A teddy for a newborn

A newborn's first teddy is chosen for safety before anything else. Everything here is marked suitable from birth by its maker, and that marking is the thing to look for: it is the maker's own promise about how the teddy is made, and it counts for more than softness or looks.

The second thing that matters is washing. Babies are messy and a teddy that cannot go in the machine will not stay a favourite for long, so washability counts for a lot here.

A note on sleep: the usual advice is that a teddy belongs next to the cot rather than in it during the first months.

This is also the list for a christening or naming-day gift and for the visitor who wants to bring something when the baby arrives. For a keepsake that will still be presentable when the child is grown, the classic bears in the range are a good place to start; for a first cuddle that goes straight into the pram, the animals are.

The list is built on the Bear & Me range by Charlie Bears: rated from birth, and sized for a first teddy rather than for filling a cot.