Valentine's Day

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The New Dad In Your Life Will Love These 20 Sweet Valentine's Day Gifts

Gifts to help him relax and feel seen.

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New fathers: They’re awe-struck, sleep-deprived, and running on caffeine. You can find them folding laundry, rubbing backs, and making bottles in the dark. These Valentine’s Day gifts for new dads celebrate all the hard work they’re doing for their growing family while offering a bit of relaxation and maybe even some deeper rest. If you and your partner’s normal go-to Valentine’s Day gift is a dinner out but you just had a baby, try going for one of these new dad gifts. Your partner is sure to get a lot of use out of these in the first year of parenting, and you can always go back to your tried and true Valentine’s Day dinner date soon.

Men are notoriously difficult to buy for on any holiday, but the good news is when your partner, son, or friend is in their first year of fatherhood, a whole new world of things they want and need opens up. A humidifier? Yes, please. An eye mask and earplugs? Godsends for when it’s their turn to sleep.

From a chic French press, to no-frills sweatpants, a headlamp for seeing during those middle of the night feeds, or a bottle of mezcal (because margaritas), these comfy, cozy, and practical gifts for new dads will help him feel loved and appreciated this February 14.

1

A cozy tee for doing Dad things

Yes, it’s a pricey tee, but with the amount of laundry Dad will be doing with a new baby, he’ll probably end up wearing it several times per week. This T-shirt from Softwear has a tailored fit that makes it look more pulled together, but it still has the buttery soft feel of an old worn-in fave. This comes in tons of great colors too and the brand is known for their sustainable materials and low-impact dyes.

2

Airy, lightweight sheets

New sheets are always decadent, and these are a godsend if he runs hot at night (or if his partner has serious postpartum night sweats). These Hyperlite Cooling Sheets from Casper are made with cooling tencel fabic that’s light but still substantial, and the grid looks luxe. The price shown is for the King size, and these come in several colors, including white and gray. They also have thick elastic around the edge to keep them firmly in place over your mattress.

3

An upscale French press

Coffee is a life force for all new parents, and usually the brewing falls on Dad. This French press coffee maker from ESPRO is chic enough to store right in plain sight and, more importantly, it makes a great cup of coffee in just four minutes. This one is made of stainless steel so you don’t have to worry about it breaking, and it comes in a bunch of cool matte colors.

4

Comfy earplugs to use as needed

Any new parent who is doing sleep shifts at night needs a quality pair of Loop earplugs (or a bedroom on a different floor) to help dull the noise of a crying baby. The soft silicone material is comfortable in the ear even while sleeping, and they’re reusable and easy to clean. These are helpful too if Dad works from home and is hoping to drown out some distractions.

5

Versatile joggers to wear at home and on Target runs

Gymshark’s Essential Oversized Joggers are everything your man could want in a pair of sweats. They’re available in sizes XS to 3XL with a comfortable oversized fit that still tapers at the leg for a more polished look. And they’re everything you could ask for from his sweats too: they’ll emphasize his cute dad butt.

6

A fancy shmancy new razor

When you have a newborn at home, it’s natural to look a little more haggard than usual. Any new dad would appreciate a super nice new razor to tackle the intense whiskers that have no doubt sprung up while they’ve been busy with their little one. The Single Edge SE from Supply reduces nicks by 75%, prevents razor burn, and is compatible with other brands’ blades, so he’s not stuck with just theirs.

7

Really good ramen

This is not your typical brick of store-bought ramen; in fact, with a few extra touches like adding an egg or some tofu, this is s a restaurant-worthy meal that comes together quickly, which is great because new parents need food stat. Included here is five serving packs of each flavor and an additional pack of the most popular flavor, Soy & Scallion. You’ll be surprised by how delicious these noodles from the momofuku store are, plus it’s just really fun to say “tingly chile wavy noodles” every time you make them.

8

A well-made hoodie he’ll wear again and again

When you send Dad back to the store for the third time to buy another new kind of bottle nipple or pacifier, is he throwing on a ratty hoodie from his intramural college team? Replace it with the Baseline Midlayer from Coalatree. It’s perfect for layering, easy to pack into a diaper bag if it warms up later in the day, and made with reinforced stitching to stand the test of time. Oh, and it’s made from recycled coffee grounds, which is just kind of cool. It’s available in sizes XS to 2XL.

9

Mezcal from Mexico

One of the unexpected joys of new parenthood is that newborns are really portable; put them in a carrier or car seat and they can go with you to dinner, drinks, or even a movie. As soon as baby’s mobile, those spontaneous dates to go get a quick drink are a thing of the past, so give a new dad something to get his home bar started. This delicious Mezcal Campante is made in small batches and produced in Oaxaca, Mexico. Because it’s not heavily smoky, it’s a good choice for anyone. It has notes of floral and citrus that are as good on the rocks as they are in a cocktail.

