What's a good gift for a new mum?

the_syco

Hey all,
Mates wife has recently come home from the hospital over the weekend, and thinking of popping over with a gift this weekend. Would there be anything that the mothers here found that they'd really appreciate a week after coming home from the hospital?

lazygal

Visiters who don't stay too long and refuse all offers of a cup of tea or coffee.

Actual gifts I would go the voucher route. Mothercare or similar, we got way too many clothes and toys both times. Vouchers were great for getting stuff we actually needed when kiddies were older.

nikpmup

Come with food (seriously, something like a homemade lasagne that can be frozen) and your marigolds - while you're there, fill the dishwasher, Hoover, mop, or just take the baby for half an hour so she can shower/rest Failing that, a voucher is good, or if you buy a gift, include the receipt.

Chattastrophe!

A couple of nice ready meals from M&S etc, that was one really thoughtful gift I received!

Roesy

The food/lasagne sounds like a great idea but I would probably have felt a bit weird about my husbands friend tackling my house work. Might be just me though How about a boxset of something you think they might enjoy? I know with us we didn't get out and about that much in the first couple of weeks(a combination of weather and exhaustion!) so we watched a good bit of tv.

Chattastrophe!

I'd feel similar Roesy, I'd absolutely hate for someone to go at my housework. Our place is a mess at the moment (baby is only three weeks old), but I really don't mind, so long as the places the baby is in contact with are clean and hygienic, I'm happy! But I'd be quite upset if someone tried to insist on doing the housework for us. It's all stuff that can wait.

As I said though, ready-meals are so handy - if you know what sort of food they eat. We also got loads of biscuits and chocolates, and while I don't eat them myself, it's handy to have them to offer to other guests. I also got given bottles of Calpol by mothers who've been here before - haven't needed them yet, but I've been assured I'll be grateful not to have to go out hunting for a 24 hour chemist some night!!

If buying clothes, please don't buy Newborn size! My little guy was a relatively low birth weight, but already he's grown out most of his Newborn clothes ... and we're still getting presents in that size! Gift vouchers are ideal, or else include gift receipts.

Sweet_pea

Chattastrophe! wrote: »

If buying clothes, please don't buy Newborn size! My little guy was a relatively low birth weight, but already he's grown out most of his Newborn clothes ... and we're still getting presents in that size! Gift vouchers are ideal, or else include gift receipts.

It's funny I didn't receive one piece of clothing in newborn size, all the gift were 3-6 months and I was told not to worry about getting newborn sizes myself due to getting them as gifts!

My favorite gift I received was a beautiful bunch of flowers and a lovely silver photo frame. Sounds simple but noone really gives flowers anymore and the frame will last forever.

Depends on how well you know them with regard to how long you stay but make sure to leave sooner than you think.

IvyTheTerrible

Something for pampering maybe, or food. I really wouldn't be into getting something for the child. Maybe this is just me, but I found in the first few months of my son's life, that I was completely forgotten about as a person. Every present was for him, people would call and ask about the baby and not how I was. Some small token that shows you're thinking of the new mum would be appreciated.

Chattastrophe!

Flowers or anything for the house are lovely. You'll never have more visitors, so it's great to be able to make the place look nice!

Fairie

Plus one on the food!
If you are buying clothes make sure you get them for the correct season and include the receipt.
Vouchers are a good idea too.

On our first we were given a meal voucher for restaurant we love, it was nice that mammy and daddy got a little present too.!

the_syco

nikpmup wrote: »

Come with food (seriously, something like a homemade lasagne that can be frozen)

Cool. Will check with my mate what they both eat. Probably make some shepards pie, or something involving mince and pasta.

Roesy wrote: »

How about a boxset of something you think they might enjoy?

Have a list which I got off them before they went into the hospital of stuff, so that's kind of covered.

=-=

Thanks for your help. Shall be getting the baby clothes at a later stage, for when they hit a year or two; pointless for now, as they'll only get worn for a few weeks.

Moonbeam

I agree with food,anything that can be frozen.
Nice non alcoholic drinks are really good too.

pwurple

Yes, food. Something that isn't a biscuit or a tin of sweets. Fruit basket maybe? Feels vaguely healthy.

I also appreciated alcoholic drinks!

bp

I loved getting good chocolate - butlers etc to be hidden and eaten by myself at 3am.....hubby never knew :-)

Hannibal Smith

bp wrote: »

I loved getting good chocolate - butlers etc to be hidden and eaten by myself at 3am.....hubby never knew :-)

I would have loved a nice box of chocolate. Everything I got was so sensible and useful. ..but I would have loved something non baby related that was just for me. Is that really awful

vitani

Flowers and chocolates were my favourite present. I liked getting baby clothes, but it was nice receiving something for me to enjoy. One of my friends did show up with a book, which was a nice thought but it was months before I could even read a newspaper article in full without my concentration disappearing half way through.

carolinespring

I normally wait a few weeks to send flower in case the couple get loads when the baby is born. More often than not if it is a friend I get a present for the mum. Voucher for facial that she can use when she wants, Nice hand cream or a clothes voucher she can use when she feels she would like something new a few months after the baby is born.

If I don't know the mum well. I get a voucher for first shoes for the baby. I always check that the shop has a open ended date for the voucher and this has always gone down really well, or a blanket or first soft toy with the babies name on it. Have done up a couple of baskets with cot sheets, nappies, wipes, calpol, towel, toy etc.

