### This post has be marked as safe. Upvoting/downvoting this comment will have no effect.
---
Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips!
Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment.
If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
White noise soft toy.
Frozen dinners.
Take in to consideration the season when buying clothes, don’t buy a dress or shorts for 12 months if the 12 months lands in winter. This will be dependant on where you stay.
Voucher to get baby’s first foot and hand print done in one of these pottery places?
Food delivery vouchers are cool.
Also: I live in a block of "community space" of 19 apartments, and when someone has a baby the rest of the apartments take turns bringing cooked food for the first month after the birth. That is very appreciated.
Important details about food delivery vouchers.
Log in yourself and test to see what it costs to get a meal for everyone in their household delivered to their address. Make sure the gift card is generous enough to cover at least one meal.
Never been pregnant, but it really irks me when I get a gift card for a delivery service *I do not use* and it's not even enough for a meal for 2 adults. Great I get to pay the delivery fee and more to "enjoy" my gift. Fuck that, aim generous or at least give a gift card for a service they already use.
Right. We had a kid less than 4 months ago, and we got €120, which should cover 3 dinners or so. Still haven't used any of that because of the month of home cooking, TBH.
Frozen dinners or food delivery service is the way. It can be used prenatal and/or postpartum depending on how tired everyone is. Making sure the parents are fed usually falls off the list
Or months behind! I bought 3 month winter clothes for a baby born in October. Mom had to return it for newborn size because she’s such a little peanut and was swimming in it
THIS. SPECIFICALLY THE CLOTHING COMMENT.
Sooooo many people just go out and buy cute shit. “Awwww. Look at this cute dress she can wear when she’s 6 months old!”
***6 month later*** it’s fucking winter in Quebec. She ain’t wearing that cute dress SARAH.
Yep. I’m a doula and every client, AT LEAST ONCE, will ask me if I need a bag of clothes for any of my other clients.
People who have recently had babies are desperately trying to get rid of bags and bags of clothes and nobody wants them because there’s just too damn many 😅
My advice will be don’t buy clothes- babies grow out of them so fast and it is SO easy to find used baby clothes for free, it’s not worth spending money on them. Plus lots of people gift baby clothes because they are cute and fun to buy lol.
My niece ended up with so many clothes she didn’t even use. I think she had a quick growth spurt and was that size for such a short time that my sister didn’t even open that box. (Grandma continually buys her clothes so that was enough).
This is really smart, I should let my sister know since know since she has a new baby boy that wouldn’t be thrilled with his sister’s frilly dresses (some were too itchy even for sister).
I like the pottery idea. My birthday is like 3 days before my son's so my mum did a paint print of his and it never fails to make me smile on a bad day
Yeah, there's a local potter near to us who makes these [gorgeous painted tactile prints](https://2spots.co.uk/gallery/hand-and-footprints/) of babby feet. When our second sproglet's here in March, we're very much planning on getting them done for both our kids. I've seen these up and down the country (UK) (plus I love pottery anyway!) and I've always thought they looked good.
Given the wide variety of sizes that babies come in, better to ask for the size afterwards, or buy items that are good in all times of year, like onesies.
My first child weighed 10 lbs at birth and was 22” long. Total surprise as his dad and I are average-sized people and were average-sized babies. I ended up donating a lot of never-worn items that were “size newborn” or “0-3 month”, as well as a case of newborn-sized diapers.
By six months he weighed 20 lbs and wore a size 12 month.
Aha yeah true 😅
I’m thinking of getting them something right now though. Not sure if that would be a good idea cause around that time Im sure they’ll be really busy
But diapers doesn’t seem bad but I don’t know how that sounds for an early gift 😂
Don't get newborn diapers for them though. Unless they have a premature labor those diapers may not even fit the new born (think 8-10lbs baby) or they will only fit them for 1-3 weeks and they get plenty of those diapers from the hospital.
Get size 1 diapers.
Great advice to get larger diapers, but I'd say to get size 2 or 3.
If the baby is even slightly above average 1s will only last a few weeks.
Source: Father of 4
Some parents are picky about what brand diapers and wipes they use for their first baby. They want to keep to the same brand of wipes to prevent possible irritation. We were like this with our first, but by the time we had our second we bought all Costco stuff because it was the cheapest.
Some items we received and used until this day are 1- A diaper genie. Really helps contain the smell. 2- a rechargeable night light. One that you can put on your nightstand and turn on by tapping it so you can do it while half asleep. 3- a white noise machine.
FridaBaby makes a portable white noise machine/nightlight that has been SO useful. We keep it in the bassinet and use the shushing sound to get our daughter settled, then use the nightlight for nighttime feedings. It is easy to take with you in a car seat or stroller and holds a charge for days!
If you're getting diapers, get a size 1 or size 2. They don't usually stay in newborn long, and then they'll have the next size on hand when they do need them.
Ha, if they're holding a baby shower, I'd suggest getting size 2 diapers (maybe larger)
Everyone got us size 1 diapers. We had a mountain of them. We had boxes leftover when my SIL had her 1st baby... We handed them off... and 50 people gave her size 1 diapers at the baby shower.
Don't buy the little ones, get some 2s or 3s, if you gift clothes do larger clothes, folks love buying the small clothes that aren't worn for long. Also gift cards or something that renews supplies.
Trust me, no parent has ever been upset about getting free diapers.
Size 2 - 4, whatever. Whatever they don't fit into now they'll fit into eventually.
Unless they're doing cloth ones of course. We did with our first born and it was great. Second born was like a fountain all the time so we gave up on them pretty quickly.
Honestly, gift cards for diapers. You’ll inevitably buy the brand that doesn’t work for their kid and it’ll get returned. Let them just buy their brand on Amazon delivery.
If you buy baby clothes, get 3-6 month size - everyone gifts newborn size because its cute but they're out of newborn size super quick. Diapers are always helpful.
Adding on that I wish more people had given us basic clothes like onesies and footie pajamas! We got SO much clothing that was three-piece outfits that are a pain to get on and off and I’d have to change them out of for naps anyway. He’s basically been living in sleep-and-play type footies from 4mo to 8mo bc it’s just easier for transitioning throughout the day. Recently got some really cute ones the have foot cuffs so he can grip with his bare feet while awake but cover them during naps so they don’t grip his sleep sack and it’s so much easier than full outfit changes.
I didn't get any newborn but did get a tonne of 3-6 months clothes because of this reasoning. A lot of these were no good as my girl runs small and when she did fit them they were out of season.
Don't be afraid to buy vouchers!!
Everyone that got me clothes at my shower had this mentality. Which is how we ended up with 40 onesies in that size. 40 onesies is way too many for one size.
I wasn’t prepared for my little 6lb boy being this small. I barely had any newborn (thankfully received a bunch 2ndhand) because I always heard they grow out of it so fast. He was swimming in newborn. I wish had some preemie clothes just in case cause it would’ve been useful in our case.
Grub Hub cards mostly. Good hand cream, since baby care means washing your hands a lot. Crib sheets used to be my go-to baby gift because they help put off laundry for another day, but lots of people now use co-sleepers or bassinets at first, so it’s hard to know what size they would need.
On that topic: waterproof mattress protectors. They have them even for bassinet sizes, or cribs. For us they replace the fitted sheets when we make the bed.
Definitely good hand cream and if you can swing it getting multiples. I have lotion by every sink in the house. If it isn’t by the sink I wouldn’t use it because I would forget and my hands get so freaking dry.
The best crib sheets are Quick Zips.
They zip around the top, so you only have to swap that part out instead of practically climbing inside the crib and heaving the whole mattress around after the baby pukes at 3 am.
Yes yes to gift cards for food delivery apps. It's my go-to, and also my favorite gift to get. I'd like to normalize baby and toddler birthday gifts for mom/dad, rather than the kid.
I also like the hand cream idea, but see what kind they like. If they have any sensitivities, there may be a narrow band of products that are possible.
A pregnancy pillow if they don’t have one, a pregnancy massage (if they’re comfortable with massages), for people to ask how they are doing and not just how the baby is doing. A lot of moms feel their identity is stripped once they are pregnant because everyone is always asking about the baby and not the mom.
Update 2 cause she's still going: boppy, car seat, stroller, bouncy seat thing (a mother needs to be able to put a baby down for a moment to do what she needs to do). "Every new mother thinks they need all these white linen onesies and organic burp cloths..." Apparently the problem with gifting diapers is once you start with a brand you need to stick with that brand. Why? I dunno, she's still going and I'm on mobile and can't type fast enough.
Tip for those buying for a shower: don't buy the newborn size clothes.
Update: answer is nursing pillow or boppy. Not sure if same as pillow mentioned above. Original comment below...
+1 for the pillow if it's what I'm thinking of. Went to a co-worker's baby shower with my girlfriend and assumed we'd just bring diapers. They had something set up like raffle tickets for everyone who brought some. But looking at their registry she saw that and said ,YUP, that's it. I'll check with her but I'm pretty sure she said something along the lines of how it will be the most used and no one ever realizes it.
