Giving a baby diary as a gift: the complete guide to new baby gifts

You've been invited to a baby shower, or the baby has just arrived and you want to give something that really means something. The baby clothes have been bought, and there are more than enough cuddly toys. A digital baby diary as a gift is something parents rarely buy for themselves and something they'll enjoy for years.

In this article you'll read why a baby diary makes such a special new baby gift, how to give it, and what you can pair it with.

Why a digital baby diary is the perfect new baby gift

The first months after the birth are a whirlwind. Parents want to capture everything: the first smile, the first bath, the umbilical stump that has finally come off. They simply don't get round to it. They barely have time to shower, let alone fill in a paper baby book.

A digital baby diary solves that. A few taps on the phone and a photo, a note or a milestone is saved, organised and ready to share with the grandparents. Where a paper fill-in book ends up half-finished in a drawer, a digital app grows along with the child: from the first day at home to the first day at school and beyond.

It works as a gift for a very different reason too. The app is free to start, but a Premium subscription (with unlimited photos, the time capsule feature and more) is something you have to choose to buy, and parents rarely do that for themselves. A gift voucher or a paid subscription as a new baby gift fills that gap nicely.

What you can give: the options

Give a Premium subscription

The nicest option is a subscription to a Dutch baby diary app such as Ouderliefde. You pay for a year of Premium for the parents. They can get going straight away, uploading unlimited photos, using the time capsule feature and building up the diary without having to think about limits.

A combination: subscription plus something tangible

Want to hand over something physical as well? Combine the digital subscription with:

• A beautiful notebook for the first diary notes (alongside the app)
• A photo frame with space for "the first photo" of the baby
• A handprint kit so you can make a keepsake together
• An envelope with a handwritten letter for the time capsule (which the parents can then keep digitally)

A digital gift card

If you're not sure which app the parents use or would like to use, an Ouderliefde gift card is the safest choice. They redeem it when they create or upgrade their account.

How to give the gift

A digital gift can also be given from a distance, whether you're at the baby celebration or sending a card because you live too far away. Here's how it works:

At the baby shower or a visit after the birth: Print out the gift code or proof of subscription, put it in a nice card, and explain what it is. Lots of parents don't even know apps like this exist, and a short explanation instantly makes the gift more personal.

By post: Send a nice card explaining the app, with a code or instructions for redeeming it. You could add a personal letter that the parents can keep as the first "time capsule" message.

Straight by email: Most apps let you buy a subscription that is emailed directly to the recipient. Handy if you're giving it at the last minute or live far away.

Tips for the giver: how to make it extra special

Write a letter for the time capsule. Many baby diary apps (Ouderliefde included) let you save letters that are only "opened" on a set date, for example the child's 18th birthday. As the giver, you can write a letter ahead of time for the parents to add to the time capsule. What do you wish for this child? What do you hope they'll remember about you later? A letter like that stays with someone for decades.

Set up the app together. If you're visiting the new family, offer to install and set up the app together. New parents are exhausted and overwhelmed. Five minutes of help creating an account and uploading the first photo can be the most valuable thing you do.

Explain the point, not just the app. Tell them why you chose this gift. "I wanted to give you something where this little one's memories can really go, somewhere safe, something that will still be there years from now." Suddenly an app subscription becomes a very personal present.

Add a memory of your own. Have you known the parents a long time? Write a note about how you know them as a couple or as friends, and give it as a starting point for the diary. "This is the first entry in [name]'s diary, written by Auntie [name], who has been your mum's best friend for 12 years."

What parents really appreciate about this gift

We asked parents about their experiences with a baby diary as a new baby gift. What they appreciate most:

• "We'd never have bought it ourselves," many parents say. The app was on their radar, but they never got the subscription. The gift gave them the push to start.
• "It's the only present that still gets used." The baby clothes were outgrown long ago, and the app is still opened every day.
• "The grandparents can finally follow along." Especially when the giver helped the parents set up the sharing link for the grandparents.
• "The letter for the time capsule was unexpected." A handwritten or typed letter that won't be opened until the child's 18th birthday: parents find that overwhelmingly lovely.

Comparison: a digital baby diary versus other new baby gifts

For comparison: an average new baby gift costs between €25 and €75. A year of Premium on Ouderliefde costs less than that, and lasts longer than any babygrow or cuddly toy. It's one of the few new baby gifts still being used when the child starts school, and possibly even after that.

Also read our article on original gifts for when your child turns 18, which is interesting for the long term too.

In short: why this gift works

• Parents rarely buy it themselves, but use it daily once they have it
• It grows with the child from birth to adulthood
• You can pair it with a personal letter or time capsule message
• It's one of the few gifts with lasting emotional value
• You can give it from a distance too, by email or by post

Giving a baby diary is practical, and at the same time an investment in a family's memories. For someone who has just become a parent, that's worth a lot.