It’s always an exciting time when your friend has a baby. It’s the start of a new journey for them, not to mention you get unfettered access to baby cuddles every time you visit. And when the day comes that their newborn arrives, you’ll likely want to get them a gift to welcome them to the world. But buying for a baby can be tricky, especially as mum and dad will have probably bought them a huge amount of stuff already.
So if you’re currently racking your brain trying to think of the perfect gift for your friend and their newborn, we’re here to help. The guide below will look at how to think practically and personally to help you choose something your friend will really appreciate, followed by a list of great gift ideas to help inspire you, no matter what your budget!
Think practically
The reality of having a baby is that priorities change, and your daily living costs go up. As such, it can be helpful to choose practical gifts for your friend’s newborn. Though these might not be all that exciting, let’s face it, the baby isn’t aware of this and you could be doing your friends a huge favour. For example, babies use a lot of nappies every day, so buying your friend a couple of big packs of Pampers can be extremely helpful. The same applies to other necessities like baby wipes, bottles and dummies. You might even want to combine a few of these to create a lovely hamper for your friend and their newborn.
Other practical gifts can be things like soft play mats, muslins or blankets. If you’re really unsure what to get, you could always ask your friend if there’s anything they’re short of that they could use. This way you can ensure you buy something that is going to make a genuine difference to your friend and their new addition.
Think personally
If you want to get something lasting or more personal, there are a number of very sweet and personalised gifts you can choose for a newborn. The internet has opened us up to a world of custom designed baby grows, personalised teddy bears and hand embroidered blankets, meaning there are plenty of gorgeous gifts out there that your friend will love. Take some time to think about what you’d like to get the baby, you might also want to get them something they can treasure forever, for example a ‘my first years’ book, christening bangle or personalised keepsake box.
Think about the parents
This suggestion is slightly left field and arguably not a present for the newborn as such, but don’t forget about the parents when choosing a gift. Especially mum, who has been through a lot throughout the pregnancy and birth of the baby. As well as choosing a gift for their newborn, you might also want to get a little something that the parents can enjoy. This could be some essential oils or creams to help mum on her way to recovery, it could be some of their favourite treats or it could be a baby sling to make their life easier when out and about.
Think outside the box
You can also get creative with your gift ideas, things that the new parents might not have ever known they needed, but actually can make a big difference. An example of this could be a Netflix subscription. If your friends are going to be spending a lot more time at home, help keep them entertained with a great boxset! Technology can be extremely helpful for new parents, consider a NutriBullet Baby Food Processor or a pressure cooker so they can still have delicious home cooked meals without having to spend any real time in the kitchen.
There are also a number of companies out there that create monthly subscription boxes full of goodies for newborns. These types of presents are gifts that keep on giving. Each month they’ll receive a package with new products in, and this can be a great way to help them out on a regular basis. If you want to buy a gift that’s a bit different, think outside the box!
8 gift ideas for your friend’s newborn
Hopefully by now you’re beginning to put together a few ideas for what you can get your friend and their newborn, based on the guide above. In this next section we’ve complied a list of eight great gift ideas to help you choose the perfect present that your friend is going to truly appreciate.
1. Baby Shusher
Perfect for fussy babies, you can buy the official Baby Susher on Amazon. There are also a number of other cute, portable noise machines to help get baby back to sleep.
2. Headrest mirror
The perfect gift for helping parents keep an eye on their little one whilst they’re in their car seat.
3. Baby changing travel bag
When a baby needs to be changed you don’t want to spend ages searching for a changing facility. This fold out travel bag helps you to change you newborn when you’re out and about, as well as being a handy bag for carrying nappies, wipes and other necessities.
4. Baby welcome hamper
There are a number of companies out there that put together beautiful hampers for newborns, usually featuring baby grows, nappies, essential toiletries and soft toys.
5. Hand and footprint kit
There are different varieties you can choose from, but these hand and footprint kits make great keepsakes for parents.
6. Personalised cashmere blanket
Soft, cashmere blankets are perfect for newborns, and you can add a personal touch by having their initials embroidered in the corner. You can find a number of companies online that offer this service.
7. Personalised “my first curl” box
Ramp up the cuteness factor and savour those precious moments with a my first curl box customised by us to include names, birthdays… anything you like!
8. Soft play mat/activity gym
Create a soft and safe area for the baby to lay, whilst keeping them entertained with some of the great activity gyms available for newborns.
