The 9 Best Newborn Baby Gifts to Buy in 2018

They call the Baby Shusher the “soothing sleep miracle for babies,” and plenty of parents are believers in its power. The power of “shushing” a baby (basically making the “shush” noise over and over in the baby’s ear to mimic the soothing sounds of being in the womb) has been proven, but this machine saves parents’ breath and does it for them. After all, it can get quiet tiresome making that noise for long periods of time.

A timer lets you set the device to do its work for 15 or 30-minute blocks of time, and the volume of the rhythmic shushing noise can be adjusted to adapt to the baby’s preference. Lightweight and battery-operated (two AA batteries are included), the Baby Shusher is portable so you can take it with you in the car, on vacation or wherever mom and dad want a calm, sleeping baby. We can’t think of a much better gift than that.

For all those milestone pictures mom and dad like to post on social media, these blocks add some extra pizazz. They’ll get years of use from them as they can be stacked to record how many days, weeks and years a child is. There’s even one to indicate grade, so they can be used for all those first day of school pics throughout the years. They can even be used by mom before the baby arrives to document her growing belly bump.

Each solid-wood set comes with two square number blocks and one rectangle block with weeks/months/years/grade. They also come in three different color combinations-- pink, blue or gender neutral. This gift is picture perfect.

Here’s a rootin’ tootin’ gift that’s as cute as it is practical. While baby’s gummy, drooly smiles are adorable, they also can lead to wet clothes and drool rash. This 10-pack of bibs will help prevent that in style.

Made of organic cotton and fleece, they’re soft and absorbent to keep clothes dry. The fact that they look ridiculously cute on little cowboys and cowgirls is just a bonus. The come in an assortment of unisex patterns and colors that will mix and match with any outfit, and they’re adjustable so they can grow with baby into toddlerhood. The price is surprisingly low too, making it an impressive yet affordable gift sure to elicit plenty of ooh's and ahh's at a baby shower.

Want to take a look at some other options? See our guide to the best baby bibs. 

Pacifiers have gotten a bit of an upgrade over the last few years with the advent of the Wubbanub pacifier which isn't only cute to look at, it also helps keep the pacifier on the chest of the baby so mom and dad don't have to scramble to find it. The pacifier part is made of silicone and is latex and BPA free and it is made out of one piece of silicone so it is easy to clean. It is only suitable for newborns through 6-month-olds since once they start teething they can bite through it.

Parents swear by these and many have a few different characters (the monkey and lion are some favorites) though some babies might prefer a particular character. 

Nobody likes cold feet, especially baby! Give the parents a cute pack of socks to keep their little one's feet warm. These will be used for all the seasons and they'll need plenty of pairs because these little socks are bound to get lost in the chaos (or will help cut down on laundry!). Available in a ton of colors and patterns to suit girls or boys these socks are so adorable, you can't help but "aw" over them. 

If you’ve ever had to change a crib sheet after a major diaper blowout while managing a crying baby in the middle of sleepless night, you’ll realize exactly how brilliant this sheet is. If you haven’t had the pleasure, then count yourself lucky and trust us on this one.

No more trying to tug and pull and get the corners to each stay put without pulling another one out, this innovative sheet has a bottom base that wraps around the mattress and stays put safely and securely. When it’s time to change the sheet, you simply zip off the top portion and zip another one on. Brilliant.

The starter pack contains one wraparound base sheet and one zip-on sheet. Additional zip-on sheets are sold separately. They come in a variety of colors and patterns and in 100 percent cotton, 100 percent organic cotton and Heavenly Soft Mink. Safe, easy and comfortable, this is one gift that will literally change the game for parents.

Here’s an inexpensive little gift, that will earn you a big time thank you when teething time comes around. Made of soft, hygienic silicone, parents rave about this teether’s effectiveness, and the manufacturer promises it will deliver “an abundance of silent joy.”

It’s made for little hands, so it’s easy for baby to grip and bite. Four extensions are perfectly baby-finger-sized — long enough to reach the molars, but not too long that they’ll gag themselves.

The teethers come in bright colors and are BPA, PVC and Phthalate-free, making them safe for dishwashers and microwaves. They’re such a lifesaver, mom may want multiples so she always has one on hand when baby’s gummy smile gets grumpy.

Want to take a look at some other options? See our guide to the best baby teethers. 

Sweet, sensitive baby skin deserves only the best care, and this set of plant-based baby skincare products from Mustela delivers just that. It contains everything you need to keep baby’s skin feeling soft and fresh from head to toe, with products that are hypoallergenic and made to minimize the risk of any allergic reaction.

Included in the set is: Foam Shampoo for Newborns (made to prevent Cradle Cap), Gentle Cleansing Gel, No-Rinse Cleansing Water, Hydra Bebe Body Lotion and Diaper Rash Cream 123. It’s all packaged in a sweet, keepsake box, making it a hit for baby showers.

It’s a great way for mom to try to the products before investing in full-size bottles, and it’s perfect for packing in diaper bags or luggage for when baby’s on the go.

Every new parent needs a functional diaper bag, and this one checks all the boxes and more. Stylish and sleek, it’s perfect for mom or dad without screaming “this is a diaper bag!”

It’s a backpack, which means hands are left free for toting the carseat, stroller or whatever else needs carrying, and it has plenty of pockets to make organizing bottles, snacks and other baby items easy. It comes with a cushioned changing pad, insulated bottle pockets and packing cubes for organizing it all. It’s not all about the baby either, as there are pockets for a cellphone and a laptop too. This is a bag that will get tons of use over the years, even long after baby has ditched the diapers.

Interested in reading more reviews? Take a look at our selection of the best diaper bags.