The best gift ideas for new parents that they’ll actually appreciate

This little owl will become a newborn's best friend. You can take this little guy on the go. It can be attached to cots, prams and car seats. It plays four soothing sounds, such as a heartbeat, white noise and rainfall with adjustable volume settings. If the baby cries, then Ollie The Owl will respond. By playing 20 minutes of soothing sounds or lullabies, the baby will fall back to sleep. Sleep is exactly what new parents need! This one is USB rechargeable, but there is a battery-powered option too.

One reviewer said: "The white noise helps keep our baby asleep during her naps - an absolute godsend! The cry sensor is great. When our baby had a cold, she would cough and wake herself up. But, the cry sensor recognised the noise and re-started the white noise and she fell back to sleep. Hoping it still works for us when she's in her own bedroom. Definitely recommend giving this a go though."

Read our full Ollie the Owl review.

COOK's "First Fortnight For New Parents" box is tailored to make life easier for new mums and dads embarking on the journey of parenthood. Designed to provide nourishing meals during those initial hectic weeks, these chef-prepared dishes offer convenience without sacrificing nutrition or taste. From comforting classics like Lasagne to wholesome options like Chicken, Ham and Leek Pie, each meal is crafted with care and packed with flavour. This fantastic gift takes the stress out of mealtime, allowing new parents to focus on bonding with their little one without worrying about cooking.

Tested by Reviews Editor Emily Gilbert: "As my husband and I prepare to welcome our first baby any day now, the COOK First Fortnight box has given us such peace of mind that we will have access to wholesome meals that require very little on our part when we're sleep deprived and trying to figure out parenting! We couldn't resist trying a couple of meals and they are seriously delicious - you really can taste the high-quality ingredients that have been used."

**There are also other box options available to choose from to suit different budgets:
**- New Parents 7 Nights of Meals
- The Positive Birth Company & COOK Meal Box
- New Mums Survival Box

A truly unique gift, this holistic online resource is designed to support and guide new parents through the postpartum period. Crafted by midwife and hypnobirthing instructor Siobhan Miller, the pack provides expert advice on postpartum recovery, mental well-being, and baby care. With video content, practical tools, and nurturing guidance, it fosters confidence and self-care during this transformative phase. From breastfeeding tips to emotional well-being strategies, the Postpartum Pack is a valuable companion, empowering parents with knowledge and resources for a positive and smooth transition into parenthood, ensuring they feel supported and informed during this precious time.

Reviewed by mum Amanda: "I used the hypnobirthing course with my first baby in 2018 and it couldn’t have been more helpful on informing about birth and helping me remain calm during my labour. So, I was delighted to see there is now a postpartum pack too. An area I felt entirely unprepared for once I had delivered. Despite having been through the postpartum phase already, the course has been very insightful in a lot of areas I don’t know about. Plus a great reminder of all the things I do know about it."

You can never have too many baby products and this Childs Farm kit is a must for new parents. The products are all perfect for throwing into a changing bag when the family is on the go. Plus, they’re gentle to use on baby’s sensitive skin. The set includes a baby wash, baby bedtime bubbles, baby moisturiser, baby bath thermometer and nappy cream.

One reviewer said: "I bought these for my new granddaughter. Her parents were concerned she may have sensitive skin as her father does and runs in the family. The whole range is great. This was a little case with essentials. Very pleased with purchase, good value for money."

Read our Child's Farm review.

The Frida Baby Basics Kit is a must-have for new parents, featuring essentials all mums and dads will truly use with their little one. This thoughtfully curated set includes popular products like the unique NoseFrida Snotsucker, Windi Gas & Colic Reliever and more. A truly practical and effective gift. If they have more than one child they'll probably have at least one of the items in this practical kit already though.

New parents seem to love the kit. One reviewer said, "All products work incredibly well, high quality. Surprised by how helpful the windipipe is." Another customer wrote; "I loved this kit! My favorites are snot sucker, device for ears and noses, and silicon scrubby. A pouch was a very nice find as well. What I didn't really like were the nail trimmer and file — those simply didn't work for me"

It's safe to say the new parents will have their hands full so when they do get a moment for a cuppa (even if it's cold...), elevate the experience with this stunning box of hand-iced, baby-themed biscuits. There are nine different designed biscuits in the keepsake box for them to work through although they're so pretty they may not want to!

