Baby Shower Gift Ideas for 2014

When the first baby is born, nearly everything needs to be purchased in order to be prepared for the little one.

However, when a second baby is born, what would make a great gift to make life easier for having double the little ones?

Here's a list of a few helpful gifts that the lucky couple may not have needed the first time around.

Chicco Cortina Together Double Stroller

Leaving the house again with two children is difficult, but a double stroller can make the whole process a lot easier.

The Chicco Cortina Together Double Stroller has a front seat that easily reclines to fit your car seat in while still having a spacious back seat where their first child can sit up. It's also easy-to-use and has no added attachments for making the necessary adjustments.

While Chicco Keyfit Car seats are some of the best rated available, one thing to be aware of is that this stroller will fit only their car seats so it's a bit of a package deal.

Some small drawbacks to this stroller are that it can be heavy to turn with two children in it and the wheels feel a bit wide; I often bump into things when out and about. The canopies are a little flimsy and they're not adjustable enough to work very well.

It features a zippered basket (this is a nice feature for keeping your items inside even while folding up and being put into your car), one handed fold up, linked rear brakes, cup holders, a parent tray and interchangeable arm bars. I was thrilled to find out that the handle is adjustable as well since my husband is quite tall.

Something that second time parents always need are toiletry supplies for baby. These are consumable products that don't often save well between children. Consider getting This Johnson & Johnson Baby 7-Piece Bathtime Gift Set.

It comes with Shampoo and Body Lotion, Baby Body Wash, Baby Oil, Powder that contains Aloe Vera and Vitamin E, Desitin Rapid Relief Cream for sore bottoms and 55 Cotton Swabs.

I really like the cotton swabs since they are made to not go too far into a baby's ears; this can be a hazard with regular swabs when you have a very wiggly baby. The bottles are all pretty big sized so you will not run out very quickly. I only use a little bit at a time and ended up having the same bottles over a year later.

All of these items come in a handy bath caddy that makes transporting these items from bathroom to baby's room very easy. The soaps are made to be tear free so your baby won't get hurt if soap gets in her eyes. The packaging will change as J&J changes their design so be aware that the pictures on the front of the caddy might be different when you order it.

Help the first child feel special and loved with this book, My New Baby by Rachel Fuller. Parents often find that their first child goes through a transition phase when they have a new sibling.

They have 9 months of hearing the talk and excitement of the baby who is on the way, and when they see everyone doting on the infant after birth, it can be upsetting and confusing.

This book will help your older child feel more comfortable in the role of older sibling. In this book, a toddler asks all kinds of questions about the new baby, such as "Why is baby crying?" and "What does baby eat?" The author keeps a very positive focus on the story.

This is a good book for a toddler but not so appropriate for a child a couple of years older. The book only shows baby breastfeeding with no pictures of bottle feeding; not every baby can be breastfed so to show both options would have been nice. Overall though, the book is great for a very young older sibling and will help you have open discussions about what to expect.

If you'd like something more interactive, then consider The Big Sibling Book: Baby's First Year According to ME. This makes a great option for children 2-6 who are expecting to be big brothers or sisters because instead of just a story, this is a book that gets them involved and thinking.

There are interviews to be given to your child before baby, right after birth, 3-6 months, 9 months and one year.

There are places to put pictures of what they looked like before baby came and side by side comparisons of what both children look like at birth and other stages.

I absolutely loved the Star Chart page which kept my daughter excited to help me with the new baby's needs. What a great keepsake for your children that they will giggle over many years down the road.

The ABC's of Baby #2 by Kimberly Crabb and April Paine is a great way to ease some of the strain that comes from having two children instead of one. It really is a lot of work to have two little ones with different needs and personalities.

It teaches parents how to make the transition easier for the older sibling, helps parents stay organized, deal with sleep issues and so much more.

The biggest benefit I got from it was to realize that I didn't have to be so uptight about things that seemed so important with my first child. Reading other mom's stories of relaxing more to enjoy the process was very helpful to me.

This is more light, and light hearted, reading than it is informative but it can offer some sound advice as well. The best feature are the tips given to help your first child get through any feelings of jealousy and fear.