At the beginning of July my little sister welcomed her daughter Eira into the world. As a congratulations I wanted to buy her gifts that were useful and also that little bit special.
Possibly my favourite find was the “Go Everywhere Mat” from Avery Row. My sister takes this with her everywhere to ensure Eira has a clean area to lie on (whilst preserving the sofas/carpets of friends and family from sick and dribble). I bought the “Round in circles” design in mint which currently has £25 off.
I remembered how although it was lovely to have very pretty outfits for Mabel, they often were not that practical, in terms of frequent nappy changes and the aforementioned regurgitated milk. I used to love easy pull on/take off joggers and soft cotton tops so treated Eira to a cute duck print set and a floral complete-with-ruffle-bum number from Marks & Spencers. For a tenner I think these are excellent value – and they wash really well too.
On the subject of M&S, I also bought their go-with-everything grey chunky knitted hooded cardigan (Mabel wore hers ALL THE TIME) and even though I am completely contradicting the practicality element from my last paragraph, I also bought a beautiful tulle layered dress from their Autograph range (find similar here) as I. JUST. COULDN”T. RESIST.
For Eira’s nursery I had a bespoke typography print created by Cheryl Rawlings, I loved it so much Mabel has the same design in her new bedroom. Some of the artwork/wall hangings were some of the most memorable and thoughtful gifts I received as a new Mum.
Also check out Phireflydesign for lovely things for walls and beautiful unique prints.
Other gifts I have bought for close friends and family members in the past have been the “supersoft” hooded towel and the New Baby Gift Set from Boden. They are so beautifully presented in a co-ordinating bag that they really are a luxe present, spendy admittedly, but absolutely categorically special and useful.
What newborn gifts did you receive that were particularly memorable/special? Ever bought anything for someone else only to buy one for yourself? (I do this ALL THE TIME).
Image by Carley Buick.
Love the M&S duck set Charlotte – so cute! I have brought these personalised star vests from https://www.littlemaldod.com/shop-all/personalised-brush-lettered-star-vest as presents recently & they are lovely. I am not one for personalised things particularly but the grey/star combo makes them I think!
These are lovely Nicola!
I love buying newborn gifts! Recently I’ve bought a teething necklace from Livi Lou Loops and some gorgeous gold leopard print leggings from Fred and Noah – both gifts are gender neutral. As a first time mum I also think a great gift was socks! At one point I went to our local pound shop as was in desperate need and used some table leg socks as a replacement! But if you’re looking for something fancier the Trumpette ballet shoes and sneaker socks are super cute and come in a lovely gift box.
Love a good sock Nastasia, I have no idea how Mabel ends up with 25 that don’t match 🙄
I’m a lover of the ones with frills at the top x
I wish this post came out a few months ago as I could’ve sent it to a few well meaning friends and family. However for my now 5 week old daughter (my second) she now has 33, yes 33, 0-3 month vests in a variety of pink shades!!! Think of the money wasted there!
My go to present for newborns is either the star wrap as it’s so useful and much easier to get on and off than a coat or snow suit http://tuppenceandcrumble.com/shop/star_wraps or a lovely personalised dressing gown for when they are a bit older https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/my1styears/product/personalised-hooded-baby-robe-ivory
Natalie I have never seen that star wrap before?! Ridiculously cute!
I also ended up with around 30 0-3 month vests, most of which I managed to exchange for bigger sizes. Thankfully.
I also had around 20 3-6 month sleepsuits, which were barely used. It didn’t dawn on me in the early days that by this stage he wouldn’t be wearing sleepsuits all the time.
Love the playmat, what a great idea! I always think you can’t go wrong with luxury muslins – Autograph or Aden & Anais do super nice that you prob wouldn’t buy for yourself but when you’re out and about it’s always nice to mop up the vom with something pretty!
Victoria I absolutely agree, I loved a posh muslin for out and about x
Oh Charlotte thank you so much for the mention, that’s so thoughtful! While I try to give my prints a timelessness, without a doubt they tend to be bought for new parents in most cases which is really lovely.
