To ask what items would've been hand (but not essential) for a new baby?

[Koalaing]

My DS is due her first baby this month. I don't have children and don't know a lot about babies.

She's got all of the essentials, but I'd like to make her up a hamper of things that aren't essential but would make her life easier.

I've bought her two of those perfect prep machines because she mentioned she'd like one, and thought another would make it easier for her not to have to traipse up and downstairs at night, but I'd like to get her some extra little things too.

AIBU to ask what you found really handy but maybe wouldn't have bought yourself when you first had a baby? Or things you didn't realise would be as useful as they were?

Ah this has been so helpful! Thank you all so much. I’ll definitely do a little medicine kit plus some of your other suggestions.

I got her a coffee travel mug where you can set the timer so it’s ready when you want it to be for Christmas, so I’m pleased to see that mentioned a few times.

By the way, this muslin thing. Had to google what they were - are they just little cloths? Through sheer curiosity, what are so many of them used for when you have a baby?

Another vote for Lansinoh nipple cream.

The large muslins can be used to swaddle the baby, as breastfeeding cover, as light buggy Blankets in summer, covering furniture while baby changing,. Any size for spit up cloths, wiping up stray milk etc there's a lot of fluids involved with babies and having a cloth to hand is usually a good idea

This might sound selfish but when DD was born what I'd have appreciated more than anything would have been food for me! I was starving and constantly had a baby in my arms/ on my boob which wasn't very practical when it came to making something to eat. Filling snacks, something to drink out of, and a good boxset for the long nights up. (though I guess netflix probably does for that now).

A nanny

I definitely second the hand cream. I ended up with dermatitis from washing my hands so much. Good thick hand cream without a strong scent helped a lot.

Also a decent coffee/tea cup with a lid. Partly to prevent spills but bonus if it keeps the drink hot as I would invariably get caught up with nappy changes or breastfeeding etc just after making my drink haha.

Muslins are super handy as already mentioned and the medicine kit, teething rings etc are also a great idea - as someone said, you often don't think to buy them until you already need them.

My best friend got me a lovely changing bag that looked more like a handbag. Not something I could justify buying myself at the time, it was a lovely indulgence & used daily.

If she has a baby bath, a bath sponge to make it a bit smaller for a newborn (Amazon have them shaped like teddies)

A pram muff to go on the handles to keep her hands warm

New PJs/loungewear - she'll probably spend a lot of in bed/on the sofa

Nice cereal bars for snacking during night feeds

Cake

Dry shampoo as mentioned by PP

Something with coloured lights for baby to look at (can get teddies)

Those transparent coloured fabric cloths that babies like playing with

I've found the Sleepyhead so handy this time round that for my next it will be on the essentials list.
Maybe a kit for when she's in labour? With sweets for energy, lip balm, pack of wipes and a post natal pads etc

I can see both the Perfect Prep and Sleepyhead have been mentioned. At my antenatal classes the midwife mentioned both of these are unsafe and advised us not to buy them. Obviously up to the mother to do her own research and make up her mind!

My fave gifts have been:
Tisserand essential oil blends for me - for sleeping when pregnant and for the birth
Posh toiletry kits for mum and baby
Pretty newborn/0-3 outfits
MIL bought me a travel mug thing and comfy pillow for breastfeeding
My ex’s mother (DDs granny) cooked loads of meals for our freezer and also made up a hamper of gorgeous hand knitted baby clothes!
A just eat/deliveroo/Uber eats voucher I’m sure would be appreciated
If they don’t have Netflix/amazon prime/similar maybe a voucher for that - something to do at 3am when stuck soothing baby?!

Muslins really depend on the baby. For the first we looked in bemusement at the huge pile of muslins we had while our daughter never threw up or needed more than one every couple of days. With the second, who was known to throw up 16 times some hours, we used them all.

You've been very generous already buying her 2 perfect prep machines - they arent cheap!

