Gifts for babies in the UK

What a baby uses in the first year

A baby needs very little. The parents need a lot of a few things. Sleeping bags, swaddles, muslins and a comforter cover most of the first year, and they get outgrown, so a second one is never wasted.

Start with sleep. UK safe sleep advice is no loose blankets in the cot, which is why baby sleeping bags are standard here. The Little Green Sheep muslin bag is our top pick. Check the tog against the room: 2.5 tog suits a room around 16 to 20 degrees and is too warm for summer. The 6 to 18 month size is the smart buy, since parents usually have the first size already.

For parents who find swaddling fiddly, the Love To Dream zip-up swaddle needs no technique. Avery Row muslins get used for burping, wiping and pram shade every day.

Toys for later, comforters for now

For a newborn, choose a comforter, a soft blanket or a named soft toy. The Sweet Dreamers ewan comforter is cheap enough to buy two, which parents want once the first goes missing.

Wooden toys suit a first birthday better than a birth. The Bigjigs puzzles, the My 1st Years pull-along train and clock puzzle, the skittles and the John Deere tractor all make sense at twelve months or later. Say so on the card. Personalised items from My 1st Years are made to order, so allow about a week before posting.

Budgets

Under 20 pounds buys a comforter, the Bigjigs puzzle or a sheep blanket. Most good shower gifts sit between 20 and 40 pounds: a sleeping bag, a swaddle, muslins or the white noise machine. For a group gift, the Little Green Sheep boxed set covers sleep and feeds in one go. Check the registry first and post it to the parents' home. If the baby has already arrived, a small parcel through the letterbox beats a visit in the first fortnight.

Questions people ask

What is a good gift for a newborn baby?

Something the parents use daily. A wearable sleep bag, a zip-up swaddle or a pack of large muslins all get used from the first week. Buy the next size up rather than newborn, since babies outgrow the smallest sizes in weeks and parents usually receive plenty of them. Add a teether or a high-contrast board book if you want something the baby can hold or look at.

How much should I spend on a baby gift?

There is no rule, but most useful baby gifts cost between $25 and $60: a sleep bag, a swaddle, a hooded towel. Under $25 you can still give mittens, a teether, a comforter or a board book. If you want to spend more, join a group gift and choose something from the registry, so the parents are not stuck with duplicates.

Are toys a good gift for a baby?

Only a few. In the first months a baby can use a teether, a comforter, a wobble toy and a high-contrast book. Blocks and puzzles are rated for older babies and toddlers, so save them for a first birthday or say on the card that they are for later. Parents tend to get far more toys than sleep and feeding basics.

What should I avoid buying for a baby?

Newborn-size clothes, loose blankets for the cot, and anything big that is not on the registry. Newborn sizes are outgrown in weeks. Safe sleep guidance says no loose bedding, so a wearable sleep bag is the better buy. Big kits and gadgets are often duplicated, so check first or give a gift receipt.