To be absolutely stupid with excitement?!

[Thisnamechanger]

I come from a tiny family. The last baby in our family was me, 31 years ago.

Today is SILs due date. My wonderful DM died shortly after their wedding in 2016 and this feels like the first good thing to happen to our family since.

Help me out MN! I'm child free and I'm not sure I've ever ever held a baby on my life but I'm STUPIDLY excited about becoming and Auntie!!

Have text SIL and DBro and said I totally understand they may want days or weeks alone with DNorN before inviting visitors but that I've kept the diary clear for potential visits in January.

AM. so. EXCITED.

What shall I bring baby? And more importantly SIL?? Any idea for a nice present for a new Mum??

Arrrrrggghhhh!

What a lovely thread - you sound like you know how to be a brilliant auntie already OP.

My little boy is 6 weeks old and we were sorting through all his clothes and presents this week. As someone who hates waste, I was sad about the tiny clothes which were kindly bought but have never been worn or only worn once. Ditto clothes bought in bigger sizes but which are unseasonal eg a gorgeous snow suit which we won’t be able to use in May when it will fit - no gift receipt and the shop doesn’t give credit, so it just feels like a waste. I know some people think that gift cards are impersonal, but it has been lovely to use them to buy ‘nicer’ outfits ourselves guilt-free which we otherwise might not have bought.

If you have a decent budget I would ask first if there is anything they need - my sister did this, we thought we had already thought of everything and got all our ‘big items’, but it was only after we got home and started dealing with the practicalities as new parents that we realised we needed an electric steriliser set, which my sister immediately bought us.

I second the Tuppence and Crumble Star Wrap - a friend from work bought this for us and it is so, so useful for transferring baby from house to car seat to pram snugly without the bulk and faff of taking coats/pram suits on and off. One of those brilliant items that you have no idea exist or that you need it until you have it!

A lovely hand cream for your SIL will be appreciated given all the hand washing she will find herself doing - I love Molten Brown Rhubarb and Rose as it smells gorgeous and feels indulgent and is in a pump dispenser for handiness.

Congratulations OP - look forward to hearing about the baby’s arrival soon!

What a lovely thread. I basically loved anyone who turned up & remembered that I'd been through the mill a bit and hated anyone who rocked up & held the baby for two hours while we got them tea/coffee/biscuits etc.

The two most memorable things were a friend who got me a voucher for a local beauty salon and a friend who turned up with a bag of 'easy' food. Biscuits, frozen pizza, garlic bread, haribos etc.

But the most important thing I think is don't over stay. It's far better that when you leave you're bro & sil are thinking wow wow wasn't it lovely for op to pop in rather than ffs when is she going speaking from experience!

My go to gift is a fuzzy blanket and a pretty basket of snacks and bottle water for the middle of the night feeds. I used to get really cold and hungry at 3am and I always forgot to take my water with me to the feeding chair. I would try and get individually wrapped fruit and nut bars, a bit of choc, maybe a brownie of two.

Ewan the dream sheep is a great present for the baby. Cook frozen meals do gift vouchers which would be lovely.
You sound so excited I'm excited for you!

Be careful of smellies or scented products. If she has a c section she won't be able to bath, only shower. And either way, c section or vaginal, she's not going to want perfumed products near the sensitive areas. Plus many mums stop wearing perfume or scented things as newborns are soothed by mums natural smell.

Also forget all the 'naice' little clothes or comforters, they'll get tonnes. I got about 8 of those weird half teddy half mink blanket comforter type things and they were useless so all went to a charity shop.

Practical things such as vouchers for M&S food, Cook vouchers, offering to cook for the freezer, offering to come round and hold baby while she showers, home baking will be really appreciated. For the early days as she'll need high calorie, healthy snacks she can eat with one hand.

For your budget I'd spend £70-100 on cook vouchers, I'd also get a nice loaf tin and make some homemade flapjacks and put them in the tin. I'd get a nice toy for the baby but not a comforter, something useful such as a rattle or a Lamaze toy. If you want to spend more you could ask what you can get for baby.

Also Ewen the dream sheep is a TERRIBLE gift. She will curse the sheep as she wakes up for the 10th time to push its f**king paw. If you're getting a white noise toy go for a My Hunmy which turns on automatically when baby stirs.

This is lovely! I was the same when my niece was born!

Home cooked ‘ready meals’ that can just go in the oven were our best gifts.

The friend who went to the supermarket on her way over and picked up extra maternity pads for the blooming endless bleeding and nipple cream for my sore boobs was also a godsend but it depends how close you are I guess!

