Baby shower gifts new parents will actually use
Skip the tiny outfits they’ll grow out of in a fortnight. These are the things new parents reach for every single day.
More ideas: Baby shower and new baby giftsGifts for babies and new parents
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.
Photos are illustrative. We may earn a small commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. How we pick · How this works.
Muslin squares
££ Mid-range
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.
Our pick
9.3/10
GLLQUEN BABY Muslin Squares (6 × 70cm)
£15.99 RRP
Big 70cm squares in a soft bamboo and cotton blend that gets softer with every wash.
- 6 large 70 × 70cm squares
- Bamboo and cotton blend
- Softer with every wash
- Burp cloth, bib or light blanket
What owners say: Soft and gentle on skin, generously sized, and the patterns keep their colour wash after wash.
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A closer look: Keep one wherever you feed, plus a spare folded into the changing bag, and six soon feel like the right number. 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.
Cellular blankets
£ Budget
The blanket midwives recommend: the open weave keeps babies from overheating in the cot or pram. Every new baby needs a couple.
Our pick
9.4/10
Bloomsbury Mill Organic Cellular Blankets (2-pack)
£14.99 RRP
Certified organic cotton in the open cellular weave midwives recommend for keeping babies at a safe temperature.
- Pack of 2
- 100% GOTS organic cotton
- Cellular weave for airflow
- Tumble dry on low
What owners say: Lovely quality, stays soft after washing, and a handy size for the cot, pram and swaddling.
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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.
A swaddle sleeping bag
££ Mid-range
Swaddle bags make the newborn wrap foolproof at 3am, and zip open from the bottom for nappy changes without waking the baby.
Our pick
9.0/10
Tommee Tippee Swaddle Bag (0–3m, 2.5 tog)
££ £15–£40
Tommee Tippee has been making baby kit since 1965, and its swaddle bag makes the 3am wrap foolproof.
- 0–3 months, 2.5 tog
- Three ways to wear
- Roomy, hip-healthy bottom
- Bottom-to-top zip for night changes
- OEKO-TEX certified fabrics
What owners say: Soft, good quality and easy to use, and plenty of parents say their baby settles well in it.
Heads up: Follow the weight guide on the label rather than age alone; some babies find it roomy at first.
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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. The poppers at the armholes let you free one arm and then both, and arms out is the setting to switch to once they show signs of rolling, which also eases the move to an ordinary sleeping bag.
A white noise machine
££ Mid-range
Steady white noise helps many babies settle and stay asleep, and a portable one comes along for naps at Grandma’s.
Our pick
8.9/10
Dreamegg D11 Max White Noise Machine
£29.99 RRP
Small enough for a changing bag, with a battery that lasts days, so naps at Grandma’s go just as smoothly as at home.
- 21 soothing sounds
- Rechargeable battery
- Timer and child lock
- Small enough for a changing bag
What owners say: Realistic sounds, lots to choose from, and small enough for a handbag. The battery lasts for days between charges.
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A closer look: A lanyard and hanging loop let it clip onto a pram handle, car seat or cot rail rather than rattling around the bottom of a bag. It charges over USB-C, and a memory function saves setting it up from scratch every night. Stand it across the room rather than right by the baby’s head.
A bath and room thermometer
££ Mid-range
Takes the guesswork out of bath time and helps keep the nursery at a safe temperature for sleep.
Our pick
9.1/10
Philips Avent Digital Bath and Room Thermometer
£22.59 RRP
Checks the bath and the nursery, so one little gadget answers both of the 3am questions: too hot, or too cold?
- Checks bath and room
- Clear upright display
- Bath guide 36.5–38°C
- Room guide around 18°C
What owners say: Accurate, easy to read at a glance, and useful twice over: bath water and the nursery.
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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. Between baths it can sit on a nursery shelf keeping an eye on the room. Wipe it dry after each bath before it goes back on the shelf.
Hooded baby towels
£ Budget
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.
Our pick
8.9/10
Elli & Raff Hooded Baby Towels (2-pack)
£ Under £15
A two-pack, so there’s always a clean, dry one ready for the next bath.
- Pack of 2
- 73 × 73cm
- Cosy hood
- Star embroidery
What owners say: Soft, stay that way after washing, and a good size for wrapping a baby up after a bath.
Heads up: Thinner than an adult bath towel, which suits newborns but won’t last into the toddler years.
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A closer look: They arrive tied with a ribbon, so there’s no need for wrapping paper, just a card. 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.
A nappy caddy
£ Budget
Everything for a nappy change in one carry-around basket: nappies, wipes, cream and a spare vest. Brilliant for night feeds and changes downstairs.
