Everyone that has received a baby shower knows that most of the gifts are never even used. That is because everyone seems to want to style the baby in new clothes rather than find something the mother will really need. I guarantee it will be more rewarding to give an expecting mother a gift that keeps on giving throughout the infant period, rather than a jumper that will fit for a few weeks. It is important to look at the necessities, which are usually inexpensive and can be made into a gift bag or package with several items, and it is these necessities that parents never have enough of. Some mothers have registries or lists of things they need, and in this case, the choices are much easier. If you are helping in the planning of a shower, it is a great idea to include a list with the invitations to help guests buy useful gifts. Here are some of the baby necessities that will probably pop up on that list. Baby bottles are something every child will use, and it is so nice to have several of them to prevent having to wash every time the baby feeds. On the other end, diapers are always an important gift. Yes, they do not seem very creative, but the mother will certainly be glad she has an abundance of diapers down the road. Perhaps some diapers along with another small gift will make a nice match. Of course all babies do need clothes, and if you must buy baby clothes, then make sure to buy them large to give the child room to grow into them. This will help them last much longer. Accessories to clothing that many shower goers neglect are baby clothes hangers. Baby hangers are incredibly useful for organizing the big pile of garments acquired at the shower and will continue to be useful on into the toddler years. Most baby hangers come in wood and plastic, and it is extremely helpful for them to have clothing clips on the crossbars. There are so many varieties of baby clothing that these clips insure every article can be hung. Think about all of the things that mothers will need to pick up at the store, such as shampoo, baby powder, baby soap, baby socks, a thermometer, a diaper bag, pins, rash cream, and more. These are all excellent accompanying gifts. Of course nobody wants to give a boring gift, so these inexpensive essentials can go along with another more creative gift. Perhaps you could give a cool diaper bag full of diapers, or some bath toys with shampoo and soap included. It is important for the gift to be fun for the shower, but useful for the mother. With a little bit of thought, a baby shower gift really can be both.