Presents for friend having first baby

[Londonideas]

My friend has invited me to stay with her fit the weekend a month before she has her first baby. I want to make up a gift bag or hamper full of things for her and her husband and the baby but what's actually nice/useful to receive?

*for the weekend

Nice baby clothes, organic cotton blanket, soft toy/crinkly baby book, toiletries for mum and baby. Maybe some nice chocolates for mum? Have a look on Etsy, they have lots of baby hampers to give you ideas 😊

The best presents I got for the baby were really practical, things like Muslim cloths, nappies (left in the packet so she knows what size they are), vests, nappy cream, etc...

The best present I got for myself was a really luxurious shower oil that was also a moisturiser to save time having to moisturise post shower. I also got some lovely bottles of wine for post baby which I appreciated. Something like a knock off Stanley cup could be good, or a really good thermal coffee cup! You could also get those for the husband.

ETA vouchers for their local take aways or coffee shops would also be a good idea and you wouldn't have to get them for huge monetary value

Cook (posh ready meals) voucher for easy and delicious meals for mum and dad once the baby arrives!

Another vote for high quality thermal cup!!

Everytime a friend has a baby I make up a hamper of the boring but necessary stuff! So I fill it with sudocrem, baby wipes, baby bath/wash stuff, cotton balls, calpol, gripe water, infacol, hair brush etc, Vapor rub and all similar things.

Someone gave me a hamper full of this with my son and it was the best gift I received!

The best present I got was a bundle of children’s picture books. Tiddler, Each Peach, etc. Obviously DS was way too young to care, but I loved reading to him as a baby (and he liked hearing my voice, and it gave me something to say while I was getting used to doing the “mummy running commentary” thing).

Oh, and the best present I bought myself was a really good travel mug which could be tipped upside down and not leak.

I had a tonne of baby clothes already, and didn’t really need anything else for myself (because I had no time for a pamper session, that time was needed for catching up on sleep).

Probably a bit late but bought this baby gift box for a friend with a new baby and she was so thrilled! Filled with beauty stuff for her and Child’s Farm products, and a big muslin swaddle, soft baby socks and teether etc by a brand called Each Peach Baby. And then always drop a dinner over for their freezer

https://www.thebridalbeautycompany.com/collections/beauty-boxes/products/the-new-baby-gift-box

Older baby clothes because everyone buys 0-3m and they have too many

Something to keep her coffee hot, I never got to finish a cup before it went cold, my skin problems that went away when pregnant were out of control after , psoriasis and eczema so a good moisturiser and body lotion. Few bits for the nappy bag miniature nappy cream travel changing mat .

If she’s planning on breastfeeding then the best presents are a vast water bottle with a straw and really nice individually wrapped snacks - the breastfeeding hunger and thirst are unlike anything else!

I also appreciated silk hair ties so I could keep my hair back and not make the breakage worse, nipple balm, muslins (somehow you can never have too many), baby books (as in for babies, not about babies), the half-size issues of magazines, comfortable pyjamas and food vouchers.

Such a nice thing to do OP, I’m sure she will be thrilled!