New babies bring such joy not only to their parents but to all of the family and friends who know them. We all want to give gifts to welcome the new little one and express our joy in their arrival. None of us want to give an unwanted or unnecessary gift, but sometimes it’s hard to know what to buy! So I pulled together this list of the best baby gifts for newborns with a little help from some new parents! This is also a great resource for a new parent needing some ideas of what to include on your baby registry.
And, just for fun, we added a few bonus suggestions for ideas of gifts to give the parents of the newborn! Because whether they know it or not, they’re going to need a few things too!
Best Baby Gifts for Newborns
Muslin Swaddling Cloths/Blankets
Hannah Stewart, a mom of four in central Texas, highly recommends muslin swaddling cloths. “You will have to learn how to swaddle a baby, but you will love these blankets,” she says. They can be used as car seat covers, a nursing cover, or just a floor blanket. The brand that Hannah recommends is SwaddleDesigns Blankets, which can be found on Amazon. Amber Murphy, mom of 11 month-old Parker, also loves her daughter’s Copper Pearl swaddle blanket, which they are still using. She loves that it is lightweight and so big that it keeps growing with her baby.
Ring Slings
Lizzie Bass, a mom of two in North Carolina, can’t speak highly enough of her ring sling. She says that it has been great for babywearing with her second baby because it’s “o comfy but not too hot like the stretchy wrap I tried when my first child was a newborn.” Lizzie has the Wildbird brand ring sling, but there are many other brands out there. Ring slings come in various fabrics, at different price points, and are suitable for babies and toddlers from 8-35 pounds.
Magnetic Me Bodysuits
Magnetic Me bodysuits also got two thumbs up from Hannah. She says, “The best baby clothes gift has to be the magnetic bodysuits! These made for quick diaper changes and were great for layering baby. Super convenient because there’s no messing with snaps or zippers.”
Halo SleepSacks
Another Texas mom says that Halo SleepSacks worked great for her first child, and she will be using them for her second little one. Sleep-sacks keep baby warm without blankets, eliminating the risk and worry of baby getting tangled while sleeping.
MAM Pacifiers
Amber also recommends MAM’s pacifiers because “the glow-in-the-dark ones saved me when I had to find them in the dark.” MAM pacifiers have soft silicone nipples to mimic the feel of a mom and are anti-slip, which helps keep them in the baby’s mouth.
Gifts for the Parents of Newborns
Co-Sleepers
Lizzie loves the Halo BassiNest. It attaches securely to the parent’s bed and provides a safe place for baby to sleep while still being near to mom. Both mom and baby get to have a good night’s sleep. Lizzie says, “I love being able to scoop baby up, nurse, and put her back to sleep without having to leave my own bed!”
Hand & Foot Stamp
This inkless infant hand and foot stamp is one of Amazon’s fifty top-selling baby gifts. This fun gadget lets the new parents make prints of their baby’s hands and feet inklessly. No ink ever touches the baby’s skin. You can put those cute little feet and handprints on thank you cards, in the keepsake album, and on anything you please.
Sound Machines
I was torn on whether to put a sound machine in the baby list or the parent list. But since it helps the parents AND the baby sleep, I decided that it is ultimately a parent gift! Sound machines come with various features and at a variety of price points, so how do you decide which one to get? A glance online shows that a lot of folks like and recommend The Hatch Rest. It combines a sound machine with a night light and a time-to-rise feature.
Comfortable Bath Robe
After my first child, I remember being shocked and disappointed that my postnatal body didn’t fit into my prenatal clothes, none of which would have been useful for nursing anyway. I wish I had had a comfy, pretty robe handy like this one that Amber says she lived in for the first month after her daughter was born. The bonus, Amber said, is that “Parker had a matching swaddle blanket and bow, so we both looked cute too.”
Well, there you have it: the best baby gifts for newborns! The items detailed in this article are all recommended by real moms. When you create your gift wish list, a great guide is to ask for items that will make the baby happy and comfortable. And it never hurts to ask for gifts that make life easier for you as a parent! Good luck, and congratulations on your new little one!
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