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Gifts & getting ready

New Baby Gifts: 25 Ideas Parents Will Really Love

25 New Baby Gift Ideas Organized by Budget and Relationship: Practical, Personal, or to Help Ease the Parents' Burden. On that note: things you'd be better off not giving as gifts.

By the LIINI editorial teamUpdated 10 min read1 source

New Baby Gifts: 25 Ideas Parents Will Really Love
Contents

In short

A good baby gift makes everyday life easier or serves as a keepsake. Practical items include clothing starting at size 68, a sleeping bag in the next size up, or a wrap-around backpack; personal items include jewelry with a fingerprint, a memory book, or a letter to the child. For parents: a home-cooked meal, some time, and a housekeeping voucher. Better not: piles of clothes in size 50/56, stuffed animals with small parts, perfume. And before every visit: just ask.

A baby gift should bring joy, not take up space. Even so, new parents often receive the same things: size 56 onesies, stuffed animals, and rattles. Here you’ll find 25 ideas that are truly helpful for everyday life with a baby, along with gift ideas by budget, tips tailored to your relationship, and the most important things to know about visiting after the birth.

How to Find the Perfect New Baby Gift

Four questions can help you decide:

  • How close are you to your family? Grandparents, godmothers, and godfathers can give larger, more personal gifts, while coworkers and acquaintances should opt for smaller, more neutral gifts.
  • Is there a wish list? Many parents keep a baby registry. Asking about that isn’t rude—it’s helpful.
  • What’s there, anyway? Many parents buy a stroller, crib, and changing table themselves before the baby is born. The checklist for newborn essentials shows what you’ll need in the first few weeks.
  • Breastfeeding or bottle-feeding? You should only give anything related to baby bottles if you know the family needs it.

Practical or a keepsake? Practical things are helpful now; keepsakes last for years.

Tip

If you’re unsure, give something practical and include a personal card for the child.

Gifts You Should Avoid Giving

  • Piles of clothing in sizes 50 and 56. Newborns outgrow their clothes quickly; some never even wear size 50.
  • Perfume and Fragrances. A baby first gets to know its parents through physical closeness and scent, so avoid using perfume, scented candles, and heavily scented personal care products. Parents should consult with their midwife or pediatrician to determine which baby care products are right for them.
  • Bottle nipples and pacifiers from a specific brand. You won’t know what the baby will take until the baby arrives.
  • Big things without consultation. Playpens, baby swings, and strollers take up space and are often already purchased.
  • Unsolicited Advice. A book about baby sleep or parenting can easily come across as critical.

Caution

Stuffed animals with small parts are not suitable as baby gifts. Button eyes, beads, bells, and long ribbons do not belong in a baby’s hands. If the label says “Not suitable for children under 3 years of age,” the toy contains small parts that could be swallowed.

Practical Gifts for Everyday Life with a Baby

1. Baby carrier, but by arrangement. With a baby carrier, one parent has their hands free, and the baby is close by. But it has to be suitable for her body and her daily routine, so ask first. The LIINI® baby carrier can be used from birth (3.5 kg and up) up to a maximum of Suitable for 15 kg and, depending on the color, made of cotton or linen. Anyone who orders from LIINI can take advantage of the free babywearing consultation via photo.

2. Diaper backpack. Almost all parents need a good diaper bag. The LIINI diaper backpack has a capacity of 29 liters, a wet compartment for wet clothes, and straps for attaching it to a stroller. The straps can be adjusted to fit people between 140 and 200 cm tall, so both parents can use it.

3. Clothing in larger sizes. Bodysuits, onesies, and sweaters in sizes 68 through 86 will definitely be needed—just later on. Soft cotton with snaps is more practical than festive outfits.

4. Sleeping bag in the next size up. You need baby sleeping bags in several sizes. Ask about the size and warmth level, so it’ll be right for the season.

5. Supply of diapers. Not romantic, but always welcome. Buy diapers that are one or two sizes larger than the newborn size, and leave the package open so the parents can swap them out. If the parents use cloth diapers, ask about the brand and size beforehand; see the Cloth Diapers Guide for more information.

6. Muslin cloths and burp cloths. You can never have enough of these: as a burp cloth, a mat, sun protection for the stroller, or a bib.

7. Bottle warmer, for when the family feeds the baby with a bottle. Whether the baby is fed from a bottle or with expressed breast milk, a bottle warmer saves a lot of effort—both at night and when you’re on the go. Ask beforehand how the family handles mealtimes. LIINI offers bottle warmers—often called “Schoppenwärmer” in Switzerland—with a rechargeable battery for on the go and a 230-volt model for at home. The 4.0 PRO and the Home bottle warmer each have a separate 37°C setting for breast milk.