10

An elevated soap for more relaxing showers

You may not be able to get him to use serums and moisturizer but you can level up Dad’s basic bar soap with this oatmeal shea cleansing bar from Buttah. This formula foams up for a deep clean and the oatmeal is naturally exfoliating, leaving skin baby soft. Infused with shea butter, this bar is deeply hydrating, and the price shown is for a set of two.

11

Personalized art to remind him of the best day ever

If Dad’s into astronomy, he’ll dig this sweet print that shows the location of the stars on the night baby was born. You get to customize the colors (and you can even opt for the star map to be displayed as a heart), and choose the exact wording; for example, you can change “Daddy” to “Papa” or whatever he goes by, and customize the message underneath.

12

A headlamp for making bottles at 2 a.m.

For those middle of the night feeds or 3 a.m. treks to the kitchen to fix their partner a snack, a headlamp is a comical but helpful must-have. This one has a red light setting, which is awesome at night because it doesn’t disturb the circadian rhythm or disrupt your night vision (so he can see while he fixes a bottle or shushes a crying baby). Plus, if they’re into camping, this will be useful down the line.

13

A travel mug

You can never have too many travel mugs, especially when you’re a new parent who needs an insulated cup keeping their morning cuppa hot. Whether it’s a quick errand that requires coffee to power through, the joy of coffee that stays warm for over an hour, or the peace of mind that comes from giving the baby a bottle while sipping from a closed mug (no potential for spills), this RTIC mug can get it done. It’s stainless steel, double wall vacuum insulated, and boasts a splash-proof lid.

14

A custom vinyl of sentimental songs

If your man is into music and has some special songs that remind him of you, your baby, and your family, he’ll love this idea. Freestyle Vinyl will print a record with your selection of songs — up to 22 minutes of music per side — and a record sleeve with your track list, then mail it right to you.

15

A blackout eye mask

He needs to be ready to sleep at a moment’s notice, but sometimes it’s too noisy or too bright to get in a much-needed power nap. We have the noise covered with the earplugs, and this eye mask from Ostrichpillow tackles brightness. It’s truly blackout, meaning even a bright room becomes instantly dark, and it’s made of a thick yet breathable fabric that doesn’t put pressure on the eyes. This is a great Valentine’s Day gift for expecting parents, too — an eye mask in the hospital is super helpful.

16

A high-quality knife for his collection

Going to a restaurant without a baby requires a sitter and probably the will to keep your eyes open past 9 p.m., both of which are hard for new parents to come by. But with a gorgeous, high-performing knife from New West Knifeworks, the new dad in your life can play chef and make restaurant-quality meals at home.

These are definitely an investment, but they’re made with the highest performing knife steel available, known as S35VN, which is extremely sharp and effective. Plus, with their Japanese-style blade, etched Teton Mountain Range which replaces traditional dimples (so food is less likely to cling to the blade), and colorful fiberglass epoxy handle, these are a stunning, functional gift they’ll have forever.

17

Cool, comfy shoes for all those walks

When you have a brand new baby, taking walks with them in the stroller is such a nice break. It’s one of the few ways you can get out of the house without having to spend any money, and it usually lulls little babies right off to sleep. So, if your family is hoofing it a lot more than usual these days, Dad will appreciate these super cool Vans UltraRange EXO kicks. They come in a ton of colorways, have cushioned midsoles, and built-in support to help him stroll comfortably.

18

A fanny pack to keep his essentials in order

Stuffing his phone and wallet in his pockets may have worked all his life, but now, it’s a diaper bag season of life. This Daily Hip Pack from CorSurf is kind of an in-between — he can stash a pacifier, a diaper and wipes, and his house keys to take on a walk without lugging an entire backpack. The rip-stop fabric construction means it’ll hold up to being tossed around, hung from the stroller handles, and whatever else you throw at it, really.

19

A watch he can wear to the playground

If your partner is a watch guy, he probably has his go-to work watch, a date night time piece, and more. This Timex Expedition Scout 40mm Fabric Strap Watch is perfect for wrangling wiggly babies out and about — he doesn’t have to worry about metal links pinching baby’s skin or getting scratched when he pushes them on the swings.

20

A trio of hot sauces

Some like it hot, and those people will appreciate this trio of hot sauces. Included is a bottle of sweet and spicy pineapple fresno hot sauce, one bottle of original hot pepper hot sauce, and one bottle of sun-kissed tomato hot sauce. These come packed in a nice gift box to make them feel festive.

Any dad new to parenthood could probably really use some extra love and attention on February 14. The best way to do that is with a Valentine’s Day gift for new dads that helps him relax a little, feel seen and appreciated, and indulge in something he truly enjoys doing.

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