The best gifts for new parents, according to other parents

A meal service was one of the most suggested gift ideas from other parents and we can completely see why. "I just had my second child 10 months ago and our neighbours got us a voucher for some frozen home made-style meals from Cook," says mum Catherine McKay.

"They absolutely saved us on numerous occasions when we needed something hearty and not junk fuelled, but didn’t have time in the newborn sleep-deprived stage. I’ve since done the same thing for a few friends and it’s always gone down well."

You can choose between seven nights or a fortnight of meals and you get to choose the dishes, from macaroni cheese and lasagne to Moroccan spiced lamb tagine.

In the early days, it can be difficult to remember your own name, let alone every adorable first milestone, but that's where this beautiful hardback book comes in.

It's designed to be updated once a year until they're 16, creating a treasured keepsake for both parents and children. Our GH parents felt this was much more manageable than similar books that require weekly check-ins during the topsy-turvy newborn days!

There's space to record things like height, shoe size and their favourite things, as well as room for hand and footprints when their child is little, or for drawings and photos when they're older.

“As a new parent, the phrase ‘The days are long but the years are short’ really resonated”, says Stacey Smith. “I'd spend all day, counting down the hours to bedtime, only to spend the entire evening scrolling through my phone, looking at photos of them.”

The Aura Walden frame is a much more stylish solution. The anti-glare, 15-inch digital picture frame can be wall-mounted or propped on a tabletop, and displays photos and videos of your little love, so you can re-live your favourite moments without a screen.

It makes a truly great present (for both parents and grandparents!), as photos can be uploaded via the app prior to gifting, so it's ready to go, straight out of the box.

They may have the pushchair sorted, but we'll bet they haven't considered a footmuff to keep their little one as snug as a bug in the colder months.

Like a sleeping bag for the stroller, Finnsøn's Ama footmuff cleverly fits all models, and is made from 100% recycled materials. It features a water-repellent outer layer and a super soft, teddy fleece lining for added warmth and comfort.

We're just sad it doesn't come in our size...

This manual bouncer was a huge hit with our experts and parents during GHI testing, earning a score of 97/100, and we can see why. Yes, it’s a pricey gift, but it’s a luxurious chair that can be used from birth right through their toddler years and into childhood. “It looks like a work of art in my living room – I wish they did a version for adults!” said one impressed parent.

For babies, it has three recline positions that are easy to adjust and it can be locked in place for playtime. There’s also a three-point harness that’s secured with wide Velcro straps. The fabrics are also machine washable.

We’re big fans of this cuddly sleep aid at the GHI. He took the crown in our tests with a score of 96/100, thanks to his repertoire of soothing sleep sounds, including lullabies and pink noise that reminds them of being in the womb.

He also glows with a soft red light that encourages sleep – it automatically switches off after 20 minutes but will turn on again if your baby stirs. Our parent testers were big fans of the little guy and said he helped with getting their baby into a sleep routine. Adorable.

“Someone gave me a ‘baby first aid’ bum bag,” says Yasamin Asari. “It had Calpol, a thermometer, one of those snot suckers (gross, I know), nail clippers, tissues and wet wipes to name a few things.

"She packaged it all in a bum bag so that when the baby wasn’t well, everything was in one place – I then mirrored this and gifted a similar thing to a friend when she had hers, as I found it really useful to have everything in once place and that I could carry around easily."

If you want to create something similar, this first aid kit has many of the essentials they’ll need and you can always add your own to the mix for a genuinely useful gift.

One thing every new parent will tell you is that it’s impossible to enjoy a hot cup of tea because of the myriad distractions. Our solution? The Ember smart mug (Jeff Bezos’ favourite mug apparently) promises to keep your drink hot for three hours.

It also connects to an app that records your caffeine consumption, allowing you to keep track of how much coffee or tea you’re drinking (or not as the case may be). And it looks pretty chic, too (it also comes in silver and rose gold).

Mum of two Stacey Smith recommends treating them to whatever they’ve been missing most during pregnancy, from coffee to cheese.

For the cheese lovers, we suggest a treat from Cheesegeek, which offers free next-day delivery on all orders placed before 2pm for short-notice gifting. The Lionel is a balanced selection of all the classics, along with tasting notes and a scorecard so you can record your favourites. You can also add crackers and a red onion and port marmalade to any box.