Yes, OP. All of this! I have a mommy care package I send to new moms. I choose from this Shopping [List](https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2M50GNF7VB5ZE?ref_=wl_share) I created after getting asked what to gift moms. This list has my favorites (for nursing - bamboobies are amazing, ice pad packs for post partum, comfy socks and loungewear and socks for mommies). Also, if you’re looking for a high quality playmat, the Alzip playmat brand (also in the list) are really good. I tend to scuff up stuff with my fingernails and these have held up so well with constant abuse.
I second this! Bought my best friend a pillow right after she told us she was preggos. I knew we would have time to spoil baby during the shower, but wanted to make sure the wonderful person carrying the baby was not an afterthought.
To my knowledge, she hasnt slept without it since and her kid is 1.5 years old
Along with this, ask dad how he's doing and if he's excited, etc. My husband is left out of these conversations and I just see his face fall every time they act like me and baby are more important. It's his baby too! He's stressed out!
Wait a bit and they will likely make a baby registry. Buy something off the registry, especially since you do not know what they have already acquired.
The only thing I’ve gifted pregnant women that was not on their registry was a ten foot phone charger for their labor/hospital stay. All three I gave the extra long cords to were extremely thankful.
(Edit for spelling)
I couldn't have survived without a giant water bottle, 10-ft charging cord and my Boppy nursing pillow when my kids were babies.
Being able to access my phone and nurse at the same time kept me sane, especially when cluster feeding or growth spurts hit.
Although a lot of the other comments are good ideas, this is the correct answer -- wait a bit and ask her for her baby registry. Even if it's something you know she doesn't have, most registries allow for longer return periods (9 to 12 months) so it's super convenient.
Registry!!!
There are so many posts on r/newparents of people complaining that they got stuff they already had because people didn't follow the registry
New parents don't know shit. They put everything on their registry because it is there at the store and they are led to believe they need every new fucking POS contraption that companies puke out to capitalize on new parents.
Source: me, at Babies-R-Us. Oooohh, look at his baby thing that we'll use one time and never again because it is junk/hard to clean/unesessary.
These days a lot of registries are put together online, and after doing lots of research. So even if they don't end up needing it, which might happen, they would rather get the thing they put a lot of thought into than an alternative that someone else chose.
To be clear, I was laying the sarcasm on pretty thick. Even mocking myself. There is some underlying truth to my diatribe though. The baby industry puts out a good deal of crap. Just take a look at the number of recalls per year for bouncers, formula, etc. I love gadgets and tech but even I have my limits.
I agree with your sentiment wholeheartedly. I’m a pretty new parent myself (my child is about a year old now) and have learned there is soooo much crap in those stores that one really probably doesn’t need. Then again I am thrifty and minimalistic, but it is bonkers how many unnecessary products parents are led to believe they “need” that is really just a cash grab.
Gift card to either Walmart or Target. Both stores will have whatever the baby needs, diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, clothes, toys etc. Plus, if mom needs anything, she can use the card for herself (facial mask, snacks, or sometimes the much needed...WINE!)
This is the correct answer. Items are nice, but funds to buy necessities (or not so necessities) was far more useful.
When other people tried to buy diapers for us, it was either the wrong size or a brand that gave our baby diaper rash. Just give us the funds and we'll buy it ourselves.
Also, can be used for groceries.
Just had a newborn and my favorite, most useful things were: a kit of baby medicines (on Amazon), and a safety kit made up of all of the necessities like safety nail clippers, bath thermometer, brushes, booger sucker, etc. if you want to do a little bit of a group kit gift, then get a tub that looks like a strainer with some bath towels and baby lotions/soaps with bath toys. Aveeno was great for our sensitive skin baby.
Bring them cooked meals in plastic ware shortly after they bringvthe baby home, gift cards for doordash is good but good home cooked meals could be more comforting. And maybe some coffee drinks.
Im 4 weeks in and i would kill for a voucher to have my house cleaned. I can’t justify splurging for it myself but if someone gave me that as a gift it would be incredible to get everything clean and reset all at once.
Spa day. Gift cards for food delivery. Good strong coffee. Even bringing pre-made meals that you can take out of the fridge or freezer and just reheat like casseroles closer to the due date. Parents turn into zombies from lack of sleep the first few weeks or months, so anything that makes caring for themselves easier is appreciated.
If you’re close enough with this friend, you could make a coupon book to give them now. Where you’ll donate your time for different tasks for them. Like doing laundry, making dinner, grocery shopping, diaper runs, general house clean up, watching the baby while they shower or rest. Those types of things that seem small, will actually really help them in the first little while.
Burritos are the ultimate new parent food. You can shovel one in one-handed while holding the baby.
I made a batch of freezer breakfast burritos and they were GOLD.
+1 on the spa and offer babysitting
Remind them about it when the kid is 9m old and if they haven't used it by the time he's 12 months old, visit them and kick them out of the house with robes, the tickets and a Uber waiting
Aright, scrolled a few comments down and didn't see this.
If they have a registry, the only correct answer is something off the registry. They know what they need/want and if they have a registry, they put it on there so just go by that.
That’s why I was steering away from diapers as well. Because of the size, and in general clothes too because what if they don’t fit! Or stop fitting so soon lol
I always buy diapers in a larger size as a gift. Most of the time people get newborn or size 1 as gifts. I try to get a couple packs of size 2 or 3 that way they are covered there for a while as well. I do the same with any clothing.
Some kids are wicked sensitive to certain brands of diapers, and you don’t know that until it happens. Same with wet wipes.
Gift cards are the best, especially for Target. That place is like going to the club when you’re a new parent.
If you do go the clothing route, a nice gift is one outfit each in size 3 months, 6 months, 9 months for when they have to size up. Or if not an outfit, a cute onesie.
As a nanny, I second the advice to go for 6-9 month sizes, or even 12 month sizes. I've looked after some pretty large newborns and babies who grew fairly quickly - you never know what might happen.
Sorry popping into this message because I came in late to the question, but they have a formula maker ([Baby Brezza](https://www.amazon.com/Improved-Baby-Brezza-Advanced-Dispenser/dp/B07MYW28QR)) that lets you make the milk for baby in just a few seconds like a keurig does for coffee but without the pod aspect as you can put the formula right in the top of it and it will dispense as needed. It is the best baby product I have ever used. I have bought at least 1/2 a dozen of them for people and I always get a call saying that it is the best present for a new mom once they deliver and use it. There is nothing like being up at 4am with a crying baby who you cannot console while you are trying to make formula and test the warmth and you are dead tired. It does it all, mixes warms, you just put the bottle under it and select the ounces.
If you are having a baby and have any thought you might want to try formula get it. If you have twins or more than 1 baby absolutely get it, such a quality of life improvement.
Get size 1 diapers(not newborn size). Even a huge baby won’t be in size 2 diapers. I just had a baby and it’s annoying to have to keep track of where I’m going to put these boxes of larger diapers. Like, I’ll probably just forget that I have them by the time I need them
There is nothing wrong with getting clothes or diapers that are too big. It’s definitely better than too small.
Lots of people will be gifting outfits for a newborn or maybe sized for 1-3mo. It will be nice for the parents to have larger stuff on hand when baby outgrows the newborn stuff. And some babies come out needing the 1-3 month sizes! In which case the larger outfits will be even more appreciated.
I’m not a parent, myself, but it is my understanding that you really can’t have too many onesies or nursery blankets
Whatever you decide on, pack it into a laundry basket and maybe even toss in a throw type blanket. I think those are 2 things that are always useful and of which you can’t have too many.
everyones saying diapers, but i would only get them diapers once they know what brand they use - ive heard stories about some people buying a bunch of diapers before the baby came, only to realize that it irritated them
get them a costco membership if its near them - the diapers and baby stuff costco has is cheap
personally, i think theyd appreciate freeze-and-go homecooked meals, but check with them first
If you’re looking for something for the mom: a cozy robe and/or slippers. Giant water bottle too & snacks because she will be hungry while pregnant and while breastfeeding (source: I’m 6 months pregnant and eat everything in front of me)
For dad: just whatever is on the registry because I’m sure they’ll be happy they don’t have to buy those things themselves.
For baby: if you want to be fancy, any kyte baby sleeper (with zippers!!!!!!), but do 0-3m and up (no newborn size). These are bamboo and so soft so perfect for babies with sensitive skin. Plus mom/dad can later sell them for a good price on fb to other parents!
Do they not have a registry? Go find their registry. You can usually look them up on targets website, Amazon, etc. It’ll tell you exactly what they want.
I always take care of the mom, personally. Comfy loose pajamas for the hospital, slippers, self care items (face masks, skin care items etc.). Moms do the actual heavy lifting and should be taken care of/treated while recovering.
My friend got me really nice, soft PJs and a matching set for the baby in size 6m so she would grow into it. I thought that was a really thoughtful gift
This! I always throw in a couple packs of maxi pads and those sensitive skin cootchie wipes too! I've also bought Lysol wipes and baby laundry soap/ stain remover. Baby puke stains are stubborn! Put it all in a nice laundry basket! First time parents underestimate the quantity of laundry that accumulates!
