8 Great Ideas for Gender-Neutral Baby Gifts
You’ve got a baby shower on the calendar, and you’re so excited to celebrate. But there’s one little snag: you don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl. Maybe the parents are keeping the sex a surprise or just prefer to skip the whole pink-and-blue routine. Or maybe it’s you who doesn’t feel comfortable giving a gender-specific gift. Whatever the case, you can still show up and bring a present that steals the show. That’s what gender-neutral baby gifts are there for. Here, we explore a few great ideas for these types of presents that every baby and parent will love.
1. A Classic Stuffed Animal
Few baby gifts hit quite the same note as a soft, cuddly stuffed animal. Babies bond with comfort objects early on, and a well-made plush toy can become a beloved companion for their entire childhood.
Stuffed animals are also an incredibly timeless toy. Babies have played with them for centuries, and they’re not going out of style any time soon. Plus, stuffed animals are almost always unisex toys. Unless you buy a novelty bear in pink or blue, you’ll find thousands of options for cute, cuddly creatures in the colors nature gave them.
Shopping Tip
Because the baby market is super saturated with stuffed animals, plenty of unsafe products are out there. Make sure to verify a seller uses baby-safe, nontoxic materials. For example, avoid stuffed animals with small plastic sew-ons; these can tear away and become choking hazards. Embroidered features are much safer for babies.
2. Swaddle Blankets
Swaddle blankets are one of those gifts every parent needs and can never have enough of. Newborns love to get wrapped up in the early weeks, so having a generous supply of swaddle blankets on hand will make sure there’s always one available.
This gift can come in any color and pattern imaginable. In fact, you can even make one yourself if you’re crafty. We just recommend you look for or use muslin fabric, which is lightweight, breathable, and gets softer with every wash.
3. A White Noise Machine
What if you gave an inherently gender-neutral gift that also helps new parents catch a few more hours of shut-eye? Trust us—they’ll love you for it.
A white noise machine mimics the sounds babies hear in the womb, which helps them feel calm and fall asleep faster and for longer. There are several on the market that offer different sound settings, timers, and even night light features. This gift will become one of the most used items in the nursery, and it’s actually harder to find gendered designs than unisex ones.
4. Neutral Baby Clothes
Outfitting a baby is expensive. They’re growing quickly and constantly getting their clothes dirty. All parents appreciate cute outfits for the first few months of their babies’ lives, so apparel is a great gift. Consider putting together a clothing gift basket with the following:
- onesies
- flexible shoes
- shirts
- pants
- hats
- socks
Clothing is one of the most gendered baby product markets, but plenty of neutral options exist. And now that unisex baby items are becoming more popular, you will even find entire stores dedicated to neutral clothing.
Shopping Tip
Keep in mind that neutral doesn’t mean boring. Rather, it just means steering clear of intentionally gendered design choices, whether that’s a stereotypical color, graphic, or text. You can still find super fun, colorful baby clothing that doesn’t speak to only one gender.
5. A Baby Memory Book
A baby memory book is a gift that will become more meaningful as time goes on. It’s simply a place for the new parents to record firsts, milestones, photos, and all the other moments with their little one they never want to forget.
We suggest buying a book with a clean, simple design and space for photos. That way, parents can decorate it however they want. Overall, this is a thoughtful gift that shows you’re thinking about the full journey ahead, not just the newborn stage.
6. A Baby Hygiene Care Gift Set
Another great idea for a gender-neutral baby gift is a hygiene care kit. Practical baby gifts like these aren’t boring. In fact, they’re usually some of the most appreciated presents at baby showers. Try to find a kit with the following:
- gentle baby wash
- lotion
- soft brush and comb set
- nail trimmers
- toothbrush
- dropper
- medicine dispenser
- emery boards
- thermometer
- and more
New parents need and go through these products constantly, and having a quality set from the start means they can check several items off their shopping list for at least the first few weeks.
Shopping Tip
As with stuffed animals, hygiene products for babies are widely available and subject to influence from careless, unsafe sellers. Make sure the kit you buy meets standards set by the Baby Safety Alliance or another relevant regulatory entity.
7. A Nursing or Feeding Support Pillow
Whether the parents plan to breastfeed or bottle-feed, a supportive feeding pillow is something they’ll use every single day in those early months. These C-shaped or U-shaped pillows help position Baby comfortably during feedings, which relieves a lot of strain on the nurturing parent’s arms, back, and shoulders. Many of these pillows also double as tummy time support as Baby grows, which extends their usefulness well beyond the newborn stage. And of course, since these products are made more for parents than babies, they’re almost always gender neutral!
Shopping Tip
Look for a pillow with a removable, washable cover in a soft neutral fabric. It will get dirty, and no one wants a giant pillow in their home that they can’t wash.
8. Personalized Keepsake Items from Bunnies by the Bay
Personalized gifts are extra meaningful because they’re made specifically for the baby you’re going to celebrate. At Bunnies by the Bay, we specialize in helping gift-givers and parents alike get customizable, cozy items for Baby. And yes—we have a whole selection dedicated to gender-neutral baby shower gifts!
These include stuffed animals, blankets, and lovies that you can personalize with custom embroidery. The collection also includes practical, unisex items like board books and carrot rattles. Give our catalog a look—you’re sure to find something people will ooh and ahh over at the baby shower.