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The hands-down best gifts for a new parent.

A new baby is a time of much excitement, much joy, and many very teeny, very adorable onesies. Too many, even! Which is why, if you’re gifting a new parent, we say bypass the baby blankets and the size 000 clothes. They’ve got that stuff, we guarantee it. There are better gifts to be found. (Right here! We rounded them up for you!) After consulting a bunch of baby makers, we can say that apart from 36 hours of uninterrupted shut-eye and a magnum of Krug, this is what new parents want. 

 

Food, glorious food. 

If you know your way around the kitchen, cook up a batch of freezable meals, then label them with instructions for reheating. Or put together a hamper of really yum snacks. (Perfect for days when they’re hungry but CBF). Never picked up an oven mitt? Get an Uber Eats gift card and let their local poke bowl place do the hard yakka.

 

Little Squirts set.

Not just cos we made it (or cos it’ comes in a friggen cute yellow towelling zippy bag), but because it’s a genuinely useful gift. They get Sud Bud, a super-gentle bath gel, Super Softy, a nourishing body lotion, and Skin Wizard, a silky, soothing body oil, as well as a Transformazing sheet mask (basically a facial-in-a-sachet) for mum.

 

Single-handed hydration.

New parents need sleep. But they also need hydration (preferably in a bottle that can be used one-handed and won’t spill all over their beautiful new baby’s head). They also need caffeine (preferably in a thermos that will keep it hot for 9.5 hours, because that’s about how long it will take them to drink it). Both make an A+ pressie.

 

All the treats for mum.

They’re not as small or outrageously cute as a baby sleepsuit, but beautiful PJs for mum are a welcome gift. (They’ll be her new uniform!). Also in this category: a lush smelling candle to mask the scent of spew and poo, some fun beauty prods, or a mani-pedi voucher to help get her feeling like herself again. For at least half an hour.