Home cooked meals over the first month. Offer specific times that you can come hold the baby while she naps, eats, and showers. New babies don't sleep for long stretches, and the sleep deprivation can be brutal.
Outfits in larger sizes, 12 mo, 18 mo, 24 mo. Everyone likes to get the cute little things but the tiny humans grow so quickly that before the parents are ready kiddo needs a bigger size. Having a few larger things to grow into is so helpful for that day you go to dress your child and realize the outfit they wore yesterday doesn't fit today.
There’s a mold kit that the new parents can make a mold of their babies foot. We still have our sons, who is now in his 20’s. Great for size comparison.
If you feel it's possible, as time goes on, reassure them that they can call on you for anything. The gift that keeps on giving is a periodic text checking in, asking what you can do. Many people will wanna visit to see the baby, but there might be very few who also offer to throw a load of laundry in the wash, take out the trash, do a quick vacuum or sweep, wash the dishes, etc.
This, a hundred percent. Baby help and gifts are suuuuuper saturated in the first 2-3 months and then.....
I have a two and a four y/o and what I wouldn't give to have asked for a 24-month rain check on some of those casserole everyone was bringing over back when my second was born!
When I was pregnant, we would have 100 percent LOVED if a friend had offered to come help us assemble baby crap.
Like, thanks for the bassinet, Aunt Mafalda, but it's in 973 pieces and looking at it makes me wanna cry.
An Amazon Prime membership because you constantly need to get stuff and sometimes Amazon is just a lifesaver. A luxury streaming service like YouTube premium or HBO Max. There’s a lot of time to kill while you breast feed 6 hours a day. I also find my Apple speaker really useful, you can use it to turn the tv off while your hands are full, make phone calls, just all kinds of stuff. AirPods so you can be entertained while you’re keeping the house quiet while baby sleeps.
Other baby products are so subjective, it’s better just to give gift cards so the new family can buy what comes up. You think you’re going to need something, and then find out your baby doesn’t need that at all.
FOOD. Feed them when the baby comes. And if you guys have the kind of relationship where it's appropriate, go clean their house after they are a couple weeks in.
My wife and I are first time parents. The best thing anyone did was bring us food when my son was born last summer. Absolutely the fricking best. Neither of us had energy to leave the house to get groceries or any of that.
Especially prepared food they can just heat up real quick.
Best gift a friend got me was hosting a diaper poker party for the "guys" while the "ladies" were at the baby shower. Basically they bring a box of diapers and some cash. Do a random draw each round to see who gets extra chips based on the diapers they brought. Give extra chips at the start for who brought the most. We had diapers for a couple of years and it was a great get together and I don't even like poker. Good luck.
You’re joking but if I could go back in time to when my kid was a newborn, I would have gotten earplugs. You can still hear through them, but the crying sparked a mom rage in me that I was not prepared for.
No need for nose plugs, you go nose blind after a couple of days.
It's potty training time that you want to cut off your nose, that when they start doing proper, non liquid shits
We have a 1yo and we got a few things we wish we hadn’t, such as:
- cheap toys from Amazon (a lovely gesture but I’m not giving my boy a teddy made by IIIEAZZZZZXT)
- seasonal clothes for larger babies (fleeces for 6mo - he was too big by the time winter swung by)
Stuff we loved included:
- a really nice $50 bath towel. We wouldn’t have spent that much but it quickly became the only towel we use for him, even now
- accessories like bibs that aren’t so dependent on baby size
- a baby bouncer
If you’re really not sure, can’t go wrong with Amazon gift card!
Cotton towels, washcloth and hand towel size.
Babies throw up a lot when nursing, mainly while burping but at other times too. The hand towel size is good for protecting your clothing. Washcloth size is useful for all kinds of things. Wet wipes are not very absorbent and not so useful for these purposes.
So important because it'll be the middle of the night in winter on a Friday on a holiday weekend when the doctor's office is closed. Middle of the night errand coupons help relieve stress, too.
I gave my friend like 4 boxes of diapers, wipes, a mess of baby clothes, and a $50 gift card for UberEats.
They’re going to be swamped the first week, so anything that takes one thing they have to do off the table is good. Hell, have a pizza delivered to them the day they come home. I’ve done laundry for friends when they first got back with their new baby. I’ve pet sat their animals at my place so they had time to adjust. I’ve taken older children out for a day, which is a bonus because they’re feeling kinda neglected with all the attention on the baby. Literally anything that needs to be done in daily life that you can do for them will be awesome.
Pads. Super absorbency, overnights with wings. Bonus points: take about a dozen or so and put witch hazel and aloe in them and stick them in the freezer
Edit to add: this is for the trip to the hospital
Colic medicine. There some that you can get that looks like water but a little bit thicker and has the slightest hint of mint in it.
That stuff saved both me and my missus as we could never get him to settle. No matter what we tried it didn't help and we were going insane from sleep deprivation. One spoon of this magic liquid and poof, slept through the night from his 2nd month onwards
I'll edit this post if I can find the old bottle for the name. You can get it from most pharmacies
Edit: the name is Inficol
Cloth diapers. They make the *BEST* burp cloths. They don’t need fancy decorated burp cloths that come in packs of 2/$10. They need the 18 pack of cloth diapers for $15 because they’ll go through half of that in a day.
Sudacreme.
Digital thermometer
UV steriliser
Or Steam steriliser
Hospital type baby blanket
Formula if they use it (ask). Hypoallergenic formula is expensive.
Babygrows (the all in one pyjama things)
Gift cards are super handy, especially from Amazon. I’ve purchased so many items from Amazon because of the convenience.
I wish I had gas drops and saline drops on hand in the beginning. Getting relievers like that sucks last minute when the baby is crying and not feeling good. So gas drops, saline drops, and infant Tylenol are super nice to have before it’s needed.
A shit ton of burp clothes. My daughter is a spitter so we blast through burp clothes.
For the parents: Food delivery.
For the baby: Pacifiers. They get lost so easily. Have had to do the midnight convenience store run for a pacifier. Not enjoyable.
i was about to say start by asking them to join you for coffee, but then I realized i misread the post....
The wife always bought various mundane items that will always be in need, piled them in a wicker basket, wrapped it in cellophane and cinched it up with ribbons and bows. It always looked more impressive than it was, and it wasn't terribly expensive, but I'm guessing all of it was appreciated as useful at some point. The size and content of the basket could be adjusted depending upon the recipient. :)
Our friends in the States organised a supermarket delivery a few days after the birth and it was perfectly timed. Just the essentials and a few treats for mum. We do the same now for expectant friends.
Clothing in larger sizes. Everyone will get them cute newborn stuff but the baby will wear in for a few months and they’ll be screwed.
Winter gear for a six-month old. People tend to get summer babies summer stuff. But they’ll need winter gear.
Sophie the Giraffe - baby chew toy AKA baby crack. Every baby I’ve given one too has been obsessed with it at some point.
Onesies (Not the Gerber ones necessarily, but generally)
I like to give mesh feeders- they’re meant to put fruit in when introducing solids but they are a godsend when filled with crushed ice during teething. Looks like a big pacifier except instead of a nipple there’s a little cloth bag that allows juices through but not solids
If you give diapers do not remove them from the box to build a stupid cake. It’s such a pain to use those!
Baby socks. Gift sets have the cutest ones and Mom isn’t going to buy herself a gift set, she’s going to buy the plain ones.
What you *need* at the time baby comes home from the hospital:
*Diapers
*Wipes
*3 baby shirts that avoid the umbilical cord
*A bunch of onesies in Newborn and 0-3
*A safe place to sleep
*At least 6 flannel baby blankets
*Carseat
Other helpful items:
*Lanolin
*Absorbent breast pads
*Diaper bag (this is a personal item, mom may have strong opinions about style)
*Monster-sized menstrual pads (for a new mom who doesn’t know she’ll need them, experienced moms will be ready for this))
*Baby swing/rocker/bouncer
*More onesies
*Cute outfits mom won’t “waste” money on
*More baby blankets (these things become burp cloths, mess containment, portable shade…)
*Hooks for stroller handle to carry stuff (you can pay a fortune for these in the baby store, or a little at Home Depot, your call) - there are giant carabiners, or sometimes a bungee loop with a plastic carry handle
(Edit: sorry about the formatting, it condensed everything when I posted it)
And abundant amount of simple white hand towels...
Like 50 to 100.
So many baby things have pretty colors and patterns or little emblems, and then they charge you 3x as much for them.
I just need a towel to wipe up the pee on the wall or the food on the floor or the water on the table or just to play with.
Simple white towels, they will be confused and bored and first. Give it a couple of months, and they will love you.
Give them your time. Make a meal. Do their laundry. Tidy up the house for them. Material things are good and all but when we had our first child the thing I remember most is the time people would take to help us out where we were lacking the most.