Our pick
9.2/10
Maliton Nappy Caddy Organiser
£12.99 RRP
Eight pockets and movable dividers mean everything for a change is in one basket you can carry to wherever the baby is.
- 8 pockets
- 3 removable dividers
- 38 × 23 × 18cm
- Carry handles
What owners say: Roomy, easy to rearrange, and handy to have everything ready to grab. Good value too.
Heads up: It’s a soft fabric caddy, so it’s best not overloaded.
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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.
An electric baby nail file
££ Mid-range
Tiny nails grow fast and scratch faces, but clippers are nerve-racking. A gentle electric file makes it a calm two-minute job.
Our pick
9.1/10
Tommee Tippee Electric Baby Nail File
£19.99 RRP
Gentle, quiet and far less nerve-racking than tiny clippers, and it comes with heads for grown-up nails too.
- 3 baby heads by age
- 3 adult heads
- 2 speeds, both directions
- Soft LED light
- Storage case
What owners say: Makes nail trimming gentler and far less stressful. Plenty of parents call it a game changer.
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A closer look: Batteries aren’t included, so tuck some AAs in with the gift and it can be used straight away. Filing tends to go best while the baby is asleep or feeding, always with the guard fitted, and the soft light helps in a dim room. Move up a head as they grow: ultra-fine for the first 3 months, then fine until 12 months.
A first-year memory book
££ Mid-range
Somewhere to capture the firsts before they blur together. It becomes a real treasure, especially one that’s easy to keep up with.
Our pick
9.3/10
Peachly First Year Memory Book
££ £15–£40
Simple prompts that don’t make you feel guilty for missing a milestone, which is why people actually finish it.
- Gender-neutral design
- Simple, open-ended prompts
- Fits 4 × 6in photos
- Covers the whole first year
What owners say: A beautiful book with lovely page designs, well organised, and plenty of space for writing and photos.
Heads up: Pricier than most memory books, but it’s built to be kept.
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A closer look: The prompts say “we” and “our” rather than mum and dad, so it works for every kind of family, including adoptive and same-sex parents. Photos can go in any direction on the thick, acid-free card pages, with no cropping. Before wrapping it, write a short note to the baby inside the front cover: a lovely thing for them to find years later.
A high-contrast baby book
£ Budget
Newborns see bold black and white best, so these are the first books they can properly enjoy. A lovely small add-on to a bigger gift.
Our pick
9.5/10
Hello, Baby Animals (high-contrast board book)
£5.99 RRP
Bold black and white pictures that newborns can actually see. A lovely little extra to tuck in with a bigger gift.
- Sturdy board book
- Bold black and white pictures
- Made for newborns
What owners say: Babies are drawn to the bold pictures, it’s sturdy enough for little hands, and it’s great value.
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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 grabbing and chewing, so it stays in use long after the newborn stage.
A baby play gym
£££ Treat
A safe spot to put the baby down with things to look at and kick. It grows from newborn lying-down play to tummy time and sitting up.
Our pick
8.8/10
Baby Einstein 4-in-1 Kickin’ Tunes Play Gym
£49.99 RRP
Grows from lying-down play to tummy time and sitting up, and the kick piano becomes a toy in its own right.
- 4 ways to play
- Kick piano with 70+ sounds
- 7 detachable toys
- Tummy-time pillow
- Machine-washable mat
What owners say: Keeps babies entertained, grows with them through the stages, and the kick piano is a firm favourite.
Heads up: The mat itself is thin, so it’s best laid on a rug or carpet.
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A closer look: Batteries aren’t included, so pack three AAs with it or the piano will stay silent when it’s unwrapped. 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
££ Mid-range
Those tiny feet won’t stay tiny. A mess-free print kit with a frame is a keepsake parents treasure for years.
Our pick
8.7/10
PewinGo Baby Hand and Footprint Kit with Frame
££ £15–£40
Mess-free ink that never touches baby’s skin, plus a wooden frame, so the prints are display-ready.
- Clean-touch ink pad
- Skin-safe, non-toxic
- Wooden photo frame
- For newborns to 6 months
What owners say: Easy to use, mess-free and a lovely keepsake, which makes it a favourite newborn gift.
Heads up: Practise on spare paper first: a quick, light press gives the clearest print.
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A closer look: Prints come out best when the baby is sleepy and relaxed, ideally just after a feed, with a second pair of hands to hold the card steady. Try it in the first few weeks, while those feet are at their very tiniest. The frame can stand on a shelf or hang on a wall, with room for a photo alongside the prints.
Tips 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.
Not quite right? Tell us who it’s for and we’ll pick from all our lists.
Try the gift finderBudget guide: £ roughly under £15 · ££ roughly £15–£40 · £££ over £40. Prices vary between retailers and over time.
