Best present you got from a friend after having a baby?

[ovumahead]

My friend gave birth today to a much wanted baby. I'm so so happy for her. She lives over 2 hours away, so no chance of popping round once she gets home (not that she'd necessarily want me to!). I want to send her something special to mark the occasion but don't know what... Any suggestions? What were the best gifts you received from friends? I know I don't have to get her anything but I want to..

I always get a babygro/sleepsuit/all-in-one thing of some kind. Am I being unhelpful? [worried]

Witch hazel.

Funky giraffe bibs
White co sleep suits in a larger size (or any nice sleep suits would have been lovely, I really appreciated these)
Or maybe a toy/book for when the baby is a little bit older? We had very few baby toys. We did have some Lamaze (sp?) stuff which was well received

I had a baby 7 weeks ago and the best (and only :( ) present FOR ME was a bottle of L'occitane shower oil and some lovely chocs. The oil was/is perfect as skin seems to really dry out pp and this stuff is amazing. The chocs were just a bonus ;-)

A friend of my mum's, who I don't even know that well, gave me a lovely little cloth book for dd, and a half bottle of white wine and a bag of mini mars bars for me. Ace!

I have an 8 week old and love all the clothes we were given as gifts! Didn't already have loads as we didn't know baby's sex before birth so was lovely to get lots of little girl outfits. Most people did get 0-3 or 3-6 month though and at 8 weeks dd hasn't grown into any of it yet!

So I wouldn't say clothes were a bad idea! A couple of friends got me chocolate... Very much appreciated!! Actually any food would be good. Also flowers really brightened up my living room.

So I wouldn't say clothes were a bad idea!

Phew. I do love buying tiny baby clothes.

A gift box of a selection of soft cheese

www.pongcheese.co.uk/shop/soft-cheese/the-new-mums-box-of-indulgence.html

A KFC!!

Cook or itunes/netflix vouchers. You spend an awful lot of time watching tv.

A 3-pack of sleep suits in size 6-9 months. It seemed a strange choice of gift at the time, but it was so lovely 6 months down the line to have them ready in the drawer for that "Arghhhhh, nothing fits" moment.

Amazon vouchers would have been lovely too.

Wow so many brilliant replies! Thank you all so much! Now I'm just overwhelmed by choice... Thanks everyone!

A personalised cd for the new baby!
We have a 'pop goes your name' one and love it!

Changing mat clutch thing from Jojo Maman Bebe
Posh biscuits that you'd never buy yourself
Kindle vouchers for books to keep you going during night feeds
No-spill feeding-friendly thermos-type cup (LOVED THIS)
Posh/interesting caffeine-free tea (especially good if bf and want to keep your caffeine intake down)

And DEFINITELY M&S ready meals.

My favourite was a Marks and Spencer two dine meal deal and a hardback collection of stories with an inscription both from my best friend.

An afternoon tea in a box!! I got that from my aunt cos im algreic to flowers

I got lots of lovely things when I had my babies, but one thing that I thought was especially thoughtful was a bag of gifts from one of the school mums who I only really exchange pleasantries with.

In the bag was a Sophie giraffe rattle, Posh organic baby wash, Neals Yard hand cream, Green and Blacks chocolate and some Kinder eggs for the other children. Was moved to tears by it as it was so was so sweet that someone had gone to so much trouble for a relative stranger! Am definitely going to pass the sentiment on and buy similar for someone else I hardly know!

Home made chocolate cake!

I'll read the rest of the replies now

Work sent me a huge tin of mini muffins. I froze them in 4s and got them out when guests dropped in for a cuppa and a look at the baby. DH bought me a digital radio to listen to during night feeds - it has a clock on it so I could see how long I'd been sitting there and when it was time to change boob.

Please not clothes!! She will be absolutely overwhelmed with clothes as gifts and most of them she probably won't even like (I know that sounds horrendous but that's just my experience!)

I would have loved, like someone above said, a new mum emergency pack- a handy bag with a toothbrush and paste, gum, dry shampoo (what a lifesaver!), face wipes, lip balm and deodarant! Sometimes it's so difficult finding time to get yourself ready with everything wherever it is, this would have been wonderfully ideal!

Thru penny bits do the best breast feeding pillows. Tie on! I loved mine, didn't take it off for nearly a year.

Having just had a baby the best presents were:

Good quality babygrows (M&S, Vertbaudet, Next, Hatley, John Lewis.)
John Lewis or Mothercare Vouchers
Fortnum & Mason champagne & truffles.

What I'd now get for a friend who ha a baby using what I know now:

Nice chocolates or booze.
Baby grooming set (nail clippers etc)
Sudocreme
Large nice luxury Muslins
An evening of baby sitting or house clean.

Don't get anything too personal for the baby - our DS hates grow bags, won't be swaddled, I'd have been upset if was given a breast feeding pillow and I couldn't or felt I'd failed to breast feed.

My best present was 2 packets of biscuits!! lol simple tastes!!

The best and most thoughtful present I (we) got was a line-a-day 5 year diary. I'm really enjoying writing in it what we're doing every day and who visits, the twins' milestones etc.
Diary