SIL is pg and I would like to get her something special/useful for X-Mas...but I am having a hard time remembering what I found to be really useful during the newborn phase (has it been THAT long? ) Suggestions please! TIA!
I'd say the best things I either bought or received as gifts were the aden and anais swaddle blanket (swaddling was like magic when DD was crying, and I liked the muslin ones b/c they were breathable), the floating thermometer for the bath (mine was a turtle) and the thick hooded towels. I registered for thinner towels wanting to be price conscious, but someone got me some higher quality, thicker ones, and I was so glad I had those b/c they were warmer for DD. Also, sleep sacks were really handy.
A Moby wrap (or another brand) - amazing for the first few months to keep DD close and my hands free. An Ergo was perfect for later, though it could be used for a newborn too.
I second the high quality hooded towels. They were something I didn't register for, but really appreciated as a special/luxury gift item that we would not have bought ourselves. I also appreciated the that our friend had the towels personalized with DD's name (from Pottery Barn Kids).
I loved sleep gowns. I found them so convienent for all those middle of the night diaper changes. No snaps or zippers to worry about when you're half asleep.
loved my Moby and the book Baby 411. I also got a basket with the practical things...infant tylenol, infant ibuprofen, desitin, digital thermometer, first aid kit, etc.
Swaddle blanket and the seahorse. I don't know what I would have done without those. Oh, and the baby crack machine (Homedics Sound Spa Lullaby) that I still use to this day.
Honestly...a gift card to a food delivery service was the BEST (by us it's called Restaurants on the Run). Otherwise, the gifts I really appreciated my miracle blanket, jumperoo, and white noise machine. Oh yeah, and the DVD of Happiest Baby on the Block.
Warning
No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
A boppy and a moby. Both of those were used ALL.THE.TIME in our house. Even when DH was giving DD a bottle he used the boppy because it held her in a good/comfortable position for him, so even if she doesn't BF it's a great thing to have around. And I LOVED my moby-I seriously wore it every single day for several months straight. I would have to wash it at night because I couldn't be away from it that long during the day. It was a part of me those first probably 6-7 months.
Warning
No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
Swaddle wraps (like the halo sleep sack with the swaddle attachment, or the swaddleme wraps). Oh, and like a zillion of those little medela bottles with the yellow lids. And . . . uhh . . . gosh, I can't remember! She lived in sleepers for the first few months so those were great too.
Boppy pillow! I didn't actually recieve it as a gift, but loved mine so much I gave it as one later on and the Mom loves it! As far as gifts, I would say a wipes warmer- DD still vastly prefers diaper changes in the area we have the warmer. Clothes in bigger sizes were also much appreciated- being a first time Mom I went crazy with the newborn and 0-3, and it was great to not have to spend more $$ when she outgrew all of them in about 2 days
A gift card to a restaurant food delivery service.
I definitely like this idea....we ordered out a lot those first two weeks. But the moby wrap and boppy were great ideas too....I used those a lot and even brought my boppy to the hospital. Also sleep sacks or pjs with zippers cause in the middle of the night when you can't even see straight buttoning is certainly not easy.
Re: Best gift you received for newborn?
a breastfeeding pillow!!
I BF'd/pumped/and FF'd and I still use it when I give DS his night time bottle. I love that thing!
I also used to use it to prop him up when he was learning to sit as well, it's great!
Me: 37
DH: 36
Married: 08-25-07
DS: 11-20-09
Name change alert: Formerly Lisswastaken
A gift card to a restaurant food delivery service.
I definitely like this idea....we ordered out a lot those first two weeks. But the moby wrap and boppy were great ideas too....I used those a lot and even brought my boppy to the hospital. Also sleep sacks or pjs with zippers cause in the middle of the night when you can't even see straight buttoning is certainly not easy.
Good luck finding the perfect gift