Glass baby bottles. I discovered them when my second was 1 year old! They are amazing and I love them so much (the glass bottles). You can put them in the dishwasher. They don't get that funky plastic smell like the plastic ones. My daughter used just one bottle of the set of 3 that I got for two years! She dropped it or threw it on the floor several times, it never broke - it came with a silicone cover. Seriously, glass baby bottles.
And soap/shampoo for the baby. Someone got me a little basket with two bottles, wash cloths and some bath toys. I used those bottles for about a year or so. I also gifted a set to a pair of friends, and they were very grateful - they didn't even think of putting it on the registry!
My go-to baby gifts are usually some kind of stuffed animal, or books! It’s so important to read to a baby and why not get them interested in reading as early as possible? Usually I get the classics, Good Night Moon, Corduroy, When you give a Mouse A cookie, Winnie the Pooh, etc.
Yes, so important to give the children books and read together! Doesn't matter if the book is for when the baby is >6 years old or maybe even >9 years old.
"Remember that you gave this book for her baby shower? She's old enough to read it now!"
My friend gave me a gift card for GrubHub, and I really appreciated it. The last thing my husband and I wanted to do when we went days without sleep was cook.
If you’ve got 5 months, I’d recommend a different size of diapers each month! Just a small package, not the huge boxes, something they can throw up into the closet. Then they’ll always have the next size up already in the house when the kid inevitably grows overnight and won’t fit the diapers they fit yesterday! It happens!
Something they will all use for a while. At my son's shower, 21 years ago, we got a 3-drawer Sterilite chest filled with baby necessities. Small pack of diapers/wipes and butt paste; baby gas medicine and medicine droppers; boogie bulb; burp rags and swaddling blankets; plain, white onesies and socks; nail clippers, teethers, etc. He used it for his little toys (Legos, army men, Transformers), and as he grew up it became medicine/first aid, and extra toiletries storage. Now that he's out of the house I STILL use it for that stuff, plus nail polish supplies. It's the only gift I remember getting and who gave it.
My favorite gift from when I had my first was a stack of approximately 10 small blankets. They are super useful for swaddling, nursing, and tummy time, but they get dirty frequently, so having duplicates is a life saver.
Currently expecting my first but he's not here yet so my answer might change after the kid gets here.
First I was really hesitant to get anything before 6 months because this is a risky pregnancy and I didn't want to have a lot of baby stuff around in case of a loss. Hopefully that's not a risk for your friend. Also we did the baby shower at 7 months because I'm at risk for preterm delivery which means right now I have a giant pile of stuff I hopefully won't need for at least 2 more months. Just to keep in mind if you get something bulky for your friend this early. Plus if there's an issue with the item some of the things I got might not be returnable.
Things I loved:
Diapers: I'm planning on doing cloth for like 80% of them but I know I'll want to use some disposable. I also appreciate that people got me different diaper sizes and brands because some apparently fit better than others.
Clothes: Same, my friends knocked it out of the park with clothes. We got everything from newborn to 18 months all appropriate for indoor wear.
Registry items: I put some very practical items on my registry which were not glamorous like a cloth diaper washing tool, waterproof mattress covers, and a back up grandma car seat base which people gifted.
Things for dad: Baby showers can be really mother focused even though parenting is generally a 2 person job. I loved that people gave things that related to the dad's interests and things like his own diaper bag (which we registered for). We also got some grandparent gifts for things when they go over to another house.
2nd hand things: May not be relevant to you or work for everyone but I had friends with older children invite me over to their house and pull out boxes of clean baby and toddler things for us to go through and decide if I wanted any of them. I ended up with 2 boxes of cloth diapers and covers ranging from NICU to potty training, plus barely worn clothes and shoes, baby food freezing trays and some completely unused babyproofing supplies (wall brackets, electric covers etc).
Things I appreciated but didn't love:
Things not on the registry: I was ok with people getting things not on the registry if they were smaller things that were similar to other things on the registry. Like I didn't care if they got x towels or y towels. But I did get 3 baby bouncers, only one of which was on the register and any of the 3 would have been fine but now I'm not sure what to do with the 3rd one. Also I got gifted a bassinette when we already have one but who knows we might need two. Most registries have a way to mark something as purchased even if they were bought from a different store or a different variety so I'd highly encourage that.
Things I got for myself/wished I had gotten:
Pregnancy pillows are amazing, when you need one to sleep, you may need it suddenly.
Cute maternity clothes/pregnancy care items. I outgrew my shirts on a work trip of all things and had to go out looking for shirts. For the most part I don't think presents for the baby work as a present for the mom (Merry Christmas here are some diapers for mom and a PS5 game for dad!), but cute maternity stuff is nice for mom. Also I had skin changes and a lot of people have scent issues so I got some unscented lotion and coconut oil for skin care.
Invites to events and trips now. My partner and I have been going to movies, concerts, nicer restaurants, and weekend and day trips as possible now while it's easier.
My sister was gifted two gifts that not a lot of people think of but have been super helpful and will be useful for years. A baby cam and a white noise machine for the babies room when it’s sleeping.
Coupons for you run to the grocery store for them. Or coupons to help with house chores.
A new blanket for mom
Coupon for watching baby so they can get alone time.
If using reusable diapers pay for one month of cleaning services.
What not to get
Clothing for baby
Shoes for baby
Noisy things
Parenting books (unless your friend likes that kind of thing).
Lots of useful things to get new parents but I feel like that thing that sucks food out of a babies throat if they're choking is useful. Only thing is it could potentially be the best gift ever or a gift that never gets used.
These have been " the best gift you could give me."
Bring them frozen casseroles stew, soups for quick and easy, hot, homemade food in throw away containers. ( lasagna, beef, chicken or veggie soups or stews, taco or fajita meat, tator tot casseroles, if they like that).
Bring quick, nutrients snacks, tuna fish on the go, cubed cheese, deli meats, pre-made salads, yogurt, and granola, cereal, nuts and fruits.
Visit after a week, do laundry, dishes and hold the baby so mom can grab a shower /nap.
Door dash gift cards.
Most new parents do not want to go out to eat. They are tired and just want to be home.
Do thier food shopping, or pick-up thier ordered food.
They probably have plenty of
" stuff", what they truly need is physical help!
### This post has be marked as safe. Upvoting/downvoting this comment will have no effect. --- Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips! Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment. If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
White noise soft toy. Frozen dinners. Take in to consideration the season when buying clothes, don’t buy a dress or shorts for 12 months if the 12 months lands in winter. This will be dependant on where you stay. Voucher to get baby’s first foot and hand print done in one of these pottery places?
Food delivery vouchers are cool. Also: I live in a block of "community space" of 19 apartments, and when someone has a baby the rest of the apartments take turns bringing cooked food for the first month after the birth. That is very appreciated.
That's so sweet! Love the community support.
Important details about food delivery vouchers. Log in yourself and test to see what it costs to get a meal for everyone in their household delivered to their address. Make sure the gift card is generous enough to cover at least one meal. Never been pregnant, but it really irks me when I get a gift card for a delivery service *I do not use* and it's not even enough for a meal for 2 adults. Great I get to pay the delivery fee and more to "enjoy" my gift. Fuck that, aim generous or at least give a gift card for a service they already use.
Right. We had a kid less than 4 months ago, and we got €120, which should cover 3 dinners or so. Still haven't used any of that because of the month of home cooking, TBH.
Frozen dinners or food delivery service is the way. It can be used prenatal and/or postpartum depending on how tired everyone is. Making sure the parents are fed usually falls off the list
Food delivery is more practical than frozen dinners, IMO, due to possibly limited freezer space.
Also who knows when they will be that size. Some kids are in sizes 6 months ahead
Mine is 9 months ahead! 3 months old in 12 month old clothes.
Or months behind! I bought 3 month winter clothes for a baby born in October. Mom had to return it for newborn size because she’s such a little peanut and was swimming in it
Same, our little one is 8 months old and only just fitting into 6-9 month clothes. Vouchers for a baby clothes store would be better.
THIS. SPECIFICALLY THE CLOTHING COMMENT. Sooooo many people just go out and buy cute shit. “Awwww. Look at this cute dress she can wear when she’s 6 months old!” ***6 month later*** it’s fucking winter in Quebec. She ain’t wearing that cute dress SARAH.
Yep. I’m a doula and every client, AT LEAST ONCE, will ask me if I need a bag of clothes for any of my other clients. People who have recently had babies are desperately trying to get rid of bags and bags of clothes and nobody wants them because there’s just too damn many 😅
And then by spring they've grown out of it, right?
So just get them trash bags. /s Honestly in that vein wouldn’t diapers be a good gift. Shit is expensive and you go through a lot?
My advice will be don’t buy clothes- babies grow out of them so fast and it is SO easy to find used baby clothes for free, it’s not worth spending money on them. Plus lots of people gift baby clothes because they are cute and fun to buy lol.
My niece ended up with so many clothes she didn’t even use. I think she had a quick growth spurt and was that size for such a short time that my sister didn’t even open that box. (Grandma continually buys her clothes so that was enough).
