The tradition of giving gifts to welcome a new baby is an old one, easily the most popular being that of the Three Magi. Today few indeed would be the showers where Baby Shower Gifts are not given to the mom for the baby. It’s easy enough to speculate why: the prospective mom will need them; things for the baby are that much easier to procure when many help than when it’s only the parents who provide them; and helping out is often deeply satisfying for family and friends.

The Gift Registry

The gift registry came about as a result of retailers’ need to drive business to their stores. The idea made sense, and it picked up quickly. Today it benefits not only the store, but also the mom-to-be and the family and friends who are doing the gift giving. It serves the very practical purpose of avoiding redundancies: two rockers, two gliders, three changing tables, or five diaper bags, two sets of monitors, and enough clothes to fill a boudoir, but no stroller, nursing bras, nor bathtubs, nor even a sling, a gate, or at least a breast pump!

Wal-mart, Target, ShopKo or any one of the dozens of retailers have gift registries that’ll take care of that. Online these will show mom’s wish list, deleting an item every time it’s purchased, and being discreet enough not to divulge who bought which. There’s even another development in the market: Baby Boy Gift Baskets for boys and baby girl gift baskets for girls.

Moms should look at it as saving their family and friends a lot of trouble going from mall to mall, agonizing for hours which baby gift would be perfect. This thoughtfulness on the part of mom-to-be is returned in the quality of the gifts. Often the best presents are those given by guests who are parents themselves, and who bought a particular gift because they simply knew mom-to-be would appreciate it.

Infant Carriers and Strollers

To help first-time moms make good choices about what to place on their wish list, here’s something on two important baby items: infant carriers and strollers:

Infant Carriers: Slings

For thousands of years, mothers in Asia, Africa, and South America have been using the sling when carrying their babies around. Slings are practical, allowing mom the use of both hands and the ability to closely monitor her baby. For babies it’s just as well: the constant contact with mom and the swaying motion of mom’s hips soothe them, and they cry less.

If this strikes you as being crude, they’re not. It’s just that the standards are different. For a nursing Oirat mom tending goats in the alpine meadows of the Russian Altay, a good day’s work means not losing goats and keeping baby safe and warm at the same time.

There are other practical reasons. A Mozambique mom who has to fetch water half a kilometer away might find awkward tugging at a rolling Q-Drum water container and pushing a baby strollerwith the other hand -- better to have baby slung backpack-style on mom’s back.

Slings vary allowing baby to be straddled on mom’s back, chest, or hips. There are many types: Maya wrap, Mei Tai, Storchenwiege, or the American version Snugli, developed by former Peace Corps Volunteer Ann Moore after observing Togo moms while stationed in Africa.

Infant Carriers: Strap-Ons

Strap-ons are more widely used by American moms who seem not to completely trust slings which, for the most part, simply consist of a length of fabric slung over mom’s shoulders.

Carriers need a little getting used to though: moms feel awkward taking their hands off baby who’s only connection to mom is by a system of straps and buckles which can fail. Moms also have to learn how to put them on, and once on, how to put baby in without triggering a fuss. Moms also need to learn to negotiate doors, curbs, and stairways with a wider girth.

Checklist: Strap-Ons

You need to check on the fabric, fasteners, and quality of lumbar support when deciding on what infant carrier to buy.

Fabric Choose a strap-on that’s completely washable cotton, moisture- resistant nylon, or corduroy.

Fasteners On these literally hang baby’s safety so choose them well. Buckles should be easy to adjust, but should not allow the strap to work loose. Choose buckles that will latch or unlatch only through a deliberate effort.

Lumbar support Your strap-on should distribute baby’s weight from your shoulders to your hips and pelvic area, otherwise baby will literally become a burden. Choose one with special padded shoulder and waist straps positioned in such a way as not to slip off your shoulders or cause hot spots around your neck.

Strollers

Aside from slings or strap-ons, baby can be moved around in a stroller, also called baby carriage, baby buggy or, among the British, pushchair or pram. Here are the two types used for babies up to 6 months old:

Seat carrier frames These are precisely what the name implies, frames, and wouldn’t be of use without the seat carriers that are usually made by the same manufacturer. They are inexpensive, lightweight, and compact, but baby will quickly outgrow them in around 6 months.

Strollers One feature that distinguishes strollers from seat carrier frames is a backrest that folds down, allowing the stroller to be used with babies up to 6 months lying down on their backs. Beyond 6 months, the backrest can be folded up for baby who can now sit up straight. Some stroller models have removable compartments which detach to become bassinets.

Travel Systems

These are strollers with car seats. On certain models, baby uses the car seat until he outgrows it, then starts using the stroller alone. That way baby can be moved from the car to the stroller without waking him up, an advantage especially with fussy babies.

Multi-Seat Strollers

There are two types: tandem and side-by-side. Tandems – where the second baby sit behind the first – are more common. Some allow you to adjust the seats so that the passengers face each other, while others are arranged so that the child at the back can see over the one in front. One advantage of side-by-sides is their maneuverability, although they take some getting used to negotiating through doors. A disadvantage is their inability to accommodate car seats. Tandems, on the other hand, are more difficult to steer, but they easily pass through doors.

For Kids Older Than 6 Months

Strollers These fold down at the flick of a switch and a push on the handlebar. They range from 12-lb lightweights to 35-lb giants.

Jogging/All-Terrain They differ from regular strollers in their being fitted with heavy-duty suspensions and, sometimes, air-filled tires, allowing you to push them with baby in it while jogging.