Gift Guide

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These 20 Gifts For New Parents Are Cute, Thoughtful, & Practical

You won’t find many of these items on their registry, and they’ll love you even more for thinking of them.

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Between diaper changes, feedings, bathing, and general sleep deprivation, once new parents bring their baby home their daily lives completely change. That’s why the best gifts for new parents are the practical ones that make that first year of parenthood a little less overwhelming. Think gifts like gadgets that will do chores for them, basics that often get overlooked at baby showers, and basically anything that has the potential to help them get some sleep.

Most parents-to-be spend the months leading up to their baby’s arrival preparing the house and themselves as much as they can. Still, no matter how many footie pajamas, burp cloths, and onesies they have on-hand and ready to go, they are going to end up needing a few more baby essentials. Even if this isn’t their first baby, there are still plenty of products that can make life a bit more manageable that they would probably love to get.

Sure, things like fancy crib sheets, little hats, and adorable newborn mittens are a lot of fun to buy, but chances are high that the new parents are going to get a lot of those kinds of gifts from long distance relatives and co-workers. What they’re going to really need are the things that aren’t flashy but they’ll find themselves using again and again (and silently thanking you every time they do).

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1

Baby Care Gift Set

To keep Baby’s skin hydrated and smooth, gift new parents with this set that includes a jar of baby butter, a bottle of baby oil, and a tube of baby cream. All of these organic products are created to work together so parents can give their baby a little post-bath moisturizing session.

2

Milk Collectors

A grooming kit is essential because babies need their nails trimmed, hair brushed, and nose suctioned on a semi-regular basis. This kit from the American Red Cross includes not only the necessities for grooming but a thermometer, medicine dispenser, and toothbrush as well (among others).

3

Take-Out Gift Card

New parents don’t have a ton of time to sit down and eat, let alone actually prepare a meal so food delivery is always an appreciated gift. Consider a gift card to their favorite local restaurant or find out if a service like Grubhub or DoorDash is available in their area.

4

Portable Baby Shusher

This soother is better than a standard sound machine because it uses a rhythmic technique to quickly get the baby to sleep. Parents can set the timer to have it run for either 15 or 30 minutes and it’s battery operated and portable so it can be used in the car or if they’re out running errands and the baby starts to get fussy.

5

Newborn & Size 1 Diapers

Newborn babies go through a lot of diapers, so don’t be afraid to stock the new parents up on a few boxes of either newborn or size 1 diapers to help them out. Look for a brand that offers a hypoallergenic or “clean” diaper to avoid irritation or rashes.

6

Silicone Bath Brush

Washcloths create more laundry for parents and they can avoid that by using a silicone bath brush like this one instead. The bristles provide a gentle massage-like feeling for the baby while they clean their skin and hair with soap to make the experience a little more enjoyable. After the bath, the brush can be tossed into the dishwasher so it’s clean and ready for the next bath.

7

Smart Light Bulb

A smart light bulb gives parents the ability to control brightness from their phone, which is great for late-night feeding and diaper changes. With these, they can just swap out their existing bulbs in the baby’s room, their room, or in any other fixture that uses a standard light bulb.

8

Swaddles

During the newborn stage, most babies love the snug feeling of being wrapped up in a swaddle made from soft material like 100% cotton muslin. If the swaddle happens to have a cute pattern like this one with sailboats, then it’s even better.

9

Zipper Footie Pajamas

Snap footie pajamas are a pain for late-night diaper changes, so a pack of zipper PJs is always appreciated by new parents. Even better? Find some with an inverted zipper, like these ones from Target, to make diaper changes even easier.

10

Parent Bath Set

Once the new parents start putting their baby (or the baby bath) into the standard bathtub, things get a little more difficult, but this set will help them out. It comes with a kneeling pad for their knees, a bathtub elbow rest, a bath spout cover (to prevent injuries), and a bath rinser to keep soapy water out of the baby’s eyes.

11

Lactation Cookies

If mom is breastfeeding, she needs lots of food and water for energy. Lactation cookies are made with ingredients that will not only help curb her hunger but will also help keep her maintain a healthy milk supply. Plus, they’re delicious.

12

Robot Vacuum

Babies lay, roll around, and eventually crawl on the floor which means parents have to sweep and vacuum a lot to keep germs out. A robot vacuum is a huge help when it comes to this because it can be programmed to run every day (or even twice a day) so parents don’t have to try to find time to run the big vacuum themselves.

13

Automatic Cat & Dog Feeder

They’re going to be pretty busy tending to the baby’s feeding needs, so gift them with this automatic pet feeder to make things a little easier on them. All they have to do is fill the feeder with food and set a schedule using their phone. They can choose to dispense the food all at once, slowly, or even in snack-size portions. When the food is low, the feeder will alert them so they can just pour in some more and not have to think about it again for a few days.

14

Diaper Caddy

Instead of setting up multiple changing stations, a diaper caddy allows parents to compactly store diapers, wipes, and diaper creams in an easy-to-carry basket that they can move around the house so that there is always a diaper within reach. Opt for one that is somewhat stylish and can blend in with their decor when it’s not in use.

15

Closet Dividers

Though their clothes are tiny, they are often plentiful because babies grow out of their little onesies constantly during their first year. If the new parents you’re shopping for crave organization, consider some closet dividers that will help them keep closing sizes separated.

16

Bedtime Bath Essentials

Babies love routines, and they’re especially helpful at bedtime. This bath set comes with shampoo, conditioner, bubble bath, and lotion in lavender scent to not only keep Baby clean but also feel a sense of calm (and hopefully fatigue).

17

Pack Of Onesies

Babies tend to hang out in onesies a lot, so a pack of either short or long sleeve onesies makes for a great gift. You can either stick with classic white or have some fun with different colors and patterns.

18

Robot Lawn Mower

Yes, this is on the pricier end of gifts for new parents, but it will be incredibly helpful to them if they have a yard. This robot works similarly to robot vacuums where it will cut the lawn, learn the parameters of your lawn, and even work on a schedule that they can control from their phone.

19

Cloth Bibs

Cloth bibs are great for babies because they can be used to protect their clothes from milk spills, to clean up spit-up, and to collect drool once teething starts. This pack includes two machine-washable bibs with velcro closure and terry backing for optimal comfort and performance.

20

Sleep Sack

Once the baby can break out of its swaddle a lot of parents transition them into a sleep sack because they provide a similar snug feeling when the baby is kicking. Also, since babies are not supposed to sleep with any blankets in their crib during their first year, a sleep sack can help keep them warm safely.

No, a robot vacuum won’t make everyone get googly-eyed and say, “awww” at the baby shower, but it will make the parents’ life so much easier when they need it (especially once that baby starts exploring solid foods). Plus, you can always cutesy it up with some fun wrapping paper and a bow if you’d like.

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