Perfectly Useful Gifts For New Mums...

Having just had my first child six months ago, I have recently experienced the influx of generosity that surrounds a new addition to the world. It seems that everyone we know and everyone our parents know wanted to treat us and our baby boy. Whilst every last gift was so thoughtful and so lovely, there were some that stood out more than others. There are also some that I would have gifted my friends, had I had a baby before them...

Whilst those teeny tiny socks are oh so cute, and that pink/blue baby grow is just lovely, here are a few gifts that I myself have loved and appreciated.

Gender Neutral Clothes/Clothes for Later in the Year

Yes, it is very easy to dress a little boy in blue and a little girl in pink, but the pieces I LOVE in Roman's wardrobe are more subtle, neutral colours and prints, earthy tones, teals, yellows, and creams.... These are great in case we have a girl next, or in case one of our siblings has a child and wants our hand-me-downs!

Everyone will want to buy a tiny baby or newborn outfit. Roman was very small, but a lot of babies are born bigger than newborn outfits or grow out of them within a week or so, so it's great to think of later in the year. Also consider when they are born—January babies will be six months old in the summer, so a six month old's t-shirt or sun hat would be a great gift!

Something for Mum

When you're pregnant, the world revolves around you; which is nice, but as soon as the baby is born, it just stops... Remember that mum has just carried baby for nine months and has gone through a body-shattering ordeal to bring baby into the world. Mum deserves a gift too, don't you think? Anything from natural cooling spray for my lady bits or chocolate worked well for me in those early days. I was up all night breastfeeding, so sweet treats and a variety of teas were my vice. A massage voucher for when mum is feeling up to it, some mum and baby yoga classes pre-paid? Some body oils? Something to start helping mum feel like herself again; because trust me, its been six months and I'm not even halfway back to being the me I was before I was pregnant.

Food Food FOOD

This sounds stupid, but ANYONE that has a baby will tell you, THIS is the THE most important gift. You are so consumed by this little person (and if you've got more than one, God help you) that cooking and shopping are the last things on your mind. One of our most treasured gifts was an Uber eats voucher (from friends that had previously had their baby). It was the most perfect gift for us. Also, Tesco vouchers, so they can do an online shop, or, if you are going visiting, bring them a home-cooked meal or bring ingredients and offer to cook for them. I found visitors incredible draining when Roman was born, but some of my friends who have babies and our parents would always help with a bit of cooking, cleaning, or even holding the baby so we could nap/shower. Those were gifts I lived for.

Natural Baby Toys

There are so many great, environmentally friendly companies that make natural baby toys, from tethers to pram toys, chemical and plastic-free, that your little one will love! They also look a lot less garish than many other baby toys (believe me, we have a lot of hideous toys lying around).

Essentials

It might seem like a boring gift to you, but there is nothing that I spend more on then the disposable side of babies... nappies, wipes, laundry detergent... There are some great eco-friendly products on the market too, so maybe even look into reusable nappies (this may not be for everyone). Other things we used A LOT of in the beginning was baby vests, as they were constantly covered in pee or poo, and sheets for the baby crib, as we also went through a lot of swaddles (we used the velcro ones by Juicy Bumble and they were amazing).

A Sleep Course

There are a lot out there, whether they are local or online courses that help you get your baby into a sleeping pattern... or even to help baby sleep at all... We did "Taking Cara Babies" and these courses are the pricier end of the gift range at around £75 for an online course and £150 for a local one. The course was, hands down, the best money we ever spent as parents. Roman has been sleeping through the night (anywhere from 7-12 hours) since he was four weeks old thanks to this course). If you really want to treat those tired new parents, THIS is the biggest treat.