My sister’s boyfriend’s sister (convoluted connection I know) is due her first baby any day now and I was getting my brain picked for suggestions of really good presents for her and for the baby. Seemed like a good topic for another lovely ‘list’ blog post so here we go – some of my top picks for babies! (And not forgetting something for the new mums, here are some really excellent ideas just for them.)
1 – Ewan the sleep sheep – A cuddly sheep that lights up with a soft red glow and plays a range of soothing heartbeat-themed white noise tracks. Not only has this been such a hit in our house that we have one for each child and The Boy still uses his, but the customer service is truly fabulous – speedy, helpful, good sense of humour! My number 1 top pick!
2 – Summer infant light projectors – these come in a great selection of animals and bugs, from ladybirds and butterflies to frogs and elephants. They play a twinkly tune and send stars onto the ceiling in a range of colours. As with Ewan this has a wide age appeal. The Boy uses it to keep monsters at bay, The Girl gets a sensory kick from lying in a dark room and watching the stars – never seen so many kicks! Amazon sell them for £14.99 (at time of publication) and if you click through from here you can help me keep this blog running at no extra cost to you!
3 – Bandanas – these cute little neck scarves might seem like a pointless fashion accessory but trust me – baby drool is the most slimy, soggifying substance known to humankind and one of these little fleece-backed beauties stops their clothes getting wet and prevents a sore, chafed chest. They’ll be dribbling before you know it! Plus they look utterly adorable and can be bought at bargainous prices.
4 – New clothes – always nice even if the baby is well stocked with hand-me-downs, but aim for 6 months and onwards as, not only will the outfit get more wear, but chances are there are a million 0-6 month clothes already. If you don’t know what to buy then may I suggest dungarees? They’re gorgeous on all babies and eminently practical, especially once they start crawling and you need a grab handle!
5 – Something personalised with baby’s name, be it a blanket, doorplate or book it’s a special present that the parents won’t have bought. Especially good for subsequent babies.
6 – Cloth books or ‘That’s not my…’ touch and feel books. The Girl is only 4 months old and already loves to examine these so they come in sooner than you might think. Black and white books are great for small babies as they love the high contrast images.
7 – Cuddly toys are always lovely, but be aware that these may be in rich supply and the parents may curse you forever. If you’re going to do it, though, make it a jellycat toy. All the children I know who have special cuddly friends it’s a jellycat friend. The bunnies and monkeys seem to be especially popular, in our house at least. Super soft and with lovely beanie bottoms.
8 – A playmat. We always make these in our house, or have been given beautiful handmade ones with ribbon tags for little fingers to explore, but you can buy them and they are a baby essential until they start crawling. Not only do they make a safe, clean (easily washable) surface to place a stationary bubba, but I’ve seen some fabulous photos of babies taken on a playmat once a month from newborn as they grow and you can use the images on the playmat as a reference to track their growth – just lovely.
9 – Hooded towels – not only are these great for snuggly post-bath cuddles (watch out for the obligatory nappy-free wee on your lap) but babies look super cute in these. Love this duckie one.
10 – Childproof cutlery and/or crockery. These will be needed before you know it and will go on being useful for years, plus (unlike the wretched cuddly toys) you can’t really have too many, as it’s always handy to have one to wash and one to ‘wear’, and that’s before you even factor in having their little friends over for lunch!
I have received no remuneration of any kind, not even free products, for this article. All brands and items mentioned or linked have either been tried and tested at our cost or I just randomly Googled something that would demonstrate what I meant!
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