While most of Team Luxuriate is in London and its environs covering the swankiest of events and reviewing the newest restaurants, shows and brands, some of us are up in Yorkshire, awaiting the arrival of a new baby and considering the best mum to be gifts.
So we’ll be upping the parenting content. You may have already seen our wonderful kids gift guide and we’ll also be bringing you some spectacular pram and bassinet reviews soon but in the meantime, here is a selection of mum to be gifts full of luxury treats (of course!) and some practical bits and pieces, too.
Mama’s Moments – Birthing Essentials Kit
This handy little kit is perfect for both your hospital bag and for the lead up to labour. It comes with a lovely, soothing pillow mist – which has helped me sleep enormously as I have become rounder – some perineum massage oil and refreshing face spray. All smell heavenly and come in a natural linen bag. A great addition for mum to be gifts.
Natrual Birthing Company | £20
Tommee Tippee Dreammaker
Baby tech is big business now and bottle giants Tommee Tippee have just released this fabulous and affordable little sleep aid. The dream maker mimics the sights and sounds of the womb and was developed at a world-leading sleep lab with top sleep scientists at Northumbria University. It also gives off a subtle, comforting light – so more snoozing all round.
Tommee Tippee | £29.99
Simba Sustainable Hybrid Pillow
A good night’s sleep is the holy grail of being a new parent. While the inevitable exhaustion is par for the course with a newborn, it’s really important to have the correct tools once you get your head down. This sustainable hybrid pillow, by luxury sleep brand Simba, has space-inspired temperature regulation and adjustable height and firmness. It’s cool, firm and oh so perfect to rest your head upon.
Simba Sleep | £99
Rachel Riley Faux Fur Trim Snowsuit
As mum to be gifts go, you’ll be inundated with adorable, tiny baby-gros. But if there’s one thing you buy, especially if you’re having a winter baby, make it a cosy, snuggly (slightly bigger) snowsuit by designer Rachel Riley. Not to be confused with Countdown’s Rachel Riley! The snowsuit is perfect for taking the baby out for wintry walks and also for the first trip home from the hospital. This stylish dove grey is also unisex if, like us, you haven’t found out if you’re having a girl or a boy.
Rachel Riley | £62.50
Nourished High Impact Vital Nutrients Stack
It’s important to take prenatal vitamins but these tasty, chewy nuggets of goodness take it to the next level. These 3D treats are packed with Folic Acid, Iron, Milk Thistle, Zinc, Vita-algae D3, K2 Vital Delta and Ginger Extract and are also vegan and gluten-free. So literally every mum-to-be can enjoy them. They look pretty, too.
Get Nourished | £35.99
Happiest Baby Everything Dress
We can’t praise this dress enough. Maternity wear can be tentish, unflattering and kind of depressing. However, this chic “LBD for pregnancy and beyond” is amazing. You can use it as evening wear, daywear or even loungewear as it’s so versatile and comfy. It has a flattering empire line that shows off and adapts to your bump and it’s also breastfeeding and pumping friendly, of course. It’s made of soft, durable and luxe stretch knit, provides a lovely silhouette and doesn’t need ironing. We love it.
Happiest Baby | £189
Don’t Buy Her Flowers: Five Minutes Peace Package
Who wouldn’t love to get this care package? But when you’re pregnant, tired, a bit grumpy and cocktails are off the cards, a special delivery of biscuits, posh tea, some fragrant bubble bath and a good book is just the ticket. Don’t Buy Her Flowers offers build-your-own sets that are totally customisable and you can add everything a pregnant lady needs from foot cream to cashmere socks to scented candles.
Don’t Buy Her Flowers | From £41
Mi Bambino Love is Love Hamper
We are totally obsessed with this luxury children’s fashion and accessories brand, founded by London-based mum and creative director Lauren Morrison. It’s completely splendid. If you really want to treat yourself – or someone else – select the Love is Love luxury hemp hamper, packed full of goodies. From the chunky-knit cotton blanket to the sandalwood and jasmine diffuser to the terrarium that grows with your baby, the hamper is a true indulgence. The Under the Nile babywear is adorable too and while the hampers would make a great Christmas present, they are available all year round.
Mi Bambino | £290 but all items can be bought separately
SNOObear
Another handy tool that doubles up as a toy to get your baby to sleep. By Happiest Baby, the American brand pioneered by world-renowned paediatrician Dr Harvey Karp, the SNOObear not only looks and feels cuddly and cute but emits 30 to 60 minutes of white noise to help your baby nod off. It also “pays attention” for a further three hours after the sound stops, responding to any new cries with another dose of soothing sound. The SNOObear is the latest addition to the Happiest Baby collection and a handy, mobile way of soothing your newborn when out and about.
Happiest Baby | £59.95
aden + anais Baby Activity Gym
aden + anais is the original swaddling blanket brand, founded by an Australian called Raegan Moya-Jones who wanted to bring the centuries-old Aussie tradition of swaddling to the masses. The brand has since branched out into clothes, bibs, blankets, bath time accessories, changing mats…and now playthings. The baby activity gym encourages babies to play, learn and explore safely using the brand’s signature muslin cotton and has more than 30 sensory opportunities. It also has a really cool Scandi vibe with its birchwood arches so will look amazing in any nursery. Tummy time anyone?
aden + anais | £90
Cubo AI Plus Smart Baby Monitor
One of the staples for new parents is definitely a baby monitor – and they’ve come on a lot. Gone are the days of a static walkie talkie type contraption. Enter the Cubo AI Plus. It’s basically more sophisticated than my new laptop. Not only does it look like a sweet little bird, but it also notifies you anytime the baby covers its face, rolls over, tries to climb somewhere dangerous or enters a “forbidden zone”. It also records cute moments, too, that you might have missed. Other features include built-in lullabies, white noise or nature sounds, full HD night vision Sony Starlight Camera with no visible red light distraction, 18-hour video playback with the option to record and take photos. Told you!
Get Cubo | From £189
Modibodi Maternity Undies
One must also be practical. And unfortunately, a pesky side effect of birth and pregnancy is a bit of leaking. Modibodi is a stylish and discreet brand, offering everything from nursing camisoles to maternity briefs with 24-hour absorbancy. The brand’s new designs are scientifically proven and will leave you feeling confident, safe, dry and protected – at a very vulnerable time.
Modibodi | From £30
Mum to be gifts: Luxury Baby Kingdom Gift Set
Baby Kingdom infant toiletries are super swanky and will make any changing table look pretty swish. This gorgeous gift box comes with super high-end but baby-friendly shampoo, hair and body wash, nappy cream and body cream. The box can also be re-used for keepsakes. In their own words, Baby Kingdom products use only “light fresh scents that leave babies smelling like babies!”
Baby Kingdom Collection | £65
Tommee Tippee Electric Steam Steriliser
Parenthood isn’t all glamour you know – and while we adore our pastel muslin squares and Scnadi inspired cots it’s really important to have the practical items, too. Tommee Tippee is a stalwart childcare and bottle brand so we turned to them for this really handy device. Using the all-natural cleaning power of steam this steriliser kills 99.9% of harmful germs and bacteria without harsh chemicals and leaves no nasty residue – so you can rest easy knowing your bottles are spotless and safe.
Tommee Tippee | £54.99
It’s impossible to fit in everything a first-time mum needs in a single mum to be gifts guide – the list is exhaustive. But we’ll keep adding as we muddle along to bring you the most fabulous and practical things every new parent could wish for.
Featured image by jafara/Shtuterstock.