What to buy new mum and baby

[rainbowstardrops]

Just as the title says really!

A fairly close family member is due to give birth any time now and I've spent ages online looking for something to buy her and also her new little one.

She had a baby shower, so I've already bought a gift but presume/would like to still buy a little present for when baby arrives and also she's had a rough trot getting this far and I'd like to buy her something too.
But what???!!!

If I buy something personalised for baby then obviously that takes time to arrive and I have no idea what their chosen name is and everything online just looks a bit meh!

I don't want to spend a fortune because I already spent a decent amount on baby shower gift, so any ideas?!!!

This is the first baby in my family for years, so have zero ideas ..... HELP!!!!

Get her some chocolates and some bath stuff for baby. Useful things that she may have forgotten

Just buy for the Mum. Some posh shower gel, snacks, bring her dinner or if you can afford it Cook vouchers.

Something fancy for mum! Lovely pjs, a meal delivery, fancy bath stuff or pamper products, a voucher for a nap (where you can come and watch baby) etc

Could you get her a gift card she can use online and some nice biscuits? I'm pregnant and that's what I would want. If you get "stuff" she will need to find somewhere to put it!

Books for the baby - the "Oi Frog" range has been a hit with wee ones.

Best present I ever got - and have subsequently given to other new mums - a load of naice frozen meals from Cook.

Or a load of nice frozen ready meals from M&S. was a lifesaver after DH (s) go back to work and it's just you and a (if you are unlucky) a Velcro baby.

It means they can have some nice meals without thinking - sanity saving.

A good water bottle, metal straws, good coffee flask, posh chocolate biscuits. Posh shower gel etc - someone bought me an Aesop set & it’s been lovely.

If you want to get something for the baby, Toffee Moon has been the nicest brand of baby gear we’ve been given.

Things I haven’t been so keen on - flowers (no time to appreciate them) and most baby clothes. She’s got endless mittens, hats and socks she won’t wear, and I’m too knackered to stick her in anything but sleepsuits.

I'd get nice chocolates or biscuits for the mum and a book for the baby. Peepo is one of my favourites.

Thank you everyone!!! Some fab ideas here and I'll be looking into them.

Keep the ideas coming please! Especially people's ideas of what they liked/found useful and what wasn't so good.
I kind of want to include the dad too because they really have had a rough trot to get here. Argghhh it's so difficult!

I like the idea of a book for the baby .....

For her - chocolate, chocolate, chocolate (or sweets, biscuits etc depending on their favourite snack). If you're visiting then ask if you can bring a meal for them to hear up later. Or you could pay for a netflix/prime/Disney+ subscription for a few months if they don't have one already - I have got a couple so no one got me this but if I didn't I'd have loved that as a gift!

I agree with PP that said no to flowers, too faffy and no time to look at them.

I'm with @CurbsideProphet , gift card so she can buy something she doesn't know she needs yet (or save for clothes in the next size), and all the chocolate and nice snacks. I'm 9 months pregnant at the moment and dreading every time someone says 'I need to give you your present', it's such a lovely thought but we have all the 'stuff' and no space for more! But I definitely wouldn't turn down biscuits.

My best friend got me Calpol, bibs, and weaning spoons. All things that felt a long way away, and I wouldn't have thought to ask for, but I felt so prepared just knowing they were in the cupboard waiting! (And in reality it's not all that long until you need all of them).

She also got me chocolate biscuits. She is a wise woman ☺️

Hand cream. You wash your hands all the time with a new baby and hands get so dry.

I also appreciated a pack of little child sized clothes hangers. A bit random but so many people gave me lovely baby clothes and adult sizes hangers don't fit.

A large water bottle - something unbreakable like a Chilly's bottle. When I was breastfeeding I used to get insanely thirsty.

So definitely lovely chocolates or biscuits. Probably biscuits as she could grab one whenever.

I bought a lovely weaning bowl etc for her baby shower present for baby, so yeah, maybe bibs or spoons etc

I like the idea of baby hangers!

Really like the idea of a voucher for a takeaway or something too because I want to include the dad as well.

Although my family member has had a rough ride to get here, her husband has as well

If there is a nice brand of baby clothing that would feel special then that might be nice. I live in Sheffield and there's a local company called Bear and Babe that do handmade baby clothes in lovely and fun patterns and we absolutely love them. They're a bit more expensive than normal clothes but feel really special to have so I know I would appreciate any as a gift.

Really soft muslins (big and little) are really useful and can never really have too many in my experience, nicest ones I've had were from here

I gave birth 2 weeks ago, some magazines, chocolate and snacks were the most helpful things I was given 😄

@rainbowstardrops you sound so kind wanting to get the right present 🙂 we've had a really difficult time to have this baby and I hope my family will be as thoughtful as you clearly are 🙂

A takeaway voucher/hamper for the parents and some new mum bath stuff

I appreciated a job lot of Graze boxes and a couple of Eos lip balms in a set. A crochet blanket for the baby from Etsy.

Hi
I was given a travel mug with a lid so I actually managed to have a few hot drinks and it was a god send
Baby wise things I forgot were baby scissors and a baby brush and you can never have too many baby sock! They’re so cute!

As others have said - a fancy and special shower gel. Someone bought me a molton brown one (rhubarb and rose) just before I had my baby and the smell literally brings me back to those first few magical baby bubble days...like the smell makes me emotional...but I loved it 🥹

Also these...closest thing to real keys (which babies are absolutely obsessed with)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/B-toys-Textured-Flashlight-Non-Toxic/dp/B00IWCQR3M/ref=mpssa113?crid=1F3095XZHWO1J&keywords=baby+toy+keys&qid=1658858621&sprefix=baby+toy+keys%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-3

My favourite gift was luxury anti wrinkle cream, her favourite bath oil and a beautiful homemade lemon drizzle cake. The cream took me a bit by surprise but was really lovely and dh liked the cake too.