HE'S HERE

[Gooseygoosey12345]

My lovely friend had her beautiful baby boy last night. They've not put anything on social media yet so I thought I'd ask here! I want to get her a few little bits that I can leave on the doorstep. I made her a hamper a month back but I'd like to get some little bits for baby now we know he's a boy.

So, what did somebody buy for your baby that you absolutely loved?
And also, what would have loved to/did you receive that was useful/thoughtful/unexpected but loved?

I'm so excited for them and also so disappointed that I can't offer more support thanks to bloody Covid! Not that I'd push it on them anyway of course! But I just want her to know I'm here and thinking of her if she needs anything

I second lansinoh nipple cream (if she's BF-eeding)
A hakaa pump (if BF-ing- about £20 on amazon)
Nipple pads
massive sani towels!
And ready meals/home cooked meals like lasagne for freezer.

One of the nicest gifts I got was a meal for 2 voucher for Prezzo or Bella Italia, we made the time when baby was a month old to go out for a family dinner and it was lovely

My friend got me a lovely sensory box for my baby. Search Etsy for baby sensory box, there's loads. Came with some tea bags and biscuits to!

My absolute favourite gift for my first was a white rabbit nightlight (beautiful and perfect for night feeds and DD still uses it 6 years later) with chocolates for me.

One of my friends bought some seasonally appropriate clothes for 6-9 and 9-12 months. It was amazing as meant I had a pram suit when it got cold, for example. Everyone buys newborn or 0-3 but seasonally appropriate bigger sizes were great.

Also teething toys, muslins, baby first aid kit or medicines eg teething powder, calpol, gripe water, weleda nappy cream. Great to have things like that to hand when you're tearing your hair out and can't figure out what is wrong or aren't able to get to a shop.

The best thing I got given when I had first DC was a really soft large blanket that matched my living room. It got used so much when I got stuck under a sleeping baby.
It’s still in daily use 6 years later by both DC for snuggling under to watch cartoons or making a tent out of.

Best gift I was given was some gorgeous and very effective hand cream. You wash your hands so much with a first newborn.

Do not get flowers! With my first I was bought SEVEN bunches from various people.

Lovely to be thought of, but my main focus was how on earth would I keep this new baby alive and taking care of all seven bunches (finding vases for them, trimming them etc) was absolutely not what I wanted to be doing in the hours after I got my new baby home.

Oh and yes agree with larger sizes appropriate to the season. I took heaps of 0-3 months back and exchanged for various larger sizes as we were given far too much in the first size, he'd never have worn them all.

Yes definitely clothes in bigger sizes. I had the same with my son, especially as he grew very quickly!
Lots of lovely ideas here! I'm collecting them all and working on it. Thank you

I don't really have any other suggestions but you are a truly lovely friend OP

ready meals

Most mums these days have planned and bought everything baby need. Clothes can be tricky if you guess the size wrong and end up buying the wrong season.

No flowers. I found them really stressful. They needed water and arranging and chucking out. I didn’t enjoy them at all.

If you look at cook website they have a new parents meal box. I’d get that, I was so hungry and tired. I lived on baked beans because it was the easiest thing to make. I’d have loved a ping meal.

My brother made me loads of food (sandwiches, snacks ect and dropped them to hospital) and then real meals for home (Shepard’s pie stuff like that) I know you can’t take food to the hospital but someone feeding me was the best gift as I didn’t have to think about what to cook/order when I was trying to figure out everything else!

I agree - skip the Flowers.
She already has something beautiful to keep alive :)
Hand cream. Lansinoh. Nice soap / handwash (lavender?)
Leak proof insulated mug. Posh hot choc sachets / soft drinks selection

@PilatesPeach

I don't really have any other suggestions but you are a truly lovely friend OP

Ah thank you, she's been a wonderful friend to me too, like a sister really! I'm very lucky to have her so I want to spoil them.

I had my first baby 6 weeks ago and my wonderful friend delivered a homemade cake, £50 of Cook vouchers and an investment toy she knew I’d love (Grimms rainbow semi circles) it was all perfect and the Cook vouchers were a God send. I had loads of clothes and stuff already and baby really didn’t need anything.

The very, very best thing anyone bought me when DC1 was born was a Braun ear thermometer. I thought the friend who bought it was bonkers, but it turned out to be a godsend on countless occasions.

Otherwise: I was very grateful for bibs, as I had one with reflux, who got through about 100 bibs a day.

Oh god, I would have loved it if someone has made me some meals. Even if it was just to freeze it her mum is already there. My mil just cane round to hug the baby, so we had none of that. Saying that, second time round didn’t need any of that, we had an easy baby and I guess were better practiced at what to do

Ok so flowers are off the list! I've got quite a few bits already mentioned so it's good to know I've been on the right track I can't for the life of me remember what I was given and it was only 3 years ago so this has been really helpful

I second the no flowers my house was so full of stuff when second was born the flowers made me really angry as just added to clutter

A baby nightie. So much easier than sleep suits for night changes.

@PanannyPanoo

A baby nightie. So much easier than sleep suits for night changes.

I've never seen these before. They sound ideal!

I bought my goddaughter a push along dog to learn to walk- she is 28 now and still has the dog bit of it.

I did really want to do meals, I think I'll wait until her mum goes home again though, I think she really wants to be able to do things like that for my friend and I don't want to step on toes