Making my friend a basket full of things for when her little girl is born...ideas please...

[ScoobyDooooo]

Ok i have decided to make my friend as a present for the birth of her baby girl in about 5 weeks a basket full of essentials & things, so far i have...

1. Washable breast pads.
2. nipple cream
3. muslins
4. 2 rompers
5. Little hat
6. Dress set from Next
7. Some vests.

What else should i add? i am going to add a little pink teddy but need some more essential things....??

The Essential Guide To Breastfeeding by Sharon Trotter.

xx

in that case a card with the following details on may be handy...
National Childbirth Trust Breastfeeding Line 0870 444 8708
La Leche League Telephone Helpline 0845 120 2918
Association of Breastfeeding Mothers telephone helpline 0870 401 7711

colditz, your friend sounds just like mine!!

wipes are great! my work did me a 'baby box' for ds2... i think everyone put a packet of wipes in... i joked that i had a lifetime supply - and had used the bloody lot in the first month!

it's a lovely gift idea, and such fun to go through when baby's here!

Johnson's baby bath
Sudocrem

Ooh yes - Baby wipes and nappy sacks too!

a Baby Feed Wheel and there was a thread a while ago where someone suggested a nice fluffy dressing gown for those night feeds, which I thought was a nice idea, but might be over budget.

She is fine for nappies but she has been moaing about wipes, cotton wall so will buy some of these, also bum cream & just thought about that colic stuff, have added the baby feeding wheel will defo be rdering one of those. I have a lovely dressing gown from dd which was hardly used so like brand new sure she would be happy with this.

She is fine for nappies but she has been moaing about wipes, cotton wall so will buy some of these, also bum cream & just thought about that colic stuff, have added the baby feeding wheel will defo be rdering one of those. I have a lovely dressing gown from dd which was hardly used so like brand new sure she would be happy with this.

wool not wall

Bibs
Book called: 'How not to be the perfect mother' OR 'The bad mothers handbook'

Oh and maybe a little something for her 4 yr old so he/she doesn't feel left out.

Shouldn't the dressing gown be for the mum to keep her warm during the night feeds ??

this is a gorgeous new mother bath soak here
whenever i give it to a new mum they cry (must be the hormones...) as they feel loved!

would recommend the cheese and booze ideas! also, on the book front, a great book called "what to do if you want to breastfeed, and what to do if you can't..." (something like that) by Clare Byam Cook. Really practical on all sorts of things, including tips for dealing with crying etc.

PS what a lovely friend you are, this is a nice thread

i had 2 of these baskets
sudocrem
cotton wool
baby bottle
pk dummies
bibs
baby lotion shampoo and wash
small teddy
teething ring
wipes
nappy bags
little hat
baby socks
bootees
scratch mits
antibacterial wash to use on dry hands
cotton buds
hth

it was only 2 mths ago thats why i still remember.

oh i also had first cup plate,weaning spoon etc
and a nice thing thst they did they put little bows and decoration on each thing, just made it look that more special.You want a nice basket too, mine had a bear on so they are good and look nice for storage.

I did one of these for my sister when she had my lovely nephew, and i included two sets of earplugs.....and they used them!

i did this for a friend a couple of years ago and reasoned that everyone else would buy baby gifts, so i wanted to buy baby gifts as well (just because i get broody wandering around babay gap...) but i also got some clarins samples. go to a department store and explain what you're doing - lot of the beauty counter ladies will give you samples etc. it's nice thing ofr new mum to get a minute and slap on some fancy moisturiser. oh and get her a trashy book, rather than anything to do with motherhood.. or a huge pile of glossy mags - she's not just a mum, she's still her.

touche eclat

hahah! i was looking for a Mner called 'eclat' that i had would up touche eclat is an excellent idea.

Baby Love by Robin Barker is an excellent book with good bf advice. Its Australian but probably available on amazon.

(yes, I did mean a dressing gown for the new Mum, but you could always go for 'hers and hers' matching Mum and baby )

I would also add a tube of metanium - having tried lots of things it is the only one that I have found that gets rid of ds's nappy rash.

Depending on the pram she has got, a thing to put on the handle that holds a cup or bottle (or even one for her and one for the baby!). Toys-R-Us now sell them and so does the Baby Catalogue.

In fact the baby catalogue have several bits and pieces that would be useful. They do a nice 'snuggle blanket' made out of cotton flannelette which is nice and soft, can be used for all sorts (towel, floor mat, extra sheet, summer blanket, etc) and a snip at £4.50. A wriggly toy that can be attached to a car seat or pram is handy, lots of people give 'proper' toys, having something that you can take out and about with you is very useful.

Which reminds me, a small bag made up with a few nappies and travel sizes of all the other bits and bobs that you need to change a baby, including a couple of disposable changing mats would be nice because she could just pop it in her bag and be ready to go out. Travel shops now have some nice wipeable pouches that are pretty cheap or even a cosmetics pouch or small sponge bag would be good.

Don't know if this would be insensitive if she is trying to bf but if she is also going to be expressing they can be useful. Mothercare do a self sterilising bottle that you can just put into the microwave for 90 seconds, wait another 90 seconds and it is ready. It is also handy if you are out travelling as you don't have to lug other sterilising stuff around with you. If you are tired and a baby is screaming for their food, having to wait 10-15 mins for a steam or microwave steriliser to do its stuff can be a very long time!

Finally (I know I have gone on too long, sorry!), if you are any good at taking pictures, put a voucher in there to say you will take a nice portrait of mum and baby (and other child, think you say she has already got one?) - it is so easy to think you are taking pictures and get to a year old and realise you have got lots of nice snaps but no proper pictures that you have planned in advance.

Enjoy putting it together - I am sure your friend will love receiving it!

fab book - 'what mothers do, especially when it looks like nothing', Naomi Stadlen- cheered me up and was a hit with friends with new babies. Worth considering if your friend likes that kind of thing??