Buying guide
The baby gift list
How to make a gift list that actually helps. What to ask for, what you buy yourself, how to share it with relatives and how to say “no” gently to what you don’t need.
In short
- A gift list stops you ending up with seven rattles and no baby bath. Relatives want to help; show them how.
- The car seat, the mattress and the sleeping place are your choice, even if someone else pays.
- Ask for useful things in bigger sizes – 62, 68, 74 – and for consumables, not just size 56 clothes.
- The most valuable gifts aren't objects – an evening with a ready-made meal, an hour of sleep, a helping hand.
Relatives and friends want to help. Without a list, the help often looks like a pile of size 56 bodysuits, three blankets and a soft toy bigger than the baby. With a list, it looks like a sleeping bag in the right size, a pack of size 2 nappies and an evening when you don’t cook. It isn’t rude to say what you need. For many people it’s a relief.
What you choose yourself, even if someone else pays
A few things are about safety and about fitting your life. These you choose, down to the model:
- The car seat, suitable for your car. See how to choose a car seat.
- The mattress, the exact size of the cot.
- The cot and the pushchair, according to your space and your roads.
- The baby carrier, after you’ve tried it.
If someone wants to give a big gift, put the exact model you chose on the list or accept a contribution.
What’s worth asking for
| What | Why it’s a good gift |
|---|---|
| Sleeping bags in 0–6 and 6–18 months | Used every night |
| Clothes in sizes 62, 68, 74 | Everyone buys 56; the baby outgrows it in a few weeks |
| Nappies size 2–4 | A sure consumable; you buy size 1 yourself |
| Fitted sheets, mattress protectors | Changed often, especially at night |
| Hooded towels, muslin squares | Never enough |
| Board books | They last for years; see our selection |
| A subscription or a voucher for food delivery | The first weeks |
| A first aid course for children | One of the best investments |
Gifts that aren’t objects
The best gifts for the first weeks can’t be wrapped:
- cooked meals, brought in containers that don’t need to be returned;
- an hour with the baby, so the mum can sleep or have a quiet shower;
- a clean-up or a basket of laundry washed and folded;
- errands: pharmacy, shop, older siblings to nursery.
Put them on the list the same as objects. Many people are happy to choose them. More ideas in the first weeks at home.
What you leave off the list
- Toys for the first months. A baby needs very few; see toys for the first year.
- Cot bumpers, pillows and nests. They’re not safe; see what not to buy.
- Size 56 clothes in quantity. They’ll come anyway.
- Gadgets: wipe warmers, dummy sterilizers, monitors with sensors.
How to make the list
- Start from the newborn checklist and tick off what you already have or are getting second-hand.
- From what’s left, take out what you choose yourself (car seat, mattress, cot, pushchair).
- The rest, plus the bigger sizes and the practical help, becomes the gift list.
- Send it to those who ask. A shared document, where everyone ticks what they’re buying, avoids duplicates.
And the gifts you didn’t ask for
Thank them sincerely. Extra clothes get passed on, toys go in a box for later, and gift vouchers are used for what’s missing. Nobody minds that a bodysuit ended up on another child.
Our recommendation
Make the list in the third trimester, after you’ve chosen the big things. Keep it short, with bigger sizes, consumables and practical help, and leave it with those who ask. The safety items you choose yourself, even if someone else pays.
Frequently asked questions
Which gifts are the most useful for a newborn?
Things you use daily that run out or change – nappies in different sizes, sleeping bags, clothes in sizes 62–74, fitted sheets, hooded towels. And practical help – cooked meals, an hour of babysitting, a clean-up. For safety-related items (car seat, mattress) it's better to choose them yourself.
How do you tell relatives what to buy without seeming rude?
Make a short list and send it to those who ask what you want. Most people are glad to know what to buy. For gifts you won't use, thank them sincerely and put them aside; you can pass them on or exchange them later.
Can I accept a car seat from relatives?
Yes, if it's new or if you get it from someone close who knows its whole history – no accidents, with all its parts, within the period of use stated by the manufacturer and suitable for your car. The simplest thing is to choose the model yourself and put it on the list.
Think it could help someone else?
Send the guide to your partner or to a friend who is expecting a baby.