50 Best (and Appropriate) Baby Shower Gifts for New Parents 2023

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These unique, useful and totally appropriate ideas will make for memorable baby showers!

When the baby shower rolls around, some parents put a lot of thought into creating a baby registry. But new parents also don't know what they don't know, so it's time for the experts to step in. Whether you're looking for a baby girl gift, a baby boy gift or a gift that'll work for any new bundle that comes into this world, help a parent out with one of these practical, fun and necessary presents.

These are the best baby shower gifts for 2023. When it comes to gear, many items have been vetted by the Good Housekeeping Institute's Parenting and Pets lab, which puts everything from strollers to high chairs through their paces, evaluating them for safety and easy of use before sending them to real parents to get on-the-ground feedback.

Many of the choice here are even current and past winners of the Good Housekeeping Parenting Awards, which honor the best of the best. To those choices, we've added editor's picks and best-sellers, to make sure there are some fun items in the mix. Choose one, and you'll make for some very happy new parents.

Don't forget to check out Good Housekeeping's top-tested picks for baby monitors, diapers, diaper bags, breast pumps, white noise machines, bottle warmers and baby carriers.

We know, we know, we couldn't believe this thing existed either. But what you really won't be able to believe is what a lifesaver it is for first-time parents who are still learning how to calm their baby. It uses a real human voice to "shush" and works on 15 – 30 minute timers. It's portable, user-friendly and — cue the horns! — has batteries included.

Babies as young as 4 months can use this as a tummy-time helper; they lay on the contoured surface, push with their feet and use it to roll across the floor (not carpet) while working on those gross motor skills. It even comes with a pad for extra comfort.

Good Housekeeping Institute testers loved the size, design and quality of this play mat. But what really made it shine was that it comes with a musical starfish, which makes ocean sounds, displays lights and plays melodies designed by a music therapist.

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Parenting Awards

Lots of gift-givers love giving receiving blankets as gifts, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies don't use loose blankets in their cribs until they're at least 1-year-old. For nighttime snuggles, go for this wearable blanket instead. You can get it in a gender-neutral gray, or go for one of the colors or patterns.

A bottle warmer is a parental luxury, not a pressing need, which is why it makes such a great shower gift. This one has temperature controls that warm up milk and baby food without overheating.

Parents love everything about this bouncer: It looks nice, it's easy to clean and it even folds up flat so it can be stored out of sight. And babies are soothed by the gentle rocking, which is powered by the child's motion and not a motor.

Super soft and cushy, this round modern blanket is the perfect backdrop for new parents to mark baby's first year go by. Part keepsake, part cute crawl mat and all adorable.

This monitor impressed our Parenting Award judges with its night-vision technology, which captures video even in low light. You can also move the camera around to make sure the baby is always in view.

This toy is designed to grow with baby — not just for months, but for years. It starts off as a tummy-time entertainer, then transforms into a walker when they can take their first steps. Then, as they get older, it can convert into either a shopping cart or stroller for pretend play.

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards

Baby shoes are adorable, but ultimately impractical. These booties keep tootsies warm, and snap on and off, so they're easy for parents to remove, but harder for babies to take off. Plus, they come in a rainbow of fun colors and prints.

Not only do these muslin blankets come in cute prints, they have so many uses, parents can always use one (or a bunch). They can be swaddles, burp cloths, nursing covers or something to spread out on the floor for tummy time.

This portable high chair clips onto most tables, so parents can bring it to Grandma's, a restaurant or a vacation spot without having to pack their big, bulky high chairs. It even has a pocket for bibs.

RELATED: The Best High Chairs for Babies of Every Stage

The Good Housekeeping Institute was wowed by how well this carrier performed in its tests, considering its price. The baby can be positioned in it forward or backward, and testers say it's lightweight and comfy. No wonder it's an Amazon best-seller.

RELATED: The Best Baby Carriers, According to Experts

Parents don't always want to think about postpartum recovery (and brand-new parents might not know what they're getting into). This kit comes with everything moms don't want to dwell on but will need later, including postpartum underwear, ice maxi pads, cooling pad liners and healing foam.

Parents would be lucky to have these stashed everywhere: in the car, in the stroller basket, in the diaper bag, upstairs and downstairs. The slim clutch has everything needed for a quick diaper change, including space to store diapers and wipes, and a built-in pad and pillow.

The first time a new parent clips baby's nails can be traumatic … for the parent. Those fragile little nails are so delicate that one little snip could send the baby wailing. A nail trimmer files long nails down in a smooth and safe way. It's such a soft approach, in fact, that one Good Housekeeping editor completed this task while her baby slept.

As a new parent, the saying "you don't know what you don't know" really rings true. And, believe us, you don't know how loud even the quietest door entry can be to a sleeping baby (and how loudly they’ll cry when they’re jolted from their slumber). Just strap this neat little invention on the door latch and move snake-like from room to room without ever waking a sleeping baby.

When they're out on a walk, parents can always use more space and more pockets for dropped pacifiers, snacks, wipes and all the other little necessities. This organizer can attach to almost any stroller and provide some instant extra space.

Any parent will feel better about leaving the house with this tin, which contains essentials for any (mis)adventure, including a variety of bandages, disinfectant wipes, ointment, tape and more.

So, some new parents (ahem) may not realize that newborns can't really wear tight onesies until their umbilical cords fall off. Maybe throw a couple of these shirts in with your gift, just in case? They even come with cuffs that can act as mittens, so the baby can't scratch their skin.

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.

Lori (she/her) is the fomer style director for Good Housekeeping, where she wrote and edited content across the fashion, lifestyle, gift and home categories from 2014 to 2022.

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