It is the way of life, my only daughter is about to have her own baby. She is thirty-nine years old, and this will be her first child. I can barely remember this much excitement, and am looking forward to this grandchild as much as I anticipated my own daughter! It is indeed a joyous time, but I find myself perplexed. It’s been years since I have needed to care for a baby. Convenience has replaced the things our generation formerly took for granted, like constantly washing cloth diapers and sterilizing seemingly everything. Now there are disposable diapers, plastic bottles heated in microwaves, and DVDs specifically targeted to babies to engage their brains and keep them occupied. I seemed to be unfamiliar with many of the items that are considered the be the norms of today, so I set out on a search to find what would be an appropriate gift for a Grandparent to give for a baby.
Fortunately, I discovered many items are not as different as I had anticipated. I discovered many items with which I could relate, and more than a few that I wished I had been able to have when my daughter was born. Many mothers today are going back to cloth diapers, which are so much different than the older style cloth I had used with my daughter! Fuzzi Bunz diapers are one such example. Fuzzi Bunz cloth diapers incorporate many of the conveniences of disposable diapers while removing most of the drawbacks. The so-called safety pins of the past have been replaced by adjustable elastic and securely fastening snaps, while the fleece lining helps drastically reduce diaper rash. Many mothers appreciate the fact that they are environmentally friendly, helping to reduce the amount of waste that clutters our landfills. I think this will make a great gift for my daughter and her baby.
I found another intriguing gift idea made a company called Ellaroo. I remember the bulky, complicated type of baby carriers, not this style. Keeping baby close to the body, this wrap allows the father to carry baby hands-free. Additionally, ring slings are another type of carrier, similar to the wrap carrier, which can offer a wonderful way to carry your baby with you and keep your hands free as well.
One more relative newcomer that I discovered is an item called a baby travel system. This device is a stroller, bed, car seat and more, all in a single product. Different needs are met by the combinations of the separate pieces. Most are collapsible and light-weight, with many useful features including plenty of pockets, convenient extra handles, straps and sun shades.
Now that I have seen some of the amazing products on the market for new parents, not only am I no longer intimidated by choosing a gift for my daughter and her baby, I can’t wait to see what else is out there!
