Nearly nine in ten new parents say they feel overwhelmed at some point in the weeks after birth. Almost none of the gifts that show up at the door are for them.
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Table of Contents
- Introduction
- How We Chose These Gifts
- Quick Comparison Table
- 1. Kraft Cover Notebook, A5
- 2. Speckled Stoneware Trinket Dish
- 3. Soy Candle in Reusable Ceramic Pot
- 4. Hammered Brass Stacking Ring
- 5. Thank You Gift Set
- 6. Freshwater Pearl Drop Earrings
- 7. Merino Wool Scarf
- How to Choose the Right Gift for a New Parent
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Bottom Line
Introduction
Buy a gift for a new baby and the choices are endless: outfits, toys, comforters, keepsake boxes. Buy a gift for the parents who just had that baby, and most gift guides go quiet.
That gap is worth taking seriously. A 2022 survey of more than 2,000 new and expectant parents by NCT, the UK’s leading parenting charity, found that 87% felt overwhelmed at least some of the time in the postnatal period, and 62% felt lonely or isolated. The baby is getting showered with attention. The two exhausted adults keeping that baby alive often aren’t.
This guide covers seven gifts from CraftsGifted’s own catalogue, ordered from £9 to £32, chosen specifically for the parents rather than the nursery. Here’s how each one holds up.
How We Chose These Gifts
We picked these seven from CraftsGifted’s live catalogue using four criteria:
- For the adults, not the nursery: every item here is something a parent uses, wears or enjoys themselves, not another baby product.
- Low effort to enjoy: new parents are short on time and sleep, so nothing on this list needs assembly, instructions or a free afternoon.
- Works across the first year: these gifts suit the first fortnight after birth just as well as month six, so it’s fine to buy this instead of a newborn-specific present.
- Price spread: each item sits at a different point between £9 and £32, covering everything from a small thinking-of-you gift to a proper present.
Quick Comparison Table
| Gift | Category | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kraft Cover Notebook, A5 | Cards & Stationery | £9.00 | Tracking feeds, admin and the mental load |
| Speckled Stoneware Trinket Dish | Home & Interiors | £14.00 | A catch-all for keys, dummies and rings |
| Soy Candle in Reusable Ceramic Pot | Home & Interiors | £16.00 | Ten quiet minutes once the baby is finally down |
| Hammered Brass Stacking Ring | Jewellery | £18.00 | A small treat that’s just for them |
| Thank You Gift Set | Gifts by Occasion | £22.00 | A ready-made present when you’re short on time |
| Freshwater Pearl Drop Earrings | Jewellery | £24.00 | Marking the moment, not just the baby’s arrival |
| Merino Wool Scarf | Fashion Accessories | £32.00 | The upper-budget pick for cold nights and early walks |
Prices shown reflect CraftsGifted at the time of publication and can change. Check the linked product page for the current price before buying.
1. Kraft Cover Notebook, A5: £9.00
Somewhere to put the parts of new parenthood that don’t fit in a baby app.
The kraft cover notebook is an A5 lined notebook with a kraft-paper cover and recycled pages. New parents already track feeds, naps and appointments somewhere, and a real notebook gives them somewhere to write down the rest: questions for the health visitor, a running list of what actually helped, or just a few lines at the end of a long day.
What we like:
- Under £10, so it’s an easy small gift to bring along on a first visit
- Actually useful for lists and notes, not just decorative
- Recycled pages, a real, checkable detail rather than a vague “eco” claim
What could be better:
- It’s a quiet gift, so it works best paired with something else if you want the moment to feel bigger than £9
- Lined pages only, so it suits someone who writes notes better than someone who wants to sketch
Price: £9.00 (current listing) Best for: A small thinking-of-you gift for a first hospital or home visit. Not ideal if: You want a single gift that reads as the main present.
2. Speckled Stoneware Trinket Dish: £14.00
A landing spot for the small things that pile up by the front door once there’s a baby in the house.
The speckled stoneware trinket dish is a small stoneware dish with a soft speckled glaze. In a house with a newborn, it tends to end up holding whatever’s in the parents’ hands when they walk in: keys, a dummy, a hair bobble, a ring taken off before a nappy change.
What we like:
- Under £15, so it’s a real gift without needing a card and a second item to feel complete
- Practical in a household where hands are usually full
- A quieter gift that gets daily use rather than being unwrapped once and put in a drawer
What could be better:
- One glaze finish, so it won’t suit someone matching a specific colour scheme exactly
- It’s a lower-key gift, worth pairing with a card if you want the moment to feel bigger than the price
Price: £14.00 (current listing) Best for: A colleague or extended family member you want to give something real to without overspending. Not ideal if: You want a gift that announces itself the moment it’s opened.
3. Soy Candle in Reusable Ceramic Pot: £16.00
For the ten minutes after the baby finally goes down and before the next feed.
The soy candle in a reusable ceramic pot is a soy wax candle in a ceramic pot the recipient can reuse once it’s burned down. It’s not a baby gift and it’s not trying to be. It’s a small, low-effort way to make a few minutes of a hard day feel like they belong to the parents.
