One of many undeniable truths about parenthood is that kids are expensive. Even those parents who do their best to make the most of hand-me-downs, thrift shops, and good old-fashioned budgeting find that keeping a whole other person or several alive takes a chunk out of their income that wasn’t there before. You can try to be economical all you like, but all that food, clothing, entertainment, and more will never be completely free.

This can be especially overwhelming for those who are expecting. Not only are their lives going to change forever, but there is such a lot of stuff  that they seem to need to accompany that. One of the best things you can do for a pregnant friend or family member is buy them something that they think they will want when the baby arrives, and traditionally, a baby shower has been the optimal time to do this.