I remember when Fern was born I was gifted a beautiful poster but it sat for about a year in its envelope as I never got round to getting a frame. I think that’s why the magnetic wooden poster hangers have been popular as they’re so instantaneous.
That go everywhere mat looks brilliant – definitely pinning for future reference. My best friend had her first baby recently and now Fern is 2.5 I admit I struggled to think what would be the most unique, useful gift. My go-to however is always the Minene Bath Buddy, a floating bath pillow that Fern just ADORED as a baby. I’ve gifted them several times and they’ve always gone down a treat….
The floating pillow sounds great, we always struggled with Mabel in the bath as a baby – she detested it! luckily she’s absolutely fine now x
One of my favourite gifts was a personalised book by a company called ‘lost my name’ which a quick check tells me is now called wonderbly. It made me cry happy tears when we first read it and it’s one of my little girls favourite books now. Each book is unique and is an adventure to find each letter of a child’s name. I’ve bought it lots of times as a gift now.
I loved some of the beautiful blankets we got and one of the most practical presents was little plastic pots for when you start weaning-I thought it was strange at the time but have used them everyday! X
Socks. Whatever else I give, I usually put a packet of socks in a size 6-12 months because they mysteriously vanish all the time and you end up with only odd ones (just me…?) so can never have too many.
I like to give a classic children’s book too- just gave my lovely friend “The Great Big Alfie and Annie Rose story book” but have also given out Madeline and Meg and Mog before.
Can we talk about how m and S are killing the kids clothes right now? And how awful they used to be! I remember we had a voucher to spend when S was born and the selection was terrible. We bought the plain white vests as they were the only things we liked. 2 1/2 years on I would spend it in about two seconds!!!
Oh and if it’s a baby shower I give maternity pads (Boots slimline ones, the only ones worth bothering with imo) and some dry shampoo (you’ll need it) and chocolate for the labour bag. And a frozen Cook ready meal. All pre baby essentials.
Yes! I am known among friends for being the practical baby shower gift provider! Always mat pads (a shuddering memory of sending poor husband out at 9pm to buy me extras means I know you need a lot), food for the freezer and often I put in toileteries for the parents along with basic meds for newborns that I found helpful gripewater, coleif drops, calpol, things for first cold eg snufflebabe products. Stuff you just don’t think about until your beautiful baby is poorly and you’re searching desperately for an open pharmacy *based on life experience
Haha Yes to the first aid kit! My mum got me the Sheila Kitzinger child health book which is amazing- tells you what to do in all sorts of eventualities.
Also, incontinence bed mats or puppy pads. If you’re too sore to wear pants but need to protect your bed…
Final one I promise is Neals yard seaweed and Arnica bath stuff. It’s magic.
Oh I used Earth Mama post-partum bath herbs and Earth Mama bottom spray….actual saviours, so.soothing.
This bath stuff sounds amazing Lucy, and such a thoughtful gift, I love the idea of packing up a bunch of practical things that new parents might not have thought about that are essential for straight after birth x
I think you can’t go wrong with books. Janet and Allan ahlberg classics etc. For clothes I’d get bigger sizes. I couldn’t face putting O in anything other than rompers until she was 3 months old – a mixture of PND and also it was so ruddy hard with those little limbs!
Yes I agree on sizes, I bought my sister a range of 3-6 and 6-9 months so she would have a selection x
I love those M&S cardigans, my daughter always had one! I wish they went beyond 9-12 months though! A gift that we were given and I have subsequently bought for others is the large baby towel from The White Company…. http://www.thewhitecompany.com/Hydrocotton-Baby-Towel/p/Hydrocotton-Baby-Towel?swatch=White. It’s so soft and washes brilliantly. It’s worth getting the bigger one because it lasts so long – we are still using it 3 years later! I also tend to buy a Jellycat cuddly toy for new babies – not massively useful but gorgeous! I agree about the fancy but impractical outfits – I was given so many little dresses for my baby girl but the reality is she barely wore them. Now I tend to buy new babies a pack of nice babygrows from John Lewis because you know they’ll be useful! X
For us a bath thermometer was SUPER awesome! It’s practical and can double up as a fun bath companion! Also, grobags and water wipes were very well received!