8. Baby cradle or Moses basket. A spot for a nap in the living room—perfect as a group gift. The LIINI baby cradle with Moses basket is hand-crocheted from cotton, stands on a frame made of poplar and birch, and complies with the DIN EN 1466:2023 standard for babies weighing up to 9 kg. It is intended for resting during the day, not as a place to sleep at night. Check beforehand to see if there’s room.

Gifts That Will Be Cherished

9. Jewelry with a fingerprint. A piece of jewelry featuring your own child’s handprint can serve as a keepsake—perhaps as a gift from a partner to the mother. With LIINI® fingerprint jewelry, parents take the fingerprint at home using the fingerprint kit that comes free with the necklace or ring. You can have the print made later: The order remains valid indefinitely, and LIINI recommends having it made starting in the 6th month. The guide *Lose Weight with Your Fingerprint* explains how to do it. For more information on chains, rings, and care, see the guide “Memory Jewelry with Fingerprints.” If you’re ordering for someone else, just enter the desired shipping address.

10. Memory Book. A book for the first year, with space for photos, first words, and short stories. Choose one with open-ended questions instead of rigid required fields.

11. Milestone Cards. Cards like “1 Month” or “First Smile” that you place next to the baby in the photo. Perfect for parents who love photography.

12. Letter to the Child. Write down what the world was like on the day you were born: headlines, favorite songs, what your parents told you. Sealed, with the note “For your 18th birthday.” It costs almost nothing and gets better every year.

13. Memory Box. A wooden box for the hospital bracelet, the birth announcement card, and the first lock of hair.

14. Photo shoot gift certificate. Family or baby photos taken by a photographer. The parents choose the date themselves.

15. A tree to celebrate a birth. If you have a garden, a fruit tree that grows along with your child is a good choice. You can sponsor a tree even if you don’t have a garden.

Gifts for New Parents: Food, Time, and a Break

A gift for new parents doesn’t have to go in the nursery. During the first few weeks, what’s missing most of all is sleep, time, and hot meals.

16. Bring food over. Soup, lasagna, or curry—portioned for freezing and packaged in containers that don’t need to be returned. Ask about allergies. If you live farther away, a gift certificate for a delivery service will come in handy.

Tip

Organize a meal rotation: Friends take turns cooking, so the family has hot meals for weeks on end.

17. Give the gift of time. A homemade gift certificate booklet: go shopping once, walk the dog twice, spend an afternoon with your sibling at the playground, and babysit one evening later on. And then: Actively offer the assignments.

18. Cleaning Service Gift Certificate. A few hours of cleaning take a lot of the pressure off during the first few weeks. Check beforehand to see if the parents are okay with strangers coming into the apartment.

19. Something for those long nights. An audiobook subscription, a thermos, and some tasty snacks for those times when the baby is breastfeeding or drinking from a bottle.

20. Something just for Mom. After the birth, everything revolves around the baby. A comfortable pair of pajamas or a massage gift certificate for later shows that you’re still there.

21. A small gift for a sibling. Older siblings suddenly find themselves taking a back seat. A book or a puzzle shows them that they haven’t been forgotten.

Gift certificates, cash, and group gifts

22. Gift Certificate. If you don’t know what’s already available, a gift certificate is the way to go. With the LIINI® gift certificate, parents can choose for themselves whether they’d like a baby carrier, a bottle warmer, or jewelry featuring a fingerprint.

23. Gift certificate for a baby class. Baby massage or baby swimming are wonderful ways to spend some quality time together as a couple or a family of three once the baby has arrived.

24. Cash or a savings account. Money becomes more personal when you note what it’s intended for—such as a first bike. Grandparents, godmothers, and godfathers often like to open a savings account for a child.

25. Group gift. Several people chip in and buy a bigger item from the wish list. LIINI’s bundles combine complementary products, such as bottle warmers and baby food warmers. The baby food warmer can be used starting at 6 months, so the gift will be with the family for a long time.

From LIINI

LIINI® Fingerprint necklace bobble silverLIINI® Fingerprint necklace bobble silverPrice range: 169.99€ through 189.99€incl. VATView productLIINI® Gift voucher 50 | 100 | 150 € / Fr.LIINI® Gift voucher 50 | 100 | 150 € / Fr.Price range: 50.00€ through 150.00€incl. VATView productLIINI® Baby carrier beigeLIINI® Baby carrier beigeOriginal price was: 129.99€.Current price is: 103.99€.incl. VATView product

