• A new baby is cause for celebration.baby girl image by jedphoto from Fotolia.com
  
  When a baby comes into the world, family and friends celebrate this precious new life. Many relatives and friends are eager to visit the family and meet the new little member. If you are visiting a family with a new baby, bring a gift that the whole family will love.
  
  

Time-Savers

• Life is rather disrupted with a new baby in the house. His feeding and sleeping schedule, along with everyone's eagerness to show him off, lead families to spending a lot of time at home. Save them time and energy by bringing some of the daily necessities as a gift.
  
  Bring a meal or two. Give one for the night of your visit and another to put in the refrigerator or freezer for consumption later on when visitors slow down a bit. Friends often bring dinners, but don't forget the other meals of the day. Breakfast is a sleepy time for everyone so having something ready and tasty to eat will be appreciated. Make waffles or pancakes that the family can freeze and enjoy for days.
  
  Gift certificates for maid services or dry cleaning pick-up and delivery will save families time on those household chores, as well.
  
  

Household Items

• Give some of the home items that the family will be using regularly with a new baby in the house. Diapers and wipes will disappear surprisingly quickly. Paper towels, tissues and toilet paper are equally useful during a busy time.
  
  If the baby is born during a holiday season, bring new, seasonal items for the family to use. Easter dish towels or Halloween pot holders are fun ways to incorporate the season, especially if the family doesn't have time to pull out decorations. Even a Christmas tree may be a welcome gift if a new baby shows up at that most-hectic time.
  
  

Gift for Siblings

• When a new baby comes home, he is welcomed with a host of new toys, blankets and clothes, leaving older siblings to sometimes feel rather forgotten. Bring a gift intended just for each older sibling. Purchase something comforting, such as a new stuffed animal or blanket, for young siblings. Buy new toys or activities for older children; this will give them an opportunity to entertain themselves when they are ready to be alone or away from the hubbub around them. Coloring books, activity books, toy cars and dolls make suitable gifts.