We’ve all been there — you need to get a gift for new parents, but you’re looking for something gender-neutral. Maybe you’re looking for a baby gift that isn’t traditionally gendered, or you need a gift for a baby whose gender hasn’t been revealed yet. Either way, we have you covered.
Tabeeze is here to help! In today’s post, we'll break down what makes a gift gender-neutral and share some example gifts to give the newest parents in your life.
Gender-Neutral Gifts: A Tried-and-True Tradition
Gender-neutral baby items aren’t anything new.
Back in the day, future parents didn’t know if their child was a boy or a girl until it was time for delivery. It wasn’t until the mid-1950s that parents could learn the gender of their baby during pregnancy with the help of ultrasound technology.
Gender-neutral products are basically as old as childbirth itself! As more modern-day parents take this old-school route, gender-neutral products are becoming easier to find.
What Makes a Baby Gift Gender-Neutral?
There isn’t a strict set of rules about gender-neutral gifts. However, there are a few ways to pick a gift that doesn’t adhere to traditional gender norms.
Here’s a place to start: if you want to buy a gender-neutral gift, stay away from classically gendered colors like pink and blue. Since the 1940s, pink has been deemed a “girl color,” and blue was assigned to boys.
Instead, look for items that include neutral and earth-tone colors like:
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Green
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Brown
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Gray
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Orange
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Yellow
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White
When it comes to clothing, look for pieces that feature animals like giraffes, lions, elephants, or bears. Clothing items with stripes, geometric objects, scribbles, and other patterns also work perfectly for boys or girls.
Gender-neutral gifts don't have to be bland. Baby clothes can still be cute, fun, and stylish. Look for pastels, neutrals, and earth tones instead of blue and pink.
Now that we’ve covered the gender-neutral basics, check out our list of 16 gift ideas that are both practical and fun.
1. Tabeeze Bottom-Up Baby Bodysuit
Bodysuits, onesies, snapsuits — no matter what you call them, these are essential to a baby’s wardrobe. Babies can wear bodysuits alone or underneath pants, shorts, or skirts, making bodysuits perfect gender-neutral gifts.
Babies go through three main things in the first year of their lives: diapers, food, and lots and lots of laundry. There’s one simple reason for this: babies drool, spill, and spit up all the time, prompting multiple outfit changes in a day.
With all these outfit changes, parents need to stock their baby’s closet with reliable onesies and bodysuits that they can slip on their baby in a second. This is where the neatly wrapped onesie in a gift bag comes in. Onesies are practical, gender-neutral, and totally adorable.
Tabeeze’s Bottom-Up Bodysuit is the number-one onesie to put on your gift list. This bodysuit comes in beautiful gender-neutral colors, like white, rust, and gold.
Tabeeze focuses on making parents’ lives easier in any way we can, and the Bottom-Up Bodysuit does just that. This bodysuit is not only gender-neutral friendly, but it’s also so simple to use. The patented shoulder flaps and fumble-free snap alignment make changing your baby a breeze.
Plus, with our Bottom-Up Bodysuit, there’s nothing you don’t want, including chemicals or harsh fabrics. Tabeeze products are 100% GOTS Certified Organic, making them perfect for any baby with sensitive skin.
2. Swaddles and Sleep Sacks
During a baby’s first few weeks, they will spend a lot of time wrapped up in a swaddle. Swaddles and sleep sacks can be lifesavers for new parents, especially at night.
Swaddles and sleep sacks help babies fall asleep and feel secure, giving parents a chance to get some shut-eye as well. Plenty of sleep sacks and swaddles are gender-neutral, so you have tons of fabulous options.
Swaddles and sleep sacks are similar, but they do have some key differences:
- Swaddle Blanket: A thin blanket used to wrap your baby like a burrito. The swaddle blanket’s design is meant to be as close to a womb environment as possible.
- Sleep Sacks: This wearable blanket shares some of the swaddle’s best features. Sleep sacks allow the baby’s hands and arms to be free while their torso, legs, and feet are secured in the blanket. Sleep sacks are typically more user-friendly than a swaddle and are easily modified for diaper changes.
3. Bibs
Are you giving Tabeeze Baby Bottom-Up Bodysuit to the expecting parents? Consider throwing in some bibs to match. Babies will drool and make messes; it’s inevitable. Bibs help a baby stay clean and dry, particularly during the teething months.
Bibs in earthy colors like brown, beige, green, and gray are charming and perfect for boys or girls. Orange and yellow are fantastic options as well, adding a pop of color to any outfit. Tabeeze body suits also come in solid colors, so picking a bib with a pattern can tie together any baby’s outfit. They’ll be drooling in style, wearing a bodysuit and bib combo.
