5 Essential Baby Gifts You Didn't Think Of

My son woke up screaming and dripping sweat. I knew he was teething, but his forehead was too warm for my liking. It's a myth that babies get fevers when they teethe. But teething lowers their immunity, which means they are more prone to fever-causing infections while they're teething. That's why the two go hand-in-hand so frequently.

I wanted to take my son's temperature to determine the next course of action: Ibuprofen or the hospital? I didn't have a baby thermometer, which meant a midnight trip to the 24-hour drug store.

This important, but often forgotten, baby necessity may not elicit “oohs” and “aahs” when the mom-to-be opens it amidst her other baby shower gifts. But she'll silently thank you at midnight when she's wondering if her infant has a double ear infection. That's why a “baby health care” gift basket is number one on our list of five essential baby gifts most people don't think about.

1. Baby care package
-Ibuprofen.
-All-natural teething tablets.
-An in-ear or across-the-forehead thermometer, which gives an “accurate enough” temperature reading for squirming babies.
-A rectal thermometer for braver parents.
-Cooling cloths for high fevers.
-Gripe water for an upset tummy.
-A package of chamomile tea for the same. (Give the baby two medicine droppers full of lukewarm tea after feeding.)
-A nasal aspirator for a stuffy nose.
-Add baby grooming necessities, such as a nail file and clippers, baby brush, and perhaps a book on infant care (Dr. Spock is still a classic!) for a useful baby gift basket filled with essential baby gifts.

2. Baby-proofing gift basket - Often, new parents creating their registry don't think about the items they'll need when their tiny bundle begins crawling and walking six or eight months later. Putting together a baby proofing gift basket with a quality baby gate as the centerpiece will be appreciated for years. Save the gift receipt so parents can exchange items if they need, for instance, more doorknob covers but fewer drawer locks.

3. Toys that grow with the children - New parents registering for baby shower gifts may not be thinking ahead. Purchasing toys children can use when they start walking -- and for many years to come -- creates truly unique baby gifts.

A personalized rocking chair will be appreciate into the pre-school years, as will a classic wooden rocking horse or a little red wagon. You can stock the wagon with stuffed animals, toys or clothes and have it personalized as baby's own “welcome wagon.”

Books, too, make a great gift that last through the school years, and may even be passed down to the child's own children some day. A little red Radio Flyer wagon stocked with Dr. Seuss books brings back childhood memories that the parents-to-be will love sharing with their new edition.

4. Baby bath set gift basket - As a new parent, you can never have enough hooded towels, wash cloths or baby shampoo. Babies seem to go through baby shampoo almost as fast as diapers and wipes! Don't forget to add a baby bathtub -- a necessity for parents who don't want to break their backs hunching over the bathtub and find it uncomfortable to bathe baby in the sink. Include a water thermometer, which is more reliable than your elbow for testing the water's temperature. When the child becomes a toddler, she may not believe mom that the water's fine, but when the little duck's bottom turns green (rather than blue for too cold or red for too hot) she won't argue.

5. Something for Mom - After 40 weeks of pregnancy, childbirth and the first week home with a newborn, mom needs a break. Consider a gift certificate to a restaurant. If you're close to the parents-to-be and have discussed it in advance, add a night of babysitting. Don't be surprised if the new parents don't take you up on the offer right away; they might be too tired. Books, DVDs, and a subscription to Parents magazine are also thoughtful baby gifts for new moms, who can enjoy a movie or book while they nurse the baby.