Gifts for babies

What a baby actually needs in the first year

A baby needs very little. The parents need a lot of a few things. Sleep bags, swaddles, muslins and something safe to chew cover most of the first year, and they wear out or get outgrown, so a second or third one is never wasted.

Start with sleep. Standard safe sleep advice is no loose blankets in the cot, which is why wearable sleep bags such as the Kyte Baby bag and the Little Green Sheep muslin bag are so useful. Check the TOG rating against the room. A 1.0 TOG bag suits a normal heated room. A 2.5 TOG bag is for cooler rooms and will be too warm in summer.

Next come cloths. Muslins and swaddle blankets get used for burping, wiping, pram shade and nursing cover, often all in one day. A pack of three from Lulujo or Avery Row is the kind of gift parents thank you for months later.

Sizes and ages: where baby gifts go wrong

The most common mistake is buying newborn size. Babies grow out of it in weeks, and parents usually get plenty of it at the shower. Buy the next size up for anything sized by age or weight, including the Love To Dream swaddles and the Little Green Sheep sleeping bag.

Toys have the opposite problem. A wooden block set or a puzzle rated for ages 2 and up will sit in a cupboard for a year if you give it at birth. That is fine if you say so on the card. The Uncle Goose blocks and Bigjigs puzzles make sense for a first birthday. For a newborn, stick to a teether like Mushie or Sophie la girafe, a comforter, or a high-contrast book like the DK one.

Weather matters too. Stonz mitts suit a Canadian winter baby, and a thin muslin wrap suits an Australian summer one. If the baby is due in July in Sydney, skip the fleece.

Budgets that make sense

Under $25 covers most of the useful small things: Kushies mittens, a Mushie teether, a Sweet Dreamers comforter, a board book or a set of muslins. These work well as add-ons to a card or as a coworker contribution.

Between $25 and $60 is where most good shower gifts sit. A sleep bag, a zip-up swaddle, a hooded towel or a pack of three swaddles all land here and all get daily use.

Above that, buy as a group. The large Frida baby kit is a good shared gift because it covers many small needs at once. Check the registry before you buy anything big. Duplicates of kits and gadgets are common, and parents rarely have time to return things.

Shipping, registries and what to pair

Several of these shops sell in one country only. Kyte Baby prices in US dollars, so Canadian buyers may pay exchange fees or duties. Australian and UK picks ship from those countries. If the baby has already arrived, order early and send it to the parents' home rather than bringing it to the hospital.

Pair a practical item with a small personal one. A sleep bag with a board book, or a pack of muslins with a teether, covers both needs without adding clutter. A note saying which size you chose and that a gift receipt is in the box saves the parents a guess.

If you are not sure what they have, ask one question: what size is the baby in now. That answer tells you which sleep bag, swaddle or mitts to buy.

Wrap soft things in a reusable cloth or a muslin rather than layers of paper and tape. Parents opening gifts one-handed while holding a baby will notice. Keep the packaging for anything sized, such as sleep bags and swaddles, so they can swap it for the right fit without a fuss.

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.