Best gifts you’ve received as a new Mum

[Kiwiinparis]

My best friend is expecting her first baby later on in the year and I’m starting to plan/buy gifts. I would like to know what is the best gift/gifts you’ve received from friends and family when you were expecting?

So far I’ve made a lot of clothes, beanies, muslin wraps and bibs, and bought her a soft toy and some onesies.

We live in different countries so I can’t buy anything big or heavy that is going to cost a fortune to ship.

TIA!

Lansinoh

Hi @Kiwiinparis, when my BFF had her baby I made up a little hamper in a sort of nappy caddy, and filled it with different things. The one she still uses most 15 months later is the thermal mug with a lid.

Weirdly, the absolute best gift has been a night light that i use multiple times per night for breastfeeding. I was given this :www.<a class="break-all" href="https://amazon.co.uk/VAVA-Charging-Rechargeable-Bedside-Breastfeeding/dp/B07JNHJFVP/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&smid=A12HVCDDO4AM4M&psc=1&keywords=vava&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFMQlQwWVRDNlk2SlkmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA2Nzc4NzAyNVJSNldRRzRMMDkzJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAxMDIxMDQxMzNGTk1WRzROQVE4JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU%3D&qid=1614569916&sr=8-2-spons&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-pregnancy-4179706-Best-gifts-you-ve-received-as-a-new-Mum" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.co.uk/VAVA-Charging-Rechargeable-Bedside-Breastfeeding/dp/B07JNHJFVP/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=vava&qid=1614569916&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&smid=A12HVCDDO4AM4M&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFMQlQwWVRDNlk2SlkmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA2Nzc4NzAyNVJSNldRRzRMMDkzJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAxMDIxMDQxMzNGTk1WRzROQVE4JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Chocolate! It has honestly never tasted as good as during a marathon feeding session!

I would say homemade food, but as you're not local, perhaps some easy food delivered (not something she has to prepare!) maybe take away vouchers (Uber Eats so she can choose?) or some easy things that just require heating / eating?

A voucher to have the house cleaned professionally when she is recovering from birth / spending time breastfeeding / exhausted.

A prenatal massage to enjoy in the week or two before birth.

I loved all the gorgeous flowers, baby clothes, books etc I received, but the above would definitely be my pick of the bunch!

See I loved getting vouchers so I could do guilt free splurging on my baby, but I’m not sure that is a good idea with the way the shops have been going under.

Maybe start off baby’s library. You said they live in a different country. Maybe bilingual books?

My brother bought us a voucher for Cook. Net who deliver home cooked meals ready for the oven. They can be frozen for a later date too. It just meant we could order healthy meals without having to worry about cooking them.
We saved them until the week dh went back to work to make that first week easier

Chocolate
Gin
Brazilian bum bum cream
A take away
A goody bag full of treats

Yes, I was given the Viva night light too and it's brilliant

I don’t like the hamper of baby products idea at all. It is a nice gesture but I had one of those got for me and there was loads of products in it that I wouldn’t use for various reasons so I think it’s waste.
Food vouchers or vouchers for treats for mum are a great idea.

A little hamper with dry shampoo, a thermos mug and some hand cream. I used all of those things! Boobie biscuits!
My husband gave me a cheese and cured meats platter the day we came home, it was amazing!
Oh you mean for baby?
My bestie went to a Tupperware party and bought their weaning kit. It was a baby bowl with a lid, a little spork and a sippy cup with lid. I still have it ten years later and used it for all 3 kids.
DEFINITELY home cooked meal, HUGELY appreciated if possible to do.

Brownie delivery, nipple cream and neils yard nappy rash cream, we'd never go out and buy it (pricey) but it's brilliant stuff.
Hubby bought me the velvetiser and it lives in our room - hot chocolate for he 4am feeds has been a sanity saver!

I don’t get the obsession with coffee cups, especially warming ones. For all the time my babies were small, I never had an issue with not getting to a warm drink.

Best gift I got was frozen meal delivery (that's more after birth).
I think the best thing you can do is ask your friend what she needs/wants. Everyone is so different, some like gift hampers, some don't, but when you're pregnant you usually make a list, know what you want or need.

I definitely would have appreciated more people asking what we need rather than just gifting a hamper or baby clothes.

Absolutely agree with that little nightlight. My son has one and when he sleeps in with me I use it in the night when I'm feeding the baby.

I also have a nappy caddy which I carry around everywhere with me. It gets filled with nappies, wipes, nipple cream, bum cream, nappy sacks, spare clothes, muslins, snacks, drinks bottle and clean breast pads. I take it downstairs with me when we go down & it goes on my bedside table each night. It's so so handy and hands down the thing I have used the most.

A handbag and a tray of brownies!
All about meeeeeeeee!

Contigo flask, champagne, snacks.

Something for the mum, absolutely! Baby probably has loads of clothes but if you do buy them, get bigger sizes. 6m or 1y plus. I'd say food delivery or takeaway vouchers. Which country are they in?

The feeding lamp is also a good idea.

I will also say food (so, given you're in a different country, vouchers). Books are lovely too. I wouldn't get clothes unless there's something specific you know she wants.

If she used to live in the same country as you and moved, are there any treats (chocolates or anything) that she can't get in her country? That might be nice for her to have.

Have just seen that you've made clothes, that's a bit different, some people did that for my DD and they were extra special to me because of the person who'd made them.

Also, books for baby, but also I often want something to read during night feeds. Maybe a nice small paperback (therefore easy to manage while feeding) in a genre/ by an author you know she likes.

I feel most people buy things for the baby so I agree with above suggestions that it’d be nice to get some treats for mum

Face masks, prosecco, comfy pjs, bath bombs. Baby's get tons of pressies it's nice to get the mum some stuff.

I like to give a musical toy for the baby. Something like the baby Einstein star. People have specifically thanked me for that and said it was a lifesaver.

If you have made clothes how about some little clothes hangers to go with them. Little clothes don't fit on adult hangers. You can get little padded ones but I actually prefer the classic wooden ones you can get from IKEA.

And something for her - good handcream, a book you think she might enjoy (I read lots of books while bf my first baby - a lot harder with the later ones as toddlers around)

Or if you are really good at making clothes how a nightshirt or pyjamas for your friend? I wore nightdresses with buttons down the front for breastfeeding. I had one absolute favourite in soft brushed cotton. Soft and comforting. After one of my births DH set out to try and find some more. He came back with horrible poly cotton ones which made me sweaty and uncomfortable and looked like something a grandma had discarded.