5. Stuffed Animals and Blankets
Every child deserves to grow up with a stuffed animal as their best friend. Stuffed toys are soft, cuddly, and perfect for decorating a nursery. Gifting a stuffed animal and blanket combo will be a winner with the parents-to-be.
Generally, babies won’t be snuggling and sleeping with their stuffed animals and blanket until they’re 12 months old, but they’re still perfect gifts for newborns. Stuffed animals become even more valuable as the baby gets older. Even after years of wear and tear, a baby’s first stuffed animal will be just as special as it was the day they got it.
Blankets make fantastic gifts for newborns, too. They are incredibly versatile and can even be used as stroller covers to protect a baby from the sun. They can also double as floor mats, nursing covers, or nursery decor.
Babies have sensitive skin, so consider the fabric when choosing blankets and stuffed animals. Organic cotton is always the best and most natural fabric for babies. To guarantee cotton is truly organic, look for the GOTS Certified Organic label.
6. Teethers
Teethers are another practical gift that can also be multifunctional. These toys do more than help soothe achy gums for teething babies. They pull double-duty as rattles and toothbrushes, and babies love them.
Teething toys also come in many different styles for you to choose and most of them are already gender-neutral. When buying teethers, look for some that are more durable and made of sturdy silicone, rubber, or wood. Teethers made of 100% organic cotton are another excellent choice.
7. Baby’s First Year Book
The first year of a baby’s life goes by so fast. As parents say, “The days are long, but the years are short.” Parents spend so much time preparing for their baby’s arrival, and in a blink of an eye, their baby is a busy one-year-old trying to walk and talk.
Giving the gift of a Baby’s First Year Book is a sweet, special gift for parents to record milestones, add photos, and even share cute and funny stories their kid will be embarrassed by when they become a teenager.
8. Sports Apparel
Babies need to be ready for game day, too.
Consider gifting baby apparel from the parents-to-be’s favorite sports team as a gift. Gender-neutral sports apparel includes onesies, jerseys, hats, socks, pacifiers, booties, and bottles with team logos on them.
9. Books
Reading aloud to children is a fantastic way to foster a love of learning and a powerful imagination. Books are key tools for a baby’s brain development and provide a wonderful opportunity for parents to bond with their children.
Baby board books are a perfect start for building a nursery library. These tiny, chunky picture books are designed for the smallest hands and made for the youngest audience. Baby board books are durable, so there is no need to worry about them having a super short shelf life.
Looking for a gender-neutral gift that will truly make a splash? Try bath books. These little books are durable and waterproof, so babies can be free to splish and splash while listening to their mom or dad read them. Bath books can make bath time easier for parents, which is always welcome. Add in a rubber ducky or two to really get this party started.
10. Bath Toys
Like baby books, bath toys make the daily bathing session a little more enjoyable for both babies and parents.
New parents are always looking for creative ways to make bath time more exciting for their baby, and bath toys can do just that. Look for bath toys that appeal to growing minds. Sensory toys — toys with unique materials or toys that emit sounds — are fantastic.
Some bath boys encourage learning and introduce language-building concepts. Look for blocks featuring the ABCs or squishy foam numbers to build a baby’s vocabulary while they’re getting cleaned up.
11. Baby Playmat and Baby Gym
Babies are incredibly curious. Why not fuel this curiosity by buying them a baby playmat or a baby gym?
Tummy time is an essential step of the developmental process. As babies get older, they’ll soon want to break away from being held all the time and gain some independence. This is where tummy time comes into play.
Buying a baby playmat is not exactly a necessity, but it can help keep tummy time comfortable and safe for a baby. Crawling helps support infants' back and neck muscles and helps build their core muscles. Babies don’t even know they’re working out — they think they’re just playing.
If you’re looking for something a little more active for a baby to do, baby gyms will make a perfect gift. Activity gyms are designed for babies who are beginning to reach naturally. They tend to be larger and come with hanging toys that help stimulate the baby’s sight, sound, touch senses, and motor skills.
12. Diaper Bag
If you really want to impress new parents, get them something they never knew how much they needed: a gender-neutral diaper bag. When parents travel with their baby, their diaper bag will help keep them organized — and help them stay sane.
Parents often toss plenty of items in their diaper bags, so make sure you get a bag with a few extra compartments. There are even high-tech diaper bags on the market with insulated pockets for bottles and tech compartments dedicated to phones, laptops, and tablets.
Diaper bags are more versatile than ever. No longer just a purse, diaper bag variations include backpack or messenger bag style.
13. Night Light and Sound Machine
Everyone knows when a baby is born, parents can basically say goodbye to sleep, especially during the earlier months of a child’s life. Give parents a helping hand by gifting them a night light and sound machine.
