Have you been invited to a baby shower recently? For some women, especially those in their mid- to late-twenties, this might be the first time they’ve been invited to a shower. Although much like any other party, baby showers have their own set of rules regarding gift-giving, spending, and replying to invitations. If you’ve been invited but aren’t sure what to give, here are some baby shower etiquette tips.

When it comes to picking out a gift, $20 to $70 is an acceptable range for baby shower gifts. Coworkers and acquaintances should aim for the lower range — $20 to $40 – while family and close friends should go higher. If you’ve been sent an invitation but aren’t able to attend, still reply and, much like a wedding, send a small gift to the parents-to-be.

Also similar to weddings is the use of a gift registry. Parents, especially those needing specific items for their child, don’t want to sift through a large amount of useless baby products. Instead, guests in this case are advised to check their gift registry and find items that new parents could use.

Aside from these tips, a general word of advice is to consider the needs of the parents, gift registry or not. Most parents, by the time the shower rolls around, already have many of the larger items for their child, such as a stroller, crib, and other furniture. Mainly, at this point, they need the basics – and lots of them. Baby clothing and toys are perfect, but considering a child will outgrow these two aspects every three months, think about the long-term needs of the parents.

Even though parents need as much clothing and toys as possible for their child, still ask about what they have ahead of time. Especially where second children are concerned, parents may already have a large amount of baby products on hand.

Are you planning a baby shower for a friend? And, are you struggling to come up with a unique concept for the party? A few articles regarding baby showers were published over the past week. One focuses on diaper cakes, a practical centerpiece for showers, and another presents a nearly-unheard-of concept: a gift-less baby shower.

The former, published in Parent Dish, presents diaper cakes as a practical and colorful gift. The article gives some tips on choosing diaper cakes, including considering the mother’s tastes, such as her favorite colors and sports team. On the practical side, the cakes also give new parents a starting supply of diapers, and, in this case, a larger cake starts new parents off with a bigger supply.

Nevertheless, the current economic climate shows that, perhaps, traditional baby showers simply aren’t feasible. An article in the Green Bay Press Gazette presents another idea for such events: gift-less baby showers. In these instances, parents aren’t obligated to bring baby gifts, but, ultimately, the decision should be up to the mother.

The article discusses the concerns of a mother having her second child. She would like a shower for the gathering atmosphere but, rather, doesn’t want the presents because she has several baby products already. Instead, the author presents a few ideas. A luncheon is one, but more specifically geared toward a new baby is an “advice” party about parenting, a book shower, hand-me-down parties, and a literal “birth day” party after the baby is born. In many of these instances, gifts are optional.

Nevertheless, this article brings up a common issue concerning baby showers: will the parents already have enough or will they have this specific item? Although parents expecting their first child will need more, ask the expecting parents what they already have and, in general, stick with smaller and necessary items.