What’s the loveliest present you’ve received as a new parent?

[Olderandboulder]

I’m very excited about the imminent arrival of my DS and his DP’s first baby. We are going to do the decent thing and stay away until they’re ready for visitors, but when we do go, I’d like to take something special for the new mum. She’s been so brilliant through quite a stressful pregnancy, and deserves something lovely. They’ve already got a stack of baby stuff from various friends and family, so I don’t want to add anything else to that.
Does anyone have anything, practical or frivolous, that they were given as a first time parent that really hit the spot? TIA

Some really nice shower gel. Some days I barely had time to wash in the early days but taking 5 mins to shower with a nice shower gel felt luxurious.
My children are older now, but I still buy ‘posh shower gel’ as a daily luxury because it makes me feel good!

I drank so much cold tea and coffee I'd have loved one of those cups that keep drinks hot. I've recently had a new hip so on sticks. The evri cup with a lid Tommy tippee DH calls it has been wonderful.

Friend turned up a couple of hours after i gave birth at home with some pate, brie and an entire baguette which I ate pretty much right away.

Hand cream, a large bar of chocolate and a trashy mag was one through the post that went down well.

A weird looking pillow thing that looked like a car seat (it had sides and an adjustable headrest). I remember unwrapping it and trying to look enthusiastic - little did I know that this pillow would be the best thing ever. It was amazing for night feeds in bed, very supportive, firm, but comfortable. I gave it away once DS was older and haven't seen another one since, so can't even post a picture but it was amazing. I also received a big jar of floral gums (my guilty pleasure), the jars you used to see in sweetshops.

My MIL bought over some meals she’d cooked like lasagne, shepherds pie things like that as well as all the sides and some cake treats etc. I honestly could have cried, was better than any gift and to this day she still brings about 3 days worth of food for us whenever she visits 😅

Ooooh , it’s over 50 years since my daughter was born , but that would have been the best present I could have imagined ! 😍😍

A bottle of gin, a giant bar of chocolate, and a copy of Grazia.

Some really good hand cream for the the inevitable dry skin from all the extra work and hand washing!

I always wanted one of these but didn't get one. Maybe it's a bit silly though.
Hand Tied Baby Clothes Bouquet, Blue | Baby Clothes Bouquet – Babyblooms

My favourite present was a big lump of brie, as I hadn't eaten it through the whole pregnancy. A friend brought it to the hospital so a bit different to visiting later.

Blue Stilton.

A voucher for a pedicure. ( and an offer to baby sit when she wants to use - make it clear you are not thinking she can use it immediately)
I also got given a lovely dressing gown/house coat which was great!!

Lovely biscuits. Some lavender hand cream. Also really pretty muslins. I know you can buy bog standard muslins but it's nice to elevate the puke-mopping experience with a pretty pattern. Also, if not puke covered, they can double as little blankets/cover ups etc.

I’ve always said when my children have children I would pay for someone to do like 4 hours a day for them, washing, tumble drying, cleaning, gardening, car cleaning and then cook them a nice evening meal like every day for the first 12 weeks.

Thats because I had awful pregnancies, birth and recovery and I had no family to support me.

I got lots of presents from friends and siblings but what I appreciated more than any of them were the meals, snacks and most importantly the emotional support that my mum and MIL provided.

They didn't buy us any presents but every time they saw me they brought food said how well I was coping (probably lies), how nice I looked (definitely lies!) and how much they loved the baby....it made all the difference in the early days/months. That really is the most important (and the most difficult) thing to provide. Your DIL is lucky to have you!

A fucking massive jar of chocolate buttons. Easily the best. The baby stuff was nice but the thing I really appreciated was the fucking massive jar of chocolate buttons, which, having just birthed a cabbage, I did NOT share.

Definitely hand cream, especially if bottle feeding. My hands were so sore from constantly washing bottles in hot water, but even from washing hands after 5000 nappies. I also got bought some beautifully expensive socks which I really enjoyed.
bit controversial but I’d have loved a voucher for clothes. I was changing size so much in the first couple of months nothing fit and when I finally levelled out, even though I was the same weight as pre pregnancy my entire body shape had changed and I felt rubbish in everything but didn’t want to spend money on me. I’d possibly give that to DS though and say treat her to some new clothes as and when she wants them add otherwise she’ll just spend it on baby clothes.

A cook voucher for some lovely things to fill up the freezer

My wonderful MIL got me a heated throw, it was really useful when I was up in the night on the sofa with DD (20 plus years ago) and didn’t want the heating on. But by far the best gift from her was a handmade patchwork quilt (for a child size bed) that she made from remnants of clothes she’d kept of DH, DFIL (who had died a few years before), herself and even some of mine. She would always ask if we had anything we no longer needed for her Church, she must have spent months on it. One side were the patches and the reverse side was Beatrix Potter characters.

Oh how I miss that wonderful human being. She died 18 months ago.

Jo Malone hand cream a real luxurious treat for her

Best baby gift I ever received were a stack of homemade lasagnes a friend cooked for us. ❤️

Thermal mug for keeping drinks hot, I can't say how many times I made a drink with mine for it to go cold.

A really nice cushion and blanket for the sofa.
Nice shower gel/shampoo for those snatched moments in the shower.
Audiobook subscription for those middle of the night feeds.

Mini hamper of chocolate/dried fruit/nuts/energy/protein bars.

Big fluffy dressing gown with a hood from DH - I lived in it for the first 6 months (much to the midwife's amusement!).

Ready made food!

I had my first baby last year and the best and most memorable presents we received were friends dropping off home cooked meals for us. So thoughtful! The least enjoyed was the endless bunches of flowers, which we didn’t have vases for and they didn’t even get looked at since we were all consumed by our beautiful new baby. I now keep this in mind for any occasion where I previously may have thought flowers appropriate!

Reading through the thread, I love the suggestion of a necklace for your DIL with the babies name, or a birthstone gem necklace or something along those lines. I would have been so touched to receive something like that.

Also mentioned above is a really nice shower gel, which I agree with. While pregnant someone gave me an expensive shower gel as part of a present and told me I had to use it when the baby came, no saving it. And she was right, every day I used it it felt like a little treat for myself.

• Really nice pyjamas and slippers
• Chocolates
• My MIL brought me cherries every time she came (summer baby) which was a great healthy but delicious treat
• Cook vouchers and home cooked meals
• Nice soap and hand cream