See the Necklaces category

Gift Ideas by Budget and Relationship

Birth gift ideas by budget: under 30, 30 to 80 and over 80 francs or euros, each with a practical idea, a keepsake and a gift for the parentsGift ideas by budgetGuide prices in CHF or EURUnder 30PracticalMuslin clothsKeepsakeMilestone cardsFor parentsHome-cooked meals30 to 80PracticalSleep sackKeepsakeMemory bookFor parentsMeal delivery voucherOver 80PracticalBaby carrier or cradleKeepsakeFingerprint jewelryFor parentsCleaning voucherFits every budget:Voucher, cash or a group gift.
Budget (CHF/EUR)PracticalMemoryFor Parents
under 30Muslin cloths, diaper set, onesie in size 74Milestone Cards, Letter to the ChildHome-cooked meals, a gift certificate booklet with a time limit
30–80Sleeping bag, clothing set in sizes 68–86Memory Book, Memory BoxDelivery Service Gift Certificate, Audiobook Subscription
over 80Baby carrier, baby cradle, or Moses basketFingerprint Jewelry, Photo ShootHousekeeping help for multiple assignments

The ranges are approximate. Gift certificates, cash, and group gifts can be entered in any row.

Grandparents

Grandparents can give more generous gifts, but they should coordinate well with each other. Good gift ideas include contributing toward a major purchase, a savings account, or an album of the parents’ baby photos. The best gift is often the assurance that parents can spend time together whenever they want.

Godmother and Godfather

In Switzerland, godmothers and godfathers are called “Gotti” and “Götti.” A common practice is the “Göttibatzen,” a monetary gift given on birthdays. In Germany, a baptismal candle or a silver spoon are traditional gifts for godparents. Whether with or without a baptism: There’s something here that will last.

Circle of Friends

The best gifts friends can give are ways to lighten the load: meals, time, or a night of babysitting when the parents are ready for it.

Colleagues

As a team, it’s best to work together and write a card as a group. Some parents don’t want to accept anything for the baby before the birth, so you can send the gift by mail afterward.

Visits After Childbirth: Timing and Consideration

The first few days and weeks—the postpartum period—are primarily for the new family. This way, your visit itself becomes a gift:

Visiting after the birth, five rules: ask ahead, keep it brief, come healthy and wash your hands, ask before picking up the baby or taking photos, lend a handVisiting a newborn5 rules parents will appreciateAsk aheadIf and when it suits.Be briefDon't expect hospitality.Come healthyWash hands before holding.Ask firstBefore lifting or photographing.Lend a handDishes, laundry, trash.
  • Ask ahead of time if and when it works for them, and don’t take a “better later” response personally.
  • Keep it short and don’t expect to be treated to a meal.
  • Take care. If you have a cold, postpone the visit. Wash your hands before holding the baby.
  • Ask before you pick up the baby or take a picture of it. You may only post pictures with your parents’ permission.
  • Lend a hand: Wash the dishes, do the laundry, take out the trash.

Tip

The gift doesn’t have to arrive during the first week. A package that arrives a few weeks later, once the hustle and bustle has died down, is often twice as nice.

In Switzerland and Germany, many parents send out birth announcements. A card with a personal message is the classic way to send congratulations, with or without a gift.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should you give as a new baby gift?

Gifts that make everyday life easier—such as clothing in size 68 or larger, a sleeping bag, or a diaper-changing backpack—are always a good choice, as are keepsakes like a memory book or jewelry featuring a fingerprint. A break is just as welcome: a home-cooked meal, some time spent with them, or a gift certificate for a housekeeper.

How much should you spend on a new baby gift?

There’s no hard-and-fast rule; what matters most are the relationship and the budget. Grandparents, godmothers, and godfathers usually give larger gifts, while coworkers and acquaintances tend to give smaller ones. You can find great gift ideas for less than 30 francs or euros—such as muslin cloths, milestone cards, or a home-cooked meal.

When should you bring over a baby gift?

Ask first when it would be a good time to visit, since many parents want to have the first few days to themselves. You can also send the gift by mail or drop it off a few weeks later, once the initial commotion has died down.

What gifts do godmothers and godfathers give for a newborn?

Godmothers and godfathers—known in Germany as “Patin” and “Pate”—often give a lasting gift: a savings account, a keepsake box, a piece of jewelry, or a letter to their godchild. In Switzerland, the “Göttibatzen”—a monetary gift given on birthdays—is also common.

Is giving money or a gift certificate as a birth gift impersonal?

No. Many parents are happy about this because they can choose for themselves what’s still missing. A personal touch can be added with a card explaining what the money is intended for or with a gift certificate that fits into everyday life.

What should you give coworkers as a baby gift?

The easiest option is a group gift from the team, along with a card that everyone signs. Safe and neutral gift ideas include a gift certificate, muslin cloths, or clothing in larger sizes. Only visit the family if they invite you.

What should you avoid giving as a new baby gift?

Less suitable items include stacks of clothing in sizes 50 and 56, stuffed animals with button eyes or other small parts, perfume and scented candles, as well as pacifiers and teething rings from a specific brand.

Sources

  1. Deadly Danger: Small Parts in Toys That Can Be Swallowed, Bavarian Consumer Information System, Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection
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