“After an awkward incident in the novice newborn days, when my father-in-law walked in on me while breastfeeding and I tried to hold a conversation while I grappled with a tiny muslin cloth and the baby wriggled about, a good breastfeeding cover was a revelation,” says Lyndsey Heffernan. “It became a changing-bag essential and totally took the stress out of breastfeeding in public.”

This multipurpose muslin, made from bamboo and cotton, makes a useful breastfeeding cover, as well as a winding cloth, pram cover and lightweight blanket. And it also comes in a range of stylish designs.

“I received (and have then consistently sent to other new parents) this two-way zip-up sleep suit from Ducky Zebra, which was revolutionary – unzip from the bottom for easy nappy changing, and unzip from the top for taking it on/off,” says mum of two Jo Howarth. “It’s super soft and warm, and comes in gorgeous fun prints when everything else you’re receiving is white or grey or beige or dull pastels.

“I would really recommend it as something a bit different, and Ducky Zebra is such a lovely independent company, with a wonderful ethos of breaking down gender stereotypes and championing kindness and confidence in children.”

It may not seem like the most glamorous gift, but it does come in very handy, as mum Yasamin Asrari explains. “The amount of emergency same-day/next day orders I put in during the midnight feeds was scary!” she says.

Alternatively, she suggests a voucher to for someone to come and collect their washing/ironing or do the cleaning for a week, which can be a lifesaver. Companies such as Molly Maid and Wecasa offer vouchers and one-off cleaning services.

Our GHI expert flagged this as a great gift for new parents during testing (perhaps from grandparents or friends clubbing together).

Its USP is an ‘instant unfold’ and, yes, it takes mere seconds, and it’s also lightweight and comes with a carry bag and a zip-in, good-sized bassinet insert for newborns. The mattress is firm and flat with a washable cover, too. This is a great buy for frequent flyers and baby jet-setters.

There can be a lot of walking in those early years, because it can sometimes be the only way to get them to sleep. So why not upgrade their trips out with a National Trust membership, giving them a whole host of new walks to explore together with their little one?

We all know how vital sleep is during those early months, so anything that can help tired parents relax and nod off more easily will be appreciated. That’s why we’ve included this GHI Approved eye mask and massager from Bob and Brad. It uses heat therapy and compression massage to help relieve tension headaches and melt away stress at any time of the day.

Our testers said they felt calm and refreshed after using it. In fact, one of our experts didn’t want to give it back after the trial period!

Sophie is a classic for a reason. Wonderfully soft and chewy, she continues to get babies and parents through that tricky teething period.

This set, which contains an additional teething aid with handy chewable rings for babies to hold on to, makes a genuinely useful and relatively inexpensive present for new parent friends.

“This bath is shaped to support the baby,” says Emily Hawkins-Longley. “I had a C-section, so holding my son at bathtime was difficult, but having a baby bath that supported him really helped.”

It’s designed with a water level indicator for safety and sturdy sides, along with a central angle area for the baby made from a soft fabric that warms to the water temperature and cradles them, making them feel cosy and safe as you wash them.

“We bought one of these Frank Green reusable water bottles for our colleague and it’s always in the background of every photo she sends us of the baby,” says Florence Reeves-White.

“She said she finds it really useful when she’s running around as it’s so big, leak-proof and has a straw for easy drinking when you're stuck in those compromising baby-feeding positions.”

In our GHI lab tests, this stainless steel bottle also kept drinks cool for five hours and it’s customisable so you can add a little extra personalisation for a special, yet practical, gift.

“I ended up with so many muslins for my newborn that I thought it was a bit overkill at first but, looking back, I realised what an underrated boon they are,” says Jodie Anderson. “Now my daughter is two, I am still using them. They’re a sustainable alternative to packs of tissues on the go.

“I love the soft toy addition to this gift set, too. For a newborn, it's a lovely sensory comfort, but as a toddler my daughter now understands that it’s a rabbit and jumps around with it, saying, ‘Hop!’ so it has longevity as a gift, too – which I think in the current climate we all want!”.

“This may not be something you'd automatically consider, but it’s a thoughtful present that will help them capture those monthly milestones to look back on,” says Sophie Clough.

Yes, you have your phone, but with this instant camera, you have a physical photo you can put in a baby week-by-week book without needing to get anything developed.