We found the following items very useful

• cloth wipes
• gro light (goes on normal light fitting but gives very low ambient lighting so doesnt wake baby)
• gro egg thermometer
• ewan the sheep (other similar items are available, have a look at reviews because ewan is not necessarily the best one)
• muslin cloths
• toiletries e.g. lansinoh if breastfeeding, sudocream, moisturiser, stretch mark cream

Subscriptions to Amazon prime and/or Netflix if she doesn't already have them.

Some really lovely shower gel for her. Sometimes the only break is when you escape for a quick shower and it's nice to have something nice just for you rather than baby related.

Sleeping Bags, much safer and easier than sheets and blankets.

I love my perfect prep machine but I didn’t really need two. If she ends up breast feeding, she won’t really need either so I’d be tempted to return one. Really lovely thought though!

Some of the things that I found good were toys for 6 month plus or even weaning things like bibs. I had a lot of the essentials for the baby (and all the gifts I had were soft toys, blankets or clothes) but then had another big outlay at around 5-6m.

Someone up thread has already mentioned ‘Cook’ but I wanted to say it too!

I had a horrible labour with DD and once we were home I was so tired and anxious that I would say to DH not to worry about cooking me a proper dinner as I’d rather just of had him next to me to help with the baby! My amazing cousin knew I was struggling and dropped by on day 3 with a weeks worth of ‘Cook’ dinners, all the sides to go with them, some of those microwave sponge puddings and custard, crumpets and bagels, and a big bag of fresh fruit. It was without a doubt the best thing anyone got us - the food was delicious and literally just needing popping in the microwave/oven and was done, and was a ‘proper’ dinner. When my brother and his girlfriend had a baby a year after we’d had DD, DH and I did the same thing for them and they also said it was fab. DH’s brother and his wife are due next month and they’ll be getting the same thing. The simplicity of having a proper dinner and food we didn’t need to worry about for the first week was great and meant we could just wrap ourselves up in the bubble of being new parents without having to worry about the practical things for us!

Hubby ordered this cushion cup holder after he returned to work. Helped to have water and some snacks conveniently close by when nap trapped!! Game changer! https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07FY9FKMY/ref=cmswwrcppapiii_mKLtEb2XSZQVD

I would also have to say food - that would be my number one. If she has a Velcro (or reflux) baby like I did, it's surprising how difficult it is to even butter toast one-handed. So anything else was beyond me. I loved when people brought me food that I could heat up in 2 minutes and eat one-handed.

And if you are doing a medication box, I second the suggestion of Sterimar nasal spray, great for reflux, colds, and allergies.

Silicon breast pump. I have 1 DC and didn’t know about getting engorged breasts days after giving birth or what to do when this happened. The breast pain, for me, was worse than labour pains! Expressing by hand or electric pump was very painful but luckily I received a silicon pump as a gift which I thought I didn’t need, turned out to be very useful!

@PickettBowtruckles The inclusion of the puddings and custard make a great gift possibly the greatest gift ever.

One of those things you attach to the pram that keeps rocking it after you get in from a walk so the baby carries on sleeping a little longer.

@DameSylvieKrin it truly was incredible. Having just had a baby, very little sleep and feeling generally really rubbish, it was amazing the power a syrup sponge and custard had to make you feel better

And I’d recommend Cook as well. It made such a difference to just have a well stocked freezer and to know you didn’t have to bother with cooking for a while.

This is possibly an out there one but offer to get her a hooded/raincoat of her choice. In my 4 years working at a lifestyle brand popular with mums, it was amazing how many women in smart, non water proof /non hooded coats hurried in at the first sign of rain with a pram containing a tiny baby, with a now redundanct umbrella sticking out of their handbag.

The most useful present I ever gave a relative or friend with a newborn was apparently a cleaning service for the first few weeks. I'm still receiving thanks for this years later... Now I only give services like this, my own time and essentials (onesies, meals for tired adults and other kids etc..)

While I smiled and said thank you very nicely to everyone at the time, most gifts other people gave me pre-baby ended up in a charity shop or on Freecycle. While well-intended, other stuff was just tat that clutters the house up, tbh.