Hoola

Thank you everyone I am off buying this morning AU time with a lovely list...will let you know how I got on later

plantpot

Agree ....I am about to have a baby shower and that would be so nice.....

On the toiletries etc for babes, go for organic or natural as it's more 'in' to use these products than talc and scented stuff....even the wipes can be with no alcohol and unscented (check out coles).....

eeksy

I had an emergency section with my son. We got lots of lovely gifts but the best things were IOUs from family and friends that were them coming round for an afternoon and would bring lunch but would also stay and do an hour of ironing or would clean the bathroom or put the laundry on.

Stuff that just doesn't get done when you have a new born.

Some friends also brought round meals they cooked for the freezer. Brilliant.

TBH, I preferred these things to toilettries that I've never use or a bottle of spirits that I wouldn't drink due to breastfeeding.

Jan4kids

A magazine subscription to a good parenting magazine that gets delivered. Nappies in the next size up from newborn.....as they grow so quickly, some kind of pampering item for Mum and an IOU babysitting voucher with a gift card for a meal for two at a local favourite resturant.

Jan

copa

Something for the dad..... bottle of favourite drink etc.

Deliver them delicious homecooked meals occasionally over the first 3 weeks. Just arrive, hand over the food and leave.

Bring a pack of nappies to their home every now and then over the next 6 months.

LouiseR

If she's an aquaintance rather than a good friend I wouldn't go down the babysitting, home cooked dinner route. I wouldn't leave my newborn with someone unless they were a very good friend or family member.

Also, as nice a thought of giving someone home cooked meals, if you don't know her very well you might not know her taste.

You can't go wrong with few outfits, couple of newborn toys (things to hang on their capsule or bassinet, those scrunchy little books, things like that. Big W normally does them in little packs) Nappies (they always get used!!) but like the pp said get a bigger size up they do grow so quickly .

Presents for the mum are nice too. After my 1st my friend gave me a bottle of champagne, some pate as I craved it all the way through pregnancy and couldn't have it!! And a gift voucher for a clothes shop.

It's the thought that counts and I'm sure she'll be thrilled with anything she gets

jad n rich

That reminded me of a tiny baby brought into the medical centre, it wasnt breathing newbie parents, had stuck it in one of those chairs after a full feed Switched it on and left the baby to vomit and basically milk in lungs it stopped breathing. It was revived thankfully, after causing full medical emergency including amublance, I always look at those chairs a different way now

Babies are dangerous things I would stick to a babygrow LOL.

paulry

Thank God the parents intervened in time. I'm not sure that the swing is to be blamed though. A similar situation can just as easily occur by simply placing a baby in their cot to sleep after a feed. Scary things, babies.

Hoola

Thank you so much for all suggestions I have been out shopping now & came home with the following (bearing in mind this amount is from a group of ladies not just me with an open purse)

Baby bag, with change mat
Digital thermometer (under arm) plus addional dummy thermometer from 0+
Nail sissors/clippers
Hooded towel
Pack of flannels
Breast pads
Wipes
Nappy paste
Shampoo & bath oils (all natural/organic..thx for the tip)
Mums pack ( nipple cream, stretch mark oil etc)
Silent Babies CD (how to settle baby book & music CD)
First toothbrush (green brush, orange handle shaped like a carrot...how cute is that)
Plastic book for the bath
Teething toy
Set of mixed colour socks
Mirriam Stoppards book on babies
Medicine set, dropper, measurer & stopper


Thanks to everyone for their imput....expats are so great at helping each other out