Shopping for gifts for the new parents in your life? You might be compelled to buy gifts for Baby, but this is where we make the case for you to show a little wrapping paper-covered love to the people responsible keeping that baby alive.
New parents actually need this lesson, too. When I was pregnant on my birthday last year, a close friend asked what she could get me. I told her I'd love any cute baby stuff. A mom herself, she paused, then schooled me: You’re going to be inundated with baby gifts, she told me, but it’s gonna be a while before anyone gets something for you. She was not wrong.
- Abby Ludwig, Abby Ludwig is VP of parent experience at Gugu Guru, which offers parents personalized product recommendations.
“I think when new parents have kids, around holidays they are just forgotten often,” says Abby Ludwig, the director of education and parent training at Gugu Guru, which offers parents personalized product recommendations. “Everybody is so focused on the baby and what the baby needs. So it's always nice to try to remember the new parents themselves—and that doesn’t necessarily mean more stuff, but sometimes things that would also help make their lives significantly easier.”
Of course, a new baby is every parent's priority. But that doesn’t mean you can't treat them, too, or find creative presents that make raising a baby a bit more manageable.
When these gifts fall into the latter category, you might be tempted to roll your eyes. Do you really need another new-fangled gadget that will undoubtedly outgrow its usefulness in a matter of months? Let me tell you, the minutes saved as a new parent add up—as do the small joys delivered by something that exactly suits your specific needs. That short lifecycle also makes secondhand platforms like Facebook Marketplace such a great tool for buying (and re-selling) parenting gear.
I picked Ludwig’s brain about the best gifts for new parents—things that maybe make their homes more live-able, give them a bit more time, or help them get a sense of their old selves again. Here are her suggestions, along with my own recs as a new mom myself.
Best gifts for new parents
Making a house baby-friendly isn’t always aesthetically friendly. A stylish playmat can help bring a room together and offer a comfy, safe space to be together on the floor.
Turn one of the many, many photos of your (now bigger) family into a piece of art. This can be a unique, sweet addition to a nursery, says Ludwig.
In the first whirlwind weeks (or months… or years??) with a new kiddo, ordering delivery can become an essential coping mechanism.
These pants give a new mom something she can feel both comfortable and stylish in—and easily throw in the laundry when they inevitably get covered in spit up.
These portable white noise machines can clip onto a stroller or car seat, giving parents the gift of freedom: “They allow you to be out and about so you don’t feel stuck at home,” says Ludwig. I used mine during an unexpectedly long stay in the hospital when we didn’t have access to our full nursery set-up yet. Now, it lives in the diaper bag.
Send over celebratory drinks, or make a basket for an at-home date night. “I’ve seen people throw in a fun swaddle or pacifier, so parents can put baby to sleep then crack open a bottle and order dinner,” says Ludwig.
For the fitness-loving new mom, access to top-notch classes at home can help her feel like herself again (even if the days of heading to boutique studios might be on hold). Obé’s platform offers postpartum workouts of all varieties, and classes that will keep her going long after.
“I love space-saving stuff to store bath toys or bottles—things that will allow parents to keep their home set up the way they wanted it to be, even though so much stuff has come into it,” says Ludwig. Hydration is important for everyone and especially breastfeeding parents, so keep your water bottle easily within reach with this organizer.
Even someone who might not have been a big coffee drinker pre-baby might become one afterward. You can make your own coffee with this starter kit or indulge in some canned Vietnamese Coffee drinks when you need that caffeine and you need it fast.
Rather than letting all those adorable photos just sit on parents’ phones, a digital picture frame will put the pics right on their desk so they can sneak peeks all day long.
$80 per kit, or subscriptions starting at $36/month
With this subscription, parents will have an age-appropriate box of toys delivered every two months, taking the guesswork out of what’s best for baby’s development. Each comes with a guide for the parents explaining the “how” and “why” of each toy.
Both festive and functional, these genius “Diaper Cakes” offer the essentials that parents will definitely use (ahem, diapers). But they also come with sample sizes of things like body wash and baby wipes so parents get to try them out to see what their little one likes—and have travel-friendly portions to throw in a diaper bag.
Spending lots of time walking around rocking a baby at home can wreak havoc on your feet. Warm up Mom or Dad’s toes with these cozy, supportive slippers.
Breastfeeding moms need to stay extra hydrated, but it can be hard to remember to drink enough water when there’s so much else going on. And, when the house (and life) gets crazy, it’s all too easy to knock glasses over. These insulated mugs keep liquids cold or hot for hours, with a lid to minimize splashes—and enough room for 24 ounces, so they don’t need a constant refill.
It’s much easier to invite friends over on a Friday night than it is to try to plan dinner around baby’s bedtime. Even better: having an excuse that draws everyone outside—like roasting s’mores—so the parents don’t need to worry too much about a messy home.
Stocking up the medicine cabinet with anything that might be needed in those first six months can save parents from having to run out to the store with a sick, unhappy baby.
A good baby-wearing carrier can give parents a chance to actually get something done. Don’t worry over whether they already have one—different carriers can be good for different activities. (And you’d be surprised by how sweaty things can get when you’ve got a baby on you; being able to switch into a dry one can be a huge relief.)
This headband works with several different hairstyles, stays put, and adds just a bit of glam—even when Mom might not have had a chance to wash her hair.
Too many old-school baby books get forgotten by busy parents. Today, there are several apps that make it effortless to record the special moments right from your phone. Chatbooks connects with a parent’s Instagram or Facebook account to turn their posts into actual, physical books without even thinking about it.
Free, fast delivery might not be appreciated by anyone more than new parents. It keeps them stocked as they continually figure out what they need, and avoids the hassle of dragging baby out to an actual store. Having a guilt-free way to make those midnight purchases with next day delivery will be the gift that keeps on giving.
Matching your little one not only means cute family photos, but also makes everyday cuddles that much sweeter.
Originally $2,649, now $2,399
Both parents need a good night’s sleep. But when mom’s hormones are trying to adjust to no longer carrying a baby, her temperature can get out of whack (read: major night sweats). The Eight Sleep smart mattress cover lets you customize your bed’s temperature on each side so everyone gets some quality shut eye.
Dad and Baby can stay cozy together in this warm hoodie that zips right up over a baby carrier. The extra pouch also comes off to make for a solid day-to-day sweatshirt.
Having somewhere safe where you can put down a newborn and keep them happy gives the parents the flexibility to, you know, eat a meal or take a phone call.
Level up their bag game with this number that’s as stylish as it is functional. Made by designer accessories brand Caraa, we’re talking 15 pockets and water-repellant nylon kind of functional.
This is one thing too many new parents don’t know how to ask for, says Ludwig. But offering to watch the baby for a couple of hours while the parents have a date night or take a nap on the weekend could be the highlight of their month.
At around 4 to 6 months old, introducing babies to the wide world of food beyond breast milk or formula is actually a lot of work for parents. This all-in-one baby food maker minimizes both the steps involved in making your baby’s first foods by steaming the food and pureeing it in the same chamber. Even better? It also minimizes the amount of kitchen items you need to clean.
Originally $1,399, now $1,249
Parents will be bowing down before the person who gets them this luxe power glider. It reclines and allows you to customize back and head support. Crucially for me—the parent of a spit-up prone baby—the fabric has been super stain resistant. Many parents have been known to sleep in their glider so, yeah, making this nursery furniture piece as comfortable as possible is important.
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