Sometimes it’s difficult to choose a baby gift for the new arrival, particularly if you are a friend or co-worker, and you know that the family and grandparents will be purchasing the larger items like strollers and cribs.

Unless you want to go the very safe route of buying diapers, or sleepers, you’re going to have to venture into a baby clothing store or other retail outlet that carries the hundreds of items that a new baby uses.

One option for a unique gift, is to make up a baby gift basket. Select a container that you know will have some use after the shower, such as a wire basket for fruit, a woven basket that can hold toiletries in the bathroom, or one with a handle that serves as a holder for plants.

Then make up a list of some of the small things that will fit in the basket. You might want to set a price limit, but you’ll be amazed at just how much you can get, for even nominal sums. Doing it yourself gives you more, and a wider selection, than buying the pre-made baby gift baskets in stores.

Things you might include, are Q-tips, plastic protective corners for sharp furniture, plugs that fit into outlets and keep small fingers out, baby-sized face cloths, and small or sample bottles of a variety of baby products, which are often free from the manufacturers if you send in for them.

Your baby gift basket will be an even bigger treasure trove, if you start saving coupons ahead of time, for the expectant mother. Many companies will offer buy one and get one free coupons, a percentage discount, or a flat amount off. Collect all the coupons you come across. It the mother doesn’t use them, nothing is lost except a few seconds of scissor snipping, but she might just discover that your baby gift led her to some great finds!