How Strange

For a week after I came out of hospital I appreciated cooked dinners. It was so fantastic to know we didn't have to worry about cooking. Even better send dessert around too

Godiva chocolates. These are the yummiest, most sinful chocolates ever. I'm not sure if you can but them in Ireland but perhaps on line. If there's one time in your adult life that you can gorge on chocolate and not give a fig about calories it's just after child birth.

After that perhaps a nice Shea butter body cream for a few weeks down the line when she has the time and energy to moisturise again.

whupdedo

A treadmill

lmullen

I would of loved to get to drink a hot cup of tea! It's the simple things!

Madisson

My best present was flowers. I got so much 3-6 months clothes that I had to bring loads back. The flowers were so nice..like someone actually thought of me

bp

Oh and my hubby got some craft beers....he was trilled to be remembered :-)

pwurple

Vouchers for a healthy-ish take away was a great one I got. No interest in chocolates or flowers here. Flowers were more work to trim and refresh water... Chocolate... I'd had 9 months of stuffing myself.

MoonDancer

I got nappies and wipes off a few friends as gifts, and I thought that was a godsend!!

Chattastrophe!

MoonDancer wrote: »

I got nappies and wipes off a few friends as gifts, and I thought that was a godsend!!

Only if you know what brand they're using though!!

nikpmup

That reminds me, years ago, when my friend had her first baby, myself and another friend made up a hamper with wipes, nappy bags, Milton tablets, muslin cloths, baby body wash, sudocreme, etc... All sorts of little essentials. She loved it!

kandr10

I loved getting food - pasta bake easy to reheat stuff. We're picky about the nappies and wipes were using as we want to use as Eco friendly as possible without using cloth. Even still we were gifted nappies and wipes and were delighted cos you horse through them at such a fast rate!

Chattastrophe!

I'm very fussy about our wipes and nappies (Simple wipes, and Pampers nappies). We did receive a gift of a load of Johnsons wipes, and of course they'll be used, but at the same time they're not the ones we want to be using.

I hate using them on him because they don't feel half as nice on his skin, I don't want to hurt him.

Mammies do put a lot of time and thinking and research into what they're happy to use on the newborn. I wouldn't go buying anything for another mother unless I knew it was something she'd be happy to use.

Lucyfur

I never really buy for the baby. I usually make a hamper of meals and a bottle of wine, or a voucher for somewhere that does take away. Or an offer of babysitting for a few hours if the parents want to go out.

If it's a close friend, I'll send flowers too.

MoonDancer

The nappies and wipes I got were pampers sensitive for newborns, so can't go wrong with that I suppose.

Neyite

I got a voucher for a hairdressers brilliant present - post natal hair anyone?

I got some Sanctuary soapy stuff too which was lovely.

And a six-pack for the dad too.

Freezer meals are really useful.

Some of the useful stuff from chemists for babies - the kind of stuff you dont think of, but at 3am would come in very handy indeed. But you'd need to probably be a parent to know what you found useful or not.

Chattastrophe!

A thermometer would actually be a great present to give. A couple of weeks before my due date, we decided to pick one up in Boots. We could have spent around €50 to get one that tells the temperature straight away - but instead we went for a normal digital thermometer for around €10.

It's a disaster really, sure you're only really going to bother taking their temperature if they're off-form and seem hot and bothered, and it's a nightmare trying to hold it in his armpit for the few minutes it takes to read the temperature! I've a feeling we're going to have to end up splashing out on the more expensive one.

Of course, you might want to check first if they have one already!

Roesy

Chattastrophe! wrote: »

A thermometer would actually be a great present to give. A couple of weeks before my due date, we decided to pick one up in Boots. We could have spent around €50 to get one that tells the temperature straight away - but instead we went for a normal digital thermometer for around €10.

It's a disaster really, sure you're only really going to bother taking their temperature if they're off-form and seem hot and bothered, and it's a nightmare trying to hold it in his armpit for the few minutes it takes to read the temperature! I've a feeling we're going to have to end up splashing out on the more expensive one.

Of course, you might want to check first if they have one already!

We got one of the thermoscan ones as a present. Definitely a handy gift!

Jeekers

I always give baby vests and a hooded towel. You can never go wrong.

Jeekers

I always give baby vests and a hooded towel. You can never go wrong.

dizzymiss

What's a good gift for a new mum??? A voucher for a spa and the offer to babysit when she books it. Food is a good idea too, vouchers as opposed to actual clothes. Not visiting straightaway, new mums get so many visitors the first week or two and then there's a massive of lull. When our munchkin was born, i found that after my husband went back to work and people stopped calling that the occasional random visitor was a welcomed sight.

Millem

Although I loved all the presents we got and was blown away by the amount my absolute favourite gift from a friend was a voucher to get a framed imprint of baby's hand and foot. Soooo thoughtful and we will have it forever

Toots

I remember when I was in hospital my mum brought in a lovely box of butlers chocolates - I ate them at midnight on the sly. The frozen meal idea is great. A friend of mine was given a voucher for a professional cleaner to come and clean for two days (ie two separate days) and she said it was a godsend. They came in and hoovered up, did some laundry and ironing and did stuff like cleaned the kitchen and bathroom.