In some neighborhoods, it's not customary to give a mother a baby shower for the second baby. Usually, by the time the second baby arrives, the mother already has all the necessities left over from her first child. But that's not to say that a second-time gift wouldn't be appropriate. Shower or not, she'll appreciate the time that you put into choosing a gift to celebrate her next bundle of joy and her newly expanding family.
Double Stroller
When her first child is still of the age to need a stroller, pitching in with your other friends to buy the second-time mother a new double stroller will be an invaluable gift that she'll use time and time again. Double strollers can be expensive, and with the cost of a second child, she may not be able to purchase one herself. Pooling funds to buy one for her relieves her of the burden of purchasing a large-ticket item.
Babysitting
Allow the new mom some special time with her firstborn by watching the new baby and giving a couple of tickets to a nearby children's museum or animated movie. In the hustle and bustle of bringing home a new child, the second-time mom will welcome opportunities to take some time to relax with her older child.
Carrying Sling
A mother of two often will find that she needs her hands free to tie shoes, to fix meals and to do laundry, which may be difficult when she's holding a new baby who doesn't want to be put down. A pouch or ring sling is a practical gift, as it keeps her baby snug against her body but frees her hands to take care of her older child and any tasks she needs to tackle throughout her day.
Portraits
The second-time mom will likely have plenty of pictures of her firstborn child and will need to build up her collections of photos of the new baby. Give her the best of both worlds by purchasing a photography package from a local photographer or department store. She'll be able to take both children in for sibling shots as well as solo pictures of the new baby to start her collection.
Gift for Child
If you're holding a baby shower for baby number two, the older sibling may feel left out or upset that the attention is no longer focused on her. Bring a small gift for the first child. This gesture may keep the second-time mother from having to deal with an older child acting out to get more attention when Mom needs to focus on her new baby.
