New Baby Gift Ideas: 17 Gifts Parents Actually Use (and 5 to Avoid)

The best new baby gift is something the parents have not already bought and that still matters a few months from now. In practice that means three kinds of gifts: something that takes work off the parents' plate (food, help, rest), something for the baby in a later size or stage, and something that helps them keep a memory. Pacifiers, bottles and newborn-size clothes they will already have plenty of. Below you will find 17 ideas by budget, 5 gifts to skip and how much people usually spend on a baby gift.

In this article

• Quick pick: which baby gift fits your budget?
• What gift will make the new parents happy?
• Which gifts for the baby actually get used?
• Which baby gift will they keep for years?
• Which baby gifts should you avoid?
• How much should you spend on a baby gift?
• Frequently asked questions

Quick pick: which baby gift fits your budget?

Short on time? This overview shows what works best per budget and who the gift is really for.

Budget	Best choice	For whom	Why it works
Free	A "help voucher" or a letter to the baby	Parents / keepsake	In the first weeks, time and attention are scarcer than things
Up to €25	A picture book with a personal note, a large water bottle	Baby / mum	Small, personal and used every day
€25 to €50	An inkless hand and footprint kit, freezer meals	Keepsake / parents	Something parents often forget to arrange themselves
€50 to €100	Baby swimming or baby massage voucher, a soft robe	Parents and baby together	An experience instead of another pile of stuff
€100+	Newborn or family photo shoot voucher	Keepsake	Ideal as a group gift from family or colleagues

What gift will make the new parents happy?

The first weeks with a baby revolve around sleep, feeds and visitors. A gift that takes something off the parents' hands is often the most appreciated. These six ideas are for them, not for the baby.

1. Meals for the freezer

Cook two or three meals in portions, label them with contents and date, and drop them off in disposable containers (so nothing has to be returned). Not a cook? A voucher for a meal kit or delivery service works just as well. Budget: €25 to €60.

2. A help voucher

Write on a card exactly what you will come and do: an afternoon of babysitting so they can nap, a grocery run, a load of laundry, walking the dog. Specific beats "let me know if I can do anything", because almost nobody asks. Budget: free.

3. Something just for mum

After the birth, all attention goes to the baby. A good hand cream (hands get dry from all the washing), lip balm or a pair of soft house socks shows you are thinking of her too. Budget: €15 to €30.

4. A large water bottle with a straw

Breastfeeding makes you thirsty and leaves you with one free hand. A one-litre bottle with a straw is small, affordable and used every single day. Budget: €15 to €30.

5. A soft robe or kimono

A cosy robe is lovely for night feeds and for receiving visitors in the first days. Choose a neutral colour and a forgiving size. Budget: €40 to €80.

6. A gift card

On parenting forums, parents name gift cards and personal gifts among their favourites. A card for a baby store, bookshop or meal service lets the parents choose what they are missing. Make it personal with a handwritten note. Budget: your choice.

Which gifts for the baby actually get used?

Baby items are great, as long as you choose smart. The rule of thumb: think one stage ahead. Whatever the baby needs right now, the parents usually already have.

7. Clothes for 6 to 12 months

Babies only fit newborn and 0 to 3 month sizes for a few weeks, and those are exactly the sizes parents receive most. An outfit for 6 to 12 months will come in handy later. Mind the season: a 9-month size for an October baby is roughly summer clothing. Budget: €15 to €40.

8. Large muslin cloths

Parents can never have enough muslins: for spit-up, swaddling, as a sun shade over the pram or as a changing mat on the go. Pick a large size (120 x 120 cm) in a nice print. Budget: €15 to €30.

9. A sleeping bag in the next size

Baby sleeping bags are pricey and babies outgrow them fast. One in the next size up is a practical gift that will not be a duplicate. Check the right TOG rating for the season. Budget: €35 to €60.

10. A picture book with a personal note

Pick a classic for the very youngest and write a message inside the cover with the date and your name. Ten years from now, that is the book they keep. Budget: €10 to €20.

