Mummy to be hamper ideas please ??

[Blueberryface]

Hi all
Creating a mum to be hamper. Looking for suggestions and ideas on what is useful for baby and mum post birth ?
Thanks

Mum
Lanosoh nipple balm
Lanisoh breast pads
A water bottle
Soft comfy loungewear
Chocolate
My coco bump balm
Boots maternity pads
Comfy big knickers
Socks
Breastfeeding vests

Baby
Muslins, Muslins, muslins
Crumble and flake star blanket
Wipes/nappies
Rockit
Whitenoise toy
Stretchy blanket for swaddling
Knitted cardigans and blankets
High contrast baby books

Anything treat-like for the parents - one of my friends sent us a selection of handmade brownies which were great!

I was also sent some lovely toiletries from Lush (though doesn't have to be Lush) - basically anything nice to pamper the new mother with as she's likely to not feel like she has the time to look after herself. I think I much preferred that to if someone had bought me maternity-related things as I'd already sorted that stuff out! Hand cream and moisturisers are a really good thing to receive as skin can go dry with hormones and the amount of washing you end up doing!

I wouldn’t buy personal items like nipple cream. I’d keep it to lovely things like chocolate, scented candle, cute romper, something cosy for mum - socks or PJs, nIce bath stuff, biscuits, water bottle, thermos mug for night-feed brews, that kind of things.

Try and talk to the mum to be about some of her preferences and make the hamper accordingly. Eg she may not be planning to breastfeed or might be planning to use reusable nappies/breast pads. I'd stick to mostly consumable items to avoid any issues with duplicates of things she already has. Don't buy baby blankets, everyone buys those and lots of people use baby sleeping bags instead these days. If you buy clothes for the baby get bigger sizes and include a gift receipt. Chocolate is a winner for most mummies!

Not Lush! They are so heavily perfumed that they can really bother the baby, who needs Mum's natural scent for comfort...

NetflixAndSauvignonBlanc has some great advice. I've got a 3.5 Yr old and a 5 month old. Muslin cloths I bought enough of, have too many baby toys than I know what to do with.

Clothes the next size up are great as mentioned, but pay attention the seasons too. We've been bought fleece sleepsuits in 6-9 months. A kind gift, but they've already gone to the charity shop as they'll be fitting from June onwards and they'd be far too warm to wear then. He'll have grown out them by September, so a wasted gift sadly

Magazines
small size toiletries such as shampoo, face wipes
good snacks such as graze bars, dried fruits, posh bottle of cordial

As above - please give a gift receipt. We have an abundance of stuff we are unlikely to use and it's such a waste. And I don't use scented toiletries whilst establishing bf so as above Lush would be wasted on me.

Nice toiletries for the babies (child's farm etc) are always welcome.
Takeaway voucher if you know what they like.
Hobnobs. Must be chocolate or they're worthless.

Ooh yes actually - @onepieceoflollipop has triggered a thought. Setting up a graze delivery for a few months would have been really appreciated.

While the bath stuff and face masks and other treat bits are very well meaning, I ended up with a load of them that I never used because I had a tiny baby - I barely had time for a quick shower! The practical things are good though, insulated coffee cup, water bottle with a straw... Chocolate however is always appreciated!
One thing that I try to buy for baby gifts is a baby book. You probably wouldn't buy for yourself and I certainly didn't receive one as a gift. Old fashioned maybe but those 'one line a day' ones are easy to keep up with and a nice memory to have.

Honestly, not too much. As PP havr said, winter clothes that would have fitted over Summer

Too many people bought:
Muslins
Blankets
Baby oil, soap, lotion
Comforters
Outfits for 0-3 months
Too much of this stuff went to charity shop

One thing i found useful was the Secret Saviour band but i guess its a very personal choice

I was espec grateful to the friend who asked what would be useful as for example I am using cloth nappies so mainly bigger sizes are useful and we’ve been given many lovely 3 -6 months our6 week old is almost too big for already and often they are hard to put on .i have still loved them and trying to take a photo of him in each as fast as can .

he was a reasonably big baby so never fitted a thoughtful newborn outfit From a sil that was for up to 7lb.
I haven’t needed muslins as he isn’t sick and have about 5 blankets but each is lovely.

Yes we have at least 6 beautiful comforters and our last two didn’t take to them or use them. So don’t know if baby Ds will

Consumables might be quite useful - a friend gave me a special rooibus tea which good for breastfeeding and I thought so thoughtful. It’s such a kind idea OP.

i loved m&s babygros

So many of these hampers end up being wasted. I have cups, thermos flasks and socks. I hated receiving toiletries, I have my own toiletries that I like to use. Receiving random miniature shampoo or shower gel is a waste of plastic.

The things I found helpful were snacks, cook and takeaway vouchers.

Depends on the friend. For me, I'd just want food. Chocolate, sweets, really filling little cakes, just anything edible. I got a food hamper from work and I remember eating the Percy Pigs in a state of rapture. Candles, creams, bath products etc., would be put aside to be quietly and guiltily binned later on.

The kindest and most welcome thing anyone did for me when DD was born was bring five days' worth of home-made meals for both me and DH that we could just bung in the freezer and pull out when we were tired to cook. They were delicious and such a relief to have there to fall back on. Absolutely praying they do the same again this time...

For something fun and cheery, the "Your new baby, an owner's manual" book really cheered me up during a long NICU stay. It's a very cheap paperback and can be read in about five minutes but it did bring a smile and some joy amidst a time of exhaustion and stress.

Probably the most useful and thoughtful thing I had given post birth was a stock of homemade meals we could heat up and some lactation cookies. All the gifts for baby were lovely but like others have said I had loads of these things already prepared

A mini bottle of Prosecco never goes a miss with a new mum!

I like to get really nice biscuits and a couple of magazines in a topic I know the mum likes. Feeding whichever way you do it is time consuming, you're not always able to watch stuff, and biscuits are quick and easy to eat and can be shared with unexpected guests.

Can’t believe people are suggesting a load of breastfeeding related stuff, that’s none of your business and why assume? I would suggest a contigo flask (keeps drinks hot for hours and much safer to not drink open cups around the baby), favourite bottle of wine or alcohol if they drink, clothes for baby that are not too seasonal, so either normal sleepsuits in a big size to put by or tops and leggings that will be worn all year round. I never had time for face masks etc either. They are still all in the cupboard.