Yay – they had a baby! Yay – time to get them a newborn gift! Ya…wait, what? Another gift to buy? Original gift ideas for new parents can get a little thin on the ground when you’re on your eighth baby of the year, so we’ve come up with a few new ones for you. No need to thank us.
If they cry at everything
This could be every new parent, to be honest. Those postnatal hormones run amok in the first six months and new mums (and dads) can frequently be caught crying at the butter dish and other such inanimate objects. If your new parent is generally the sentimental sort who really values a keepsake, then a ‘milestone gift’ could be just the thing. A Milestone Mat is perfect if they like to Instagram their child’s big moments. Additionally, our When You Were Born book is a keepsake that makes a serious bid for the Best First Addition to Baby’s Bookshelf award.
If they prefer their parenting experience sugar-free
Not everybody’s into the cutesy side of parenthood. Some parents are much more worried about losing their identity than losing their Sophie The Giraffe. If your friends are the down-to-earth, no-I’m-not-naming-my-child-after-a-vegetable types, then our personalised Survival Guide for New Parents is the practical present that tells it like it is (and might just put a smile on that sleep-deprived face).
If they’re big spenders
They’ve got the latest Bugaboo pram, and they’re planning to clothe the kid exclusively in Chanel’s fall line. These are your friends who are hard to buy for at the best of times, but especially so when they’re expecting a little bundle of baby. Go right the other way and give them something that money can’t buy. If you’re arty, pen a poem just for baby (or invest in our Poems for You: New Parent Edition), or get your pencils out and illustrate the first letter of their name. If you’re not much of an artist, scour your local antique market for something unexpected. Think memory box, not price tag.
If they’re having a crisis of confidence
Becoming a parent is scary. Even the most breezily self-assured mum-to-be can have a case of the I-cants. Reassure them that they’re going to be brilliant with their own copy of Oh, What Parents You’ll Be! – a funny and cute-as-a-button bedtime story that’s both reassuring and heartwarmably sweet.
If they’re struggling with the whole no sleep thing
And why wouldn’t they be? The all-night-rave levels of sleep deprivation that a newborn can inflict takes some getting used to. We can’t promise more sleep, but there are one or two pretty ingenious gadgets on the market now that claim to lull babies into a deeper slumber. Ewan The Sheep has a very good rep: the makers of this woolly wonder say that their award-winning cuddly sheep mimics the comfort of the womb to encourage sleep. Worth a try.
If they don’t have locally sourced help
Some parents have hands-on parents of their own that live nearby, are handily retired, obsessed with their new grandchild and more than happy to perform the role of third parent. Others…don’t. If your friends are without free childcare, the very best gift you can give them is showing up and holding the baby for an hour – thus enabling them to have a lie-down, finish a cup of tea, or do whatever will make them feel briefly human again.
