Gift Ideas for the New Mama and Papa

Baby experts weigh in on what to buy new parents Jamie Lynn and Casey

By Marc Malkin Jun 19, 2008 11:00 PMTags
Jamie Lynn Spears, Casey AldridgeTodd Williamson/WireImage.com

Wondering what to get the new parents Jamie Lynn Spears and fiancé Casey Aldridge to celebrate the birth earlier today of their daughter, Maddie Briann?

Here's what a few baby experts had to suggest:

Considering who her auntie is, Maddie could start tapping into her musical gene with Plan Toys' rubber-and-wood banjo, suggests Ada Calhoun, editor-in-chief of parenting website Babble.com. "She should learn to play something," Calhoun said. "We suggest she avoid sounding overproduced and go with a cute, old-school banjo."

If ya wanna get Maddie's party on sooner than later, Calhoun also recommends Heelarious: Her First High Heels. Yes, they are baby-size shoes that come in leopard and zebra prints and solid hot-pink. Don't worry—they're not for walking. They're soft, and the heel buckles under the weight of the newborn.

Even if Spears and Aldridge are calling Kentwood, La., home, they're sure to hop on a private plane every once awhile. "For the jet-setting mama, a lightweight crib that folds and unfolds in a snap is a must have," says Cookie magazine Executive Editor Alanna Stang. Her top pick? An 11-pound blue number from BabyBjörn.

Of course, the li'l one will be spending most of her time down South. Stang says you can't go wrong with Aden + Anais' muslin baby wraps. "Age-old Australian wisdom says swaddling babies in muslin keeps them cool and comfortable, especially in summer," Stang says. "It gets hot in Louisiana."

Lisa Kline, owner of Lisa Kline Kids on Robertson Boulevard in L.A., also worries about that burnin' sun, so she offers up Baby Silk Babysafe Sunscreen Towelettes from MD Moms. "It's perfect for the south and anyone enjoying the summer rays," Kline says. "Pull them out of the packet and wipe the baby down with sunscreen. I live for them and use them on myself, too!"

Speaking of hot Kentwood, Myra Catalanatto, owner the Southern Baby boutique in nearby Hammond, La., really gets to the bottom of things come gift-giving time. "Warm baby wipes!" she says. "When you have to change the diaper in the middle of the night, you don't want to use cold wipes on the baby or they'll cry. If I was getting my butt wiped by something cold, I would cry, too!"

—Additional reporting by Laura Lane