A new baby is one of the greatest moments in a person's life, and it is also one of the most challenging of one's life. New parents will receive tiny sleepers, fuzzy blankets, etc... but while all these items are very useful and necessary for an infant's first days, but what they really need is a way to catch your breath, and maybe even catch a nap or two. Here are some really great alternative baby gifts that every new parent would surely love to have...
A bag full of "quick eats" on the day the family returns home from the hospital. Include snacks that can be grabbed up fast and eaten even quicker. Here are some ideas that may include, flavored crackers, nuts, trail mix, danish, bagels, pita chips & hummus, etc. Throw in your favorite comfort food or anything chocolate will work and maybe some diet soda, juice, or bottled water to wash it all down. New parents will tend to eat sporadically, which in very bad for both the parents and baby, just like their new baby, so having a bounty of healthy snacks on hand will be extremely helpful for them.
Offer laundry service for a full month. I know what you're probably thinking... "They don't want me going through their laundry!!!" and I will answer you "Yes, they do!" All new parents will have so much to do in these early days: feeding schedules, sleep schedules, and don't even get me started on the whole "What is that?" diaper process. Putting laundry in the washer may happen, and, hey, the laundry might even find its way to the dryer, it could sit for days. It's wonderful to have someone pick up a laundry basket full of dirty clothes and give back fresh, clean and nicely folded clothes in return.
Take the new parents' older children out for an afternoon. Bringing home a new baby when said baby is your first and only is challenging. when ringing home a new baby when you already have children can be very overwhelming for every one. You can offer to take the older siblings out for an afternoon of fun whether it is for a picnic, a trip to the park or even the library, even an outing to a local children's museum, could do the trick. Not only will the new parents get a chance to focus solely on their newborn or take a shower, nap ro just some free time, the older siblings will get a chance relax as well.
Provide the family's personal delivery service. You can also ffer to do the new parents' grocery shopping/errand running for the next few weeks. Picking up a grocery or errand list and magically return a few hours later with the items they requested. You can even throw in a few additional gifts from yourself, such as some fresh flowers, a new c.d., or a favorite drink from the local coffee vendor.
Visiting local eateries that deliver nice and healthy food(delivery will be the key here) purchase some gift cards. Dropping off home-baked meals every night for their first week home, this idea is sure to be one of the all-time top gifts received by new parents. Go in with a few other people and see if you can gather a week or two worth of gift certificates. All the new parents have to do is dial up a delicious dinner, wait for it to be delivered, discard the containers, and sigh delightedly with the satisfaction of not having to have cooked or cleaned up, now doesn't that sound nice...
It does, indeed, it would seem that it takes a village to raise a child, or at least to support new parents in doing so... You can try one of these very thoughtful ideas the next time someone in your life has a new baby, your kindness will not only be appreciated, it will be remembered for many years to come.