I got so many clothes for my first born that were never worn so I took them all to a consignment place and traded them for things we needed.
This is really smart, I should let my sister know since know since she has a new baby boy that wouldn’t be thrilled with his sister’s frilly dresses (some were too itchy even for sister).
I like the pottery idea. My birthday is like 3 days before my son's so my mum did a paint print of his and it never fails to make me smile on a bad day
Yeah, there's a local potter near to us who makes these [gorgeous painted tactile prints](https://2spots.co.uk/gallery/hand-and-footprints/) of babby feet. When our second sproglet's here in March, we're very much planning on getting them done for both our kids. I've seen these up and down the country (UK) (plus I love pottery anyway!) and I've always thought they looked good.
Wow they look beautiful, I might have to drag my big ones down to get some made (UK too)
Nailed it. Op you really don’t need to buy anything. Dinners were huge for us, especially with our problem child.
Home made frozen meals. Our family made these. I think we would've been very malnourished without them. I second this advice
Given the wide variety of sizes that babies come in, better to ask for the size afterwards, or buy items that are good in all times of year, like onesies. My first child weighed 10 lbs at birth and was 22” long. Total surprise as his dad and I are average-sized people and were average-sized babies. I ended up donating a lot of never-worn items that were “size newborn” or “0-3 month”, as well as a case of newborn-sized diapers. By six months he weighed 20 lbs and wore a size 12 month.
Diapers. They’ll never not need those.
Aha yeah true 😅 I’m thinking of getting them something right now though. Not sure if that would be a good idea cause around that time Im sure they’ll be really busy But diapers doesn’t seem bad but I don’t know how that sounds for an early gift 😂
Don't get newborn diapers for them though. Unless they have a premature labor those diapers may not even fit the new born (think 8-10lbs baby) or they will only fit them for 1-3 weeks and they get plenty of those diapers from the hospital. Get size 1 diapers.
Great advice to get larger diapers, but I'd say to get size 2 or 3. If the baby is even slightly above average 1s will only last a few weeks. Source: Father of 4
Some parents are picky about what brand diapers and wipes they use for their first baby. They want to keep to the same brand of wipes to prevent possible irritation. We were like this with our first, but by the time we had our second we bought all Costco stuff because it was the cheapest. Some items we received and used until this day are 1- A diaper genie. Really helps contain the smell. 2- a rechargeable night light. One that you can put on your nightstand and turn on by tapping it so you can do it while half asleep. 3- a white noise machine.
Costco diapers (Kirkland brand) are actually our favorite of all brands we've tried. Luvs is shite.
Agreed, we love Kirkland diapers!
Walmart brand ParentsChoice isn’t bad either.
The worst goddamn wipes though. I can’t even use them lol
FridaBaby makes a portable white noise machine/nightlight that has been SO useful. We keep it in the bassinet and use the shushing sound to get our daughter settled, then use the nightlight for nighttime feedings. It is easy to take with you in a car seat or stroller and holds a charge for days!
If you're getting diapers, get a size 1 or size 2. They don't usually stay in newborn long, and then they'll have the next size on hand when they do need them.
Ha, if they're holding a baby shower, I'd suggest getting size 2 diapers (maybe larger) Everyone got us size 1 diapers. We had a mountain of them. We had boxes leftover when my SIL had her 1st baby... We handed them off... and 50 people gave her size 1 diapers at the baby shower.
Trust me they’ll be thankful to have extras.
Better to get something a gift card to Buy Buy Baby so they can get the size they need when they need them.
I’ve never heard anything good about that store.
Don't buy the little ones, get some 2s or 3s, if you gift clothes do larger clothes, folks love buying the small clothes that aren't worn for long. Also gift cards or something that renews supplies.
Trust me, no parent has ever been upset about getting free diapers. Size 2 - 4, whatever. Whatever they don't fit into now they'll fit into eventually.
>Whatever they don't fit into now they'll fit into eventually. That’s why I just skip ahead and buy them a case of Depends.
Gotta plan ahead!
Unless they're doing cloth ones of course. We did with our first born and it was great. Second born was like a fountain all the time so we gave up on them pretty quickly.
If they don’t already have one, a used diaper canister. I think they are called diaper-doolies.
Make sure they have room to store them. Gift cards are great options for those new parents with limited space.
Caveat, the baby grows and with it the size of diaper they wear. Consider a diaper fund instead so diapers don’t go to waste.
Honestly, gift cards for diapers. You’ll inevitably buy the brand that doesn’t work for their kid and it’ll get returned. Let them just buy their brand on Amazon delivery.
Diapers. The cash version of baby gifts
We had 4 boxes of newborn diapers and I thought that would be enough lmao
Gift card to a cleaning service
Yes!!! House cleaning and lawn service.
If you buy baby clothes, get 3-6 month size - everyone gifts newborn size because its cute but they're out of newborn size super quick. Diapers are always helpful.
Adding on that I wish more people had given us basic clothes like onesies and footie pajamas! We got SO much clothing that was three-piece outfits that are a pain to get on and off and I’d have to change them out of for naps anyway. He’s basically been living in sleep-and-play type footies from 4mo to 8mo bc it’s just easier for transitioning throughout the day. Recently got some really cute ones the have foot cuffs so he can grip with his bare feet while awake but cover them during naps so they don’t grip his sleep sack and it’s so much easier than full outfit changes.
I didn't get any newborn but did get a tonne of 3-6 months clothes because of this reasoning. A lot of these were no good as my girl runs small and when she did fit them they were out of season. Don't be afraid to buy vouchers!!
I got plenty of 0-3 and 6-9/9-12 but literally nothing 3-6 😂 agree it’s a good size to gift!
This is the comment I was looking for.
Everyone that got me clothes at my shower had this mentality. Which is how we ended up with 40 onesies in that size. 40 onesies is way too many for one size.
I wasn’t prepared for my little 6lb boy being this small. I barely had any newborn (thankfully received a bunch 2ndhand) because I always heard they grow out of it so fast. He was swimming in newborn. I wish had some preemie clothes just in case cause it would’ve been useful in our case.
That’s so funny, I had a metric ton of 3-6 and then diddly squat in 6-9.
Grub Hub cards mostly. Good hand cream, since baby care means washing your hands a lot. Crib sheets used to be my go-to baby gift because they help put off laundry for another day, but lots of people now use co-sleepers or bassinets at first, so it’s hard to know what size they would need.
On that topic: waterproof mattress protectors. They have them even for bassinet sizes, or cribs. For us they replace the fitted sheets when we make the bed.
Definitely good hand cream and if you can swing it getting multiples. I have lotion by every sink in the house. If it isn’t by the sink I wouldn’t use it because I would forget and my hands get so freaking dry.
If she's 5 months, she can use it on her growing belly too. Source: Am 5 months and order Jamiesons vitamin e cream regularly on Amazon for my belly.
Oh absolutely. I would put lotion on after every shower. My skin got so dry while pregnant.
Standard pillow cases fit most bassinets!
The best crib sheets are Quick Zips. They zip around the top, so you only have to swap that part out instead of practically climbing inside the crib and heaving the whole mattress around after the baby pukes at 3 am.
Yes yes to gift cards for food delivery apps. It's my go-to, and also my favorite gift to get. I'd like to normalize baby and toddler birthday gifts for mom/dad, rather than the kid.
I also like the hand cream idea, but see what kind they like. If they have any sensitivities, there may be a narrow band of products that are possible.
A pregnancy pillow if they don’t have one, a pregnancy massage (if they’re comfortable with massages), for people to ask how they are doing and not just how the baby is doing. A lot of moms feel their identity is stripped once they are pregnant because everyone is always asking about the baby and not the mom.
Update 2 cause she's still going: boppy, car seat, stroller, bouncy seat thing (a mother needs to be able to put a baby down for a moment to do what she needs to do). "Every new mother thinks they need all these white linen onesies and organic burp cloths..." Apparently the problem with gifting diapers is once you start with a brand you need to stick with that brand. Why? I dunno, she's still going and I'm on mobile and can't type fast enough. Tip for those buying for a shower: don't buy the newborn size clothes. Update: answer is nursing pillow or boppy. Not sure if same as pillow mentioned above. Original comment below... +1 for the pillow if it's what I'm thinking of. Went to a co-worker's baby shower with my girlfriend and assumed we'd just bring diapers. They had something set up like raffle tickets for everyone who brought some. But looking at their registry she saw that and said ,YUP, that's it. I'll check with her but I'm pretty sure she said something along the lines of how it will be the most used and no one ever realizes it.
Yes, OP. All of this! I have a mommy care package I send to new moms. I choose from this Shopping [List](https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2M50GNF7VB5ZE?ref_=wl_share) I created after getting asked what to gift moms. This list has my favorites (for nursing - bamboobies are amazing, ice pad packs for post partum, comfy socks and loungewear and socks for mommies). Also, if you’re looking for a high quality playmat, the Alzip playmat brand (also in the list) are really good. I tend to scuff up stuff with my fingernails and these have held up so well with constant abuse.
