Newborn gift ideas

[jessmke]

I need to buy a baby gift for a newborn little boy, and a couple who are team yellow (due in August). I don't want to buy clothes. Everyone gave us clothes when Isla was born and she had so many of them that half never even got worn before she outgrew them.

What was the best baby gifts (under $50) that you received that weren't clothes?

 

[SpringCrane]

I always try to buy my favorite things, but not strictly for the newborn phase. If I know the momma plans to attempt BFing, I always gift gel nursing pads as they saved my life. The Leachco bathing pad. High quality things I'd never buy for my own kid but loved being gifted, like organic cotton swaddle blankets and burp cloths. Depending on my familiarity, comfortable but stylish jammies for momma (a gift I loved!). Offering to babysit for date night down the road. Favorite board books. My husband's coworker's wife just had their first, and we're giving them Trumpette socks (adorable and stay on but I'd never pay that much for my own kid's socks!), organic muslin burp cloths, and an organic cotton romper in a bigger size (6-9).

 

[jessmke]

I always try to buy my favorite things, but not strictly for the newborn phase. If I know the momma plans to attempt BFing, I always gift gel nursing pads as they saved my life. The Leachco bathing pad. High quality things I'd never buy for my own kid but loved being gifted, like organic cotton swaddle blankets and burp cloths. Depending on my familiarity, comfortable but stylish jammies for momma (a gift I loved!). Offering to babysit for date night down the road. Favorite board books. My husband's coworker's wife just had their first, and we're giving them Trumpette socks (adorable and stay on but I'd never pay that much for my own kid's socks!), organic muslin burp cloths, and an organic cotton romper in a bigger size (6-9).

Thanks for the ideas! I was trying to think of the things that I loved but for the life of me I can't think of anything, that's what happens when you are sleep deprived for 8 months, lol! I don't really know the couples all that well, they are my OH's coworkers so it's hard for me to get them anything too personal and my OH is useless with ideas! I do really appreciate the people who got me clothes that were in bigger sizes and appropriate season for when Isla would fit into them so maybe that is something I could look at doing.

 

[Smanderson]

I can't recommend muslin swaddle blankets enough. We use ours all the time for so many things.

 

[broodymrs]

I always like hooded towels. I'd also say things that are probably too expensive for the parents to buy themselves but that are good quality. We got a lot of blankets which are still getting used 3 years on! Something I did for my brother which might be over budget was a box of essentials, nappies, dummies, baby grows, sleep sacks etc. I also love burts bees baby bee toiletries.

 

[AngelofTroy]

My favourite gift was a set of newborn black and white visual board books.

 

[Starlight32]

Favorite gift we received were swaddle blankets and we have never swaddled her. We use then for other things, like covering the car seat and a tummy time blanket.

Also liked the play mat toy someone gifted us.

Agreed on receiving way too much clothes. The only clothes we use are snap down onesies and sleep sack (none of which were gifted!).

 

[minties]

Scratch mitts, CJ's BUTTer, muslin swaddle wraps (useful for so many things).

 

[noon_child]

I think story books are timeless. Adults read them to babies and once the child is older they can read it to themselves. Something like Beatrix Potter (board book form) or Guess Hiw Much I Love You.

Other than that, relaxing bath soak for the parents. Or maybe a hamper of alcohol, soft cheese and pate for the mum to devour now that she can!

Babies don't need much. No one gave us a gift which I thought was amazing. I would have loved one of those high chairs that turn in to a step stool but they are soooo expensive.

 

[LoveCakes]

I usually give blankets and towels. A friend did a little hamper each for me and LO, it was so thoughtful.

Other things that have gone down well are the kits to do hand/foot prints and personalised art prints with all the family's name on though if you want to give in advance you wouldn't know the name.

I agree, clothes are lovely but you get so many and everyone picks things with about 5 layers that you have to manhandle them in to.

 

[Rainbow82]

We asked everyone close to us to buy a copy of their favourite children's book and write a message in it for our DS. I think I got the idea from here. Not everyone did it but we do have a small but lovely collection of books for him to keep as he gets older.

Eta just read it's for OH colleagues so maybe nice quality swaddle muslins, normal size muslins, board books. After baby was born we also had a few nice personalised gifts like frames with his name, weight etc in cut from paper. A friend has a really nice child sized wooden stool with her daughters name and a scene from a nursery rhyme on.

 

[CRWx]

The best things I got given were muslins, bibs, a lovely little door sign with a saying on from my mum, books and practical things... My SIL gave me a box of things like washing powder, fabric softener, bottle brush, a little dummy steriliser, anti bac wipes etc xxx

 

[jessmke]

I realized the one thing we have used the most was something that I had to buy myself because no one gifted one to us - a bathing suit! So I bought each of them a 6 month sized baby bathing suit (like a little wetsuit almost). We used ours so much that it used to be pink but now is a faded sickly peach colour! I hope they like them!

 

[AndiTTC]

One of my favorite gifts that we received for our little guy was a personalized baby block that included his name, all of his stats, hospital name, and our names. The letter on the block is the letter of his first initial. It was such a special and meaningful gift. We have it displayed in his nursery, and people always comment on it. Since I received it, I have bought one for two other friends' newborns.

Our blocks are from https://www.craft-e-family.com. They cost $19.50 USD. There are other places that make them, but I am unsure of their quality and I think that they typically tend to run for a bit more. Pottery Barn, for instance, sells them for $39, and I don't think that you can include as much info on their blocks as you can on the ones from craft-e-family.com.

https://www.craftefamily.com/gift-ideas/baby-gifts/images/baby block.JPG