* Thoughtful baby gifts guide written in partnership with Mamas & Papas *
If the countless pregnancy and new baby announcements on my Instagram feed are anything to go by, it seems like everyone has been making the most of their time together in lockdown, and we’re well and truly seeing the COVID baby boom that so many people predicted in 2020!
So, with all these new arrivals on the way, I thought it only good and proper that I do a shiny new gift guide for you all this year, sharing my top picks of the cutest, most useful and thoughtful baby gifts for new parents from our favourite baby retailer Mamas & Papas.
Whether you’re buying for friends, family or work colleagues, and with options to suit every budget, this gift guide covers it all. So happy shopping and, whatever you choose, I guarantee they will love it!
Cute new baby gifts
Forever Treasured Bunny – £8
To kick things off, you just can’t go wrong with a cuddly toy. And they don’t get any cuter than this pink Forever Treasured Bunny, which is suitable for newborns and made with super soft fabrics to ensure it’s perfectly gentle against sensitive skin. Just the perfect little gift and sure to be a firm favourite for years to come.
Tractor All-in-One Baby Grow – £16
As a parent of a new baby, you can honestly never have too many baby grows (especially long sleeved ones with closed feet to keep little toes warm). And this one, made from the softest cotton with seriously cute embroidered tractor details, is my personal favourite. If buying as a gift, I always recommend getting either the 0-3months or 3-6months sizes, so the new baba has room to grow into it!
Sophie The Giraffe Wooden Train Set – £24.99
I don’t know what it is about trains, but every baby I know just loves them. So this Sophie The Giraffe wooden train set is a great shout, and will last them well into their toddler years and beyond. With three carriages and a pull-along string to promote motor skills, alongside 14 colourful blocks with different geometric shapes to help them learn their colours, it’s a gift that just keeps on giving and will look great in any nursery.
Geoffrey Giraffe – £16
I know I’ve already included one soft toy in this list but, with both our babies, I was always surprised at how few cuddly toys they were given by friends and family (meaning you’re even more likely to hit the jackpot and give them the teddy that becomes their absolute favourite, earning you serious brownie points in the process). Plus, there’s just something about this Geoffrey Giraffe that spoke to me (maybe as Hugh’s favourite toy is a giraffe too!) so I couldn’t leave him off the list…
Thoughtful new baby gifts
Welcome to the World Duck Comforter – £12
Now, every parent knows that a high quality comforter is one of the most thoughtful baby gifts around, to help soothe little ones off to sleep and to chew on instead of a dummy or while their teething. But what would make this seriously cute duck comforter an even more thoughtful gift is buying not one, but two of them! That way, if you need to put one in the wash (or God forbid you lose one, as happens all the time!) you always have a spare ready to go!
Matchstick Monkey Teething Toy – £9.99
While it’s usually around six months before a new baby starts teething, their first teeth can arrive much earlier, so it’s useful to have teething toys in play well in advance. These ones from Matchstick Monkey are some of the very best; ergonomically designed for baby hands to hold, with textured bumps to help get teething gel into their mouths quickly and easily. A great thoughtful baby gift from those in the know!
Sophie The Giraffe – £14.99
I know what you’re going to say…another teething toy AND another giraffe?! Well yes, because like soft toys, new babies are going to need more than one teething toy (for example one for home and one for the car/pram) so it’s useful to have a few options. Plus, giraffes rock and Sophie squeaks when you squeeze her, so…
A true classic and a seriously thoughtful choice.
Skip Hop Musical Instruments Set – £20
Skip Hop is one of our absolute favourite baby brands, which makes the very best toys and bath toys for little hands to play with. This musical instrument set is a seriously thoughtful option, especially for music loving parents, and features a bee shaker drum with rattle beads, a fox tambourine with jingle bells and a bee clacker with flexible wings. Original, cute and thoughtful too…
Useful new baby gifts
Dribble Bibs – £12
I can assure you, there is nothing more useful and more essential for parents of newborns than having a large supply of dribble bibs. You wouldn’t think it by looking at them, but babies produce A LOT of liquid, so having one of these bibs constantly under their chin will save you from having to change their outfit every five minutes. There are a whole load of lovely designs to choose from, but this three-pack here is my personal favourite…
Shnuggle Squishy Changing Mat – £40
We were given this changing mat just after Hugh was born and it is absolutely brilliant. Made from non-toxic foam, it is not only comfortable for tiny babies but it magically stays warm at all times and is wipe clean (essential)! Such a useful gift, that is nice and lightweight, so you can easily move it around the house to use whenever and wherever you need it. Highly recommended.
Baby Snug And Activity Tray – £44
Most first time parents wouldn’t naturally think about buying one of these baby snug seats, which is what makes them such a uniquely useful gift. Since babies can’t sit up on their own until they’re at least six months old, this specially designed seat gives them a helping hand and can be used as soon as they are strong enough to support their own head, propping them up for playtime or feeding (once you start weaning). We couldn’t live without ours, so another brilliant and useful gift idea.
Angelcare Bath Support – £19.99
We bought this Angelcare Bath Support for our first baby and it has been absolutely brilliant and lasted us for years. There are lots of baby bath seat options out there, but this one is our standout favourite as it’s just so soft, made from material that moulds around your baby and rapidly warms up to the temperature of the bathwater. Plus, with its raised sides, it keeps any baby (even the serious wrigglers) in place during bath time to give new parents peace of mind.
Generous new baby gifts
Perfect Prep Day And Night Machine – £109.99
I wish someone had given us one of these Perfect Prep Day And Night Machines when we had our babies, as I’ve heard so many great things about them! Warming up bottles of breastmilk or formula, often up to 10 times a day and throughout all hours of the night, is always a stressful time for new parents, so anything that can help minimise that stress is a serious winner in my book. And this wonder machine can perfectly warm a bottle in less than two minutes, which makes it worth its weight in gold!
Elvie Pelvic Floor Trainer – £169
Definitely a present from one mum to another I’d say (dads, this one isn’t for you!), this award-winning pelvic floor trainer helps new mums improve their bladder control, while supporting postpartum recovery and even enhancing intimate health. Judging by the reviews, this is an incredible piece of cutting edge tech, that is sure to be very gratefully received by any new mum out there.
Babybjorn Bouncer – £189
Last but not least, I can’t recommend this Babybjorn Bouncer enough. It’s the priciest gift on my list, so probably more one from a grandparent or work colleagues clubbing together, but it’s guaranteed to be hugely appreciated. We had versions of this bouncer for both our babies and it’s a real lifesaver for new parents, designed to gently bounce your baby and keep them calm and comfortable, while you can get on with what you need to do (make a bottle, go to the loo, have a cup of tea…whatever you need!). Plus, it’s lightweight, folds down flat, and has a removable cover so is super easy to clean too. Seriously thoughtful and a great option if you’re feeling particularly generous!
***
So, there we have it…15 of the cutest, most useful and thoughtful baby gifts that all new parents will love! Of course, at the end of the day, whether you buy a gift, send a card, bake a cake or promise to be at the end of the phone whenever they need you, it’s the thought that counts. And, honestly, when you’ve had no sleep and you’re on your 10th nappy change of the day, it’s just so lovely to know that people are thinking of you. So, whatever gesture you decide to make – big or small – is guaranteed to go down a treat.
