Baby shower gift ideas and what to write in the card
The best baby shower gifts are things the parents-to-be will use in the first months, such as muslin wraps (about $19 for a 3 pack at Target, Oct 2026), bodysuits a size up and board books. If they have shared a list, buy from it. For a big item like a pram, go in with other guests.
How to choose a baby shower gift
Start with the parents' own list if they have shared one. If they have not, our guide to what parents usually put on their list is a good prompt, and our guide on how much to spend on a baby shower gift covers the budget.
- Check for a list first. If the parents-to-be have shared one, buying from it saves them returns and doubles.
- Buy clothes a size up. The smallest sizes are outgrown fast, so a bodysuit in 00 or 0 still gets worn months later.
- Think about the parent, not just the baby. Something for the person who is about to give birth or become a parent is often the gift they remember.
- Include a gift receipt. Parents swap things once they know what they actually use.
- Leave the big items to a group. Prams, car seats, cots and carriers are best bought from the parents' own list, ideally by several guests together.
Baby shower gift ideas by budget
Prices are examples seen on Australian retailer sites in October 2026 and change often.
Under $50
- Muslin wraps: Used as swaddles, burp cloths and pram covers. An organic cotton 3 pack is a safe pick.
- Zip wondersuit: Zips are easier than press studs at 3am. Buy 00 or 0 rather than the smallest size.
- Bodysuit multipack: Everyday basics that get used daily, in a size up.
- Classic board books: Start the baby's library with a book you loved as a child, and write a note inside the cover.
- Rattle or soft toy: A small first toy that is easy for tiny hands to hold.
- Hooded towel: Bath time gets easier with a hood.
- Baby photo album: For the first year of prints, before the photos disappear into a phone.
- Freezer meal for later: Cook a lasagne or a curry, freeze it and label it with the date and reheating steps. It costs little and gets eaten in the first week home.
$50 to $100
- Baby gift set: A boxed set of clothes or wraps looks good on the gift table.
- Play mat: Somewhere soft for floor time.
- Knitted set: A knitted outfit in a size up for the cooler months.
- Meal delivery or cleaning voucher: Help for the first weeks home, from a local meal service or cleaner. Check delivery covers their suburb before you buy.
- Baby book or memory box: Somewhere to keep the hospital bracelet and the cards from the shower.
$100 to $250
- Baby sling: A soft carrier for the early months.
- Massage for the parent-to-be: A rest before the birth. A 75-minute back, shoulder and neck massage and facial was about $185 at Red Balloon, Oct 2026.
- Postpartum care kit: A gift set for the person recovering from the birth, from a postpartum care brand or put together by you. Ask a close friend what they would like.
$250 or more (best as a group gift)
- Structured baby carrier: A carrier that grows with the baby. An Ergobaby Omni Deluxe Mesh Baby Carrier was about $399.95 at David Jones, Oct 2026.
- Pram, car seat, cot or bassinet: Classic group gift territory. Buy only the model on the parents' own list, from a baby store such as Baby Bunting, so it suits their car and home.
- A share of the wishing well: If the parents-to-be have set up a wishing well, a group of friends can put in together towards the big item they are saving for.
Gifts for the parents-to-be
Most of the gift table is for the baby. A gift for the parent says you have noticed them too, and it is often the one they talk about afterwards.
- A massage or day spa voucher to use before the birth or once the baby has settled.
- Freezer meals, labelled and ready to heat.
- A good water bottle or insulated cup for the long feeds.
- A voucher for a cleaner or a meal service for the first weeks.
- A book or show recommendation with a note: "for the 3am feeds".
Baby shower card messages and wishes
A baby shower card can be short. Say you are happy for them, add one personal line, and sign off. If you are giving as a group, one card with everyone's names next to the gift works well.
Warm wishes
- So excited to meet your little one. They are lucky to be joining your family.
- Wishing you a smooth arrival, lots of sleep (eventually) and a house full of love.
- Your baby is already so loved, and they are not even here yet.
- Here is to the start of your biggest adventure. We cannot wait to watch you grow into it.
- Sending you love for the last few weeks and everything that comes after.
- Lucky baby, to have you waiting for them.
- May the first weeks be gentle, and the cuddles be endless.
Short and simple
- Welcome to the world, little one. Congratulations.
- Can't wait to meet them.
- Thrilled for you.
- Love to all of you, big and small.
- Sleepy cuddles and tiny socks are coming your way.
- Best news of the year.
Funny
- New boss arriving soon. Hours are terrible, but the pay is cuddles.
- Sleep is overrated anyway. That's what we keep telling ourselves.
- Get ready for the cutest roommate who never pays rent.
- I fully expect to be named favourite visitor. This gift is my campaign.
- Enjoy the last few weeks of hot coffee. We'll bring you more.
- Tiny human loading. Please stand by.
From a colleague or the team
- All of us at work send our congratulations, and we hope the next few months are wonderful.
- We will miss you around here, but this is much better news than any deadline.
- Hope the arrival is happy and healthy. Don't think about your inbox once.
- The whole team is cheering for you. Have a wonderful leave, every minute of it.
- Big news deserves a big gift, so the office chipped in together. No thank-you cards needed.
For a second or third baby
- What a crew you are growing. Your first is about to be the best big sibling.
- Twice the cuddles, twice the chaos, and all of it wonderful.
- You already know what you're doing, which is more than most of us can say. So happy for you.
- Another little one to love. Your family just keeps getting better.
To go with a gift
- A little something for the baby, and a lot of love for you.
- These are a size up, so they'll still fit when the newborn clothes don't.
- This one is just for you. The baby gets plenty of presents.
- One for story time, from someone who can't wait to read it to them too.
- From all of us together, towards the pram. Happy travels, little one.
- Straight from your list, so you know it's something you actually want.
More for the new arrival
Visiting after the birth instead? See our gifts for a newborn baby guide for meals and help for the new parents. Browse every occasion in gift ideas.
Hosting the shower or putting in money? Read how a baby shower wishing well works, or see how EasyRegistry works for a baby shower.
Go in together on a bigger gift
A pram or car seat is a lot for one guest, but split across a group of friends or a team at work it becomes the gift the parents-to-be use every day.
- Create a free registry for the occasion.
- Add a wishing well.
- Share one link with everyone who wants to chip in.
- Buy the gift once you know the total.
Setting up a registry with a wishing well is free. Guests can chip in by bank transfer, in cash or in store with no EasyRegistry fee. Card and PayPal contributions are a Premium feature ($39 one time), and card funds are released when the registry closes.
How a group gift wishing well works, and how much to ask each person for
Baby shower gift FAQ
No, but it helps. Buying from their list means fewer returns and no doubles. If you want to give something of your own, pair a small item from the list with your personal pick.
Go a size up, such as 00 or 0. That way the clothes still fit once the smallest sizes are outgrown. Add a gift receipt so they can swap if needed.
It depends on how close you are and whether you are giving alone or with others. Our how much to give at a baby shower guide has the detail. If budget is tight, a small useful gift and a warm card are always welcome.
Yes. If the parents-to-be have set up a wishing well, guests can put money towards a big item or the first months at home. If not, cash in a card is fine. Say in the card what you hope they will use it for.
You do not have to, but it is a thoughtful touch. A massage voucher or a few freezer meals looks after the person doing the hard work.
Pick one big item from the parents' list, then create a free registry with a wishing well and share one link with the group. Once the total is known, the organiser buys the gift and everyone signs one card.
Hosting the baby shower?
Create a free registry for the shower, add a wishing well and share one link with every guest.