Practical Newborn Gifts.

Someone's just had a baby? Yay!! And what better way to congratulate the new parents on their squishy little bundle than by giving them a gift to mark the occasion. So what were you thinking of getting? The latest must-have gadget? A super-soft comfort blanket? A pair of teeny tiny shoes? An endless supply of talc? A little cutesy rattle? As great as they all sound, they're in fact not very practical...and although well thought out and given with great intentions, there's some other gifts that are pretty fool-proof and always well received. Here's my guide to just those...

Sleepsuits. When you don't have kids, it's easy to imagine dressing wee ones up in fancy little outfits with lots of buttons, frills & 'hand-wash only' materials. Reality? These outfits, although cute, are an absolute pain in the ass. Babies puke, babies poop and babies drool. Babies cry when you change them & they cry when you try to put a load of washing on. This is where sleepsuits become a parents new best friend, Easy to get on, easy to get off and easy to chuck in the wash without worrying about 'hand wash only' & 'do not tumble dry'. And if you really want to be a new parents favourite gift giver, opt for sleepsuits that zips up - quite honestly, thee best invention for those stupid-o'clock-in-the-morning poopsplosions.

Nappies. Babies poop. A lot. And nappies are expensive, particularly given the number that a baby will go through in those early days (up to 12 times a day is normal, would you believe!). One gift I've always been happy to receive is nappies. It's something that's guaranteed to be used, not to mention saving on the stress of leaving the house & attempting the shops when you're overwhelmed by the newborn baby haze. And extra brownie points if you ask the new parents what size their wee one uses & what their favourite brand is.

Coconut Oil. Not only is coconut oil great for everything, it's also great for new babies. It's the perfect moisturiser for brand new, not-used-to-the-elements-of-the-world skin as it's completely natural & chemical free - either pop a little bit into the bath or massage straight onto babies skin to avoid it becoming dry & flaky. Coconut oil can also be used as nappy cream and I've found it to be the best cure for cradle cap. Plus it's great for a new Mum too - one of the best hand creams I've used, it can also be used as nipple cream when breastfeeding. And ingesting can also help increase a mothers milk, plus it makes a good remedy for stretch marks (but obviously don't say that too the new Mum, as she's likely to cry!).

Muslin Cloths. There's not a mess that a muslin cloth can't fix. Perfect for burping, wiping, as a DIY bib, to catch messes during nappy-free time, even as a comfort blanket or an emergency nappy. How people have babies without them, I do not know! I even use them to dust & clean the windows. As far as I'm concerned, there's no such thing as too many muslin cloths.

Do you have any other fool-proof gifts for newborn that you'd recommend?