A baby has been born and you want to bring something lovely. But what? Within two weeks, new parents' cupboards fill up with cuddly toys and size 50 rompers, while the things they actually use every day are often missing. Below is an overview by budget — and one question worth asking yourself first.
First, check whether there is a list
More and more parents create a baby registry. That isn't impolite, it's practical: you can see at a glance what is still needed and what has already been bought, so nobody turns up with the third identical blanket.
Feel free to ask. With us you can create and share a baby registry yourself; whatever someone buys is ticked off, so double gifts are no longer possible.
Are you the parent-to-be and does it feel awkward to send a list around? Remember that you are doing your guests a favour. Nobody wants to spend money on something that ends up unused in a cupboard.
Small gift: up to about 15 euros
Small and used every day almost always beats big and decorative.
- a bath thermometer — the first bath is exciting enough without doubting the temperature
- baby nail clippers or nail scissors with a rounded tip; baby nails grow faster than anyone expects
- a soft buggy book or a cuddly toy with a teething ring
- an extra fitted sheet for the cot — there is always one in the wash at the wrong moment
Things like these get used up, wear out or end up in the laundry basket. That is exactly why they are appreciated.
Mid-range: 15 to 40 euros
- a baby care set with clippers, scissors, bath thermometer, nasal aspirator, brush and comb — everything in one box, and typically something nobody buys for themselves
- a decorative cushion in teddy bouclé: star, moon, cloud, bear or flower. It stays in the room for years
- a cotton and muslin blanket set
- a foldable changing mat for the bag — changing a nappy on a park bench is no luxury problem
- a bed bumper for the cot
Bigger gift: from 50 euros, or together
If you are clubbing together with colleagues or friends, a category comes into view that parents rarely buy for themselves. A baby nest, for example: during the day the baby lies in it within arm's reach, and it moves with you from one room to another.
Just one thing. A baby nest is meant for daytime use, on a flat, firm surface — not on a bed or sofa — and with someone nearby. It is not suitable at night or without supervision, and as soon as your baby starts to roll over, you stop using it. Good to know when you give it as a gift, so you can mention it straight away.
Other gifts in this category: a footmuff for the pram with winter on its way, or a wooden baby gym that only comes into play after a few months but is then used straight away.
And something almost nobody does: give the mother something too
Almost every new-baby gift goes to the baby. Understandable — but the first weeks after giving birth are physically hard, and that rarely gets any attention.
- a postpartum recovery set, with a peri bottle and compresses
- a gel compress you can use both warm and cold
- maternity pads — anything but romantic, and precisely for that reason a relief when someone thinks of them
A gift for the mother stands out, simply because it happens so rarely. If you know her well enough, this is often the present she remembers longest.
What you had better skip
- Clothes in size 50. Everyone gets too many, and sometimes the baby has outgrown them after two weeks. Size 68 or 74 is a safer bet.
- Yet another cuddly toy. Unless you know for sure it will be the first.
- Something with the name on it, bought before the birth. Names change at the last minute more often than you think.
Baby shower or new-baby gift — does it matter?
A little. At a baby shower, before the birth, anything that helps with the preparations fits: things for the nursery, the hospital bag, the baby essentials. A new-baby gift comes after the birth, once real life has begun — then everyday items, and things for the mother, score a lot higher than decoration.
Gift wrapping and a card
At checkout you can choose gift wrapping. Baby nests go into packaging with a window at the front and a bow; everything else we wrap in brown paper with a bow on top. You provide the text for the card yourself, or choose one of the example wishes for a birth, a baby shower or a maternity visit.
We never put an invoice or receipt in the parcel — not with regular orders either. Shipping within the Netherlands is free.