1) Baby Shusher

This is my life saver in the studio. Those cute, sleepy newborn poses don’t show behind the scenes of a newborn photo shoot. Very rarely do I get a baby that sleeps the whole way through. Most babies need a feed, change, cuddle and some soothing, which is what you can expect with a newborn. The baby shusher just helps your baby settle that bit quicker and stay settled.

Check out Baby Shusher here

2) Merino Wool Grobag

My recommendation for Merino Kids gro bags. They are high quality, 100% merino wool, which means that they help regulate baby’s temperature. Keeping baby the right temperature is so important and often so stressful for parents, so an item that will do the job pretty much for you, is a game changer.
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Check out Merino Sleeping Bags here

3) Zipped Baby Grows

You know that 2am feed that seems to go on forever and then baby needs a nappy change?  Who wants to be doing up poppers on a baby gro (possibly twice as you’re so tired) when you can just zip up the baby gro and put baby back down in their snuzpod/next to me or moses basket.  Lifesaver!

Check out zipped babygrows here

4) Cook Vouchers

Again another lifesaver.  A group of my friends grouped together to buy enough cook vouchers for several meals.  They were super delicious and nutritious.  For the days when I’d had zero sleep for the past 48 hours, my older children were grateful for something either than cheese toasties I’m pretty sure there are many other brands out there that do something very similar, but I’ve had personal experience with Cook and they are fantastic.

Check out Cook here

5) Braun ThermoScan 7 Ear thermometer

This might sound like a less exciting gift idea, but this is another great item.  I found that the thermometers under baby’s arm or tongue to be like a wrestling match.  And when your baby is miserable and not feeling great, the last thing you want to do is make them more agitated.  This thermometer goes just inside their ear and you have a reading in a few seconds.  A bit pricey than under the tongue/arm thermometers, but worth their weight in gold.

Check out Braun Thermoscans here

6) Backpack Diaper Bag

Picture this, baby is fast asleep from the car journey, so you take them out in the car seat, which we all know weigh a tonne!!  Inside the car you also need to get out the nappy bag and probably a few grocery bags.  You sling the nappy bag over one shoulder, pick up the grocery bags in the same hand and then lug the car seat.  You’re almost to the door and can feel the nappy bag slipping off your shoulder and you have no hands to push it back up.  Yip it slides down and you’re pretty much dragging it to the front door.  Put a backpack diaper bag on your back, and you’d probably still look like a work horse, but you wouldn’t be dragging an expensive bag across the floor and less chance of scrambled eggs happening inside your grocery bag.  It’s a no brainer.

Check out Diaper Backpacks here

7) A Photo Shoot with Leanne du Plessis Photography

If you’re looking to score brownie points with the Mum-to-be, this will be the ultimate gift 😉  A newborn photo shoot gives the parents a gift of memories to last a lifetime.  They will have some family photos, photos of baby’s tiny details and the most adorable newborn photos around.  You’re welcome to purchase a gift voucher with an amount towards a photo shoot or even team up with your friends to buy the parents a photo shoot plus print credit.  You’ll get a beautiful gift voucher boxed and a gift bag to hand to the parents on the day.

Check out Newborn Photo Shoots here