You sound lovely: hope delivery goes smoothly and baby arrives healthy and well (we carry a genetic condition too so I’ve some idea of the anxiety)

When my best friend had her baby I made up a basket for the baby and a basket for her.

In the baby one was - teething gel, colic drops, sudocream, Calpol etc. Basically all the things you usually need to go to Asda/Tesco at 3am for. I also included a teething toy, clothes and a blanket.

For my friend i included a personalised travel mug (you never get to drink hot liquids with a newborn), some lovely bath stuff - face masks, moisturiser, bath oils etc so she can have a little pamper without having to go somewhere other than her bathroom.

I also made some casseroles and cakes that can be frozen and then quickly reheated in the oven. She said the cookies were a god send for middle of the night feeds

Aww how lovely, congratulations you sound like a fab auntie.
My go to gift for a new parent is a decent thermos cup so when they're trapped under baby they can still drink hot tea.

Auntie used to mind baby(ies) at home whilst mum &/or dad had long soaking bath (fave sound tracks on full/complete silence/tea/trashy book/hot buttered toast as required extras). Baby whispering extended to cover apres soak nap. Auntie would often put adult clothes short washes on, get stuff dried, sort, fold, pair socks and put away. Maybe even iron up the fave dress/outfit so going out somewhere nice was that was that little bit easier.
No need to talk or entertain Auntie, just a chance to boost self and recharge batteries without spending time, money and effort getting out the door.
Just a gift of a couple of hours of Auntie time and effort but a massive boost to mum &/or dad.

When my sister had her baby I bought her a load of Lush smellies, which she really liked.

If you can afford it, a cleaner for the first 6 weeks would be a dream for new parents.

Being an auntie is amazing but remember tiny babies don't do much other than sleep, eat and poop. In the first few months it's the parents who probably need the most input so just take your cues from them.

PS Wait until you are a granny, that's the BEST!

Sorry not sure if been mentioned but a lovely soft blanket for mummy to wrap up in during night feeds is my go to present and also you can get a delivery of cook the posh frozen foods to their house. Just check they have freezer space and I think mumsnetters have a discount code.

Excellent point about freezer space mog. A voucher would solve that though as they can cash it in when the fridge is running low.

Also, in the nicest possible way as you seem lovely... if she is overdue, unless she seems to want lots of messages it is usually best to leave well alone and not keep asking for news.

Freezer not fridge

YES Mumsnet, you really deliver!!

I'm writing all of these down. So far I've ordered a personalised bamboo travel cup and some Cook vouchers (GREAT idea whoever suggested that - there's one in the town that Dbro works in and they can do click and collect).

I'm going to look for some nice hand creams that aren't hugely perfumed - maybe the norwegian formula ones.

Baby is two days over...SIL had her own birthday today so I sent her a big bouquet.

I've also got a lovely soft blanket and a really cute bunny rattle from Kiki K. I got it for the baby shower but it didn't arrive in time. My gift box is taking shape!

Weleda calendula baby range is really good.

www.weleda.co.uk/shop/baby-child/calendula/?count=13

A gift pack I gave got very favourable feedback.

I would say chocs for sil, or whatever she likes to eat. Practical presents are always brilliant, like a package of baby wipes, nappies, muslins and vests. They can be complemented by a lovely cuddly toy or cute outfit.
Make it clear that you can help if you visit...take cake, make the brews, bring over sandwiches for lunch etc.
It is a flipping exhausting time!
You sound lovely and your family are lucky to have you.

This thread is so heartwarming ❤️ I’m pregnant and will be overwhelmed if someone puts this thought in when our DC is born x

Just what the last post said - it's giving me serious happies. OP, can't wait to hear your updates!

Aw OP now I feel all happy

If they like films maybe cinema voucher - going to those parent and baby screenings with my baby and getting out the house to something not baby centred and watching a grown up film while she dozed on me was so lovely. Even when I was stood in the asile jiggling her about, or she was crawling about with the others down the front and i was craning my neck on the front row, still lovely! I have the tickets from the first film she 'saw' in her memory box.
In terms of momentos the best thing I got was a clay imprint of her hand and foot from one of those paint your own pottery places... they did all the arty side and neatened it up. Also have a mug with paint print hand and foot and some 'painting' she did on it that we did for just before my return to work. Was a fun outing then I took it in to the office ... made going back bit easier. So voucher for one of those places maybe? They can always give the finished product away, solving future gift ideas for grandparents etc.
I planned to get newspaper from the day but she was an early emergency and it went out the window.
Soft warm dressing gown has already been suggested. I second that - they come in for later years of being up in the night too...
For baby I also second Sophie the Giraffe teether.