What was the best present you got as a new mum?

[silverstraw]

My lovely friend just had her baby and I want to send something for the baby and for her. My two are teenagers now so I am out of touch with what would make a good gift these days. I'd love to hear what gifts other people received that they really loved so I can steal an idea!

I have a teen, has anything changed really? I was given a lovely soft waffle baby blanket that was used for years, 3 to 6 month clothes were good, babygrows, not 'outfits'. Classic children's books were read over and over.

Honestly, a really really good nappy bin 😂 It was the sort of price point we’d never have been looking at to purchase baby things for ourselves. When we found out it was £70 (for a nappy bin???) we were pretty shocked, but with hindsight it’s been worth every penny my dear lovely friend spent on it. It’s excellent quality, and you’d never know someone was keeping a load of wet nappies in the room, because it does an impeccable job of keeping the smell in. (We live in a flat so this was important.)

I’d rather have been gifted that than a spa day or anything frivolous, as I’d never have bought it myself but it’s been brilliant from day one all the way up to potty training.

At this time of year, get a tuppence and crumble star wrap.

Contigo flask
Food - look at By Ruby

I second the tuppence and crumble wrap for the baby.
If you want something for your friend then the best thing we received was from my lovely sister in law & her DH. They sent us an enormous box of sweets and treats. We kept a bowl stocked up on the coffee table so if I was trapped breastfeeding or under a napping baby I could reach them.

Cook voucher!
www.cookfood.net

Home delivered home-cooked delicious meals, very good quality. Well worth looking at.

A personalised blanket for the baby as it can stay with them always.

You’re a great friend 💝

I loved some really nice flowers, because use you are sitting on the sofa a lot they were lovely to look at. They are also in the background of lots of baby pics.
Some cake would also be appreciated, eg letterbox brownies. I massively needed sugar to survive the night feeds without caffeine.
I really liked some expensive hand soap- Neal’s yard or l’occitane as you wash your hands so much. I guess some people might think this a waste of money though.

For the baby, everyone buys blankets but I particularly liked a really soft cashmere one and the really fine giant muslin ones.
Or a padded cot quilt that can be used to put the baby down on for tummy time etc

We were very appreciative of all the gifts we received for DS but one of our best friends got us one 0-3m outfit and another 3-6m outfit. It was lovely for him to have something to grow into, as most people understandably bought < 3 months.

The best gifts I received were a box of brownies and some chocolate and sweets. Really kept me going with a colicky baby. I would avoid sending flowers - I found the first few weeks really tough and having to find a vase / somewhere to put them where the cat couldn't get to them / top up the water / throw them out when they died was annoying (spoilt person problems to have, I know, but much preferred the sweets!)

Sorry @Montague22 that was not directed at you. I only saw your post after I posted. Just personal preference.

No that’s fine, I loved mine. My pet hate is helium balloons 😆

Freezer full of healthy frozen meals I could just bung in the oven. Lifesaver.
we lived for weeks off Mac cheese, veggie lasagne and broccoli and cauliflower gratin. And peas.

A massive pizza which my friends brought round and after id eaten they washed everything up and made me countless cups of tea

Cheeseboard, crackers and bottle of wine - complete and delicious meal we could eat with no prep

My MIL got me an orchid - which I still have now, so it’s the same age as my DS which makes me very fond of it!

A cleaner?
A fuck off bar of galaxy.

I'd second the tuppence and crumble wrap for the baby.

For your friend, how about some Neals Yard Mothers Oil which I loved, and some gowar cottage brownies xx

Cook vouchers and a homemade cake were my best presents.

Tuppence and Crumble star wraps are great if you want to wrap something but we had everything by the time baby came

I got my friend a cleaner for 2 hours, she loved it!

People always say the star wraps but they were massive for my November newborn and too small by the time my May and April babies were in their first winter. I don’t get the hype.

I never really received presents for me, always for the baby, but my cousin got us £80 Cook voucher and it was honestly so fun going through and choosing what to get 😄 obviously we got them before the baby arrived so we could be prepared. Delivered the day before my c section. Perfect!

And you’ll have to warn the recipient to make freezer space. Best pressie tho!

Food. Food and practical help. People don't need more stuff, they need the village.

Cake. Those giant cupcakes festooned with ridiculous amounts of chocolate and biscuits. That you’d never buy for yourself.

Was gonna say this too!

My brother-in-law got me a bottle of whisky. Probably was my favourite gift, tbh 🤣

Cool is great! There is a new parents pack for 2 which includes a week of meals. I loved that