Aaand I just saved that list. Thank you!
I second this! Bought my best friend a pillow right after she told us she was preggos. I knew we would have time to spoil baby during the shower, but wanted to make sure the wonderful person carrying the baby was not an afterthought. To my knowledge, she hasnt slept without it since and her kid is 1.5 years old
My "baby" is 28 yo now, and I have never stopped sleeping with the pillow!
Along with this, ask dad how he's doing and if he's excited, etc. My husband is left out of these conversations and I just see his face fall every time they act like me and baby are more important. It's his baby too! He's stressed out!
Wait a bit and they will likely make a baby registry. Buy something off the registry, especially since you do not know what they have already acquired. The only thing I’ve gifted pregnant women that was not on their registry was a ten foot phone charger for their labor/hospital stay. All three I gave the extra long cords to were extremely thankful. (Edit for spelling)
This is a great idea! Also useful if you are trapped holding a sleeping baby at home and need to charge.
I couldn't have survived without a giant water bottle, 10-ft charging cord and my Boppy nursing pillow when my kids were babies. Being able to access my phone and nurse at the same time kept me sane, especially when cluster feeding or growth spurts hit.
Definitely. Source: me right now holding my baby for the past four hours cause WHO NEEDS SLEEP ANYWAY (it's 5:30am here. It's me, I need sleep.)
Thinking of you, fellow Mum.
In that same vein, get them a giant portable battery with USB C on that can charge phones or laptops.
Although a lot of the other comments are good ideas, this is the correct answer -- wait a bit and ask her for her baby registry. Even if it's something you know she doesn't have, most registries allow for longer return periods (9 to 12 months) so it's super convenient.
Registry!!! There are so many posts on r/newparents of people complaining that they got stuff they already had because people didn't follow the registry
New parents don't know shit. They put everything on their registry because it is there at the store and they are led to believe they need every new fucking POS contraption that companies puke out to capitalize on new parents. Source: me, at Babies-R-Us. Oooohh, look at his baby thing that we'll use one time and never again because it is junk/hard to clean/unesessary.
Yes but buying them something you think is necessary but they didn’t specifically ask for it’s very “well I know better bc I’m already a parent”
These days a lot of registries are put together online, and after doing lots of research. So even if they don't end up needing it, which might happen, they would rather get the thing they put a lot of thought into than an alternative that someone else chose.
To be clear, I was laying the sarcasm on pretty thick. Even mocking myself. There is some underlying truth to my diatribe though. The baby industry puts out a good deal of crap. Just take a look at the number of recalls per year for bouncers, formula, etc. I love gadgets and tech but even I have my limits.
I agree with your sentiment wholeheartedly. I’m a pretty new parent myself (my child is about a year old now) and have learned there is soooo much crap in those stores that one really probably doesn’t need. Then again I am thrifty and minimalistic, but it is bonkers how many unnecessary products parents are led to believe they “need” that is really just a cash grab.
Oh that’s genius
Gift card to either Walmart or Target. Both stores will have whatever the baby needs, diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, clothes, toys etc. Plus, if mom needs anything, she can use the card for herself (facial mask, snacks, or sometimes the much needed...WINE!)
This is the correct answer. Items are nice, but funds to buy necessities (or not so necessities) was far more useful. When other people tried to buy diapers for us, it was either the wrong size or a brand that gave our baby diaper rash. Just give us the funds and we'll buy it ourselves. Also, can be used for groceries.
Just had a newborn and my favorite, most useful things were: a kit of baby medicines (on Amazon), and a safety kit made up of all of the necessities like safety nail clippers, bath thermometer, brushes, booger sucker, etc. if you want to do a little bit of a group kit gift, then get a tub that looks like a strainer with some bath towels and baby lotions/soaps with bath toys. Aveeno was great for our sensitive skin baby.
[удалено]
I highly recommend eucerin brand for babies.
Bring them cooked meals in plastic ware shortly after they bringvthe baby home, gift cards for doordash is good but good home cooked meals could be more comforting. And maybe some coffee drinks.
+1. Any gift is gratefully received, but the most stress-reducing for my family was a short break in food prep.
Im 4 weeks in and i would kill for a voucher to have my house cleaned. I can’t justify splurging for it myself but if someone gave me that as a gift it would be incredible to get everything clean and reset all at once.
Spa day. Gift cards for food delivery. Good strong coffee. Even bringing pre-made meals that you can take out of the fridge or freezer and just reheat like casseroles closer to the due date. Parents turn into zombies from lack of sleep the first few weeks or months, so anything that makes caring for themselves easier is appreciated. If you’re close enough with this friend, you could make a coupon book to give them now. Where you’ll donate your time for different tasks for them. Like doing laundry, making dinner, grocery shopping, diaper runs, general house clean up, watching the baby while they shower or rest. Those types of things that seem small, will actually really help them in the first little while.
Burritos are the ultimate new parent food. You can shovel one in one-handed while holding the baby. I made a batch of freezer breakfast burritos and they were GOLD.
+1 on the spa and offer babysitting Remind them about it when the kid is 9m old and if they haven't used it by the time he's 12 months old, visit them and kick them out of the house with robes, the tickets and a Uber waiting
Aright, scrolled a few comments down and didn't see this. If they have a registry, the only correct answer is something off the registry. They know what they need/want and if they have a registry, they put it on there so just go by that.
Diapers and/or wet wipes. We will never stop liking those as gifts. Just make sure you get the correct size!
That’s why I was steering away from diapers as well. Because of the size, and in general clothes too because what if they don’t fit! Or stop fitting so soon lol
I always buy diapers in a larger size as a gift. Most of the time people get newborn or size 1 as gifts. I try to get a couple packs of size 2 or 3 that way they are covered there for a while as well. I do the same with any clothing.
Some kids are wicked sensitive to certain brands of diapers, and you don’t know that until it happens. Same with wet wipes. Gift cards are the best, especially for Target. That place is like going to the club when you’re a new parent.
Just buy like 6 - 9 months old stuff, they'll eventually wear them. That's what I always do.
If you do go the clothing route, a nice gift is one outfit each in size 3 months, 6 months, 9 months for when they have to size up. Or if not an outfit, a cute onesie.
As a nanny, I second the advice to go for 6-9 month sizes, or even 12 month sizes. I've looked after some pretty large newborns and babies who grew fairly quickly - you never know what might happen.
Sorry popping into this message because I came in late to the question, but they have a formula maker ([Baby Brezza](https://www.amazon.com/Improved-Baby-Brezza-Advanced-Dispenser/dp/B07MYW28QR)) that lets you make the milk for baby in just a few seconds like a keurig does for coffee but without the pod aspect as you can put the formula right in the top of it and it will dispense as needed. It is the best baby product I have ever used. I have bought at least 1/2 a dozen of them for people and I always get a call saying that it is the best present for a new mom once they deliver and use it. There is nothing like being up at 4am with a crying baby who you cannot console while you are trying to make formula and test the warmth and you are dead tired. It does it all, mixes warms, you just put the bottle under it and select the ounces. If you are having a baby and have any thought you might want to try formula get it. If you have twins or more than 1 baby absolutely get it, such a quality of life improvement.
Water Wipes. As many as possible. My kid is 3 and the amount of water wipes we’ve gone through is unbelievable.
Get size 1 diapers(not newborn size). Even a huge baby won’t be in size 2 diapers. I just had a baby and it’s annoying to have to keep track of where I’m going to put these boxes of larger diapers. Like, I’ll probably just forget that I have them by the time I need them
There is nothing wrong with getting clothes or diapers that are too big. It’s definitely better than too small. Lots of people will be gifting outfits for a newborn or maybe sized for 1-3mo. It will be nice for the parents to have larger stuff on hand when baby outgrows the newborn stuff. And some babies come out needing the 1-3 month sizes! In which case the larger outfits will be even more appreciated. I’m not a parent, myself, but it is my understanding that you really can’t have too many onesies or nursery blankets
Whatever you decide on, pack it into a laundry basket and maybe even toss in a throw type blanket. I think those are 2 things that are always useful and of which you can’t have too many.
Not unless you know whether the parents are planning to use disposables or cloth and, if cloth, what sort they intend to use.
everyones saying diapers, but i would only get them diapers once they know what brand they use - ive heard stories about some people buying a bunch of diapers before the baby came, only to realize that it irritated them get them a costco membership if its near them - the diapers and baby stuff costco has is cheap personally, i think theyd appreciate freeze-and-go homecooked meals, but check with them first
Costco membership is genius!
If you’re looking for something for the mom: a cozy robe and/or slippers. Giant water bottle too & snacks because she will be hungry while pregnant and while breastfeeding (source: I’m 6 months pregnant and eat everything in front of me) For dad: just whatever is on the registry because I’m sure they’ll be happy they don’t have to buy those things themselves. For baby: if you want to be fancy, any kyte baby sleeper (with zippers!!!!!!), but do 0-3m and up (no newborn size). These are bamboo and so soft so perfect for babies with sensitive skin. Plus mom/dad can later sell them for a good price on fb to other parents!