11. Wooden toys for a few months from now

A rattle or grasping toy is fun from about three months. Buy from a trusted shop and check for a CE mark: toys for babies must meet stricter requirements than toys for older children. Budget: €20 to €40.

12. A baby swimming or baby massage voucher

An experience takes up no space and gives parents a regular moment with their baby. Many pools and midwife practices offer single classes or a multi-session pass. Budget: €50 to €100.

Which baby gift will they keep for years?

Things get used up or outgrown. A memory does not. Parents often say afterwards that they captured too little of those first months, simply because they never got round to it. A gift that makes it easy is one of the most thoughtful choices you can make. For more ideas in this category, see our list of 15 unique baby gifts that become lasting memories.

To be transparent: Everyves makes the print kit below. The other tips in this article are brand-independent.

13. An inkless hand and footprint kit

A regular ink kit often ends with ink on the baby, the sofa and yourself. With an inkless kit you wipe the little hand or foot with a special wipe and press it onto the card: the print appears by itself, with no ink on the skin. With one card per month, parents can see their baby grow for a whole year. Curious how inkless prints compare to clay or plaster? Read our comparison of 4 methods.

14. A first-year memory book

A baby book with prompts and space for photos helps parents write down the first smile, the first bite and the first steps. Choose one with short prompts: long entries rarely get written in real life. Budget: €20 to €30.

15. A birth poster with the details

Name, date, time, weight and length on a beautiful print for the nursery. Double-check the details with the parents so everything is right. Budget: €20 to €40.

16. A letter to the baby

Write a letter about the world the baby is born into, what you wish for the parents and what your bond is. Seal it in an envelope marked "open on your 18th birthday". It costs nothing and is often the gift that is kept the longest.

17. A newborn or family photo shoot voucher

A photo shoot in the first weeks is something many parents want but never book themselves. Perfect as a group gift from family or colleagues. Budget: €100 to €300.

Which baby gifts should you avoid?

Meant kindly, but in practice these five gifts often go unused.

1. Pacifiers and bottles. Parents have often already chosen a brand or shape, or the baby only accepts one type. Parents on parenting forums regularly name these as the least useful baby gift.
2. Newborn-size clothes. Parents receive them in abundance and the baby outgrows them within weeks.
3. Large soft toys. They take up a lot of space and do not belong in the cot in the early months: the advice is to keep a baby's sleep space clear (see the safer sleep advice from The Lullaby Trust).
4. Heavily scented products. Scented candles, perfume and strongly fragranced care products are not needed for a newborn and can be a bit much for a new mum.
5. Big items without asking. A playpen, bouncer or pram accessory is usually something parents have picked out themselves. Want to give something big? Ask first or organise a group gift.

How much should you spend on a baby gift?

There is no fixed amount, but Dutch gift guides commonly mention €20 to €50 on average (source, in Dutch). As a guideline by relationship:

• Colleague or acquaintance: €10 to €25, or chip in for a group gift.
• Friend: €25 to €50.
• Best friend or close family: €50 to €100.

A smaller gift with a personal card or a help voucher is often appreciated more than an expensive gift they already have.

Frequently asked questions about baby gifts

What is a really good new baby gift?

A good baby gift is something the parents do not have yet and will still use or keep a few months from now. Think freezer meals, clothes for 6 months and up, or something to capture memories, such as a print kit or memory book.

What is a unique baby gift?

A unique gift is one that only fits this baby: a letter to open on their 18th birthday, a birth poster with the real details, or hand and footprints from the first months. Personal almost always beats expensive.

When do you give a baby gift?

Usually when you visit, in the first weeks after the birth. Wait for an invitation and keep the visit short. Cannot visit? A gift by post with a card is just as welcome.

Should a baby gift be for the parents or the baby?

Both work. More and more people choose something for the parents, because the baby already receives a lot and the parents need rest and help most. A combination, such as a small baby gift with a help voucher, always goes down well.

What do you give for a second baby?

With a second child, parents already have most baby items. Go for food, help, something for the big brother or sister, or a keepsake made just for this baby.