25+ gifts ideas for a second baby
So you've just heard your friend is having a second baby, what a thrill! Most moms get set up with pretty much everything they need at the shower for Little #1, but I think Little #2 deserves to have some new things too! So if you're looking for a thoughtful shower gift for a second baby, here's my list of ideas:
Baby monitor. Does she have a video baby monitor? Will she stop using it for her older child and use it for the new baby only? Most models sell a second camera that can be linked to the system to she can have eyes on both Littles at once! BUT, keep in mind that if you have the camera tuned to the toddler's room and the baby starts crying in the nursery, you won't hear it. For that reason we opted to have two monitors with a camera for each room, but see what the mom wants to do.
Double Stroller.
Now she's got two in tow, see if she needs a double stroller or an attachment to turn her current single into a double.
Second car seat.
She can't bring the baby home from the hospital until she has a car seat. Maybe she is planning on using the car seat from her first baby, but that means Little #1 likely needs to graduate a bigger car seat (if he or she hasn't done so already). Make sure Mom has what she needs and offer to help her install them too.
Second high chair.
If Little #1 will still be using the high chair once Little #2 is about 6 months old, then Mom will need a second high chair. We're opting to register for a cheaper toddler booster seat so the baby can inherit the high chair. This is fun for Little #1 because they get to upgrade to the "big kid" item and that hopefully helps prevent some of the hurt feelings over the new baby "taking all my things".
Newborn photo shoot.
So much focus is put on the first baby that sometimes parents and family members are too busy to record as much for the following Littles that come along. Help her capture the magic of the first days of life for Little #2 by finding a reputable newborn photographer in her area and paying for the session fee so all she has to do is buy the photos (if they're not included in the package). You could also buy her a prop or two to take along to dress up the baby! Most photographers will also take a couple shots with the whole family, which having printed and framed for her is a wonderful follow up gift for the next gift-giving occasion (her Birthday or Christmas, etc).
Volunteer to babysit.
Give her the gift of a nap! She's going to be so tired and uncomfortable in that last trimester and even more exhausted after delivery trying to recover with a newborn and another Little running around the house. Offer to take Little #1 out to play somewhere for a couple hours so the new mom can rest before delivery (or afterward she can try to "sleep when the baby sleeps"). Little #1 will get lots of one-on-one attention and come back home tired, a win-win for the whole family! You could also watch both kids at her house and give her a break to take a long hot uninterrupted shower. Or if she's up for it, offer to stay home with the kids and pay for her to go out to get a pedicure or massage!
Run errands for her.
Leaving the house with two kids in tow is a daunting task at first. Take her out before the baby is due to get the house stocked up with everything she might need while on maternity leave, like toilet paper, soap, detergent, whatever, and help her carry it all inside and store it away. Then after the baby is born, see if she needs you to run to the store to get milk or other fresh groceries. If you can, take her car and fill up the gas tank on your way back!
Offer to cook and clean one day.
She is going to be so tired and so busy that a close friend coming over to cook a hot and healthy meal and then clean up the kitchen would be a glorious and thoughtful gift! Just be sure to check in with her right before you head over on the day you planned your visit to make sure she's feeling up to having company.
Organize a Meal Train.
My girlfriends and I do this for each other when one of us goes on maternity leave and it's so great! I had one or two hot meals delivered by a close friend for the first couple weeks. It was wonderful because they got to meet the baby and I got to visit with them (they were each gracious enough to only stay about 30 minutes because they could tell how exhausted I was). They came with healthy warm meals in disposable trays that my husband and I could enjoy and then throw away. We had leftovers and no dirty dishes, it was amazing.
Repaint the nursery.
Is she changing the theme of the nursery? Does she want new art or decor? Does she need help painting? A pregnant mommy shouldn't be painting anyway, so send her out to avoid the fumes and volunteer to paint the nursery yourself!
Help decorate and stock the nursery.
Whether mom goes with a new theme or not, if Little #1 is moving out of the nursery, he or she is taking some important things along that the Baby will still need to use too. See if Mom needs a second laundry hamper, another rocker/glider, another lamp, etc.
Diapers and wipes.
