To ask what the nicest or most useful new born gift you got was

[DotDashDot24]

Would like to get a (small) newborn gift for an acquaintance.

What is the nicest or most useful small gift you got for a newborn?

(This will probably have to fit in a child's school bag).

Thank you 🙏

Large beautiful muslins, ideal for a lightweight summer blanket perhaps wouldn't have used so much if I had a winter baby. Some treats just for me cookies for when I was breastfeeding went down a treat! A baby gym with lots of hanging toys. By the time baby was a few weeks old she loved it. A hanging toy for the pram for her to gaze at. A nice blanket.

Yes same and I normally get them for others first baby

YABU

Don't buy a soft toy!

Contrary to a lot of these suggestions, I ended up being given far too many muslins so would personally steer clear of those too.

I found sock-ons quite useful as my baby was always kicking socks off.

Also, really nice classic children's books which were enjoyable for both of us to read together (Peepo, Each Peach Pear Plum, We're Going on a Bear Hunt, or some beautiful fairytale anthology).

Bath toys are also good fun.

Sleeping bags - had never thought of using them before as a FTM.

Sock-ons

A cuddly toy that also works as a lamp projecting designs on the ceiling and plays tunes / white noise. Meant that when we travelled, going to sleep felt the same.

Also all things hand knitted.

A board book with a clipped thing to attach it to the buggy
A box of snacks to have at hand for night feeds
Nursem hand cream
Neals yard lavender Bath oil

Oh Christ don’t get muslins or blankets we were given about 100 of both and most were barely used. It’s really hard as by the time they’ve had the baby they’ve probably bought everything they need and don’t already have. I liked vouchers for food or days out as it’s helpful with crap Mat pay, or I found that 3 months came round really quick and we had no toys for the baby so possibly a toy or I also liked personalised bits or higher end bits as it was a bit more indulgent that I wouldn’t buy.

Some good really moisturising hand cream for the parents. My hands were so sore and dry with all the extra washing.

Sleeping bag
White noise machine
Baby toys
Play gym/mat

You buy a million muslins yourself and also get gifted loads.

A book which you loved reading as a child and or with your own children.

I also loved the giant swaddle muslins - used far more than any others!

A gift for the mum, not the baby. A lovely selection of bath oils or body lotion was a nice present.

Probably not suitable for an acquaintance but my own mum paid for a cleaner for three months which was a great gift. Another friend bought round a beautifully prepared meal.

I am still using muslins which I was given when my 23 year old DS was born ... they make great dusters 😆.

I gave my close friends a gift bag full of hand sanitiser, hand cream, nipple balm, pads (sanitary and nipple!), painkillers and other "handy" things, and treats like chocolate etc.
I waited until baby was a few weeks old and found out what they needed and then bought whatever was required for the baby.
They all said it was the best thing they'd got (although they could well have been lying! 😆)

Metanium nappy rash cream. Agree with sock-ons. Munchkin 360 cup, babymoov food tubs. Baby nail clippers/file. Any nice snacks for mum.

I got our neighbours a box of luxury brownies when they had their baby. They said it was the best gift ever!

I second the Metanium nappy rash cream!

Homemade cake - maybe it was hormones, but it was so thoughtful and tasted so delicious!

Those leather booties as above

A lovely book

Takeaway voucher

When DC3 was born, 3 days later a school
Mum friend took my eldest two for the whole day and they played all day with their friends. That was the best newborn gift I've ever received. Other than that, some lovely muslins.

Cake. I needed cake.

My standard baby gift is a Cook meal delivery. Never had it not go down well. Many of the specific baby items people have named here would have been useless to me, but then again other people might not have shared my bottomless breastfeeding-fuelled need for cake, so.

Socks and bibs are so useful because you never have enough