Post # 1

Member
7174 posts
Busy Beekeeper
Any ideas for gifts for first-time parents who aren’t registered anywhere? The dad is our eye doctor and the nicest man and I’d love to be able to gift him something, but can’t find his registry anywhere online (I checked babies r us, target, land of nod)… it wouldn’t surprise me if they didn’t have one.
Short of a gift card, any ideas for first time parents? I’d like to keep it around $50, if possible.
Post # 3

Member
1659 posts
Bumble bee
Honestly, I’d give a $50 gift card for a takeout place, preferably one that delivers – keeping everyone fed can be such an undertaking when you have a new baby! If they haven’t registered, they probably don’t need/aren’t asking for much and especially with twins getting more blankets or onesies is just something else to put in the washing machine.
Post # 4

Member
658 posts
Busy bee
@oracle: My favorite gift to give any expecting parent is a care package. Get a great basket, something that they can use for themselves or to store extra diapers etc in the nursery and fill it with the essentials.
Baby wash
laundry soap
butt cream
powder
wipes
pacifiers
a couple books
teething ring
etc.
I have never given this to a parent who wasn’t very appreciative and excited about it.
Post # 5

Member
6998 posts
Busy Beekeeper
Diapers and Wipes!!! Seriously those things are expensive. Though I was extremely grateful for everything we did get I was kind of disappointed I didn’t get more diapers at my shower. My sister got so many diapers she didnt’ have to buy any for almost a year.
Post # 6

Member
407 posts
Helper bee
@oracle: have you looked on Amazon? Or checked bump? If you have and they’re still not on there – perhaps some onesies? With twins, they’re likely to need a lot! I like the suggestion for take out gift card/certificate though!
Post # 7

Member
9209 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
- Wedding: August 2013 - Rocky Mountains USA
I would agree with a takeout gift card! But my ALL TIME favorite gift for new parents is a selection of children’s books. You can get them all your favorites from when you were little, in a selection from toddler to older kid books. Who doesn’t love books?! (People who suck, that’s who.)
Post # 8

Member
3625 posts
Sugar bee
I would go with books too. Generally speaking, it’s fairly hard to be at over-capacity for kiddie books.
I know everyone says diapers and wipes, but some parents are pretty set on a specific brand or type (e.g. cloth, fragrance free or eco-friendly) and it would be a waste, unless you include a gift receipt. Plus, given that he is a doctor, there’s always a chance that he’s not “hard up” for money so they may be set for all the practical items.
Post # 9

Member
3461 posts
Sugar bee
Our friends had twins a year ago, and a few months ago she forwarded me a list of items she’d recommend for gifts which I pasted below. (Not sure if the links will still work.) They also RAVED about the friend who called once and said “relax, takeout is arriving tonight”
Star turtle: http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Twilight-Constellation-Night-Turtle/dp/B000BNQC58/ref=sr_1_5?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1325178191&sr=1-5
Other things that are a must….
Swaddle Me blankets
Plain cloth diapers for burp cloths
Lots of terry bibs, esp. those that velcro on the side 😉
Post # 10

Member
699 posts
Busy bee
DIAPERS! my best friend just had twins 3 weeks and go and they’re almost out of the diapers they got. and burp cloths! lots and lots of burp cloths 🙂
Post # 12

Member
3720 posts
Sugar bee
To echo PP, takeout or delivery is awesome. My coworker just had a baby last week. He said that our gift was their favorite– a gift certificate to a local restauant that delivers. He said everyone brought them pasta (which was awesome), his breast feeding wife just wanted meat and a salad and loved being able to pick what she wanted to magicly appear.
Post # 13

Member
192 posts
Blushing bee
@lilbluebird: +1 on the specific preferences they may have. Unless you know the people pretty well, it can be risky.
I love the idea of takeout gift card – I’m only expecting one baby next month, but man I can see how getting a free pizza would be awesome those first few weeks!
If you really want to do a physical item, here is a Products for Multiples area on Amazon.com that was informed by real-world moms of twins. Our friend who has twins said it’s a great list – in fact she and her daughters are pictured on the tile.

Post # 14

Member
2305 posts
Buzzing bee
I’m a twin, and I’ve talked to my mom about this before. The most helpful things she said are things they need anyways- diapers, wipes, bibs, cream, ect. The more useable stuff people buy the less the parents have to.
Also echo getting the parents something. A Netflicks coupon, a free Red box, a gift card to some delivery food places, ect.