by Katie Virk
Given all the gifts ideas in the previous blog? Here are some more for the next five expectant parents on your gift list.
1. Reusable wipes
Even if the person receiving the gift has no interest in using cloth nappies they can still make good use of cloth wipes. Cloth wipes can be used to wipe baby sick, sticky weaning fingers, snotty toddler noses, drink spillages… your own tears.
Cloth wipes are probably my best baby buy, ours are well loved and going strong after six years of daily use. Cheeky wipes are probably the most popular, but there are loads of different options available – look on the Nappy Lady site for a good range.
2. A present for an older sibling
On the theme of useful, what could be better than something to keep older sibling happy and occupied whilst parents deal with the newborn? A stack of books works well. If buying toys, think open-ended toys that can be enjoyed by multiple age groups and passed on to future generations. I recommend Lego Duplo or magnetic tiles (Magnatiles and Playmags are common brands). Yes they’re plastic, but they’ll be used and enjoyed every single day for the next 10+ years, and be reused by other families or grandchildren in future.
3. Food
The best gift I got when my baby was born was a huge box of chocolate brownies. I ate one at every night feed and I still remember them very fondly nearly six years later. Consider homemade freezer meals (if you’re a whizz in the kitchen), ‘nice’ ready meals (think M&S or Waitrose), vouchers for the local takeaway or a meal delivery service. Because babies are hard work, and cooking dinner to the tune of a screaming baby sucks.
4. Your time
Oh free time, I think I can vaguely remember you. Luxurious free time as a new parent looks like having a slightly longer than strictly necessary sit on the loo with your phone to read. So do your friend a solid (while they do theirs in peace) and offer to take the baby out for a walk. Offer to clean the house, wash the baby bottles, take the pile of nappies festering by the door out to the wheelie bin. Take older sibling out to the park. Best of all come and visit when baby is 2-3 months old; all the new baby coo-ers have long gone and the new parent is starting to get lonely.
5. Borro gift card
New parents invariably get gifted baby clothes whether they want them or not! People tend to gift newborn sizes so at around 3-6 months you suddenly find yourself with no clothes and a growing baby. A Borro gift card means parents can choose whatever clothes or sizes they need, when they need them, meaning your gift won't sit at the back of a drawer getting forgotten about. Once the recipient has used all the value from the gift card, they can keep paying their subscription, or return the clothes for free. So they actually get gorgeous clothes that they want and need, which will then be wanted and needed by more families down the line!