She's going to need these more than anything else! When in doubt, buy Pampers in size 1 or bigger (I had a 9-pounder so we never needed newborn sizes like my friends who had 6-pounders). My Little has sensitive skin that reacts to any other brand (same goes for wipes). I have heard the Up&Up brand from Target an the Kirkland brand from Costco are good for sensitive booties too but haven't tried them myself. Make sure to include a gift receipt, as most stores will allow moms to exchange unopened boxes for a different size if needed. Boxes of diapers size 2-4 can happily sit in storage until needed!
New clothes.
This is especially needed if Little #2 is a different gender. But even if the baby is the same sex who will benefit from all the hand-me-downs, they deserve to have some new clothes too. And if the Littles were born at different times of the year, then a bulk of the hand-me-downs won't work! For example, a ton of fleece winter clothes in size '0-3 months' from Little #1 won't help if Little #2 is born in the summer.
New books.
Even if Little #1 has a full library, I'm sure by now mom has read all those books dozens of times. Get Little #2 some new ones the whole family can enjoy.
Offer to upgrade or replace old items.
Has she updated her old registry? Is there something she really wanted for Little #1 that she never got? Or something new she needs now like a double stroller? Or perhaps there's something broken or worn out like a bottle warmer that needs to be replaced with a new upgraded version? Ask her for some guidance! Personally I hated our baby bath sink sponge we used for Little #1 so it was nice to get a countertop baby bathtub instead for Little #2. Likewise we never had the Owlet breathing/heart rate monitor and I really wanted it after a scare with Little #1, so we invested in it for Little #2.
Bulk store membership.
Thanks to our parents, we each had a Costco membership for years but only went occasionally because there were only two of us. I think I used the gasoline more than anything. But now that we have a Little, I have saved a crazy amount of money buying in bulk the daily items we need like diapers, milk, supplemental formula, snacks, books and all sorts of other kid stuff. If she doesn't have a membership, ask the mom if she wants one and pay for the first year.... or two, to celebrate Little #2!
Family memberships.
Is there a local zoo, aquarium, kids museum, or something fun for the whole family to enjoy? Get them a membership for the next year!
Homemade lactation muffins.
This is a great drop off item if you're organizing a meal train but I expect they'd be welcome any time. There are lots of recipes out there for lactation cookies but I felt a little less guilty making muffins instead. I feel like they helped my milk production a little bit plus they were yummy and easy to eat with one hand so I made a new batch every week! I just used boxed muffin mix and added flaxseed and Brewer's Yeast I picked up at the health food store. Sometimes I did chocolate chip as an excuse to eat chocolate, but most of the time I made the banana nut mix and added fresh banana, or the blueberry mix and added fresh blueberries and apricots which are also said to help milk production. Make her a batch in the morning and drop them off warm with a recipe card and the leftover Brewer's Yeast and flaxseed so she can make more!
Nipple cream & nursing pads.
Because breastfeeding is awesome but sometimes awful to get started at first, even for expert second-time moms.
Host a Baby Sprinkle.
Less than a Baby Shower, most guests arrive to a Baby Sprinkle with a box of diapers and/or a book for Little #2. The fun is really focused on the new mom getting to spend time with her friends all at once and celebrate Little #2 as much as they all celebrated Little #1. Throw her a little party to show how much you care. Have some appetizers and fun mocktails and plan a couple games to play.
Gifts just for the pregnant mommy-to-be.
All the focus is on the baby, as it should be! But don't forget about the new mom. Consider getting her a nice pair of slippers and a new robe to wear at the hospital, a luxurious nursing nightgown that makes her feel good when she's awake in the middle of the night, a gift certificate for a prenatal massage for her aching back, a pedicure to relieve her swollen ankles and tired feet, a maid service to deep clean the house right before the baby is due so they come home to a sterile environment... something that celebrates her and all the hard work she is doing!
Gift cards.
When in doubt, get gift cards! Some great one-stop-shops for moms include Amazon, Target, Walmart, Buy Buy Baby (if her town has one) and her local grocery store. You could also give a gift card to a restaurant and offer to babysit the Littles one night so she can have a warm and quiet meal with her partner... or give cash for them to have pizza delivered!
These next few are from my other list of shower gifts for Little #1, but are worth repeating for Little #2!
Start a savings account.
This is easier after the Little is born and you have access to the social security number. Grandparents and great-grandparents love to contribute to college funds, make that easier by taking the mom to the bank and starting one by giving the first donation yourself.
Cook a dozen freezer meals with her.