Reviewed by Reviews Editor Emily Gilbert: "Biscuiteers tins are the best gift, whatever the occasion. They look absolutely incredible and even more importantly, they taste it too!"

Another reviewer said: "A perfect gift choice for new parents. Exquisitely decorated biscuits that taste amazing and a keepsake tin. Much nicer than flowers!"

New parents will cherish this camera just as much as those precious family moments. When parents take photos, they tend to end up with thousands on their phones but nothing physical to show. So, they’ll really appreciate this gift. It's pocket-sized! So, it doesn’t take up much room in a changing bag either.

One reviewer said: "If you want a Polaroid camera with out the cost then this is the camera to get. You get instant prints and the paper has a sticky back so you can stick the photos into a book or on paper. Plus the style is nice, it's easy to use and is definitely portable."

Trying to juggle housework with a crying baby can be difficult. This baby carrier is the perfect solution, helping the baby feel close to his parents and comforted while freeing up mum's and dad's hands. A carrier is great on walks when you don't want to take the pram. Sometimes, all baby needs to feel comfort is to be close to you. All FreeRider slings are made from 100 per cent TENCEL™. Plus, they are soft, breathable, and come in a range of cool, beautiful designs.

One reviewer said: "I purchased this sling for our new great-granddaughter who is due to make her debut in 2 weeks' time. I am told by her mummy that the sling is beautiful, very soft and of the highest quality, thank you for supplying such a great product."

Another reviewer said: "Really love my sling, I use it almost every day, amazing quality. 
It has a gorgeous soft fabric! It also comes with easy to follow instructions on how to fit the sling. Highly recommend!"

Read our Freerider Baby Sling Carrier review.

With a great range of hampers and gifts, even create-your-own hampers, you're sure to find the perfect new arrival gift at Bumbles and Boo. We particularly love their Little Lamb Hamper, which comes with a babygrow, sleepsuit, bib, hat, mittens and booties, plus a little wish bracelet for mum. It comes wrapped beautifully, and is all stored in a teeny suitcase, ideal for the parents-to-be to use for keepsakes such as those first scan photos and baby cards.

Tester Stephanie said, "I was really impressed with the quality of the clothing in this set, plus its size 0-3 months so will fit baby for longer, which I think is better than a newborn set as a gift. The print is adorable, and unisex without being grey or white. I absolutely loved how it came packaged, you can feel the care that has gone into creating the box and I felt very special indeed to be receiving it. 100 per cent would recommend."

A baby bouncer can be a real-life-saver. Suddenly, you can put your baby down for a few minutes and do the washing up. Or, maybe even treat yourself to a shower. New parents will LOVE you if you buy them this as a gift. The Joie Baby Dreamer Rocker has a position reclining seat, two-position adjustable leg rest and soothing sounds and vibrations to calm little ones. Plus there's a rotating toy bar with three adorable toys for playtime fun. It's lightweight and can easily be compactly folded for easy storage and travelling.

One reviewer said: "I recently purchased this for my granddaughter who loves sitting in it. It is a great baby seat and rocker combined in one. It collapses easily for storing or for travelling. I love the good quality fabric as it's great value for money."

Another reviewer said: "I’m so glad I bought this for when my friend visits with Elliott, he loves music and the vibration feeling settles off to sleep with little effort"

Everyone tells you that those first few months flyby in a blink of an eye, but when you're in the midst of many sleepless night and nappy changes it doesn't always feel like it, but having a memory book like this can encourage them to write down those precious moments before they pass them by.

One reviewer said: "I absolutely loved this book. It was beautiful and I loved everything about it. The prompts were short sweet and to the point and there were lots of blank space to add extra pictures."

Another reviewer said: "I bought this as a gift for a friend and I was impressed with the quality when it came in. It is beautiful and I like the way it is laid out."

