After having a baby

[Mostmylarbles]

What is something that you think is useful/a good idea for someone who is pregnant/ just after had a baby.
Maybe something that isnt usually thought about when people are giving gifts to new parents. Is there something you received that really stuck with you/helped you?

Looking for ideas for baby shower gift for a friend, she has lots of friends and family so I know she'll get some great stuff, but wanted to give something that was maybe a bit different and useful! Also she lives 2 hours away so I don't get to see her much.

Thank you in advance :)

My baby is 1 and here are some of the gifts I loved:

• Baby Mori sleep sack. SO much more luxurious than any of the sacks I was willing to fork out on myself, but so worth it. The one we have is 0.5 tog but lasts from 0-2 (it has adjustable arm holes). He's worn it loads even when you would think a 0.5 tog wouldn't be warm enough.
• Books. Didn't realise it at the time as newborns don't give much back, but it's soo lovely to have lots of baby/child books now and not have had to buy them all ourselves.

Things that were not useful:

• Pamper stuff for me. Have barely used any of it. A scented candle was ok as takes seconds to put on but agree with PP, I don't have time to faff with a facemask or peel thing.
• Soft toys. We got hundreds to the point where he is not particularly interested in most of them as there are so many
• Massive muslins. We got at least 4 of them but didn't swaddle so they have kind of just sat there. Maybe I'm not using my imagination enough. Used one as a sunshade on the pram in high summer, that's it.

Stuff I had to buy myself that would have been amazing as gifts:

• Pram handle small bag thing. I was keeping stuff in the nappy bag and it was a faff. Keys, phone, dummy, wallet, bottle, my drink etc all goes in this.
• Postpartum care - Fridamom ice pack pads, witch hazel, spritz for bits, large cotton pads, paracetamol/ibuprofen, steri bottle, puppy pads/bedliners, marternity pads. Most of these were bought by my husband on a mad dash to boots 3 days postpartum because whatever I had prepped was not enough. If you're giving gifts before baby arrives, these might be worth it.
• Mummy MOT. I went to a physio for one at 5m PP and she saved my life over several months helping my get to grips with the ruins of my vagina. Highly recommend to any expectant mum to book one in in the first 12w postpartum.

I agree @ruibies about postpartum care. If you know the recipient well then Frida knickers, nipple creams, those ice pack things for boobs, nursing cups etc.

also junk food! We’re more of an ‘ingredients’ household and so had no junk food in and I was so glad when a friend bought round massive multipacks of crisps, sweets and chocolate and just stuff like crackers 😂

I also agree with @Ruibies about the post partum care. Spritz for Bits, witch hazel and a ring cushion saved my life! 🙈 The Spritz is expensive so to have it gifted would've been amazing.

Oh don't get me wrong, I bought a kit for LO and it sat in the living room unused for two or three weeks. Managed to get round to doing it last weekend and I really love it. There's lots of great gift ideas floating around on this thread :)

All depends on the baby - Ewan the sheep did nothing for mine.
The rockit - did nothing for mine.

A portable white noise machine and a bedside subtle light were the best tools I had which I bought myself.

Floor, lap, booster seat.

I second Cook vouchers.

None of those would have been appropriate or safe for a weaning baby.

They need to be aligned correctly so as to minimise choking.

Massive muslins. We got at least 4 of them but didn't swaddle so they have kind of just sat there. Maybe I'm not using my imagination enough. Used one as a sunshade on the pram in high summer, that's it.

Not the swaddle ones, but I was bought SO MANY muslins and people kept saying things like “can’t have too many!” and I really did. I did use them a lot, it’s just I had like 50.
Funnily enough, I’ve used most of them in the years since in random crafting with DC. One massive muslin (maybe it was supposed to be for swaddling? If so, I didn’t know) became a bedsheet for a doll’s bed, then various smaller ones have become parachutes for toys (for throwing off stairs), cut into waistcoats and fashioned into tops etc for soft toys. Some I’ve used for stuffing to make other things. Probably not as intended though, but they got used -3 years later-

Can’t say as much for the endless Jellycat rabbits we got given.

@Wishawisha haha yes we got thousands of normal sized muslins too, most of which have been retired to the loft now - might have to start looking into craft projects!

Well I bought about 10 muslins because of that advice and none of them have been used yet (good thing I bought them second hand and didn't pay much). Baby is completely indifferent to swaddling (and I was so proud of my swaddling skills 😂) and since we have about 30 baby bibs (25 of them are presents), we use them to burp the baby.
Every baby is different and you can't know in advance which one you will be getting; and every mum is different in terms of lifestyle, preferences or parenting style. It's hard to know exactly what someone will need. That's why I'd advise OP to either ask the parents what they need, or just give the only thing that can't go wrong = homemade meals or meal vouchers.

Messy and unsafe! A high chair is a pretty basic item that you actually need

There's a thread on this frequently.

It's personal. Some people love an insulated cup. I personally would not value one. I always had time to drink my tea

You ought to ask them what they want

We were given so many gifts: a few things we didn't want or need

Maybe a voucher for Boots?

@Liveafr

Omg all the bibs. Never used them all

And muslin cloths!

And scratch mits and comforters

Tooooo many. 😆

My baby gift is a COOK meal box. Or a really really delicious cake. Breastfeeding is powered by cake and it is not possible to breastfeed without cake. FACT.

See, I wouldn't have needed or used any of that stuff (and yes, I delivered vaginally). Everyone really is different. I took paracetamol for my afterpains after my second birth but I never needed anything else other than standard maternity pads.

Something that will be useful when the baby is a bit older. For example, I would have loved a weaning set instead of having to buy it all 4 months in.

Gosh, how ever do people manage in parts of the world where high chairs are not the norm?

We must always remember that Eurocentric parenting is the only choice.

I consider my errant thoughts suitably chastised!

🙄

I got this for a friend recently, I hope she actually enjoyed it since I saw most gifts were baby related, but I know that i'm personally not really one for pamper packs. I may have appreciated a spa session more but who knows if she'd be able to use it anytime soon.

A speaker headband, what a great invention. I need one of these. I didn't know they existed. Thanks for your post 😀

“Managing” and doing the safest thing for your child are two separate things.

When we know better, we can do better.

We know being in a highchair with a foot stand is the correct alignment to minimise choking, so now we know this, and have access to high chairs, we can reduce that risk.

If you know you could reduce the risk for your child, why wouldn’t you?

@Herecomestreble1 See my previous post, thanks x

https://www.boots.com/snufflebabe-nasal-aspirator-with-case-10076203

absolute must have, trying to feed a tiny baby who has a head cold and a blocked nose is a living nightmare, they can’t blow, so it definitely comes under the category of ‘things you didn’t know (or want to know) you needed.’ There is a different type but they don’t really work, whereas this particular bogey vacuum is a miracle product.

I agree re: a thermal mug, it’s the only way you ever get a warm cup of tea. For a new mum, I’d say Deliveroo vouchers would be a nice thought, wish we’d had it back in the day. Not chic, but then neither is motherhood.