What to buy New Parents

[NewParentsFriend]

Hi,

My best friend is due to have his first baby in 2 months and its been a bit of a stressful pregnancy for his GF and obviously everyone will be buying presents for the baby etc

I wanted to get ideas on what to get for them. Something that will be for them, not the baby to help them out. or just something to take some stress away and enjoy being a parent.

Im a bit stuck on ideas and thought you lovely people would be able to give me some! What do you think they would like, what would you have wanted someone to get for you now you've given birth.

I dont have kids and really want to try and get something that will benefit them both and like i said make the first few months easier and enjoyable and to relive some stress that they've been having.

Thanks

What a lovely friend you are.

In all honesty, I found practical stuff much more helpful than kids. If you take them round meals, or offer to do some cleaning for them after the baby is here, that would be so helpful. But it depends on what they are like and what your relationship is like, as not everyone would be up for that.

I bought a big hamper of food-you-can't-eat-when-pregnant for one of my friends when her baby was born. Soft cheese, pate, coffee, champagne!

"I found practical stuff much more helpful than presents "

Sorry

Set them up with weekly/twice weekly Graze box deliveries for the first month. Full of yummy things to arrive in the post, especially useful if mom is going to breastfeed.

Basically food.

An insulated coffee mug might be a good idea. Lots of sitting around holding new babies! Or DVDs/books? (I watched/read so so much with a newborn)

Ooooh, lots of things.

If you are close by, things like meals and cleaning are lovely (as PP said, depending on the relationship). Or possibly arranging with a local cleaner to buy them some 'credit' that they can redeem. If they have storage, things like upmarket freezer meals from places like Cook could feel like a real treat.

Oh, a subscription to Nexflix or something might be good too. Although you are busy, there is also a lot of sitting around, particularly if you have a breastfed evening cluster feeder. We loved having Lovefilm DVDs (yes, my first is only 5, but how technology has moved on....) that you could watch for an hour or whatever and then it didn't matter if it was a week before you got around to watching the end.

Insulated coffee mugs are fab too, if you want something you can wrap.

I've just seen on the Graze website that you can buy vouchers.

Mine came this morning: flapjack, carrot cake, oatbakes & dip, and olives!

I don't know how practical this is, but what about a post-pregnancy massage voucher?
I had a lovely lady come to my house and do one while pregnant, so hope to call her back in when PFB is here and settled.

All my money has gone on my baby and he's not even here yet! So I'd love bath stuff, but not gift sets as I'm picky and try and only use natural nice products, so try and find out what she likes to use? I like pricey Lush shampoo/shower gel/facial cleanser etc. and I can't justify the cost of it a lot of the time, but I'd be over the MOON if someone got me those things so I didn't feel guilty spending my money on them but could enjoy them every day!

And food. Lots of food. Any food.

Wine. A crate of the stuff

What a nice friend you are to think of them!

Ohh interesting we have a cook opening around the corner in a few weeks, said to dh could be useful for when baby arrives thanks for reviews!

I agree with the food related suggestions above.

If you do want to get something for the baby, we received lots of clothes and soft toys which were really lovely. However a gift that stood out was a personalised embroidered sampler for the wall with the baby's name and DOB. I have also seen nice word collage things.

Best gift we got was a 6 month Ocado delivery pass and £200 of Ocado vouchers (got it from work). It was a godsend. Went online and ordered stuff as and when I wanted. Both treats and every day stuff.

As well as food, some offers of babysitting maybe? - again, depending on location and relationship. They may not want to go out, but someone to sit downstairs and mind the baby, or just take it for a walk round the block for half an hour can be a life saver when you haven't slept all night!

Food. Meals, snacks, nice cordial (if bf you get v thirsty), or some sort of meals on wheels service. Delia's apple date and walnut loaf is also good if you're bfing.
Insulated mug.
Netflix subscription.
Massage/haircut voucher and accompanying offer of babysitting.
Offers of houseowrk - clean bathroom, kitchen, empty bins, put washing on, fold and sort dry laundry etc.

Good dark chocolate - whether they like it or not, some nights you'll be glad to have it in the house. It's great for breast feeding energy levels, serotonin levels and just as a reward after a hard day. A Green & Blacks variety pack would be useful.

Just noticed Graze box idea below, that's genius! Fits through the letterbox so no inconvenience or hassle.

Hi everyone!

Thanks for all the ideas!

I literally live round the corner from the soon to be parents however they wouldn't let me clean for them ever and I'm not on the babysitting list as I'm a bad influence lol they think I'll try and make the baby like football and comics :-)

I like the graze box idea, and it seems that most new mums just want food...lots of food lol

Also the bath stuff would work too as a huge fan of lush myself I'd know what to get, and a massage voucher is a great idea too!

I gave them my netflix password at the start of the pregnancy so they've made use of that already :-)

Think I'll use a combo of the above and maybe give them a night out to dinner on me too.

Is there anything that I shouldn't do or buy when the baby is born?

I would avoid alcohol - if the mother is bfing it will just make her feel worse "I can't have this..."

I haven't read anyone's replies, but I'd say home delivered meals xx

Just skimmed the replies and all good suggestions but omg the possibility of buying some credit with a cleaning company is genius! I can't think of anything that would have been more useful with dc1 that a couple of hours of a cleaner in the first month or so. As has been mentioned, some pampering stuff for mum won't go wrong - remember nothing strongly scented. Someone bought me Clinique deep comfort body wash and I still remember how lovely and rich and comforting it felt.

My dad bought me a big box of chocolates. He was the only person to buy me a present for me and I was so touched :-)

You can breastfeed and have a drink or two. This is a common myth.

Though admittedly most new mums might not realise that and not have much time to check! Wish I'd found out earlier

The best present I got was a bottle of champagne for me! Seriously, these people are adults, so buy them something you'd like to receive - champagne, (nice) chocolates and flowers are always welcome in my house!