Do they not have a registry? Go find their registry. You can usually look them up on targets website, Amazon, etc. It’ll tell you exactly what they want.
I always take care of the mom, personally. Comfy loose pajamas for the hospital, slippers, self care items (face masks, skin care items etc.). Moms do the actual heavy lifting and should be taken care of/treated while recovering.
My friend got me really nice, soft PJs and a matching set for the baby in size 6m so she would grow into it. I thought that was a really thoughtful gift
This! I always throw in a couple packs of maxi pads and those sensitive skin cootchie wipes too! I've also bought Lysol wipes and baby laundry soap/ stain remover. Baby puke stains are stubborn! Put it all in a nice laundry basket! First time parents underestimate the quantity of laundry that accumulates!
Home cooked meals over the first month. Offer specific times that you can come hold the baby while she naps, eats, and showers. New babies don't sleep for long stretches, and the sleep deprivation can be brutal.
Outfits in larger sizes, 12 mo, 18 mo, 24 mo. Everyone likes to get the cute little things but the tiny humans grow so quickly that before the parents are ready kiddo needs a bigger size. Having a few larger things to grow into is so helpful for that day you go to dress your child and realize the outfit they wore yesterday doesn't fit today.
This, but make sure you buy them according to when they’ll be wearing them. Don’t buy a 12 mo winter onesie if they’ll be 12 mo in august
Movie tickets, go while you can! Anything promoting napping or sleep related, they need to build up a reserve🤣
🤣🤣
There’s a mold kit that the new parents can make a mold of their babies foot. We still have our sons, who is now in his 20’s. Great for size comparison.
If you feel it's possible, as time goes on, reassure them that they can call on you for anything. The gift that keeps on giving is a periodic text checking in, asking what you can do. Many people will wanna visit to see the baby, but there might be very few who also offer to throw a load of laundry in the wash, take out the trash, do a quick vacuum or sweep, wash the dishes, etc.
Or just for them to hold the baby so they can take a long shower.
This, a hundred percent. Baby help and gifts are suuuuuper saturated in the first 2-3 months and then..... I have a two and a four y/o and what I wouldn't give to have asked for a 24-month rain check on some of those casserole everyone was bringing over back when my second was born!
Amen. I had twins and lots of offers for 2-3 weeks....then I was off the map. Could have used a lot more help after the hubbub died down.
When I was pregnant, we would have 100 percent LOVED if a friend had offered to come help us assemble baby crap. Like, thanks for the bassinet, Aunt Mafalda, but it's in 973 pieces and looking at it makes me wanna cry.
lol I hope the craziness is less these days, but this did make me really laugh.
My husband suggested we wait to assemble things until after the baby was born, because then his dad would be there to help. Hahahahaha no.
An Amazon Prime membership because you constantly need to get stuff and sometimes Amazon is just a lifesaver. A luxury streaming service like YouTube premium or HBO Max. There’s a lot of time to kill while you breast feed 6 hours a day. I also find my Apple speaker really useful, you can use it to turn the tv off while your hands are full, make phone calls, just all kinds of stuff. AirPods so you can be entertained while you’re keeping the house quiet while baby sleeps. Other baby products are so subjective, it’s better just to give gift cards so the new family can buy what comes up. You think you’re going to need something, and then find out your baby doesn’t need that at all.
[удалено]
Father of 4 here, this is the GOAT. All 4 of mine used it, and it's small enough to travel with (unlike our large rocking swing).
FOOD. Feed them when the baby comes. And if you guys have the kind of relationship where it's appropriate, go clean their house after they are a couple weeks in. My wife and I are first time parents. The best thing anyone did was bring us food when my son was born last summer. Absolutely the fricking best. Neither of us had energy to leave the house to get groceries or any of that. Especially prepared food they can just heat up real quick.
Best gift a friend got me was hosting a diaper poker party for the "guys" while the "ladies" were at the baby shower. Basically they bring a box of diapers and some cash. Do a random draw each round to see who gets extra chips based on the diapers they brought. Give extra chips at the start for who brought the most. We had diapers for a couple of years and it was a great get together and I don't even like poker. Good luck.
I got my niece a baby chair that clips onto dining room and restaurant tables and she loves it!
condoms and earplugs. JK
You’re joking but if I could go back in time to when my kid was a newborn, I would have gotten earplugs. You can still hear through them, but the crying sparked a mom rage in me that I was not prepared for.
Too late for condoms. Earplugs and nose plugs.
No need for nose plugs, you go nose blind after a couple of days. It's potty training time that you want to cut off your nose, that when they start doing proper, non liquid shits
We have a 1yo and we got a few things we wish we hadn’t, such as: - cheap toys from Amazon (a lovely gesture but I’m not giving my boy a teddy made by IIIEAZZZZZXT) - seasonal clothes for larger babies (fleeces for 6mo - he was too big by the time winter swung by) Stuff we loved included: - a really nice $50 bath towel. We wouldn’t have spent that much but it quickly became the only towel we use for him, even now - accessories like bibs that aren’t so dependent on baby size - a baby bouncer If you’re really not sure, can’t go wrong with Amazon gift card!
Gift cards for takeaway food.
Cotton towels, washcloth and hand towel size. Babies throw up a lot when nursing, mainly while burping but at other times too. The hand towel size is good for protecting your clothing. Washcloth size is useful for all kinds of things. Wet wipes are not very absorbent and not so useful for these purposes.
Baby first aid kit. The last thing people think of until something happens. Usually has stuff for gas, fever, etc.
Agree -Add an ear or forehead thermometer.
So important because it'll be the middle of the night in winter on a Friday on a holiday weekend when the doctor's office is closed. Middle of the night errand coupons help relieve stress, too.
I gave my friend like 4 boxes of diapers, wipes, a mess of baby clothes, and a $50 gift card for UberEats. They’re going to be swamped the first week, so anything that takes one thing they have to do off the table is good. Hell, have a pizza delivered to them the day they come home. I’ve done laundry for friends when they first got back with their new baby. I’ve pet sat their animals at my place so they had time to adjust. I’ve taken older children out for a day, which is a bonus because they’re feeling kinda neglected with all the attention on the baby. Literally anything that needs to be done in daily life that you can do for them will be awesome.
Pads. Super absorbency, overnights with wings. Bonus points: take about a dozen or so and put witch hazel and aloe in them and stick them in the freezer Edit to add: this is for the trip to the hospital
Colic medicine. There some that you can get that looks like water but a little bit thicker and has the slightest hint of mint in it. That stuff saved both me and my missus as we could never get him to settle. No matter what we tried it didn't help and we were going insane from sleep deprivation. One spoon of this magic liquid and poof, slept through the night from his 2nd month onwards I'll edit this post if I can find the old bottle for the name. You can get it from most pharmacies Edit: the name is Inficol
Cloth diapers. They make the *BEST* burp cloths. They don’t need fancy decorated burp cloths that come in packs of 2/$10. They need the 18 pack of cloth diapers for $15 because they’ll go through half of that in a day.
Sudacreme. Digital thermometer UV steriliser Or Steam steriliser Hospital type baby blanket Formula if they use it (ask). Hypoallergenic formula is expensive. Babygrows (the all in one pyjama things)
Gift cards are super handy, especially from Amazon. I’ve purchased so many items from Amazon because of the convenience. I wish I had gas drops and saline drops on hand in the beginning. Getting relievers like that sucks last minute when the baby is crying and not feeling good. So gas drops, saline drops, and infant Tylenol are super nice to have before it’s needed. A shit ton of burp clothes. My daughter is a spitter so we blast through burp clothes.
A couple hours of daycare in house so she can rest.
Give them a gift card for a restaurant close to home. They’ll be grateful that you took one task off their plate, trust me.
Red light for changing diapers/feeding at night without waking everyone up too much
For the parents: Food delivery. For the baby: Pacifiers. They get lost so easily. Have had to do the midnight convenience store run for a pacifier. Not enjoyable.
Cleaning service, laundry service, physical help really.
i was about to say start by asking them to join you for coffee, but then I realized i misread the post.... The wife always bought various mundane items that will always be in need, piled them in a wicker basket, wrapped it in cellophane and cinched it up with ribbons and bows. It always looked more impressive than it was, and it wasn't terribly expensive, but I'm guessing all of it was appreciated as useful at some point. The size and content of the basket could be adjusted depending upon the recipient. :)
Our friends in the States organised a supermarket delivery a few days after the birth and it was perfectly timed. Just the essentials and a few treats for mum. We do the same now for expectant friends.
Where was supermarket delivery when I had babies???? That would have been amazing
It was lovely if a little confusing as we had no idea who had sent it for a while. But it really did give us a huge boost.
Clothing in larger sizes. Everyone will get them cute newborn stuff but the baby will wear in for a few months and they’ll be screwed. Winter gear for a six-month old. People tend to get summer babies summer stuff. But they’ll need winter gear. Sophie the Giraffe - baby chew toy AKA baby crack. Every baby I’ve given one too has been obsessed with it at some point.
