I recently went to a baby shower for a first time mother. As a gift, one of the mom-to be's friends (who has two children of her own) bought a large basket that she filled with little essentials for the baby-everything from shampoo and q-tips, to bibs and burp cloths. The mom stuck a post-it note to every item and on it she wrote advice for how to use a product, or little reminders for newborns. For example, on the bottle of Dreft detergent, she wrote: "Be sure to clean all of your baby's clothes, blankets, and linens, prior to her arrival."

Not only did the mom-to-be receive a basket full of goodies, but she also got some tips and short cuts handed down to her from an experienced mother of two. What a time saver for the new mom.