Best: Overall

Rating: 10/10

Babywearing is popular among new parents as it means they get to be as close to their baby as possible while carrying on with everyday chores or getting a breath of fresh air. We love Baby Bjorn’s harmony carrier, which is one of the most versatile we’ve come across. Suitable from newborn to three years, it has plenty of mileage and offers four carry positions – front forward facing, front inward facing, back carry and a newborn function, which provides head and neck support for little ones who haven’t quite mastered control of those areas just yet.

Crafted with soft jersey in areas the baby will come into contact with and breathable mesh elsewhere, it has an adjustable seat area that allows your baby to comfortably sit with their legs apart and their bottom in a natural position, while the padded shoulder straps and belt help relieve pressure on the parent’s body. The different sections fasten using clips similar to those you’d find on a backpack and, although it took us a while to figure out, we very quickly got the hang of it. Thoughtfully designed and liberating for busy mums and dads, we think a baby carrier is a fantastic gift that any new parent would be glad to receive.

Best: For foodies

Rating: 9.5/10

Food is often one of the last things on the mind of new parents and, when they do eventually get around to feeding themselves, it can be tricky to find the time to cook a nutritious meal. But, that’s where a food subscription box, like HelloFresh, comes in. Delivering fresh pre-portioned ingredients to mum and dad’s front door, along with easy-to-follow recipe cards, the service makes it easy for you to knock up delicious meals in as little as 15 minutes, and there are plenty of options to choose from including meat, veggie, family, calorie smart, quick cook and pescatarian.

We tested a HelloFresh recipe box of three meals for three adults and our recipes included chicken in creamy peppercorn sauce with mash and roasted carrots, Indonesian style coconut curry with courgette and zesty rice, and – our favourite – roasted cod with mini roast potatoes and a warm pepper and tomato salsa. We were pleasantly surprised by how easy the recipes were to follow and liked that each dish came with vegetable sides.

When gifting through HelloFresh, there are four price points to choose from, £29.99 to £45.99, with the cheapest option feeding two people with three meals a week. The gift will be emailed to your recipient on a date of your choice and you can also add a personal message.

Read our full Hello Fresh review

Best: For keeping baby entertained

Rating: 9/10

Baby gyms are great for encouraging exercise and development in little ones but, arguably best of all, they give parents the opportunity to take a few minutes to enjoy a nice cuppa. Crafted from sturdy wood with a sage green and natural frame, it’s ideal if you’ve gone with a tastefully themed nursery. It has been designed to promote hand to eye coordination with three soft toys that have different textures for the baby to touch and feel – the bee has a small mirror on its tummy, and the goose rattles and the flower’s leaves are crinkly. Great for style-conscious parents with its modern look, it comes complete with everything you need to keep little tots entertained and stimulated.

Best: Baby outfit

Rating: 9.5/10

New parents are likely to be inundated with babygrows, but this one is guaranteed to stand out from the crowd. Courtesy of childrenswear brand Claude & Co, which specialises in unisex clothing, this all-in-one is equal parts practical and adorable with a tongue-in-cheek “Milking It” slogan in eco-friendly water-based ink.

Made from organic cotton in a gorgeous oatmeal hue, the onesie has a ribbed finish and feels amazingly soft, which is ideal for newborn skin. Plus, it has a decent amount of stretch to it, too, so you can rest assured that it will last a little longer than most. We also appreciated that it comes with an envelope neckline and popper fastenings that make getting the onesie on and off even the wriggliest of babies a breeze. Made to last and kind to the planet, this is a memorable gift that’s guaranteed to be passed down in years to come.

Best: Baby bouncer

Rating: 9/10

A baby bouncer is an ideal spot for little ones to relax and gives parents an opportunity to have their hands back, even if it is just for 10 minutes. Unlike most bouncers, which are garishly bright, this one has a sleek Scandi-inspired design and comes in a choice of two shades – light grey or graphite. Suitable from birth to six months, it has a soft bounce to it, which is controlled manually, and is lined with high-quality, soft materials that are kind to your baby’s skin, including a supportive inlay for newborns.

It can adjust to three different positions and switching between them is easy using a lever at the back of the chair, and we liked that it folds away too, meaning it won’t take up floor space when not in use. Plus, the cover is machine washable, so you don’t need to worry about it getting grubby.

Best: For helping baby sleep

Rating: 8.5/10

The one thing that all new parents want more of? Sleep, which is why this little gadget is sure to go down a treat. Made in the shape of a cute cloud, the sleep aid has a number of features designed to help little ones drift off including two light options with a choice of a calming pink glow (which makes it looks like the cloud’s cheeks are blushing) or a brighter soft white light that’s ideal for feeding in the dark or using as a night light.

