Baby showers have become a firm fixture in UK culture over the last decade, and with good reason. Welcoming a new baby is one of life's most significant moments — and the people around a new mum (or mum-to-be) want to show up for it.
But here's the honest truth: a lot of baby shower gifts miss the mark. The novelty babygrows are adorable. The ten different muslins are practical. But what a new parent often really needs isn't more stuff — it's the right stuff, at the right time.
Ask first — the wishlist solution
The single best thing you can do before buying a baby shower gift is check whether the mum-to-be has a wishlist. Many thoughtful parents-to-be now create a Simply Gift wishlist specifically for the baby shower — listing the pram accessories they actually want, the specific brand of nappies they've chosen, the feeding equipment they've researched for months.
Buying from that list isn't lazy. It's respectful. It says: I know you've thought about this, and I want to give you something you'll actually use.
"The most useful thing you can give a new mum isn't a cute toy. It's time — hers. Give her something that gives that back."
The gift that's always appreciated: supporting the mum
New parenthood is beautiful and exhausting in equal measure. Gifts that make a new mum's life easier in the early weeks are often the most deeply appreciated:
- Meal delivery subscription or vouchers for a favourite restaurant
- A postnatal massage or spa treatment (to be used post-arrival)
- A night doula or night nanny session (truly extraordinary for sleep-deprived parents)
- Grocery delivery subscription for those early weeks at home
- A cleaner for a few weeks after the birth
The classic baby shower gifts — when done right
There's a reason some baby shower gifts are classics — they work. The key is quality and thoughtfulness:
- A beautiful baby memory book — the kind that becomes a treasured keepsake
- High-quality muslins (you really can't have too many, but brand matters)
- A personalised blanket or comforter — something that will be kept for decades
- Baby skincare from a trusted brand (Weleda, Childs Farm, Kokoso)
- A baby carrier or sling — life-changing if it's the right one for them
Group gifting for baby showers
Baby showers are one of the best occasions for group gifting. The bigger-ticket items — a pram, a nursing chair, a baby monitor — are exactly what new parents most need and least want to fund themselves. A group of friends chipping in through Simply Gift makes these significant gifts achievable without anyone overstretching.
Gifts for the baby (that are actually for the parents): A white noise machine. A good nightlight with a gentle warm setting. A quality baby sleeping bag. These gifts are technically for the baby but the beneficiary — the parent who finally gets a four-hour stretch of sleep — knows exactly what they're really for.
Expecting? Create your baby shower wishlist.
Let your friends and family know exactly what you need. No duplicates, no guesswork — just the things that will actually help in those first wonderful, chaotic weeks.
Build your baby wishlist →