Before I became a mum I gave the most ridiculous gifts at baby showers. I mean, I thought they were genius and useful at the time, but now that I have my own little one I know that newborns don’t wear denim, or shoes, and that tiny adorable outfits with lots of buttons that do up at the back are literally never going to be worn.

They say experience brings wisdom, so now I have first-hand experience in what’s useful and what’s just pretty to look at, here’s a shortlist of what I’ll be giving at all future baby showers.

A sturdy playmat.

I started off with one small, pretty play mat, because my newborn was a blob and couldn't crawl or roll anywhere. Though as he got bigger and more mobile, I upgraded to bigger mats that were are waterproof so he could move around, enjoy nappy free time and that washed well and easily.

I now have a collection of four or five on rotation that I also use under the highchair to catch thrown/fallen food, in the boot of the car for impromptu park dates, to take to playdates for easy pack up - the list of uses is endless. My favourite brands are Rudie Nudie and Jnr.Life.

A nappy bin.

Not the most glamourous of gifts, but certainly very useful. I was given one of these at my own baby shower and before that I had no idea they existed.

More than just a bin, they contain a special cartridge that seals each nappy in its own plastic bag, locking in the delightful smell with it. It's probably not the best for the environment, but sometimes you have to pick your battles when it comes to having a newborn. Tommee Tippee, Ubbi and Angelcare all make great ones.

A Bonds gift voucher.

I know a gift voucher feels like you've put in less effort than buying actual clothing, but trust me, it will be so well received. Before my baby was born I bought (and was gifted) so many cute outfits in size 0000, yet a few weeks into being a mother I jumped onto the Bonds website and ordered a truckload of onesies with a zip.

Newborns are swaddled a lot for the first few months anyway, and an all-in-one for easy nappy changes at 2am becomes a literal lifesaver. Even press-studs are too much hard work in the early days. A Bonds voucher means the new parents can pick designs they like in the right size for their bub.

A group gifted ‘big ticket’ item.

Coordinating a group to chuck in some cash for one of the bigger essentials is a great idea. My girlfriends did that for me and very generously gave us the Babyzen YoYo pram.