New Baby Gifts Under £20

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.

Under £20 is the most common budget for a new baby gift and the easiest one to get right, because the useful things are all cheap.

Aim for something that gets used up, or something that gets kept. Avoid the middle.

Finish it with a card

Whatever the budget, the card is the bit that ends up in the memory box.

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 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 A square pregnancy announcement greeting card for a brother featuring a baby scan photo illustration and uncle text. Only The Best Brothers Get Promoted To Uncle (Pregnancy Announcement Card) £3.87 A square white greeting card reading 'Only the best sisters get promoted to aunty' with a cute illustration of a baby scan. Only The Best Sisters Get Promoted To Aunty (Pregnancy Announcement Card) £3.87 Only The Best Mums Get Promoted To Nanny pregnancy announcement card featuring a baby scan illustration. Only The Best Mums Get Promoted To Nanny (Pregnancy Announcement Card) £3.87

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Things they run out of

  • Nappies in size two or three - nobody buys ahead and everyone runs out.
  • Nappy cream, baby wash and the muslin squares that vanish weekly.
  • A pack of decent bibs, which get ruined and replaced constantly.
  • Freezer bags of food for the parents, which is technically a baby gift.

Clothes that fit later

  • Buy six to nine months, not newborn. Everyone buys newborn.
  • Sleepsuits with zips rather than poppers, in a plain colour.
  • A pramsuit or cardigan for the season the baby will actually be that size in.
  • Socks and hats, which are lost at a rate nobody warns you about.

Keepsakes under £20

  • A framed name print with the birth date and weight.
  • A pin badge for the new mum or dad - small, cheap, and kept.
  • A first-year photo book, empty, with the first page filled in by you.
  • A book inscribed with the date, which lasts longer than anything else at this price.

Don't forget the older sibling

  • A small gift for the older child on the day everyone arrives for the baby.
  • A sticker book or crayons for the hospital visit.
  • A big brother or big sister badge, which gets worn for weeks.
  • A card addressed to them, not the baby.

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How to write it so it lands

  • Buy six to nine months, never newborn.
  • Nappies and muslins always get used.
  • Bring something for the older sibling.

Where to shop next

Frequently asked questions

What is a good cheap new baby gift?

Nappies in a bigger size, muslins, bibs or a meal for the parents. All are under £20 and all get used within the week.

What size baby clothes should you buy as a gift?

Six to nine months. Newborn sizes arrive in huge quantities and are outgrown in weeks.

How much should you spend on a new baby gift?

£10 to £20 is normal for friends and colleagues. Close family usually spend more, but nobody is counting.

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