What we like:
- Reusable pot means the gift outlasts the candle itself
- Soy wax burns cleaner than paraffin, which matters in a small room with a sleeping baby nearby
- No assembly, no instructions, no time investment required to enjoy it
What could be better:
- A single scent option, so it’s worth checking the product page if the recipient has strong scent preferences
- Best lit somewhere the baby isn’t sleeping, which is worth keeping in mind for newborn safety around any open flame
Price: £16.00 (current listing) Best for: A parent who hasn’t had five quiet minutes to themselves in weeks. Not ideal if: They’ve said they’d rather avoid scented products in the house right now.
4. Hammered Brass Stacking Ring: £18.00
Something to wear that has nothing to do with feeding schedules.
The hammered brass stacking ring is a slim, hand-finished ring in brushed brass, designed to be worn alone or stacked with rings the recipient already owns. It’s a way of marking the moment for the parent, not just the baby who’s getting all the newborn outfits.
What we like:
- Stacks with existing rings, so it adds to a collection rather than competing with it
- Slim profile works for everyday wear, including one-handed baby-holding days
- Under £20 for a jewellery gift is an accessible entry point
What could be better:
- Brass needs the occasional polish to keep its shine
- Sizing is worth checking on the product page before buying, since it’s one of the few gifts here without a “one size fits most” option
Price: £18.00 (current listing) Best for: A close friend or sibling who already wears rings. Not ideal if: You don’t know their ring size and can’t ask without spoiling a surprise.
5. Thank You Gift Set: £22.00
A finished present for when you don’t have the time or energy to build one yourself.
The Thank You Gift Set bundles a small set of ready-made items into a single boxed gift. For new parents, it works as a “thinking of you” present that arrives already put together, useful if you want to send something proper without spending an evening assembling a hamper of your own.
What we like:
- Arrives as a complete set, so there’s nothing left for you to organise
- A single gift that doesn’t need a card or add-on to feel finished
- Useful contents rather than novelty filler
What could be better:
- Fixed contents, so it won’t suit someone with a specific request already in mind
- It reads as a general thinking-of-you gift rather than a personal one, so pair it with a note if you want it to feel more individual
Price: £22.00 (current listing) Best for: Sending quickly when you want something more considered than flowers. Not ideal if: You know the parents well enough to pick something more specific to them.
6. Freshwater Pearl Drop Earrings: £24.00
A gift that marks becoming a parent, not just the baby arriving.
The freshwater pearl drop earrings pair a freshwater pearl with a simple drop setting. Classic enough to wear well past the newborn stage, they work as a gift for whoever became a mother, without needing to double as anything baby-related.
What we like:
- Classic styling that doesn’t date quickly, so it stays wearable for years
- Understated enough to wear daily, not saved for one occasion
- A personal gift for her, not another item for the baby’s wardrobe
What could be better:
- One design and finish, so it’s a better fit if you already know their jewellery style
- At £24, it’s a step up from the smaller gifts on this list, worth it mainly for someone you’re close to
Price: £24.00 (current listing) Best for: A close friend, sister or daughter who’s just had her first baby. Not ideal if: She doesn’t usually wear earrings, or you’re buying for a non-birthing partner instead.
7. Merino Wool Scarf: £32.00
A gift you can watch them actually use on the first cold walk with the pram.
The merino wool scarf is a soft merino wool scarf in a neutral tone, generously sized. It’s the top of this list’s price range, and it earns that by being something a tired parent reaches for on early morning walks and late feeds by an open window, not something that sits folded in a drawer.
What we like:
- Neutral tone works with most coats, so it’s not a colour gamble
- Generous size means it works over pyjamas at 4am just as well as over a coat outdoors
- A gift with immediate, visible use rather than one that waits for a special occasion
What could be better:
- Merino wool needs a gentler wash than a synthetic scarf, worth mentioning if they’re not used to caring for wool
- A neutral tone is a safe choice precisely because it’s not bold, so it suits practical taste better than someone who wants something eye-catching
Price: £32.00 (current listing) Best for: A partner, sibling or close friend you’re ready to spend towards the top of your list on. Not ideal if: They already have a scarf collection they’re happy with, or you don’t know their style well.
How to Choose the Right Gift for a New Parent
1. Are you buying for the birthing parent, the co-parent, or both? New parenthood affects both adults in the house, even when only one of them gave birth. The freshwater pearl drop earrings and the hammered brass stacking ring both work well for the person who gave birth specifically. The candle, the notebook and the scarf suit either parent, or both, equally well.
2. What’s the gift’s ceiling, not your whole budget for the family? If this particular gift needs to sit under £20, the notebook, the trinket dish, the candle or the brass ring all fit. Between £20 and £30, the Thank You Gift Set or the pearl earrings work. Above £30, the scarf makes more sense as one of the bigger single gifts you’re buying this year rather than a quick add-on.
3. How close are you to them? For a colleague or distant relative, the trinket dish or notebook lands well without feeling like too much. For a close friend or family member, jewellery or the scarf reads as more personal. If you also want to mark the occasion in writing, our guide to writing a thank-you card message people remember works just as well for a card to new parents as for a thank-you note.
