Natural Baby Grooming Kit & First Aid Kit: DIY Baby Shower Gift
A baby grooming kit is probably one of the top go-to baby items for registries and baby showers.
They are inexpensive, handy, cute, and a classic must-have. They are a great gift option for both the giver and the Mom-to-be.
Except one thing…those pre-made kits are nearly useless.
I have a challenge for you.
Ask a few moms you know what items they actually used from a store-bought baby grooming kit.
You know what I bet their answer will be?
Either they’ll say they used one or two items a couple times, the items broke or didn’t work to start with, or they never used the items at all.
Here’s why:
Those kits are cheap-o!
That’s why so many manufacturers make them. They are really inexpensive to throw together with low quality products and market as a “must-have.”
While it’s true that new babies really do need most of the items listed, the stuff inside barely works.
You get what you pay for.
So I have a mission to help new moms and the sweet people who are buying and making gifts for new moms find products that are actually GREAT quality, long-lasting, and low cost (especially compared to buying replacement items after already paying for one of those cheap kits!)
If you’re pregnant and wondering,
“Should I build my own baby grooming kit?”
Let me just say…YES. Stick with me while I convince you.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for details.
I use ALL of these products with my babies and I promise they have worked like a charm for us.
We even still use most of them over a year later! I highly recommend every one of these items for your grooming kit.
You’ll notice they also have great reviews on Amazon. I always stalk hundreds of reviews before buying stuff, so you don’t have to.
So if you are looking for a great gift to put together for an expecting mother, grab a cute basket and a bow from the dollar store and get ready to give the best baby shower gift ever.
Orrr if you’re a Mama-to-be , get ready to have all the things you need on hand before you need them (there’s nothing worse than needing to clip a stray nail late at night so Baby won’t scratch herself, then opening up your pre-made kit and the sorry excuse for nail clippers barely working!)
Natural Baby Grooming Essentials:
These fantastic products are perfect for building your own NATURAL baby grooming kit. It’s totally worth it!
The nasal aspirators in store-bought kits are probably the biggest rip-off of all. They do nothing.
Even the one we got at the hospital was sub-par. After tons of research, I went with this one and I lovvve it.
SO great for suctioning out baby snot! (Oh, the things that excite you when you become a mom.)
It opens up and is easy to clean, so you can ease your mommy worries about what’s growing on the inside of that bulb.
You push down on the top, rather than the sides for better suction and it just works.
I use the toddler size, even on my newborn, and it worked fine for me, but they do make a teeny tiny one too.
Perfect for boogies, spit up and for one-month-olds with really bad colds (yes, this happened and it was the saddest thing ever.)Nail Scissors
My all-time favorite baby item.
I use these things twice a week and they are still going strong clipping for both my tot and my baby. They have big holes for grown-up fingers and tiny blades for baby nails.
You get a ton of control over where you are clipping, which is super important for nervously trimming a newborn’s fingernails.
I actually tried the regular clippers recently for my 2 ½ year old’s nails and I HATED it.
I felt like I kept accidentally clipping too low. If these things ever actually break, I’ll immediately order more.
Love. Them.
Ok, I know most baby grooming kits don’t come with wipes, but they should.
These things are the best, so I had to include them.
A simple wet wipe, gentle enough for Baby’s hands and face, without the nasty chemical taste of baby wipes.
Plus, they are made with saline, so they are perfect for dissolving any dried drippings from baby’s nose. Super cheap and perfect on-the-go.
A sweet Dentist’s wife gave me one of these as a gift with my first, so I knew I could trust it.
I was so glad to have it to keep my baby’s first little teeth clean.
It was also great for him to practice with when it came close to time to start brushing.
It happens so much sooner than you expect!
I remember having a hard time choosing a first toothpaste, so I thought I’d throw this in.
This kind is gentle and fluoride-free, which is great for Baby learning how to brush without swallowing toothpaste and Mama not having to worry.
If I can confidently recommend splurging on ANY baby item, I think a good thermometer (like this one) would be my top pick.
We had a really cheap forehead thermometer, an oral thermometer, and a rectal thermometer for a long time.
They were all junk.
I could NEVER trust what temp they were saying. Not something you want to “guess” with when you have a sick baby. Invest in a long-lasting, trustworthy thermometer from the start.
Oh, and taking temps via forehead is a wholllle lot nicer for everyone involved.
I cannot believe how often I am cleaning ears. Seriously. I probably say “I JUST cleaned your ears!” at least twice a week. I like these itty bitty ones with the “safety” feature in my grooming kit. Tiny ears need tiny Q tips. Simple, but great to have in your baby grooming kit from day one.
Note: DON’T stick Q tips inside your Baby’s ear! Just use the cotton to wipe away excess wax on the outer part of the ear. Let it come out naturally, don’t go digging.
