Maternity gift for baby - 10 great gift ideas for the newborn
Christine Clausen
A little new baby has come into the world – and of course, the little one deserves a gift. But what do you actually give as a maternity gift to a baby who doesn't have a wishlist yet and has already received an impressive collection of onesies?
A good maternity gift doesn't have to be big or expensive. It can be something nice that the family can keep as a memento, something practical that makes everyday life with a newborn a little easier, or something the baby can enjoy during the first few months.
Here, we have gathered 10 great gift ideas for the newborn – from small, sweet maternity gifts to larger presents from grandparents, family, and close friends.
Is it actually the new mother you want to spoil? Then check out our guide with gift ideas for the new mother.
What do you give a newborn as a maternity gift?
When choosing a gift for a newborn, it is worth thinking a bit further ahead than just the first few weeks. While newborns don't really need much, that changes quickly.
Therefore, a good maternity gift can easily be something the baby won't enjoy until a couple of months from now.
And if the family has already bought most of the practical baby gear, you can instead choose something that is a little extra lovely, fun, or beautiful, which the parents might not have bought themselves.
Here are our suggestions.
1. A lovely mobile for the changing table
During the first year, a baby will spend a surprising amount of time on the changing table. A beautiful mobile is therefore both decoration and entertainment.
For a very young baby, movements, shapes, and contrasts are particularly exciting to look at. Later on, the baby will start following the figures with their eyes and trying to reach for them.
A mobile is also a wonderful maternity gift because it can have a permanent place in the home and be a part of the baby's early days long after size 56 clothes have become too small.
See our selection of mobiles here
2. A soft play mat
A good play mat quickly becomes a permanent part of everyday life with a baby.
In the beginning, the little one can lie on their back, looking and kicking. Later comes tummy time, the first attempts to roll over, and eventually a baby who moves around more and more.
A large and soft play mat is therefore a maternity gift that can be used for a long time. It is also an obvious larger gift from, for example, grandparents or several family members pooling their money.
At Homeborn, we have soft play mats in memory foam, which give the baby a comfortable and padded place to lie and play on the floor.
3. A nice set of baby clothes
Baby clothes are a classic maternity gift for a reason. It is hard not to fall for those tiny onesies, trousers, and sleepers.
If the baby hasn't been born yet, you can buy sizes 50 and 56. If the baby has already arrived, we recommend looking at larger sizes – babies grow fast!
Consider choosing size 62, 68, or even larger. That way, the family has something nice ready when the baby has suddenly outgrown all the first clothes.
If the baby was born prematurely, we also have baby clothes in size 44.
Natural materials like merino wool are particularly lovely for small babies because the soft wool helps regulate temperature and can therefore be used all year round.
See our selection of baby clothes here
4. An amber necklace for the baby
An amber necklace is a traditional maternity gift and also a sweet little piece of jewelry for a baby.
Amber has been used for small children for generations and is especially associated with the period when the first teeth begin to emerge.
At Homeborn, you will find baby necklaces made of genuine Baltic amber with a safety clasp and a small knot between each amber bead.
Jewelry for small children should, of course, always be used under adult supervision.
See our selection of amber for babies here
5. A rattle with personality
A rattle doesn't have to look like all the others.
A fun rattle is a small maternity gift that can both make parents smile and later become exciting for the baby to hold, examine, and play with.
At Homeborn, you will find, among other things, handmade rattles with famous personalities – artists and musicians. It is a slightly different gift for the baby who already has everything – and perhaps also an opportunity to influence the baby's cultural or musical education just a little bit from the start.
6. A soft swaddle
Many newborns love the feeling of being enclosed. After nine months inside mother's womb, the wide world can feel quite large.
A soft swaddle can be used to create calm and comfort for the little one and is therefore both a beautiful and useful gift for the first period.
A Cocoon swaddle in merino wool is extra lovely because the wool is temperature-regulating and also wonderfully soft around the baby.
It is the kind of baby gear that parents might not have thought to buy themselves, but which can quickly become a favorite.
7. A lovely care set for baby
Babies don't need a whole bathroom cabinet filled with products. But a few good and mild care products can be very nice to have on hand.
A complete care set is therefore an easy and useful maternity gift.
At Homeborn, you will find care products from Danish KRAES, which are developed for delicate baby skin. A ready-made gift set is also obvious if you want to bring a nice gift without having to put it together yourself.
See the baby care products here
8. A wrap or baby carrier – a gift for both baby and parents
Some of the best maternity gifts are those that make life a little easier for the whole family.
A good baby carrier gives the baby the opportunity to be close to mom or dad, while the adult gets their hands free. It can be worth its weight in gold with a little baby – both at home, on walks, and when the baby just wants to be held close.
There are many different options, including stretchy wraps, woven wraps, ring slings, and baby carriers.
A carrier is typically a slightly larger maternity gift and therefore ideal from grandparents, close friends, or as a group gift.
Read more about the benefits of babywearing and see our selection of carriers here
9. A wool liner for the car seat or stroller
Some gifts might not look like much when the paper is taken off, but they end up being used again and again.
A soft wool liner is a good example.
The wool's temperature-regulating properties make it suitable as a base in car seats, strollers, and cargo bikes, among others. The seat feels warm right away, and it provides a soft layer around the child that can be used across all seasons.
It is a really good gift for the family that appreciates natural materials and practical things that are actually used.
You will find the lovely wool liners here
10. A wool mattress pad for the pram
Denmark is a land of prams, and many Danish babies will take an impressive amount of naps in theirs.
Therefore, a lovely mattress pad for the pram is a very useful gift and one of our bestsellers.
A mattress pad in merino wool feels warm immediately and gives the baby a soft surface to lie on, while taking advantage of the wool's natural temperature-regulating properties.
It can be used for a large part of the year and is one of those gifts that perhaps parents appreciate most once they start using it.
See the wool mattress pad for the pram here
How much should you spend on a maternity gift?
Fortunately, there are no rules for how much a maternity gift should cost.
If it is a colleague, neighbor, or acquaintance, a small gift for DKK 100–250 can be perfectly appropriate. Close friends and family might choose something in the range of DKK 250–500, while grandparents or several people pooling money for a gift often choose something larger, like a play mat or a carrier.
The most important thing is not the amount. A thoughtful little gift can easily be just as appreciated as the most expensive package on the gift table.
The maternity gift doesn't have to be just for the baby
When standing with all the lovely things for a newborn, it is easy to forget that a mother has also just been born.
So, if the baby already has everything a very small person could possibly need, there is another option: Buy something for the mother.
Food, self-care, comfortable clothes, or something that makes the first time after birth a little nicer can be a fantastic maternity gift.
We have gathered our best ideas in the guide Maternity gifts – 10 gifts for the expectant and new mother.
Whether you are looking for a maternity gift for the little one, some pampering for the new mother, or a gift they can enjoy together, you will find plenty of inspiration at Homeborn.
I have handpicked lovely, practical, and slightly different things for the first time with the baby, from soft merino wool and baby gear to carriers, care products, and small gifts with personality. Things I have chosen because they are nice to have, lovely to give, and actually get used. ♡