As much as we want them too they don't stay little forever, so this hand and footprint kit will make a wonderful piece of art to look back on in months, years and decades to come. It's totally inkless too, so they won't have to worry about making a mess or cleaning the baby afterwards.

One reviewer said: "I really like these inkless handprints. They worked really well for my baby so I've been getting them for all other babies born this year as a gift."

Another reviewer said: "Lovely packaging, granddaughter was delighted with this gift. All ready for the baby being born August. Purchased for baby shower lovely reasonably priced gift."

Handmade with care, this piece of jewellery is one that they'll never want to take off. Simply select the parent's and the child's birthstone from the list and choose the metal you want. You can even add a sentiment card for that extra special touch!

One reviewer said: "I bought the sterling silver bracelet for my friend six months ago when she had her first baby. She has told me that she has worn it every day since and never takes it off. She sent me a recent photograph of the bracelet and it is still in perfect condition. A really beautiful item with a lovely meaning."

Another reviewer said: "Just lovely. Well made, love the fact that it has an extender. Brilliant."

When you're a new parent, it can be hard to find time for yourself, but this self-love journal from Lovendu will encourage them to spend a few minutes a day focusing on building their self-confidence. It's a 14-week journey, but it's undated so they can dip in and out at any point.

Reviewed by our commercial content writer, Arabella Horspool: "As a person who loves journaling, the Lovendu Self-Love Journal was a delight to use. You're given a page a day (for 14 weeks) to fill out your positive affirmations and what you're grateful for, which is nice to look back and reflect on at a later date. There are also a few positive quotes and other worksheets to complete which also focus on self-esteem and building your confidence."

The perfect night-feed companion; the Kindle Paperwhite is extremely light and better still - it has no ads! That means they can get through that book they've always wanted to read a lot quicker (perhaps during the little one's naptime).

Mother&Baby Digital Writer Rebecca Lancaster said: "I was bought the Kindle Paperwhite after giving birth to my first child and it was an absolute sanity saver in the early weeks and months of feeding. It allowed me to read one-handed when I was trapped under a cluster-feeding baby for hours on end during the day and the backlit design meant I could read during the night feeds too without disturbing my partner. 10 years and two children later, it's still going strong!"

One reviewer said: "Got this for my birthday and love it! I'm reading books right now! Haven't read a book in years and look at me now - reading as much as I can (way better than doom scrolling before bed). I love the yellow tint backlight, matte screen, waterproofness and the battery. Plus, it's the only device that you don't need to bring a charger for (or even think "Have I fully charged it?" before going away)."

After an exhausting week of being a new parent, a long hot soak in the bath is just what they need. So, what better than some bath salts to help them to relax and unwind as they enjoy five minutes peace?

One reviewer said: "I use these in my bath during the winter. They are so lovely as they help me to relax in after a busy week! I keep them in a glass jar on my bathroom windowsill. I highly recommend them."

Another reviewer said: "Very relaxing, left skin feeling nice and soft. I have very sensitive skin and had no issues. Really liked this product"Very relaxing, left skin feeling nice and soft. I have very sensitive skin and had no issues. Really liked this product"

If you're after something a little bit different, this Jar of Joy makes a charming present. Filled with 42 scrolls, they can open one up whenever they feel like it to read either a funny or meaningful quote. Once all the quotes have been read, it can either be re-gifted or they can use the jar for something else.

If you're still not sure what gift you should get, why not settle on one of these cute hampers that contains a bit of everything a new parent may need? It features a brush and comb set, a teddy bear, some knitted booties, a bib, a sweet heart-shaped plaque and a lot more.

One reviewer said: "It was very well presented in a grey box. Everything was displayed nicely so you could see exactly what was in there and was all beautifully covered in a grey muslin type bag with a bow at one end. Bought this for my grandson who’s partner is expecting their first baby."

Another reviewer said: "Really pleased, good quality, and a good price with quite a few bits in it. A little bit smaller than I thought, but that’s fine and I still loved it. I added a few more bits of my own - surprising what you can fit in it... I would definitely recommend someone to buy these"