing pains. (Around $30)

Here’s my review of the Baltic Amber Teething Necklace.

Aden and Anais Muslin Receiving Blankets – seriously the best receiving blankets, so light, soft and easy to swaddle. (Around $50 for a 4-pack)

Sophie La Giraffe – this cute giraffe teether is organic, made from 100% rubber and food-grade dyes. It’s also PVC-free and BPA-free. (Around $25)

Ems 4 Bubs Hearing Protection Baby Earmuffs – nice to have for the live music loving family. They also protect baby’s hearing during 4th of July fireworks, parades, and other loud celebrations. (Around $30)

Bed Buddy Hot/Cold Pack – it’s an all-natural, conforming hot/cold pack that helps mamas relieve their sore muscles, aches, and pains. More importantly, it provides moist heat — to give mom relief from a clogged milk duct which can happen when breastfeeding. Filled with 100% natural ingredients, it’s safe for use near baby, too — and it has handles, so it can be incorporated into baby floor activities! (Around $10)

Bumbo Multi Seat – awesome multi-purpose baby seat has a removable tray. This baby floor seat can be used once baby can sit on their own all the way through the toddler stage. (Around $45)

Here’s my review of the Bumbo baby seat.

Bright Starts Activity Play Mat – provides a soft place for tummy time with fun, dangling toys for baby to play with when they start to roll on their own. (Around $50)

Spark Create Imagine Farm Animals – a bucket of the cutest little farm animals that are made of soft plastic and have soft edges. Although these are recommended for ages 2+, they are the perfect sized toys for my baby’s little monkey hands. (Around $10)

Baby Float Ring – I’m all about having a bath at the same time as baby too! The float ring goes around baby’s neck and keeps baby’s head afloat freeing up your hands to bathe baby while enjoying a soak yourself. (Around $25)

This is a must read: Are Infant Neck Floats Dangerous? Only If They’re Super Cheap Ones!

Little Tykes Outdoor Swing – I love this little swing for the easy set up and take down! It’s a great way for mom and baby to get outside and enjoy some fresh air. We have the toddler one, but the infant one is more secure for infants. (Around $30)

Carters Duo Head Support Insert – great 2-in-1 removable head rest for car seats and strollers. It’s the perfect addition to keep baby’s head secure while they’re still learning to hold their head up. (Around $15)

Luvable Friends Hooded Animal Towel – my clean baby looks absolutely adorable and snuggly in these hooded animal towels after a bath. (Around $10)

Umbrella Stroller – this super lightweight, easily storable, and inexpensive stroller is handy to have as an additional safe place to put baby and be hands-free while moving around the house, the yard, or in tighter public spaces where a traditional stroller may be too big. (Around $30)

DIY Baby RX Assortment – make your own arrangement of useful infant items. (Around $50) These are the items that I’ve used most as a first-time mom and keep in my diaper bag at all times:

• Baby fingernail clipper
• Gripe water
• Baby Motrin infant drops
• Infant Tylenol
• Baby safety swab q-tips
• Infant gas drops
• Desitin diaper rash cream
• Comfort Pets cold gel packs
• Nuby teether

Baby Hand/Foot 3D Molding Kit – ok, so this one might not be as useful as the other baby shower gifts I’ve mentioned, but it is sure thoughtful and a wonderful keepsake. (Around $45)

The Bottom Line…

Any of the above items will be a great gift, much appreciated, used often, and very thoughtful.

If the expecting mama has a baby shower gift registry, I would highly recommend that you try to get her something off her list — because she has more than likely done her research by asking friends and family about must-have items she will want and use the most. (That said, diaper wipes and diapers are always welcome!)

Here are a few other items I used regularly during my baby’s first 6 months.