I was overdue by two weeks so my mom had a lot of waiting around to do while we watched the clock tick by. We went on Pinterest and found a dozen freezer meals that seemed tasty and we cooked them all together, it was a blast! It was also great to have such easy options while I was exhausted on maternity leave - I could either start a meal in the crockpot in the morning or defrost something in the afternoon and more than half the work was already done for dinner that night. Note: If you're planning to cook the meals on your own, keep in mind that if she's breastfeeding then she may be on a special diet. Stray away from recipes that are too spicy or have gassy foods (like broccoli and beans) because she'll pay for it with a colicky infant later. Pinterest has lots of fabulous recipe ideas for nursing moms if you need some guidance. I'll add that to my list of ideas to write about here and post a link when it's done!
File folder.
This is great for the organized mom! Get her a cute file box and pretty folders and label it with everything she'll need to keep track of her newest Little: birth certificate & social security card, immunization records, hospital records, medical bills, growth charts, receipts & warranties, instruction manuals, milestones, keepsakes, photos, feeding, parenting, pamphlets, etc.
Baby book.
If she doesn't have one already, get her a beautiful baby book to document her Little's first year. So many of us do it for the first baby, the second Little deserves to have a book made just for them as well. Make it a bigger gift by adding some beautiful pens, clear corners for photos, double sided tape, everything she'll need to personalize it like a scrapbook.
Keepsakes.
We
received this tiny sterling silver carriage to display that has a
holder for Little's first tooth and a holder for her
first lock of hair, it is gorgeous and so thoughtful. My sister-in-law
got us a gorgeous snow globe with her name and birth date/time engraved
on the front and brought it to us at the hospital when she came to meet
our Little (she had it made in just a few hours at Things Remembered at
the mall!) If you know the theme of the nursery and/or their holiday
decorations then get an engraved Baby's First Christmas or Hanukkah
ornament.
Little socks.
Newborns lose most of their heat through their heads and their little toes. I got tons of baby beanies and a few pair of newborn socks, but that newborn period is such a short window. Our Little needed a dozen pair of size "0-6 month" socks which I ended up buying myself and they're way overpriced so it adds up fast when you're doing it all on your own. We went through a new pair of socks every day and lost at least one little sock in every wash. So we needed lots and lots of little socks. If you shop around, you can find good deals on multi-packs like this.
What would you add to this list? Find me on Facebook and let me know!
www.Facebook.com/ListsForLittles
Baby monitor. Does she have a video baby monitor? Will she stop using it for her older child and use it for the new baby only? Most models sell a second camera that can be linked to the system to she can have eyes on both Littles at once! BUT, keep in mind that if you have the camera tuned to the toddler's room and the baby starts crying in the nursery, you won't hear it. For that reason we opted to have two monitors with a camera for each room, but see what the mom wants to do.
Double Stroller.
Now she's got two in tow, see if she needs a double stroller or an attachment to turn her current single into a double.
Second car seat.
She can't bring the baby home from the hospital until she has a car seat. Maybe she is planning on using the car seat from her first baby, but that means Little #1 likely needs to graduate a bigger car seat (if he or she hasn't done so already). Make sure Mom has what she needs and offer to help her install them too.
Second high chair.
If Little #1 will still be using the high chair once Little #2 is about 6 months old, then Mom will need a second high chair. We're opting to register for a cheaper toddler booster seat so the baby can inherit the high chair. This is fun for Little #1 because they get to upgrade to the "big kid" item and that hopefully helps prevent some of the hurt feelings over the new baby "taking all my things".
Newborn photo shoot.
So much focus is put on the first baby that sometimes parents and family members are too busy to record as much for the following Littles that come along. Help her capture the magic of the first days of life for Little #2 by finding a reputable newborn photographer in her area and paying for the session fee so all she has to do is buy the photos (if they're not included in the package). You could also buy her a prop or two to take along to dress up the baby! Most photographers will also take a couple shots with the whole family, which having printed and framed for her is a wonderful follow up gift for the next gift-giving occasion (her Birthday or Christmas, etc).
Volunteer to babysit.
Give her the gift of a nap! She's going to be so tired and uncomfortable in that last trimester and even more exhausted after delivery trying to recover with a newborn and another Little running around the house. Offer to take Little #1 out to play somewhere for a couple hours so the new mom can rest before delivery (or afterward she can try to "sleep when the baby sleeps"). Little #1 will get lots of one-on-one attention and come back home tired, a win-win for the whole family! You could also watch both kids at her house and give her a break to take a long hot uninterrupted shower. Or if she's up for it, offer to stay home with the kids and pay for her to go out to get a pedicure or massage!
