Unique Newborn Gift Idea

You could do the same as everyone else and buy cute little fluffy toys or baby clothes - in either pink or blue of course.

If that'll do the job, then don't read the rest of this article!

Because what unfolds below is a list of newborn baby ideas for the deserving parents.

You see, it's too easy to focus on the newborn baby and forget all about the parents.

If you go to the effort of buying a gift for someone special about to enter (or re-enter) the world of parenting, you may as well do your best to make it memorable and special to them. Of course this has the side benefit that it will make you feel fantastic too.

If you haven't experienced becoming a parent yourself, it may be hard for you to put yourself exactly in their position. Apart from the overwhelming joy of becoming a parent, this can also be a very stressful and at times painful experience for the parents. Keep in mind that the mother especially is going through (or has just gone through) a time of incredible physical change, pain, and a myriad of emotional pressure. There may be financial pressures and certainly a newborn baby will introduce unprecedented time pressure as well.

"The joys of parents are secret, and so are their grieves and fears"

- Francis Bacon

A unique newborn gift idea needs not be expensive either. Here is a simple list for your consideration:

A voucher to a local restaurant
Usually new parents will spend a lot of time at home within the first few weeks of the baby's arrival. After this time when they have established a routine, this could be a well appreciated opportunity to test out the new bassinet and enjoy a dinner out.

Parenting DVDs
Especially for new parents, these are an easy, practical and inexpensive gift idea. In the weeks before giving birth and the first weeks after, a lot of time is spent at home. Perhaps you have heard of the popular "Being Dad" series or the "Dunstan Baby Language" set which accurately teaches new parents how to interpret their baby's cries?

Parenting DVDs

Check out our online store where you can buy a range of parenting DVDs, pregnancy videos, baby videos and more.

A spa day appointment for the new mum
After giving birth, a woman will no doubt miss their loss of free time, hobbies, previously enjoyed special time with their partner and of course sleep. It's easy for new mother's to not even bother showering or getting out of sleep wear in the mornings after the usual bumpy sleep patterns because of breastfeeding during the night. Be a bit careful with this one because a large percentage of women feel postpartum anxieties to varying degrees and may misinterpret your generous gesture.

Assorted Gift Basket
This is a simple idea and needn't be expensive (although it could be). Visit a variety shop or department store and fill it with items such as candles, wash cloths, lotions, bath oils, skin care products, nail kit items & don't forget about little gifts for the dad to be too. You may include simple things like food items or some "metro men's products".

A photo printer
Most mums and dads to be will already have a digital camera (right?!) and will no doubt be taking lots of photos of their newborn for scrapbooking and albums. But not so many people have a photo printer at home. Home photo printers are now of great quality and are priced reasonably as well, but be careful of a printer's running costs. Before you buy look them up in online forums and check the pricing & usage of ink replacements before you decide on a printer brand and model.

Photography studio gift voucher
Most new families as well as taking hundreds (maybe thousands) of home photos and videos will seek professionally taken portraits. Find one in their area, determine the pricing and buy them a gift package.

Nappies
Will always be appreciated. A practical and essential newborn baby idea!

A Babysitter
Whether you offer your own services or arrange the services of a reputable professional babysitter, this is a great idea for parents who already have young children.

A Home Made Card
It's not done often but is always a stand out when one is received. It's a unique gift newborn and It shows effort and care. Buy some cardboard and make up a congratulations card yourself. You may also consider adorning it with personal photos and a simple hand written poem or limerick. This is especially a good idea to pair with a spa or restaurant voucher - "Apparently more of your time for the next little while will be spent on your new bundle of joy and less on the other important things in life - like body scrubs and revitalising eye contour treatments!"

An IOU
In your homemade card, you can include some homemade IOU tokens. It's up to you how many and what they may be for, but you could make colourful tokens for "1 x complete home cooked dinner for 2" or perhaps "1 x house clean top to bottom".