Onesies (Not the Gerber ones necessarily, but generally) I like to give mesh feeders- they’re meant to put fruit in when introducing solids but they are a godsend when filled with crushed ice during teething. Looks like a big pacifier except instead of a nipple there’s a little cloth bag that allows juices through but not solids If you give diapers do not remove them from the box to build a stupid cake. It’s such a pain to use those! Baby socks. Gift sets have the cutest ones and Mom isn’t going to buy herself a gift set, she’s going to buy the plain ones. What you *need* at the time baby comes home from the hospital: *Diapers *Wipes *3 baby shirts that avoid the umbilical cord *A bunch of onesies in Newborn and 0-3 *A safe place to sleep *At least 6 flannel baby blankets *Carseat Other helpful items: *Lanolin *Absorbent breast pads *Diaper bag (this is a personal item, mom may have strong opinions about style) *Monster-sized menstrual pads (for a new mom who doesn’t know she’ll need them, experienced moms will be ready for this)) *Baby swing/rocker/bouncer *More onesies *Cute outfits mom won’t “waste” money on *More baby blankets (these things become burp cloths, mess containment, portable shade…) *Hooks for stroller handle to carry stuff (you can pay a fortune for these in the baby store, or a little at Home Depot, your call) - there are giant carabiners, or sometimes a bungee loop with a plastic carry handle (Edit: sorry about the formatting, it condensed everything when I posted it)
And abundant amount of simple white hand towels... Like 50 to 100. So many baby things have pretty colors and patterns or little emblems, and then they charge you 3x as much for them. I just need a towel to wipe up the pee on the wall or the food on the floor or the water on the table or just to play with. Simple white towels, they will be confused and bored and first. Give it a couple of months, and they will love you.
Give them your time. Make a meal. Do their laundry. Tidy up the house for them. Material things are good and all but when we had our first child the thing I remember most is the time people would take to help us out where we were lacking the most.
Glass baby bottles. I discovered them when my second was 1 year old! They are amazing and I love them so much (the glass bottles). You can put them in the dishwasher. They don't get that funky plastic smell like the plastic ones. My daughter used just one bottle of the set of 3 that I got for two years! She dropped it or threw it on the floor several times, it never broke - it came with a silicone cover. Seriously, glass baby bottles. And soap/shampoo for the baby. Someone got me a little basket with two bottles, wash cloths and some bath toys. I used those bottles for about a year or so. I also gifted a set to a pair of friends, and they were very grateful - they didn't even think of putting it on the registry!
My go-to baby gifts are usually some kind of stuffed animal, or books! It’s so important to read to a baby and why not get them interested in reading as early as possible? Usually I get the classics, Good Night Moon, Corduroy, When you give a Mouse A cookie, Winnie the Pooh, etc.
I loved getting a bundle of classic children's books! Putting them in the nursery was a big "oh wow I'm gonna be a mom" moment.
Yes, so important to give the children books and read together! Doesn't matter if the book is for when the baby is >6 years old or maybe even >9 years old. "Remember that you gave this book for her baby shower? She's old enough to read it now!"
Food. Quick and easy things they can heat up themselves or lots of gift cards to delivery places.
Diapers. Fuck a nicer present, just buy diapers. Literally need millions and millions of diapers, buy like 50 and you're good.
[удалено]
My friend gave me a gift card for GrubHub, and I really appreciated it. The last thing my husband and I wanted to do when we went days without sleep was cook.
A care package for the adults. Food, snacks, etc.
Doordash (or similar) gift cards
Go to Sam's or Costco and buy them a big box of baby wipes
If you’ve got 5 months, I’d recommend a different size of diapers each month! Just a small package, not the huge boxes, something they can throw up into the closet. Then they’ll always have the next size up already in the house when the kid inevitably grows overnight and won’t fit the diapers they fit yesterday! It happens!
Something they will all use for a while. At my son's shower, 21 years ago, we got a 3-drawer Sterilite chest filled with baby necessities. Small pack of diapers/wipes and butt paste; baby gas medicine and medicine droppers; boogie bulb; burp rags and swaddling blankets; plain, white onesies and socks; nail clippers, teethers, etc. He used it for his little toys (Legos, army men, Transformers), and as he grew up it became medicine/first aid, and extra toiletries storage. Now that he's out of the house I STILL use it for that stuff, plus nail polish supplies. It's the only gift I remember getting and who gave it.
My favorite gift from when I had my first was a stack of approximately 10 small blankets. They are super useful for swaddling, nursing, and tummy time, but they get dirty frequently, so having duplicates is a life saver.
Baby soap, Food for the parents Your time to cook, do the dishes and leave
There are sheets for cribs that zip on and off (a crib is for a bigger baby, bassinets are for new babies). We love those.
Portable changing table. It sucks trying to change a baby at a friends house on the floor in the bathroom.
Currently expecting my first but he's not here yet so my answer might change after the kid gets here. First I was really hesitant to get anything before 6 months because this is a risky pregnancy and I didn't want to have a lot of baby stuff around in case of a loss. Hopefully that's not a risk for your friend. Also we did the baby shower at 7 months because I'm at risk for preterm delivery which means right now I have a giant pile of stuff I hopefully won't need for at least 2 more months. Just to keep in mind if you get something bulky for your friend this early. Plus if there's an issue with the item some of the things I got might not be returnable. Things I loved: Diapers: I'm planning on doing cloth for like 80% of them but I know I'll want to use some disposable. I also appreciate that people got me different diaper sizes and brands because some apparently fit better than others. Clothes: Same, my friends knocked it out of the park with clothes. We got everything from newborn to 18 months all appropriate for indoor wear. Registry items: I put some very practical items on my registry which were not glamorous like a cloth diaper washing tool, waterproof mattress covers, and a back up grandma car seat base which people gifted. Things for dad: Baby showers can be really mother focused even though parenting is generally a 2 person job. I loved that people gave things that related to the dad's interests and things like his own diaper bag (which we registered for). We also got some grandparent gifts for things when they go over to another house. 2nd hand things: May not be relevant to you or work for everyone but I had friends with older children invite me over to their house and pull out boxes of clean baby and toddler things for us to go through and decide if I wanted any of them. I ended up with 2 boxes of cloth diapers and covers ranging from NICU to potty training, plus barely worn clothes and shoes, baby food freezing trays and some completely unused babyproofing supplies (wall brackets, electric covers etc). Things I appreciated but didn't love: Things not on the registry: I was ok with people getting things not on the registry if they were smaller things that were similar to other things on the registry. Like I didn't care if they got x towels or y towels. But I did get 3 baby bouncers, only one of which was on the register and any of the 3 would have been fine but now I'm not sure what to do with the 3rd one. Also I got gifted a bassinette when we already have one but who knows we might need two. Most registries have a way to mark something as purchased even if they were bought from a different store or a different variety so I'd highly encourage that. Things I got for myself/wished I had gotten: Pregnancy pillows are amazing, when you need one to sleep, you may need it suddenly. Cute maternity clothes/pregnancy care items. I outgrew my shirts on a work trip of all things and had to go out looking for shirts. For the most part I don't think presents for the baby work as a present for the mom (Merry Christmas here are some diapers for mom and a PS5 game for dad!), but cute maternity stuff is nice for mom. Also I had skin changes and a lot of people have scent issues so I got some unscented lotion and coconut oil for skin care. Invites to events and trips now. My partner and I have been going to movies, concerts, nicer restaurants, and weekend and day trips as possible now while it's easier.
Diapers and wipes. Size 2-4 because everyone else will get newborn and size 1.
My sister was gifted two gifts that not a lot of people think of but have been super helpful and will be useful for years. A baby cam and a white noise machine for the babies room when it’s sleeping.
Coupons for you run to the grocery store for them. Or coupons to help with house chores. A new blanket for mom Coupon for watching baby so they can get alone time. If using reusable diapers pay for one month of cleaning services. What not to get Clothing for baby Shoes for baby Noisy things Parenting books (unless your friend likes that kind of thing).
A commitment for babysitting Visits for grownup conversation
Lots of useful things to get new parents but I feel like that thing that sucks food out of a babies throat if they're choking is useful. Only thing is it could potentially be the best gift ever or a gift that never gets used.
These have been " the best gift you could give me." Bring them frozen casseroles stew, soups for quick and easy, hot, homemade food in throw away containers. ( lasagna, beef, chicken or veggie soups or stews, taco or fajita meat, tator tot casseroles, if they like that). Bring quick, nutrients snacks, tuna fish on the go, cubed cheese, deli meats, pre-made salads, yogurt, and granola, cereal, nuts and fruits. Visit after a week, do laundry, dishes and hold the baby so mom can grab a shower /nap. Door dash gift cards. Most new parents do not want to go out to eat. They are tired and just want to be home. Do thier food shopping, or pick-up thier ordered food. They probably have plenty of " stuff", what they truly need is physical help!
Something for the Mom, or something for when the baby is a little older (people will buy too much stuff for the first few months).
Noise cancelling headphones