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The question of how much to spend on a baby shower gift can be a complex one. I personally don’t like to focus so much on the amount spent as the practicality or thought put into the gift. This doesn’t mean you have to go completely off the registry and it also doesn’t mean you have to spend a million dollars! Let’s unpack this further below. Check out our spending guide for baby shower gifts and some of our top gift suggestions.
Tips for Buying Baby Shower Gifts
Before we start, we just wanted to provide a few basic tips for buying a baby shower gift:
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Consider how personal the gift is. Do you really want to give your coworker nipple cream or a vaginal peribottle? Probably not.
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It’s fun and creative to group some smaller gifts together according to a theme (check out our blog post on Baby Shower Gift Baskets!)
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You can use a mix of registry items and add some personal touches.
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A popular option is to go in on a group gift with a few other family members or friends so you can get them something bigger. For example, if you are buying for a close friend, you may want to coordinate with a couple other close friends to spend $150-$200 (vs. spending $75 each). Then you don't have to worry so much about how much to spend on a baby shower gift because it will be split across multiple people.
Baby Shower Gift Spending Guide
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Co-worker, Acquaintance, Distant Family Friend $20-$30
For this type of baby shower gift, you don't want it to be overly personal and you aren't expected to get anything extravagant. It's more a nice gesture and something to help the new parents out. The best options for these gifts will be found on their registry or you can also give a gift card.
Gift Suggestions:
Diaper Caddy (+ pack of diapers)
Baby Bath and Washcloths
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Good Friend $40-50
A lot of baby showers you attend may fall into this category. They are good friends and you want to get them something nice, but again, not too extravagant because you may have a lot of baby showers to go to. There are some great options on their baby registry that are around $50 that they will get a lot of use out of!
Gift Suggestions:
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Distant Family $40-50
This one is tough. Although they may be family, if you are not actually close to them (and therefore may not be that close to the baby), I would treat this like a good friend. You may have gotten an obligatory invite and it was sweet of them to include you, but you don't need to go overboard.
Gift Suggestions:
Hooded Towel and Newborn bath set
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Close/Best Friend $75
This is where it starts getting extra fun. If they are a close or best friend, you know them pretty well which allows you to get a little more personal with your gift giving. You may feel inspired to take extra time to think about what they love, what their baby will use, what their nursery theme is, etc. I would still recommend getting a registry gift, but you can also add in a fun personal touch! These gift suggestions below are nice and super useful.
Gift Suggestions:
Hatch Nightlight Sound Machine
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Close Family $100-$150
If it's a close family member, you are probably going to be close to the baby which makes this an exciting life event for you too! The new parents would be thrilled to have any of these high quality, super useful items and they will likely use these baby shower gifts for any additional children as well.
Gift Suggestions:
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Immediate Family $125-$200+
Last but not least, this is how much you may spend as an immediate family member. We are referring to the immediate family of the new parents which would be the baby's aunts, uncles, grandparents, and great grandparents. These family members usually want to get something BIG. After all, this is a new member of their family as well. There are many very nice gifts that are necessary for baby safety, traveling, sleeping and more. Your gift will be treasured and appreciated for years to come.
Gift Suggestions:
Car Seat (with Base)
Final Thoughts
Baby showers are a special milestone in any new mother’s life, and it is an honor to be invited to them! This means that you have meant something to the new parents of the baby and they want you to help them celebrate and give your blessings for the child. It’s a big deal if you think about it like that!
When determining how much to spend on a baby shower gift, don't stress about the exact amount. No one is keeping track! There are several gift options at all ends of the spending spectrum and you can use this guide to find the one that is best for the relationship you have with the parents-to-be.
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