Run errands for her.
Leaving the house with two kids in tow is a daunting task at first. Take her out before the baby is due to get the house stocked up with everything she might need while on maternity leave, like toilet paper, soap, detergent, whatever, and help her carry it all inside and store it away. Then after the baby is born, see if she needs you to run to the store to get milk or other fresh groceries. If you can, take her car and fill up the gas tank on your way back!
Offer to cook and clean one day.
She is going to be so tired and so busy that a close friend coming over to cook a hot and healthy meal and then clean up the kitchen would be a glorious and thoughtful gift! Just be sure to check in with her right before you head over on the day you planned your visit to make sure she's feeling up to having company.
Organize a Meal Train.
My girlfriends and I do this for each other when one of us goes on maternity leave and it's so great! I had one or two hot meals delivered by a close friend for the first couple weeks. It was wonderful because they got to meet the baby and I got to visit with them (they were each gracious enough to only stay about 30 minutes because they could tell how exhausted I was). They came with healthy warm meals in disposable trays that my husband and I could enjoy and then throw away. We had leftovers and no dirty dishes, it was amazing.
Repaint the nursery.
Is she changing the theme of the nursery? Does she want new art or decor? Does she need help painting? A pregnant mommy shouldn't be painting anyway, so send her out to avoid the fumes and volunteer to paint the nursery yourself!
Help decorate and stock the nursery.
Whether mom goes with a new theme or not, if Little #1 is moving out of the nursery, he or she is taking some important things along that the Baby will still need to use too. See if Mom needs a second laundry hamper, another rocker/glider, another lamp, etc.
Diapers and wipes.
She's going to need these more than anything else! When in doubt, buy Pampers in size 1 or bigger (I had a 9-pounder so we never needed newborn sizes like my friends who had 6-pounders). My Little has sensitive skin that reacts to any other brand (same goes for wipes). I have heard the Up&Up brand from Target an the Kirkland brand from Costco are good for sensitive booties too but haven't tried them myself. Make sure to include a gift receipt, as most stores will allow moms to exchange unopened boxes for a different size if needed. Boxes of diapers size 2-4 can happily sit in storage until needed!
New clothes.
This is especially needed if Little #2 is a different gender. But even if the baby is the same sex who will benefit from all the hand-me-downs, they deserve to have some new clothes too. And if the Littles were born at different times of the year, then a bulk of the hand-me-downs won't work! For example, a ton of fleece winter clothes in size '0-3 months' from Little #1 won't help if Little #2 is born in the summer.
New books.
Even if Little #1 has a full library, I'm sure by now mom has read all those books dozens of times. Get Little #2 some new ones the whole family can enjoy.
Offer to upgrade or replace old items.
Has she updated her old registry? Is there something she really wanted for Little #1 that she never got? Or something new she needs now like a double stroller? Or perhaps there's something broken or worn out like a bottle warmer that needs to be replaced with a new upgraded version? Ask her for some guidance! Personally I hated our baby bath sink sponge we used for Little #1 so it was nice to get a countertop baby bathtub instead for Little #2. Likewise we never had the Owlet breathing/heart rate monitor and I really wanted it after a scare with Little #1, so we invested in it for Little #2.
Bulk store membership.
Thanks to our parents, we each had a Costco membership for years but only went occasionally because there were only two of us. I think I used the gasoline more than anything. But now that we have a Little, I have saved a crazy amount of money buying in bulk the daily items we need like diapers, milk, supplemental formula, snacks, books and all sorts of other kid stuff. If she doesn't have a membership, ask the mom if she wants one and pay for the first year.... or two, to celebrate Little #2!
Family memberships.
Is there a local zoo, aquarium, kids museum, or something fun for the whole family to enjoy? Get them a membership for the next year!
Homemade lactation muffins.
This is a great drop off item if you're organizing a meal train but I expect they'd be welcome any time. There are lots of recipes out there for lactation cookies but I felt a little less guilty making muffins instead. I feel like they helped my milk production a little bit plus they were yummy and easy to eat with one hand so I made a new batch every week! I just used boxed muffin mix and added flaxseed and Brewer's Yeast I picked up at the health food store. Sometimes I did chocolate chip as an excuse to eat chocolate, but most of the time I made the banana nut mix and added fresh banana, or the blueberry mix and added fresh blueberries and apricots which are also said to help milk production. Make her a batch in the morning and drop them off warm with a recipe card and the leftover Brewer's Yeast and flaxseed so she can make more!
