Gifts For A Second Baby

We make cards, pin badges and prints in the UK. We don't sell prams, sleepsuits or silver spoons, so this is a plain guide with the card at the end.

Second babies get almost nothing, because everyone assumes the parents have it all. They do have the equipment - they don't have time, food or sleep.

Buy consumables, buy for the parents, and buy something for the older child.

Finish it with a card

A new baby card, and one addressed to the older sibling if you can stretch to two.

'Rock On' hand gesture good luck card, ideal for a new job or congratulations. "Rock On" Good Luck Card £3.87 Illustration of two large pints of stout next to a tiny baby stout with text "Two's a couple, three's a family". Two's A Couple, Three's A Family (Guinness Congrats On The New Baby Card) £3.87 Congrats on Moooving Home (New Home Card) Congrats on Moooving Home (New Home Card) £3.87 Cheers M'dears Congratulations Card Cheers M'dears Congratulations Card £3.75 Only The Best Dads Get Promoted To Grandad (Friends Themed Cards) Only The Best Dads Get Promoted To Grandad (Friends Themed Cards) £3.87 Future Dad Fuel (Dad To Be New Baby Card) Future Dad Fuel (Dad To Be New Baby Card) £3.87

Browse new baby cards

What they actually need

  • Nappies and wipes. The equipment is reused; these are not.
  • Food for the freezer, or a meal delivery voucher for the first fortnight.
  • New bottles, dummies and muslins, all of which wore out the first time.
  • A coffee round dropped at the door with no expectation of being invited in.

Don't buy newborn clothes

  • They have a loft full of them, in every size, already washed.
  • If you want to buy clothes, buy for the older sibling instead.
  • Or buy the next season up, in a size the hand-me-downs skipped.
  • Shoes, coats and wellies for the older child get used immediately.

Something for the older sibling

  • A gift for the older child on the day the baby arrives is the single most useful thing you can bring.
  • A big brother or big sister badge, worn constantly for a month.
  • A sticker book, crayons or a small toy for the hospital visit.
  • A card addressed to them by name, not to the baby.

For the parents

  • Take the older child out for an afternoon. That is the gift.
  • A cleaner for a couple of hours, arranged and paid for, not offered.
  • Something small for the mum that isn't baby-related at all.
  • Turn up with food, stay twenty minutes, leave.

Browse new baby cards

How to write it so it lands

  • Consumables, not equipment.
  • Never newborn clothes.
  • Always something for the older one.

Where to shop next

Frequently asked questions

What do you buy for a second baby?

Consumables - nappies, wipes, muslins, bottles - plus food for the parents and a small gift for the older sibling. Skip the newborn clothes.

Do you buy a gift for a second baby?

Yes. Second babies are routinely under-celebrated, and parents notice. It just needs to be useful rather than another sleepsuit.

Should you buy something for the older child too?

Yes, and it's the part most people forget. A small gift or badge for the older sibling on the day is worth more than anything for the baby.

Back to blog