New Baby / Mummy gifts?

[malaise]

Hoping for some advice from all you parents!

A friend of mine is due to give birth on the 1st July. I'd like to buy her a gift before the birth, and once the baby's born (her first!) I'll buy something just for baby.

My problem is that she wants for nothing - is well off financially speaking, so I need to find something unique / different / special / useful! She is not religious, and not a "trinkety" person.

Does anybody have any suggestions? Maybe of something that you didn't know you'd need, prior to the birth? My spending limit is probably about �70 total for both gifts, but this can be swayed for something lovely. I've never had a baby, so I'm totally clueless!

Thank you everyone in anticipation! :)

[minxy4425]

Don't know if this is of any help but when I was pregnant, the girls at work paid for me to go for a "pregnancy pampering" session at our local beauty salon, by way of a leaving present when I went on maternity leave.

I have to say, at 8� months' pregnant, it was bliss just to lie there for a couple of hours and have a manicure, pedicure, leg massage, body scrub and facial!!!

[Bohne]

It is nice of you to think of your friend, and trying to find a gift to make her happy.

Now this is just my personal thought:
I am eight months pregnant myself, and I keep telling people that my baby will want for nothing in the first year of his life.
I have already more clothes than he can possibly wear while he fits into them, I have toys, books, bottles, the lot.
And it annoys me no end that my mother in law just won't listen to me, and keeps buying more stuff all the time.

What I would really like people to realize is that they are still dealing with ME.
I (hopefully) will always be a person in my own rights outside of being a mother.

I think a night out after the baby is born would go down well with me! :o)
One friend I know is going to buy the baby his first wetsuit (I am a scuba instructor), which I think is the coolest (and probably most useless) idea.
Another friend offered to babysit every other Tuesday, so my husband and I can keep going to the pub quiz...

All that will probably not fit your friend's profile, my suggestion is simply: Look behind the 'baby tag'.

[malaise]

Thanks - I wont buy a pampering session (her partner goes away on "business" a lot and she may be left alone for days / weeks so wouldn't have the time), though I think I'll buy her all sorts of treats for her body (Anyone know of any nice Organic brands?)

Bohne: Where do you instuct? My partner is a qualified dive leader instructor thingymybob, he was based off the east coast, Lincolnshire area :)

Unfortunately she doesn't have any hobbies like this, but I've offered to babysit on numerous occasions!

Were there any baby things that people would recommend? (e.g equipment or getting to know baby books, anything like that?)

[stoo_pid]

Life Focus do a great range of organic (I think) bath & massage lotions etc.

A friend of ours bought us an excellent book with hundreds of ideas for making things for/with babies/toddlers but the title escapes me now - I'll check when I get home & post it on here later.

Another gift Mrs Pid really likes is her Boasting Book - it's simply a hand-bag sized photo album, now full of cute baby pics, which we use to bore any unsuspecting victims whenever we get the opportunity
: - )

If you are going to buy clothes for the baby, get 3-6 months or 6-12 months. Every parent I know (us included) was fully prepared & stocked up for the first 3 months. Then of course, we were given loads of 0-3 months clothes that were only worn once or twice, which is a real shame.

Also, I realise its your friend that's having the baby & you have a limited budget but if possible, don't forget the dad too... (I got a photo-mousemat which has currently got Jr Pid's big cheeky grin smiling up at me!)

[Sparkles3]

It's a lovely idea of yours to buy your friend something - I imagine she's getting to the really fed up stage now of just wanting to get on with it!

Hearing what you say about her partner being away, but she's still got time to go to a salon before she gives birth (probably!). A pedicure is just lovely when you've been carrying around all this weight and can't reach your toenails to paint them, even if you wanted to. Like Bohne says, when you're pregnant, all people want to talk to you about is the baby and when the baby's born, not you as a person anymore - I think it would be appreciated to find something for her as an individual although obvioulsy taking into account the pregnancy (skydiving might not be appropriate)!

As its her first baby, you can probably buy almost anything - a baby gym (mat and dangling toys) (try http://www.mothercare.com/invt/lw4302 as an example ) is quite a nice idea as it is something that the baby will be able to use from birth to lay on and then for a few months to play with but not necessarily something that a first time mum thinks of initially. They range from about �25-�50.

Hope all goes well!

[Bohne]

I live (and instruct) in Germany.

South-West thereof.
So if you're ever around and want to go diving (after July), let me know!

:o)

[stoo_pid]

Hi again

That book was called "Make It For Baby" by Penelope Cream (Editor). It's on Amazon here

[Liza B]

I always buy a really nice box and put the babies name, date of birth and give it to them as a memory box. I also fill it with small gifts. Everyone I have given one to has loved it as no-one thinks to give one, it is something I wish I had thought of for my kids. We all like to keep things , I have a case with their bands from the hospital, cards, outfit they came home in, first tooth and curl, first shoes, newspaper clippings,etc. I always tell them it is a memory box, if not they think it is a gift box. I have been giving them for 10 years now, I also make a babysitting voucher, which the mum can give to me at any time when she needs a break.

hope this has been some help to you,

[proudy]

Hi there my friend is due to have her first baby soon and I'm thinking of getting her a lovely handmade photo album for all the snaps she'll take and as for her I'm sure a little drinkie will surfice!!!