It comes with four soothing sounds, too, including lullaby and waterfall, pink noise (a deeper alternative to white noise), and heartbeat, to mimic that of pregnant mum’s womb. We found all the sounds to be really pleasant and liked that the volume is adjustable. Plus, it’s portable and comes with a Velcro strap that can attach to everything from a crib to a moses basket, pram or car seat.

Best: Blanket

Rating: 8.5/10

Likely to be used every single day for everything from naps to tummy time and as a comforter, a blanket is one of the most useful gifts a new parent can receive. This one from The White Company is a great choice for newborns as it features a cellular design (meaning it has lots of small holes) that allows for maximum airflow and is temperature regulating, which will keep the baby from overheating or getting too chilly. It’s also made from soft cotton, which will be gentle on the little one’s sensitive skin, and comes in a neutral colour that will complement any nursery. We think it’s a great all-rounder and it gets bonus points for being machine washable.

Best: For nursing mums

Rating: 9/10

It’s important to do what you can to make life easier as a new parent, so if you know a mum that’s nursing, be it her first rodeo or not, we highly recommend gifting her the comfort and convenience that comes with owning an Elvie breast pump. A wireless electric pump that can be discreetly slipped straight into their bra, it allows mums to express milk anywhere and anytime. Consisting of just five parts, it’s easy to assemble and is controlled through an app on your phone, which has a step-by-step guide on how to use it, meaning getting started couldn’t be easier.

Once it’s on, the pump is impressively quiet and we loved that it comes with a number of clever settings that allow you to personalise your experience, including 14 intensity settings, the ability to control the brightness of the device’s lights (which is particularly handy for night pumping) and a function that keeps track of which breast you’re pumping from. One of the most innovative breast pumps money can buy, Elvie’s offering is ideal for fitting into busy mums’ lives, meaning they have one less thing to worry about.

Best: For sentimental parents

Rating: 8/10

Time flies when you’ve got a baby and it can feel like they grow up so fast, which is why a baby milestone blanket makes for a brilliant gift for sentimental mums and dads. A great way to track your little one’s growth, this mat from The Birth Poster lets parents keep track of key age milestones as their little one grows. Designed to be used as a backdrop to take photos they can share with friends and family, the mat is sleek and minimalistic in its design, coming with black circle and underline markers that make it easy to adjust the day, week, month or year to indicate their baby’s age.

While the cream colour might seem bold for something you lay a baby upon, the mat itself is actually made from vegan leather, which is completely wipeable and water-resistant, so it’s easy to keep clean should there be any little accidents.

Best: For baby development

Rating: 8/10

Right from birth, babies are already becoming aware of their new world, which is why this sensory play kit from Lovevery makes such a great gift. Fun and educational, it’s been designed especially for newborns who can see about 8-14in from their face and view the world in shades of black, white, and grey.

Inside you’ll find a host of high quality, interactive objects including monochromatic image cards, mittens to promote hand discovery, a two-sided mobile, sensory links and a silicone rattle, which helps your baby track moving objects and sounds. We also loved that the kit comes with a play guide for parents who are unsure where to start – it has step-by-step instructions and suggestions for how to use the playthings in the box, all of which are backed by research.

Best: For travel

Rating: 8.5/10

If the parents you’re buying for are always on-the-go, whether that’s on school runs for older children or weekend road trips, a car mirror is one of the most practical gifts you can give. Ideal for checking on your baby while driving, this one from Royal Rascals attaches easily to the backseat headrest using two adjustable straps that keep it firmly in place, even when passing over bumpy roads.

The mirror is a great size, giving you an ample view of your baby without creating too much of a distraction, and we also liked that it can be tilted too. While we tried the black version – a great option for those looking for a mirror that will blend in – it also comes in bright yellow, which stands out meaning you can quickly identify the mirror without taking your eyes off the road for too long.

Best: For tired parents

Rating: 9/10

There’s nothing that bleary, sleep-deprived parents rely on more than a caffeine fix and this espresso machine from Sage is guaranteed to make the early starts more manageable after a long night of dream feeds. Compact and easy-to-use, the bambino plus is ideal for those short on time or just starting out with barista-style brewing as it has an incredibly intuitive and minimalist touch button system that lets you pick a single or double shot.

Besides rich espressos, you can also make cappuccinos and lattes thanks to its manual steam wand, which is first class and doesn’t require you to be a specialist in order to create creamy drinks – you simply place the nozzle in the milk jug, set the temperature and consistency you want (from low to high) and then let the machine do all the work. It also looks the part with a slick brushed metal body that can sit stylishly alongside other kitchen gadgets without taking up too much counter space.

A fuss-free way to put a spring in a worn-out parents’ step, we loved that the bambino plus delivers a superior cup of Joe without making you work too hard for it. Of course, this isn’t the most affordable gift by a long shot but if you can find a few friends willing to contribute, we think it makes a superior fatigue-busting offering.