Boutique guide · Gifts
What to buy a newborn, without the sizing problem
Baby blankets, muslins, bibs, booties and bags for the parents: one-size pieces, sorted by budget and by who's giving.
By The Noi da piccoli boutiqueUpdated November 20266-minute read
Why is buying clothes for a newborn a risk?
It's always the same question: "The baby's only just arrived, what size should I get?" The person asking usually doesn't know how much the baby weighs, how long they are or what the parents have already bought. That's where clothes as a gift come unstuck, for three reasons.
- Babies grow fast. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby, the information service funded by the Australian Government, makes the same point: babies grow quickly, so it's best to have just a few items in each size. A gift in the wrong size may be worn once, or not at all.
- The season. If you go up a size to be safe, it will fit in a few months' time. If it's a heavy sleepsuit, though, the weather may already be warm by then.
- Every brand fits differently. In a multi-brand boutique you notice it straight away: the same size doesn't fit the same from one brand to the next.
Baby blankets, muslins, bibs, booties and bags don't have this problem. They're one-size, so there's nothing to guess. If you'd still like to give something sized, message us on WhatsApp, Monday to Saturday, 9am–1pm and 4pm–8pm, with the baby's age, length and weight, and we'll work it out together.
How much should you spend on a new-baby gift?
Below is what you'll find in our boutique at each price point, all of it one-size. The numbers are approximate, as new pieces arrive often.
| Budget | What to give | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Up to €25 | A bib: we have around 240, and half of them cost under €20. A muslin: just over 20 designs, almost all under €25. A pair of booties: more than 50 one-size pairs, almost all under €25, mostly from Juliana and Sardon. There are only a few baby blankets at this price. | Colleagues and friends, or anyone adding a little extra to a bigger gift. |
| €25 to €60 | A baby blanket: this is where you'll find the most choice, around 130 designs, mostly in cotton and warm yarn. Or the good-luck shirt, between €18 and €28, paired with a bib. | An aunt, a godmother, or a group of colleagues clubbing together. |
| Over €60 | Around 150 baby blankets, up to almost €300: in wool, in merino wool, hand-embroidered. For the parents, a changing bag: about ten designs, from around €45 to around €85. | Grandparents, godparents, anyone who wants a gift that lasts. |
Altogether we have around 300 one-size baby blankets.
What should you give a newborn if you're a grandparent, an aunt or a colleague?
Who's giving matters as much as the budget. Here's where to start in each case.
Grandparents: a blanket that lasts
For grandparents, we suggest a hand-embroidered or wool baby blanket. It's used for cuddles and in the pram throughout the first few months, and once the baby has grown it can be put away as a keepsake. Piccola Giuggiola has several hand-embroidered designs in cotton thread and merino wool; Sartoria dei Piccoli has a wool blanket with floral embroidery.
Baby blankets for grandparents
Copertina Ricamata a Mano Gallipoli Beige Piccola Giuggiola
€189.90€94.95
Copertina Lana Merino Ricamata a Mano Beniamino Grigio Piccola Giuggiola
€199.90
Copertina Rosa Ricamata a Mano Naime Filo di Cotone Piccola Giuggiola
€239.46€119.73
Copertina in Lana Rosa Ricamo Floreale Sartoria Dei Piccoli
€118.90
Aunt or godmother: a matching blanket and bib, or booties
A baby blanket with a bib from the same brand, in the same shade, makes a complete gift in a single package. Two examples: Deolinda's pink chenille blanket with polka dots and hot-air balloons, paired with the pink chenille bib, and Juliana's mink warm-yarn blanket, paired with the warm-yarn booties with pompoms. If your budget is smaller, the booties on their own are lovely too.
Matching blankets, bibs and booties
Colleagues and friends: muslins and bibs
For a group gift, or a small thoughtful present, muslins and bibs are the most practical choice: they're used every day, at feeds and for burping. Two muslins and two bibs in the same colour make a complete little bundle, and each piece stays in the lowest price band.
Muslins and bibs to give
For the parents: a changing bag
This is a gift for mum and dad, who'll take it every time they go out with the baby, packed with a change of clothes, nappies and a muslin. It has nothing to do with the baby's size, so you can't get it wrong. We have about ten, including bags and backpacks from Mayoral, Lalalù, Bagy Lu and Carlo Pignatelli, from around €45 to around €85.
Changing bags for the parents
What is the good-luck shirt and who gives it?
It's an Italian folk custom, with variations from one region to another. According to Nostrofiglio, the shirt is usually given during the third trimester of pregnancy, by godparents or people very close to the family. It's the baby's very first garment in their first days, and afterwards it's kept as a keepsake or handed down.
In the boutique we have fewer than ten, in silk and cotton, between €18 and €28, all one-size.
Good-luck shirts
How does the gift arrive, and what if it's not right?
- Free gift wrapping and a gift receipt (with no prices): ask for them in the order notes on the basket page, or on WhatsApp.
- Free in-store pickup at our boutique in Frattamaggiore (Naples), Via Padre Mario Vergara 166: orders are usually ready in 2–4 days.
- Shipping in Italy by GLS in 2–3 working days, free from €99.
One thing to know if you're buying ahead: returns are accepted within 14 days of delivery, for items that are unworn, unwashed and still have their tag. If the gift arrives two months before the birth, those 14 days will be over before the parents really open it. Let them know when you hand it over, with the tag still attached and the gift receipt in the package, or message us before you order and we'll help you choose something they'll be sure about.
Baby blankets, muslins and booties: what should you watch out for?
- We suggest baby blankets for cuddles and the pram. For sleep, the Italian Society of Neonatology (Società Italiana di Neonatologia) recommends placing the baby on their back, with their head uncovered and no soft objects in the cot (SIN, March 2026).
- In summer, no muslins or blankets over the pushchair. The NHS advises not to cover it (NHS Start for Life). A muslin is for feeds and burping.
- Booties and socks with no loose threads. Before putting them on, check there are no loops or threads that could wrap around the baby's toes (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby).
General guidance, not medical advice: if you have any concerns about the baby, ask your paediatrician.
If the baby arrives around the holidays, our guide to a newborn's first Christmas covers what to dress them in and has more gift ideas. If you're helping the parents get ready, there's also our season-by-season layette checklist.
Sources
- Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (service funded by the Australian Government), "Dressing a newborn", reviewed October 2025
- NHS Start for Life, "How to dress a newborn"
- Italian Society of Neonatology (Società Italiana di Neonatologia), advice on newborn sleep, reported by LaPresse, 13 March 2026
- Nostrofiglio, editorial team, "La camicina della fortuna", August 2022 (on the custom)
A gift with no sizes to guess
One-size baby blankets, muslins, bibs, booties and good-luck shirts, with free gift wrapping on request. Not sure what to choose? Message us on WhatsApp, Monday to Saturday, 9am–1pm and 4pm–8pm.
