What was the best gift you received as a new parent?

[FairyFavour]

Just trying to come up with something useful rather than cute clothes. It’s been a long time since I had a baby so any ideas welcome.

Definitely not buying a sleepy head or perfect prep machine.

Grobags, nappies and other essentials, 6+ months clothing season appropriate though.
I once bought a friend two weeks worth of lunches to freeze and have one every day eg soup and roll, nice microwave meals etc she was it was her fifth dc and 15 years on she still remembers it.

Ewan the sheep

Home cooked Dinner, a m&s voucher to get the two can dine meal, baby sleeping bag,

Oh, the free cleaning voucher! Yes!

www.babybjorn.co.uk/baby-bouncers/bouncer-balance-soft/?attribute_pa_color=silverwhite&attribute_pa_material=mesh

Here's the link for the aforementioned babybjorn bouncer. Even though this thread is headed for zombieville, I wanted to share because I valued this particular baby product so much that even 16 years later, I still remember it. It's gone up a lot in price, though!

My friend said an M&S voucher that she used to buy a ton of ready meals so she didn't need to cook for a month.

Thank you so much everyone, this has been so useful.

So I am planning on the Morrck travel wrap thanks to @Constantlurker

Also either cook vouchers or graze vouchers, probably graze as I think that will be nice to have snacks arriving by post for the first few weeks.

and a cuddly jellyfish

Speaking of baby bouncers the best one we had was a fisher price one that stated off as a bouncer/rocker with batteries that vibrated it (can’t remember if there was noise too) and had a bar loaded with toys and activities that went over the top to entertain the baby. You could also set it to stay still if you needed to feed the baby or have them still for some reason.
Then as they grew you could take off the restraint/harness and toy bar, and use it as a chair or rocking chair which lasted ds2 through to about 5 yrs (he was small though - so maybe through to about a normal 3 yr old). Lots of the bouncer chairs are much smaller and can’t be used after 9 months or so - having something that you know will be used for much longer is great! Doubly so if you have a big baby who grow out of their bouncy chairs early when they still could do with using them. That doesn’t really happen with this one.

Just had a quick google and it seems they still do them but I’m on my phone and it’s not showing a link.

Sockons didn’t know they existed until a friend (and mother of 6) gave them to us when dc1 was born.

Clothes in bigger sizes, I loved when both dc grew into a lovely gift outfit. (Make sure it’ll be weather appropriate no point in having a summer romper in the middle of winter)

The thing about Ewan (DS hated him), Sockons (DD pulled them off after a couple of wears), Sleepyheads, particular seats (both my dc screamed when they went in the M&S “seat of the moment”) etc is that some babies love them.... and some hate them!!

Food and clothes are always good. Clothes you need to think ahead and make sure that are right for the season they’ll be worn in. But then if the baby in question is bigger or smaller than average, or the clothes are, then even that might not work! Long and short sleeved T shirts and little carries/hoodies are useful all year round IME.

Home made food for the freezer!

Two bags of M&S deli food I could eat cold and with one hand - amazing