To ask for your suggestions for new mum and new dad gifts ( couldn't find where else to ask)

[Mammajay]

Any ideas for what would be nice little gifts to help their first weeks of parenting? I thought of vouchers for the posh frozen food shop but hate vouchers myself. So, mumsnetters, what were your best gifts?

Chocolate is good. Maybe lavender oil and some nice shower gel or bath stuff. I would have appreciated any of those.

Luxury hamper?

Cook vouchers. I've got loads of friends who've received them and been so grateful

A friend did a hamper of little treats when I had DD, to this day is one of the best gifts ever! It included things like

• chocolates
• fancy hot chocolate
• fluffy socks
• crisps
• magazines (I don't usually read them, but novels aren't an option in the early days!
• tissues
• Amazon voucher with instruction to use it on me, not baby
• posh soft drink (I breastfed)
• sleep mist (it was amazing!)
• fancy shower stuff
• a letter basically saying she was there no matter what, including on the days that were shit, and that I should know that shitty days would come but it would be ok.

I usually put a couple of beers in with the gift- the dads seem to appreciate it! And I say something like there's one in there to wet the babies head (obviously not loads of alcohol). Someone did it for my partner and I think he quite appreciated the thought as most of the gifts are for the baby or toiletries for mum and dads are a bit overshadowed.
I also put a breastfeeding survival kit together for a friend and she still talks about it (we were close and she really wanted to breastfeed obviously wouldn't be appropriate if you're not sure how baby is fed). It has nipple pads, nipple cream, a water bottle, a nursing apron, chocolates, some magizines and a book about breastfeeding and some other little bits I can't remember off the top of my head.

I personally hate vouchers as they're a pain if it's not a shop you normally use! And blankets- everyone and their cat got us blankets and to be honest we had like two blankets we used regularly out of 14 given to us!

A homemade meal that can be eaten one-handed!

Thank you for the lovely ideas. I am going to assemble a basket of goodies and definitely adding the note being their for them both when needed.