4. Do you also want to buy something for the baby? This list is deliberately for the parents, but if you’d rather cover the baby too, our baby shower gift guide and our guide to picking a thoughtful first baby gift cover what new parents actually use versus what just looks cute. For a christening or naming day further down the line, see our christening and new baby gift ideas.
5. Would this help even if the birth or the first weeks were hard? Research from the British Psychological Society’s Research Digest on gift-giving suggests recipients rate a gift as more thoughtful when it reflects something specific about what they actually need, rather than something the giver assumes will impress. The NHS’s own guidance for new parents is clear that the first weeks change daily life for the whole family, not just the baby, which is exactly why a gift aimed at the parents tends to land well regardless of how the birth went. If you’re buying for someone who’s said the first weeks were tough, our get well soon and thinking of you gift ideas has more gentle, low-effort options in the same spirit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it weird to buy a gift for the parents instead of the baby?
No. New parents get showered with baby clothes and toys from multiple people at once. A gift aimed at them specifically tends to stand out precisely because it’s less common.
What’s a good gift for new parents on a tight budget?
The kraft cover notebook at £9 or the speckled stoneware trinket dish at £14 both give a real, useful gift without stretching a small budget.
Do new parents actually feel overwhelmed, or is that overstated?
Survey data from NCT, based on more than 2,000 new and expectant parents, found 87% felt overwhelmed at least some of the time in the postnatal period. It’s a common experience, not a rare one.
What should I buy for a mother specifically, rather than both parents?
The freshwater pearl drop earrings or the hammered brass stacking ring both work well as a gift for the person who gave birth, separate from anything for the baby.
What’s a good gift that works for either parent?
The soy candle, the notebook and the merino wool scarf all suit either parent equally, since none of them are tied to a specific gender or role.
Should I buy something for the parents and something for the baby?
You can, but you don’t have to. This list is built so any single item works as a complete gift on its own. If you’d rather cover both, pair a smaller item here, like the trinket dish, with something from our baby shower gift guide.
When’s the right time to give a “for the parents” gift: at the birth, or later?
Either works. A smaller item like the notebook or candle suits an early visit, while the scarf or jewellery can land just as well weeks or months later, once the initial rush of baby gifts has slowed down.
Is jewellery a safe gift if I don’t know their exact taste?
It can be, if you pick something that doesn’t need to match an existing collection. The hammered brass stacking ring is designed to be worn alone or stacked, which lowers the risk compared with a single statement piece.
What if I don’t know the family well, just a colleague who’s just had a baby?
The Thank You Gift Set at £22 is built for exactly this: a single ready-made present that reads as considered without requiring you to know their personal taste.
Do these gifts arrive gift-wrapped?
Check the individual product page for current packaging details, since this can vary by item. If you’d rather wrap it yourself, our step-by-step guide to wrapping a gift box covers a clean, simple technique that works on any boxed gift.
What’s the single best all-round pick from this list?
There isn’t one universal answer, since the right pick depends on how well you know the parents and your budget. As a fair middle ground, the soy candle at £16 works across most recipients without needing to know their jewellery size or style.
Can I combine two items from this list into one gift?
Yes. A smaller item like the notebook or trinket dish pairs naturally with a card, and there’s nothing stopping you combining a lower-priced item with a slightly higher one if the budget allows for both.
The Bottom Line
New parents get plenty of gifts for the baby. What tends to run short is something for the two exhausted adults who are actually looking after it. If you’re sending something quick, start with the kraft cover notebook or the speckled stoneware trinket dish. For a moment to themselves, the soy candle is the clear pick. For someone you’re close to, the hammered brass stacking ring or the pearl drop earrings both mark the occasion without adding to the baby’s wardrobe. And if you’re ready to spend a little more on one person this year, the merino wool scarf earns its price through daily use on the school run to come.
Compare the full CraftsGifted gift shop to see the complete range each of these picks came from, or go straight to the Jewellery, Home & Interiors, Cards & Stationery, Gifts by Occasion or Fashion Accessories category that matches your gift.
Related Articles
- 7 Baby Shower Gift Ideas: Comforters and Keepsakes (2026): pairs naturally with this list if you want to cover the baby too.
- How to Pick a Thoughtful First Baby Gift: what actually gets used versus what just looks cute for the newborn.
- 6 Get Well Soon and Thinking of You Gift Ideas (2026): gentle picks in a similar spirit if the birth or first weeks were tough.
About This Research
CraftsGifted Editorial Team writes CraftsGifted’s gift guides directly from the products, categories and pricing in our own live shop, rather than recommending items we don’t stock.
This guide is based on a direct review of every current listing in the Cards & Stationery, Home & Interiors, Jewellery, Gifts by Occasion and Fashion Accessories categories at CraftsGifted, cross-checked against postnatal wellbeing survey data from NCT, guidance for new parents published by the NHS, and gift-giving research from the British Psychological Society’s Research Digest.
Content reviewed and updated: 15 September 2026
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Questions about any of the gifts above, sizing, or an order? Email us at hello@craftsgifted.com. You can also sign up to the CraftsGifted newsletter in the site footer for future gift guides as new occasions come round.
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