Time
You can also give the gift of time in a number of ways, If you live close to the couple or have some free time and want to develop a close relationship with the baby, you can offer to babysit so that couples can have a date night—studies have shown that this plays a significant part in avoiding drifting apart after baby is born.
You can also volunteer to help sign up the couple for free giveaways of coupons, baby products and more. You can offer to run errands for mom or keep an eye on the baby while she gets out of the house to do her essential chores without carting the infant all over the place. (Parents should NEVER ever leave a baby alone in a car.)
Buying a baby gift can be expensive if you are not careful, and a waste of time, money and effort if you buy the wrong thing that they will really have no use for. When in doubt, opt for a baby gift basket you can put together yourself. It will look impressive, but only you have to know what great bargains you got.
Another consideration when choosing items is to consider how ‘green’ both you and the new parents are in terms of how much you want to consume and how much of an impact it will have on the Earth. Many moms are getting back to basics and using cloth diapers, breast feeding, and avoiding using formula because of the increasing rate of food allergies amongst children and the amount of waste that it generates. Green parents are also turning to natural, sustainable fabrics like cotton and avoiding scratchy synthetics that stain easily.
One final consideration when choosing the gift is the culture of a couple. Some cultures feel it is bad luck to buy anything for the baby until it is safely born. For other cultures, they want things to be as natural as possible and there are ‘benchmarks’ for the baby that are marked with special occasions. For Christians, for example, the baptism or christening is important to some sects, while others believe in adult baptism. When in doubt, ask, to make sure that couples are getting something they really need or want, which will give you even more value for your baby gift budget.
FURTHER READING
How to Slash Costs and Save Money on Everyday Expenses
How to Use the Internet to Save Money
Going Green for New Moms: A Beginner’s Guide to Raising Your Baby in an Eco-Friendly Way
Green Mother’s Guide: How to Raise a Child More Greenly and Naturally
The New Green Family Guide: A Beginner’s Guide to Going Green as a Family
