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Presents for a new baby/expectant parents etc

RookRook Registered User regular
edited April 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
It's my elder brother's birthday soon, and usually I just wish him a happy birthday as we're all beyond the years of caring about presents. But he and his girlfriend are about to have their first baby so I thought about getting them something.

Are there any good suggestions for gifts for a new baby/new mother/expectant parents. It's probably going to be a girl, they're both vegetarians, shop organic, my brother's a philosophy lecturer and she's a mathematician, eco-friendly. They've also recently moved into their house. I don't have a huge budget, around £30-40 I think.

I'm in the UK and would like to get something that I can send over the internet if possible, as I've left things kinda late.

Rook on

Posts

  • RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    If they are into eco-friendly/organic stuff, you could get them something like this. I bet if they are treehuggers they already have them, but you could find out what brand they like and get them some more covers or inserts or whatever.

    I know cloth diapers aren't the most exciting thing in the world, but there is no way to explain the amount of diapers babies go through.

    RUNN1NGMAN on
  • CoJoeTheLawyerCoJoeTheLawyer Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Being a new parent myself, one of the lifesavers no one told us about has been a baby bouncer. They're lightweight, portable, small enough to fit anywhere, and it will be a Godsend when they need to set the baby down somewhere to use two hands.

    The other thing I would recommend is a baby food processor so that they can make their own baby foods from organic produce. Name-brand and store bought stuff is about as environmentally unfriendly as it gets, and they will save big bucks if they can prepare their own foods. My wife loves to make our girls fresh food, and they prefer it to the store bought food.

    EDIT: Added some links for your convenience.

    CoJoeTheLawyer on

    CoJoe.png
  • a penguina penguin Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Swaddle blankets. The neat ones with the velcro. Can't have enough blankets.

    Cloth diapers are good, but if they're big hippies they might be going for one of those crazy cloth diaper setups with the little inserts and all that jazz. Even so, your basic Gerber cloth diapers make handy burp/ general cleanup cloths.

    a penguin on
    This space eventually to be filled with excitement
  • rfaliasrfalias Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Yeah, if they aren't going the cotton poop cloth route, then just buy tons if diapers. Seems kinda lame, but believe you me they will plow through some poop catchers. Baby wipes, etc... would also be good.

    And the regular assortment of baby toys. I've seen the stock pile of toys babies go through. Over sized stuffed animals(zombies?) are also fun. I've never seen a baby that didn't like crawling around all over a big fluffy duck/bear/dog/zombie

    rfalias on
  • RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Seventh Generation makes a whole line of environmentally friendly baby products—baby wipes, diapers, baby laundry detergent, etc. You could get them a whole assortment of baby supplies.

    RUNN1NGMAN on
  • EggyToastEggyToast Jersey CityRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    If you're not up on baby stuff, don't neglect the gift card. Especially if you put it with a card and say something like "This is for July, when you'll probably need it!"

    EggyToast on
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  • Hardleft_335Hardleft_335 Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    The number one thing they will need is a car seat. You cant leave the hospital without one.

    Also: Monitor, baby bag/sleepclothes, bottles, nipples, baby wipes, baby lotions/medications/nail clippers, etc., pacifiers, bibs, burp cloths, swaddling blanket. If there is a favortie kids book of yours, or your brothers, get them a copy.

    Dont get clothes because hand me downs are plentiful and everyone else will buy them tiny clothes.

    Hardleft_335 on
  • RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Actually, as an exception to the clothes thing...everyone is going to buy them cute little outfits that are a bitch an a half to dress the kid in. If you buy them a bunch of onesies, they will love you forever. You can never have enough onesies. They're easy as hell to put on and take off, you can change a diaper without spending 5 minutes taking off their cute miniature Gap cargo pants, and with a bunch you can just take it off when they spit up all over it and throw another one on. They are the only thing they are going to want to dress the kid in after a few days, guaranteed.

    Unfortunately, everyone is going to buy them cute little coordinating baby outfits that are totally impractical for dressing something that is crapping itself and throwing up like 20 times a day.

    RUNN1NGMAN on
  • Monolithic_DomeMonolithic_Dome Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    There's also some sites where you can make Custom Onesies. I've seen one from this site and it was totally bitching. It had the album art to Dad's favorite album on it. Awesome gift.

    Monolithic_Dome on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • DjeetDjeet Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Lots of tasty snacks maybe? I lost like 10 lbs the first month of baby-time because I had little opportunity to cook, fetch food, or even sleep really.

    If they are doing cloth diapers then this is real helpful in dealing with solid poops. I would check to see if they're doing cloth diapers though, as having cloth diaper accessories or just 2 cloth diapers is pointless if they're doing disposeables.

    A mobile for the baby to look at while in the car was a very useful item we picked up.

    We always welcomed gifts of high quality baby clothes (particularly season-appropriate clothes). We had a ton of onesies and hats, but only one jacket and one sweater so we ended up having to buy a few more colder weather clothings. There are still a few onesies he's definitely outgrown that I squeeze him into as they are very nice looking, use high quality and nice feeling materials, and are from my sister. By dint of the distribution of clothing given as gifts we had plenty of 0-6 months clothing we ended up giving away, and we've had to buy 6-12 month clothing.

    There's also non-baby-related gifts. One of the gifts I really enjoyed was subscriptions to golf and photography magazines. These I'd never think to spend money on, but I will read if given. In addition to being in a near constant state of anxiety/concern due to baby there's plenty of downtime too, as they're going out less and have to stick around baby.

    Djeet on
  • EeveelutionEeveelution Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    As a father of a 3 mth old, I will tell you getting gift cards was the greatest boon we got. Children out grow clothes so quick, diapers are nice if you use disposable, but even those everyone gives us, but we enjoyed most was gift cards. Gift cards are amazing in the sheer fact that if you need a random item that you don't have, you can run out and not spend cash on it you need for gas.

    Another recommendation would be a baby first aid kit, that has a sucker ball for clogged noses, finger nail clippers, and a thermometer at the least. I find myself using those three items on a regular enough basis that the 12 dollars spent on a great kit like that pays itself off in 2 weeks.



    Also a lot of people mentioned cloth diapers, if they aren't doing them, consider still buying some, having them embroidered with a nice saying, and encouraging them to be used as burp rags. They absorb so much and they work great.

    Eeveelution on
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