Searching for a great baby gift? Maybe your friend, coworker, or cousin had a baby and you want to visit and bring them a gift, but not sure what to get? Here are some ideas of the best newborn baby gifts to get that parents will love.
Best Clothes to Give For a Baby Gift
Giving baby clothes is a super common baby gift and one that is fun to pick out. There is nothing cuter then a little baby outfit. However, the best newborn baby gifts that are clothes are not always the most stylish outfits.
Instead of giving a Sunday’s best outfit that they may only wear once if they are lucky, give clothes that the baby will actually wear and get use out of. A new mom will appreciate clothes that her baby can wear over and over again instead of trying to figure out when to put her baby that spits up in a beautiful gown.
Next, do not give newborn clothes. Most babies do not wear newborn clothes very long if at all, so giving a newborn outfit is typically not helpful. Ideally, give clothes that will fit a little later on like 6 or 9 month clothes. For more on clothes that a new baby needs click here.
Besides getting clothes or outfits for when the baby is a little bigger, get clothes that are season appropriate. Not all babies stay true to size, but get something you know they will for sure be able to wear. For example, if in 6 months it is the middle of winter, do not get a summer outfit. Buy a sleep n’ play or a pants/long sleeve shirt combo. Other safe clothes that pretty much every baby wears are onesies and jammies.
Give Something Helpful From When You Had a Baby
Another great baby gift is to give something that you found super helpful from when you had a baby. If you haven’t had a baby yet, check with a mom, sister or friend on what was the best baby gift they received.
For example, a wonderful gift that I am still using today are the onesie extenders I received as a gift from my first baby. I had a friend who had a baby boy about a year before my son was born. Her and her husband are tall just like my husband and me. So chances are our baby would be long as well. When her son was born she had gotten these onesie extenders as a gift.
She loved them and used them so much that she had some made for me. These can’t be found in a regular store. They were made and sold by a lady on Etsy. Typically with a long baby the width of the onesie fits fine, but to keep wearing them they need to be longer. So the onesie extenders snap on to the bottom of a onesie to extend the length. She gave me 4 of them – each fitting a different size of onesie and snaps. She gave me the card of the woman who makes them as well so I could get more made if needed or pass on the wonderful gift to someone else.
Practical Newborn Baby Gifts
If you aren’t sure about clothes or have an idea of a helpful gift, there are lots of other baby essentials that parents would love as a baby gift.
When in doubt, diapers are one of the best newborn baby gifts that you can give someone. Babies go through many diapers and they are not cheap. If you choose to get diapers get size 1 or size 2 diapers.
Here is a list of other baby essentials that make the best newborn baby gifts:
- Wipes
- Bibs
- Shampoo
- Body wash
- Lotion
Baby Toys
Toys are something that a baby might not have many of, especially toys for when they are a bit older. Newborn babies do not need many toys, but by the time they are 6 months babies enjoy playing with a variety of toys.
There are many good and safe toy options to give as a baby gift.
- Blocks
- Balls
- Activity table
- Bath toys
- Activity cube
- Stacking cups
Personalized Baby Gifts
If you want to go the sentimental route there are many gifts that can be personalized. Getting something with the baby’s name, birthdate, and birth details can be fun and special.
Here are some examples of personalized baby gifts:
- Picture Frame
- Story book
- Blanket
- Hat
- Onesie
- Bath towel
- Cup
- Plate
- Snack container
- Puzzle
- Stuffed animal
- Backpack/bag
- Wall hanging
- Step stool
- Night light
Best Gifts to Help Out the Parents
Everyone loves gifts, so another option is to get something for the mom or parents instead of getting a gift for a newborn baby.
Meals
Giving or making food is one of the best newborn baby gifts and is so helpful to the parents during this time. One of the last things new parents spend time doing with a new baby is cooking. However, they still have to eat and if they have other children they have to eat too. A good meal is underrated those first few weeks and not something they likely have often right now, which makes it a good gift.
If you choose to give food, put it in disposable pans, bags, or containers so they don’t have to worry about getting it back to you and can toss it after it is gone. Next, it should be something that does not require prep time on their part. It should be something that has to be baked in the oven, heated up in the microwave, or grabbed out of the fridge. This is meant to be helpful so do not make more work for the parents. Then write down any cooking instructions and put on top and write what it is you are giving them. For example, if you are giving a casserole write down the ingredients in case of food allergies.
Give healthy foods and foods that provide good nutrition as that is what is needed to care for a newborn baby. Another option is to give a meal that can be used right then or freezable if they would rather save it for later like when going back to work.
Other Services
Besides food, there are other services that could be super helpful to parents at this busy time. See this list for services you could provide or pay to have done for the new parents:
- Cleaning the House
- Cutting the grass
- Snow shoveling
- Run their errands
- Babysitting the baby or other children
Gifts for the Siblings of the New Baby
Another nice gesture is to get the older siblings a small gift or toy in addition to the baby or parents. A new baby is a huge adjustment for everyone, including any other children in the family. It can be difficult if other children see the baby getting all new gifts and they are not getting anything. They may begin to resent the new baby.
Instead of giving the other sibling(s) a gift, you could take them somewhere fun or do something special with them. It would be something “just for the older sibling(s) not the new baby”. In addition, this helps out the parents as well to get the other kids out of the house for a while.
Final Thoughts on Best Newborn Baby Gifts
Giving a baby gift is a generous thing to do and there are many options. Before deciding on which route you want to go, think about the mom or parents and what they would like or what would mean the most to them.
For more on how to prepare for your baby check out my Ultimate Baby Planning Guide. Grab your free 30 item checklist below.
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