In the traditional sense, baby showers are wonderful occasions in which friends and family come together to offer well wishes, advice, and, of course, presents to help ease new moms and dads into this labyrinth we call parenthood. Onesies, burp cloths, and diaper bags aside, chances are every new parents will have a friend, relative, or colleague who sort of (or entirely!) misses the mark in terms of baby shower gifting.
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When it comes to baby showers, the guests can run the gamut from people who haven't ever had a newborn (yet, ever, or in the last 25 years!) to those who think they know it all and bombard new moms with their version of "the best" in baby gear. (Thanks but no thanks for the cloth diapers I already said we're not using.) Even if a mom registers in advance for all the things she wants or thinks she needs or at least wants to try out, there are no guarantees she won't get some really oddball gifts of all kinds.
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It may be the thought that counts, but trust us, some "thoughts" and "keepsakes" (like the ones that are supposed to save a baby's nail clippings!) are truly better left unexpressed. Just ask these 11 moms who experienced some uncomfortable (and even mind-boggling) gift-opening moments at their baby showers. We're really not sure what some of these people were thinking …
Sexy Stuff
"My aunt gave me lingerie for my baby shower. And not just any lingerie — racy lingerie. She said it would help me feel 'sexy' after I had the baby. Not only was I horrified to open this in front of my friends and family, the last thing I was thinking about after I gave birth was being sexy. She's different."
Girls Only?
"My husband and I chose not to find out our baby's gender ahead of the birth, which drove my mother-in-law crazy. She swore up and down I was having a girl. She was so convinced she was right that she actually told family members this. At my shower someone gave me a ton of adorable girl clothes because of all my MIL's big talk. I was so upset and, of course, I had a boy." — Tara L.
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Weird Onesies
"I got a pink onesie for my then-unborn daughter that said 'Kisses $0.25,' which I thought was rather inappropriate. Way to sexualize my fetus, lady!" — Lindsey H.
Quirky Keepsakes
"For one of the kids, someone gave me a keepsake gift set which included a place to store teeth, hair, and nail clippings. I'm sentimental, but nail clippings? Gross." — Jamie S.
Sensual Scents
"My MIL gave me a huge basket filled with all sorts of 'sensual' shower gels and body lotions. She said it was to bring with me to the hospital. Her intentions were nice, but her choice of scents was a little odd. Did she really think sensual soap was going to get me in the mood after going through labor?" — Cat S.
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Baby Cast
"At a shower my coworkers threw for me in our office, a colleague gave me a DIY kit for creating a cast of my baby bump. Just … no." — Michelle H.
Creepy Bear
"My husband went to high school with the daughter of a family friend. They never dated, but I always had this feeling she had a crush on him. Included among some gifts, she added a small bear that my husband supposedly won for her at a carnival when they were younger. She said she wanted the baby to have a stuffie with sentimental value. I was completely creeped out." — Sarah L.
Fertility Fixer
"I got a Native American fertility tile as a gift at my shower. Apparently it was supposed to mean I was going to have a big family. It was a super random relative and I was like, 'What on earth is this?'" — Megan Z.
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Not So Age Appropriate
"We had a co-ed baby shower. One of my husband's friends gave us a set of Legos. Not even Lego Duplos, but regular Legos — the kind that are teeny tiny, could easily choke a baby, and a toy that won't be useful to him until he turns 6 or 7 (at least according to the giant numbers on the box). Those will be sitting in the closet for a while." — Beth C.
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Boomerang Baby Gift
"I had recently attended a friend's baby shower and gave her what I thought were really cute onesies (that she registered for!) and then some handmade bibs I found at a local store. Much to my surprise when I opened the gift she brought to my baby shower, it was the exact same present. As in, she had regifted me the present I had given her. I know pregnancy brain is tough, but come on!" — Rachel M.
Clothesline
"My sister-in-law gave me a ton of cloth diapers. Sounds really nice, right? Except I had already had a conversation with her about why we were choosing to use disposable. Along with the cloth diapers was her 'research' about why cloth diapers are better and how I'll be ruining the environment. She's always a buzzkill, so I should have expected this, but I didn't." — Maria F.
