Thoughtful New Baby Gift Ideas

This year my husband and I welcomed our first child, a baby girl born in March. Since then life has been a bit of a whirlwind as I am sure you can imagine! Many of our lovely friends and family were kind enough to attend a baby shower we held in January and gave us many amazing and thoughtful gifts which have made the last 9 months a little bit easier.

If you know someone who is expecting a baby and are wondering what sort of gifts you could offer that will make a difference to a new parent then look no further than this list of my top suggestions. Not all are expensive or fancy, the most thoughtful ones are cheap or free but I know any new parent will welcome any form of love and support you can offer.

Here are my top suggestions:

Home-cooked meals

Something that new parents find themselves short on is time and cooking healthy meals can sometimes go out the window. Why not support your friend or family member by bringing them home-cooked dishes? If you live nearby you could even offer to go to their house and cook for them so they can spend more time with their little one and don’t have to worry about being in the kitchen (and if you’re extra kind, the washing up).

Time Off

Allowing a new parent to take a shower, put on a load of washing or go out for a baby-worry-free night might be the best gift you can give. Honestly, I am so grateful to my mum who came to see us every day for the first few weeks, she did laundry, washing up and cleaning. She washed bottles and made up new ones allowing us to spend more time worry-free with our bub. You don’t always have to buy presents, sometimes just showing that you are there for a new parent makes all the difference.

Entertainment

It could be weeks or even months before a new parent might feel like they can leave the house to have fun so why not offer them some entertainment while they are looking after the baby? Subscriptions like Spotify or Netflix can mean they have the chance for mummy and daddy to relax for a few minutes between nappy changes. You could even offer to upgrade their Youtube account to premium to avoid advert breaks while their little one enjoys some time watching Hey Bear dancing fruits!

Practical baby items

We were really lucky that my parents had kept many fantastic practical baby items we have been able to reuse like a moses basket and amazingly the cot that I used as a baby 37 years ago! Unfortunately, there wasn’t a matching changing table but we were able to find a second-hand changing table, or tables à langer bébé as my grandmother who lives in France would say, from the same brand which is close enough that it almost matches. Furniture like a cot, changing table or rocking chair can be fantastic gifts, but if you can’t afford a big item of furniture then items like nappies, wipes and muslins are practical items that every parent will need!

Family Photo Shoot

Giving parents the chance to record memories is a fantastic gift that lasts forever! Why not find a local photographer who can put together a family photoshoot for your friend or family member? You can then gift them the photos or personalise some gifts with the images. Or, hold an informal shoot at home! I can’t tell you how meaningful it is when people take photos of me and my baby girl because I am usually the one taking the photos and missing out on snaps with her. We recently got ourselves a digital photo frame which scrolls through photos of her and us from the last 9 months and it’s so lovely to see how she has grown and changed.

Handmade Gifts

If you are craftily inclined (like myself) why not make something for the new baby? Handmade items are treasured as they are unique and have been made solely for the special little guy or girl. Knit or crochet a baby blanket in the new parents’ selected colour scheme or perhaps get out the sewing machine and make a baby quilt. Get some inspiration here.

I hope that has given you some ideas as to what to get a new parent. Honestly, more than anything time and understanding go a long way!