X
Those M&S cardis are the best for newborns – I scored one in the sale for our impending arrival. And now I really want a Go Everywhere Mat!
Gifts I like to give are Aden & Anais muslins, Jellycat bunnies and nice babygros. Mamas & Papas are usually good for those. I also like to get something for mummy – the changing mat clutches from Skip Hop and Tiba and Marl are a lovely gift, or failing that just a nice shower gel.
When our first was born, we got a voucher for a keepsake stuffed animal made out of your baby’s clothes – you send the clothes away, and they come back made into an animal of your choice. I loved that, and it’s something our daughter will always have. We got a unicorn embroidered with her name and date of birth.
Another gift I think is fab if you’re planning on spending a bit more, is a newborn photo shoot. We did it with our now 2.5 year old and I know I’ll always treasure those photos. I have one booked in for our second baby already! x
I have an 8 week old little girl and didn’t know gender which I’m really pleased about, otherwise we would have had even more pink dresses!
https://weegallery.com
I love everything made by this company, bought myself the large muslin and then bought it for all my friends
I was also given leggings by these guys and they’re great…
https://www.lottieandlysh.co.uk
You can also never have too much cotton wool or water wipes!
Love the Wee Gallery stuff Alice!
I’m a fan of practical things too – my friend gave me a basket full of useful things (calpol, infacol, water wipes, a star wrap mentioned above!, nappy sacks etc etc) and then the actual basket is great too (holds our muslins!). I was also given a pack of larger sized muslins which have been unexpectedly useful (I use one to cover the changing mat and one as a sort of sheet over his sleepyhead).
I like to give friends a teething necklace and had to buy one for myself after my son was born – a good sign I think! Lara and Ollie do gorgeous ones.
Clotheswise we were given loads of newborn vests, but had about one for any older size! I recently checked his 3-6 month wardrobe and he has 14 pairs of trousers but only 1 long sleeved bodysuit and 2 vests… useful!!
I’d stay clear of bibs and hats… my son has millions of both but I just use a muslin as I can cover his clothes and my bra with it, and it’s been too warm for hats (and he hates them).
I agree with Aden and Anais muslins – they are the best. However I’ve just bought this double sided baby book for a new baby as my boy loved it and it is nice to give something the baby will enjoy. It’s also reasonably priced.
https://m.johnlewis.com/tiny-love-double-sided-first-book/p2118060
Aw Thank you so much for the wonderful mention, so very kind of you. Always love seeing your gorgeous pictures on my feed. Xx
One of the best gifts I received was a bloom sock bouquet. Wonderful because unexpected and thoughtful, and it arrived whilst I was still in hospital, so mum brought it in for me to open. Brilliant because the socks are mAgically stretchy and are still going strong 16 months later.
In terms of what I’ve given – I tend to do an item of (practical) clothing, and one of those pieces of chewable silicon jewellery.
Rebecca I’ve never heard of a Bloom sock bouquet but it sounds intriguing! And very useful x
Sock ons! We have never lost a single sock due to these little pieces of genius! I even got one pair for 10p at a baby sale! http://www.sockons.co.uk/
Also Morrck blankets, essential for a winter baby, no need for bulky snow suits/jackets and safe in car seats. We got a larger one for his buggy which worked brilliantly for his second winter and much cheaper than a cosy toes. We’re in the coldest part of Scotland too and he was toasty warm! https://www.morrck.co.uk/
And always something for mummy, she’s just done all the hard work and has lots more to come. Lx
Twenty Two & Six do lovely personalised nursery decorations including customised initials and words filled with brightly coloured felt balls which make beautiful and unique new baby gifts:
http://www.twentytwoandsix.etsy.com
I also love Etta Loves muslins – you can never have too many and these are gorgeous!
Sarah and Bendrix for amazing classic wooden toys.
And anything off Lobella Loves – who give a portion of all their profit to post natal depression charities! What’s not to love! X