Gift guide · 12 ideas
Baby shower gifts
Skip the tiny outfits they’ll grow out of in a fortnight. These are the things new parents reach for every single day.
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The best baby shower gifts are the unglamorous ones parents didn’t know they needed until week one: more muslins, a safe blanket, something to help everyone sleep. Add one keepsake and you’ve nailed it.
Everything here is baby-safe and gender-neutral, and most of it works as a new baby gift too if you’re visiting after the birth.
Muslin squares
New parents get through muslins at an astonishing rate: burp cloths, bibs, sun shades and emergency mop-ups. You genuinely can’t have too many.
GLLQUEN BABY Muslin Squares (6 × 70cm)
£10–£20
Six large 70cm squares in a breathable mix of bamboo viscose and cotton that’s gentle on sensitive skin. They soak up well and get softer with every wash.
What owners say: Owners find them soft and gentle on skin, like the large size and say the colours hold up in the wash, though some find them thin.
A closer look: Keep one wherever you feed, plus a spare folded into the changing bag. They dry quickly and can go in the tumble dryer on a low heat, so yesterday’s batch is back in rotation fast. Later on, they double as a soft face cloth or towel at bath time.
- Six squares, 70cm each
- Bamboo and cotton mix
- Softer with every wash
Cellular blankets
One for the Moses basket and one for the pram: new parents reach for both from the first night home.
Bloomsbury Mill Organic Cellular Blankets (2-pack)
£10–£20
Two blankets in GOTS-certified organic cotton, woven with small open cells that trap air without adding weight. They wash easily, dry quickly and can go in the tumble dryer on low, so there’s always one ready while the other is in the wash.
What owners say: Owners find them soft and well made, say they stay soft after washing, and like the size for swaddling and travel.
A closer look: At 75 × 95cm they stay useful from the Moses basket right through to the toddler years. Cellular weaves work best in layers: add a second blanket on colder nights rather than reaching for something thicker, and tuck them in no higher than baby’s shoulders. Give both a wash before first use so they’re fresh for the cot.
- Two blankets, 75 × 95cm
- Certified organic cotton
- Tumble dry on low
A swaddle sleeping bag
Swaddling looks easy in the antenatal class and much harder at 3am, and a bag takes the knack out of it for sleep-deprived new parents.
Tommee Tippee Swaddle Bag (0–3m, 2.5 tog)
£10–£20
A swaddle bag that wears three ways: arms in, one arm out or both out, changed with poppers at the armholes. It’s slim at the chest and roomy at the hips, so the legs can rest in a natural frog position.
What owners say: Owners say it helps newborns sleep for longer stretches and like its quality and comfort, though the zip and the fit divide them, with some finding the zip comes undone.
A closer look: Lay it open in the cot, pop the baby in and zip up: far quicker than folding a wrap in the dark. Freeing one arm, then both, eases the move away from swaddling, and arms out is the setting once they show signs of rolling. This 2.5 tog bag suits rooms of 14 to 20°C, and lighter togs are made for warmer rooms.
- For 0–3 months, 2.5 tog
- Suits rooms of 14–20°C
- Three ways to wear
A white noise machine
Steady white noise helps many babies settle and stay asleep, and a soft night light makes the night feeds easier.
Dreamegg D1 White Noise Machine with Night Light
£20–£30
- Remembers sound, volume, light, timer
- 30, 60 or 90-minute timer
- 18-month warranty
A plug-in machine for the nursery or your own bedside, with 24 sounds split between white noise, fan noise and nature tracks, and a soft warm light that glows steadily or pulses slowly. It remembers your last sound, volume, light and timer, so bedtime is one press.
What owners say: Owners say it has them drifting off within minutes, and like the spread of sounds, fan noises included, and a volume that turns down properly quiet as well as up loud. The night light gets a mention too.
A closer look: Stand it on a shelf or chest of drawers across the room rather than beside the cot, and start with the volume low. The fan sounds are worth a try for anyone used to sleeping with a fan running, and as it runs from a USB lead, a spare phone charger will power it on holiday.
A bath and room thermometer
The first bath at home is a nervous moment, and a reading on the water settles the worry about whether it’s too hot.
Philips Avent Digital Bath and Room Thermometer
£10–£20
A small digital thermometer for both the bath and the nursery, with an upright display that’s easy to read at a glance. It reads to a tenth of a degree, and its friendly shape makes it a bath toy as well as a gauge.
What owners say: Owners find it accurate in both the bath and the room, easy to use and cute, though some say it’s slow to settle on a reading and others that it stopped working before long.
A closer look: Swish the water around before you read it, as a bath can run hotter near the tap end, and a quick elbow test is still a sensible double-check. Wipe it dry after each bath, then it can sit in the nursery keeping an eye on the room. Its LR44 button battery comes in the box.
- For bath and nursery
- Reads to 0.1°C
- Bath guide 36.5–38°C
Hooded baby towels
Newborns lose heat fast after a bath, and a hood keeps their head warm while you get them dry. Two means one is always clean.
Elli & Raff Hooded Baby Towels (2-pack)
Under £10
Two soft cotton towels, each 73cm square with a cosy hood and star embroidery, that machine wash at 40°C. They come tied together with a ribbon.
What owners say: Owners find them soft and quick to dry and big enough to wrap a baby in, though some say they wore out after the first washes and others find them thin.
A closer look: Lay one out on the changing mat before the bath, hood at the top, and you can lift the baby straight in and wrap them up in one move. Warming it on the radiator while the bath runs makes it even cosier, and it folds small enough for the changing bag on swimming days.
- Two towels, 73cm square
- Soft cotton with hood
- Star embroidery
A nappy caddy
The nappies are always upstairs when the baby needs changing downstairs, and a basket they can carry from room to room ends the dash.