Night lights and sound machines can be a lifesaver for parents. They help babies fall asleep and help them stay asleep. Our favorite night lights and sound machines are 2-in-1 and can be controlled by smartphones. Parents can change light settings and switch between white noise or nature sounds all from their couch.
Night lights and sound machines also help put babies to sleep with help from different shapes like stars or animals. Some can even play calming lullabies. Who knows — parents might get just as much help sleeping from a sound machine as their baby does.
14. Baby Feeding Gift Set
Make feeding time a little more fun by buying an adorable baby feeding gift set.
These gift sets often include cute plates, bowls, forks, and spoons and come in plenty of gender-neutral colors. These sets make fantastic gifts for new parents who might feel a little nervous about feeding their baby for the first time.
15. Healthcare and Grooming Kit
A healthcare basket will be the thoughtful gift parents-to-be will thank you for.
Healthcare baskets contain items parents would want to keep on hand for their infants, including baby medicine, a thermometer, a gas relief for infants, a nasal aspirator, and even a toothbrush. As far as grooming goes, kits usually come with a comb and baby nail clippers. Some are also equipped with tear-free shampoo and other bathtime essentials.
Feeling creative? You can even create your own baby healthcare basket. Simply put a collection of essential health items into a basket and wrap it to give to the expectant parents. Take it a step further and add a cute plush stuffed animal or maybe a bottle of wine for the adults. You never know when that will come in handy!
16. Diapers and Baby Wipes
Diapers, diapers, and more diapers. It may be an obvious choice, but you can’t go wrong with gifting diapers and baby wipes. Plus, wipes, diapers, and other potty-related supplies are the ultimate gender-neutral buy.
Babies can go through 3,000 diapers in their first year alone, so a huge box of diapers is truly a sight for sore eyes. Some parents might be opting for cloth diapers. In that case, you might want to wrap up some diaper-safe laundry detergent, a drying rack, a diaper sprayer, and, of course, cloth diapers.
Every parent is different and may have diaper brand preferences. Regardless of what you choose, though, diapers will be a hit. To be extra thoughtful, send a range of diaper sizes that will accommodate a growing baby.
17. Baby Soap and Baby Shampoo
Babies need specifically-designed soap for their sensitive skin. Baby soap and baby shampoo are essential for babies to ensure their delicate hair and skin stay protected during bathtime.
Gifts for Future Parents, Not Just Baby
When baby shopping, you may only think of shopping for items suitable for the baby. However, expectant parents deserve gifts of their own!
Here are a few gift options for the people whose lives are about to change forever:
Maternity Body Pillow
Help ensure the pregnant mom-to-be has a good night's sleep by gifting her a maternity body pillow.
Maternity body pillows eliminate the need for expectant mothers to sleep on multiple pillows to be comfortable. These help support the back, hips, and stomach during pregnancy.
Hospital Gift Kit for the Soon-To-Be Parents
Chances are, the future parents in your life will be packing a hospital bag in the near future. The delivery process can be long, so why not give the expectant parents a helping hand by providing a hospital kit?
A typical hospital kit is stocked with toiletries like a toothbrush, toothpaste, gum, and mouthwash to stay fresh while waiting for the baby to arrive. You can also help mom prepare her hospital bag by gifting maternity wear like organic cotton socks, stretchy shorts or briefs, a robe, and a nightgown. These items are perfect for her hospital stay and her time at home.
The birthing mother is the star of the show, but the father is the most important co-star. You can support the leading lady’s team by giving fathers-to-be a travel-sized pillow and blanket for the hospital stay. You could also toss in a comfy change of clothes like a t-shirt and shorts. The labor process is unpredictable, and the parents might be there longer than they anticipated.
Over-Sized, Plush Blanket
Adults love blankets just as much as babies. Consider gifting a big, comfortable blanket for a new mom to stay warm and cozy while nursing. Like all items surrounding childbirth and childcare, opt for a machine-washable version.
Self-Care Items
Making sure future mothers keep a self-care regime during postpartum is so important. Consider gifting luxurious skincare items, gift cards, or massage oils for the future mom-to-be to make sure taking care of herself remains a priority while taking care of her baby.
The Big Takeaway
Parenting is a marathon, not a sprint. Helping hands and the perfect gift are wonderful ways to support your loved ones as they take this big step.
So, the next time you go to a gender-neutral baby shower, refer to this guide to find practical and stylish gifts for the future baby or a self-care gift for mom and dad. And as always, Tabeeze has your back.
Source:
Sleep Sack vs. Swaddle Blanket - What's The Difference? | Sleep Advisor
Best Baby Teethers of 2022 | Healthline
The History of Fetal Ultrasound | Pregnancy Imaging | Live Science
