So your friends have had a baby, and youre wondering what to get them for a gift. Well, youve come to the right place. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking you might not like all of them, but hopefully there will be something here that appeals to you.

The first, and most obvious, candidate for a baby gift has to be clothes. Many people are reluctant to buy clothes in advance of the birth because theyre not sure what gender the baby is going to be, but dont let that put you off white clothes are nice-looking and gender-neutral. It will depend on where you live, but the best baby clothes tend to be soft, fluffy things that can keep the baby cosy and warm. Do realise, however, that clothes arent exactly an original gift, and the couple might already be snowed under with them.

Toys are another favourite, although it can be difficult to know what to get. Things like mobiles and other brightly coloured things that the baby can swipe at tend to be a good choice, as are rattles and soft toys that make noises. You will probably win more points with the parents by getting more educational baby toys, such as those with shapes or animal noises, instead of ones that just seem cool.

If you want to think more unconventionally, though, there are plenty of things to consider. Why not buy (or contribute towards) a cot, or a pushchair? Why not start a savings fund for the baby, with a decent chunk of money to get it started? Or you could buy nappies, or bath stuff, or whatever take a look at the baby section in any shop to get plenty of ideas.

One last idea: with all this focus on things for the baby, maybe the parents are feeling a little left out, with no presents for them and no money or time left to treat themselves for a good long while. A nice thing to do is to get a present for the parents, as it will probably be the only thing they get for themselves, and theyll be pleased that someone thought of them.