Hair Brush and Comb
Some baby’s are born with major hair.
Even if they aren’t, it grows faster than you think and soon Mama will need to tame it.
This sweet little set will do the trick and last longer than those rough plastic ones.
So there’s how to make a baby grooming kit with great products that will actually work.
Now if you want to go all out and make this a Baby First Aid Kit as well, here are the items I use and love with my littles.
Baby First Aid Essentials:
I’m not a medical professional. Please trust your doctor with medical decisions for your sweet baby.
That said, these are great products that have done wonders for me and many mamas and I feel great about recommending them.
These gentle drops are so wonderful for when Baby is gassy and pitiful.
It seems to work really quickly and Baby doesn’t mind the taste.
This is something you want to go ahead and have on-hand.
Trust me, you don’t want to have to run to the store while Baby is screaming in pain with bubbles in his belly.
This stuff is so great for when you have NO IDEA why baby is crying. Which can happen…often.
A lot of babies love this stuff. It’s gentle on their tummies and the taste really helps them reset when they are inconsolable.
It’s also pretty effective for those obnoxious, sleep-interrupting hiccups.
Go ahead and have it ready to grab in the middle of the night when nothing is working to soothe your little one.
Have some meds in your baby first aid kit.
I use medicine as a last resort, but when nothing else is working, you want to KNOW you’ve got what you need in the cabinet, especially if Baby has a fever.Teething Relief
Both of my babies started teething crazy early (like 3 months!) I have been super impressed with this awesome teething gel. It is quick, natural and very gentle.
It is the ONLY instant teething remedy I’ve found that is safe for babies (most teething gels have been removed from shelves due to unsafe ingredients.)
Read my full review here for all the ingredients and details!
I used it on my own gums before putting in my little ones’ mouths. I keep one in the diaper bag and one in the fridge, because when it’s cold it gives and extra cooling relief to baby.
I’m kind of in love with the company who makes it, especially for sleep products.
I highly recommend!
Cute Band-Aids are one of those things I wish adults could pull off too.
One of these coupled with a lollipop is sure to make any little boo boo all better.
Sometimes we just use them for fun.
For minor scrapes, I like to use this kind of Neosporin. It helps heal while also providing a bit of gentle relief.
Other Must-Haves for Your Baby Care Kit:
Essential Oils
I lovvve using essential oils to care for my little ones. They are natural and effective.
My newly walking one-year-old bonked his little head and had a huge bump.
Lavender oil reduced the pain and swelling in a snap. Lavender is also excellent for promoting baby sleep and has other benefits.
Be sure to use oils on babies with care and caution, as they are potent.
Also, be sure to use a high-quality brand of oil (like this) because this makes a huge difference.
Boo Boo Ice Pack I LOVE this idea for a baby grooming kit or first aid kit. When babies get hurt, they need a mix of love, medical attention, and straight up distraction.
These cute little boo boo packs are perfect. It’s the perfect go-to when a boo boo has Baby hysterical.
As they get older, it also gives them some independence and a sense of control when they are hurt. Cute!
When babies get colds, it’s just about the saddest thing ever.
Saline is a gentle way to help relieve some of that pressure when Baby is too little to blow their nose.
This kind is gentle and inexpensive.
It’s great to have on-hand in your baby first aid kit.
Question:
Have you ever read the ingredient list in some of the more popular baby soaps?
Let’s just say, it’s kind of shocking to see what is being marketed to clean our precious babies with.
We have switched to this bath wash from Wink Naturals (a small business that I totally trust) and we lovvve it.
It smells amazing and a little goes a long way, so it lasts.
And bonus it’s one of the only truly SAFE bubble bath options, especially for little ones with sensitive skin.
This is another common product that is surprisingly loaded with yucky chemicals.
Using popular name brand lotions can be risky on tiny babies.
We love love love this Llama Lotion from the same company I mentioned above, Wink Naturals.
I truly recommend anything they make, but this is a favorite. It’s suuuper light and gentle, smells great, and works like a charm.
Baby Grooming & First Aid Kit (a must for new moms)
Put it all together in a basket or a cute caddy bag and you’ve got a rockin’ Baby Grooming Kit and Baby First Aid Kit for Baby’s basic needs starting out!
This is truly an excellent baby shower gift idea.
Or, if you’re the mama, start your Amazon Baby Registry so that your loved ones know exactly what you want.
If you’re looking to be super prepared for life with a newborn check out my most popular posts:
How to Prepare for Baby While You’re Still Pregnant
and
What You Probably Won’t Get at Your Baby Shower.
And for more tips on pregnancy and life as a new mom with babies and toddlers, follow me on Pinterest.
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