Maliton Nappy Caddy Organiser
£10–£20
A soft felt caddy with eight outer pockets and three dividers that lift out, so the inside can be one big space or up to four sections. Carry handles mean it moves easily from the nursery to the sofa or the car.
What owners say: Owners like how roomy it is and how easily the space rearranges, and find it handy to grab, though some find it flimsy.
A closer look: Use the outer pockets for the small things that always go missing, such as nail clippers, cream and a thermometer, and keep nappies and wipes in the main sections. Once the nappy years are over, lift the dividers out and it becomes a tidy basket for books or small toys. A second one downstairs saves a lot of trips.
- Eight outer pockets
- Soft felt with carry handles
- Up to four compartments
Heads up: It’s soft felt, so it keeps its shape best when it isn’t packed with heavy items.
or compare other optionsAn electric baby nail file
Tiny nails grow fast and scratch faces, but clippers are nerve-racking. A gentle electric file makes it a calm two-minute job.
Tommee Tippee Electric Baby Nail File
£10–£20
A quiet, battery-powered nail file with three baby heads matched to age and three heads for adult nails. One button sets two speeds and either direction, and a soft light helps in a dim room.
What owners say: Owners find it easy to use, quiet and gentle on newborn nails, though some had it break within months or found it left nails sharp, and value divides them.
A closer look: Fit the guard every time and file while the baby is calm, perhaps during a feed, rather than mid-wriggle. Move up a head as they grow: ultra-fine for the first 3 months, fine until 12 months, then medium. The travel case keeps all six heads together in the changing bag.
- Three baby, three adult heads
- Two speeds, either direction
- Soft LED light
Heads up: It needs AA batteries, which aren’t in the box, so keep a pair to hand for the first use.
or compare other optionsA first-year memory book
Somewhere to capture the firsts before they blur together. It becomes a real treasure, especially one that’s easy to keep up with.
Peachly First Year Memory Book
£20–£30
A linen-covered first-year book with simple, open-ended prompts in date order, so it’s quick to fill in during quiet moments. The prompts say “we” and “our” rather than mum and dad, so it suits every kind of family.
What owners say: Owners love the page designs and the room for writing and photos, and like the range of milestones and the layout, though some find it pricey.
A closer look: Photos of any size, including 4 × 6in prints, can go in either way round on the thick 200gsm card pages, so nothing needs trimming. A keepsake envelope comes with it for loose bits and pieces. A short note to the baby inside the front cover leaves something for them to find years later.
- Fits 4 × 6in photos
- Prompts suit every family
- Keepsake envelope included
A high-contrast baby book
Newborns see bold black and white best, so these are the first books they can properly enjoy.
Hello, Baby Animals (high-contrast board book)
Under £10
A 20-page board book of baby animals drawn in bold black and white, each with a short greeting such as “Hello, baby bunny”. The pages are thick board with rounded corners, printed with non-toxic soy-based inks.
What owners say: Owners find it engaging for newborns and babies, with clear high-contrast pictures and sturdy pages.
A closer look: Stand it open on the floor in front of them during tummy time and it gives them a reason to lift their head. In the early weeks, hold the pages fairly close to their face, as newborns focus best on things nearby. The sturdy board pages cope with little hands grabbing at them, so it stays in use long after the newborn stage.
- 20 sturdy board pages
- Bold black-and-white pictures
- Soy-based, non-toxic inks
A baby play gym
A safe place to put the baby down while the kettle boils, with toys overhead to watch and a piano to kick.
Baby Einstein 4-in-1 Kickin’ Tunes Play Gym
£30–£50
- Kick piano with 70+ sounds
- Four play modes
- Seven detachable toys
- Three AA batteries not included
- Thin mat
Grows from lying-down play to tummy time and sitting up, and the kick piano becomes a toy in its own right. A crinkle medallion, a triangle rattle, a textured music note, flash cards and a mirror come with it, for small hands to grab and explore.
What owners say: Owners say it holds babies’ attention for long spells and keeps up as they move through the stages; the complaints are the thin mat and parts that break after a short while.
A closer look: Batteries aren’t included, so have three AAs ready or the piano will stay silent on first use. The piano comes off for take-along play and has a melody mode as well as free play, with phrases in English, Spanish, French and German. Unclip the toy bar, piano and legs before the mat goes in the washing machine.
A hand and footprint kit
Newborn feet change by the week, and in the blur of the early days few parents get round to taking prints unless the kit is already in the house.
PewinGo Baby Hand and Footprint Kit with Frame
£10–£20
A print kit with a clean-touch ink pad, so the ink goes on the card and not on the baby’s skin, and a solid wood frame to show off the prints. Three practice cards and illustrated instructions come with it.
What owners say: Owners find it easy to use, mess-free and a lovely keepsake, though prints often come out smudged and there isn’t enough ink for several tries.
A closer look: Prints come out best when the baby is relaxed, often just after a feed, with a second pair of hands to hold the card steady. Older babies wriggle more, so someone singing or waving a toy helps. The frame stands on a shelf or hangs on a wall, with room for a photo beside the prints.
- Solid wood photo frame
- Three practice cards included
- Ink never touches baby’s skin
Heads up: Practise a quick, light press on one of the three spare cards before the real one.
or compare other optionsTips for baby shower gifts
- Check whether the parents have a registry or a colour scheme before buying bigger items.
- Newborn clothes are outgrown in weeks. If you buy clothes, go for 3–6 or 6–12 months.
- Sleep items should be plain, fitted and cotton: no loose, fluffy or weighted bedding.
- A small treat for the parents (good coffee, snacks, a nice candle) is always welcome alongside.
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