Nipple cream & nursing pads.
Because breastfeeding is awesome but sometimes awful to get started at first, even for expert second-time moms.
Host a Baby Sprinkle.
Less than a Baby Shower, most guests arrive to a Baby Sprinkle with a box of diapers and/or a book for Little #2. The fun is really focused on the new mom getting to spend time with her friends all at once and celebrate Little #2 as much as they all celebrated Little #1. Throw her a little party to show how much you care. Have some appetizers and fun mocktails and plan a couple games to play.
Gifts just for the pregnant mommy-to-be.
All the focus is on the baby, as it should be! But don't forget about the new mom. Consider getting her a nice pair of slippers and a new robe to wear at the hospital, a luxurious nursing nightgown that makes her feel good when she's awake in the middle of the night, a gift certificate for a prenatal massage for her aching back, a pedicure to relieve her swollen ankles and tired feet, a maid service to deep clean the house right before the baby is due so they come home to a sterile environment... something that celebrates her and all the hard work she is doing!
Gift cards.
When in doubt, get gift cards! Some great one-stop-shops for moms include Amazon, Target, Walmart, Buy Buy Baby (if her town has one) and her local grocery store. You could also give a gift card to a restaurant and offer to babysit the Littles one night so she can have a warm and quiet meal with her partner... or give cash for them to have pizza delivered!
These next few are from my other list of shower gifts for Little #1, but are worth repeating for Little #2!
Start a savings account.
This is easier after the Little is born and you have access to the social security number. Grandparents and great-grandparents love to contribute to college funds, make that easier by taking the mom to the bank and starting one by giving the first donation yourself.
Cook a dozen freezer meals with her.
I was overdue by two weeks so my mom had a lot of waiting around to do while we watched the clock tick by. We went on Pinterest and found a dozen freezer meals that seemed tasty and we cooked them all together, it was a blast! It was also great to have such easy options while I was exhausted on maternity leave - I could either start a meal in the crockpot in the morning or defrost something in the afternoon and more than half the work was already done for dinner that night. Note: If you're planning to cook the meals on your own, keep in mind that if she's breastfeeding then she may be on a special diet. Stray away from recipes that are too spicy or have gassy foods (like broccoli and beans) because she'll pay for it with a colicky infant later. Pinterest has lots of fabulous recipe ideas for nursing moms if you need some guidance. I'll add that to my list of ideas to write about here and post a link when it's done!
File folder.
This is great for the organized mom! Get her a cute file box and pretty folders and label it with everything she'll need to keep track of her newest Little: birth certificate & social security card, immunization records, hospital records, medical bills, growth charts, receipts & warranties, instruction manuals, milestones, keepsakes, photos, feeding, parenting, pamphlets, etc.
Baby book.
If she doesn't have one already, get her a beautiful baby book to document her Little's first year. So many of us do it for the first baby, the second Little deserves to have a book made just for them as well. Make it a bigger gift by adding some beautiful pens, clear corners for photos, double sided tape, everything she'll need to personalize it like a scrapbook.
Keepsakes.
We
received this tiny sterling silver carriage to display that has a
holder for Little's first tooth and a holder for her
first lock of hair, it is gorgeous and so thoughtful. My sister-in-law
got us a gorgeous snow globe with her name and birth date/time engraved
on the front and brought it to us at the hospital when she came to meet
our Little (she had it made in just a few hours at Things Remembered at
the mall!) If you know the theme of the nursery and/or their holiday
decorations then get an engraved Baby's First Christmas or Hanukkah
ornament.Little socks.
Newborns lose most of their heat through their heads and their little toes. I got tons of baby beanies and a few pair of newborn socks, but that newborn period is such a short window. Our Little needed a dozen pair of size "0-6 month" socks which I ended up buying myself and they're way overpriced so it adds up fast when you're doing it all on your own. We went through a new pair of socks every day and lost at least one little sock in every wash. So we needed lots and lots of little socks. If you shop around, you can find good deals on multi-packs like this.
What would you add to this list? Find me on Facebook and let me know!
www.Facebook.com/ListsForLittles
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