Worthwhile Gifts for New Dads That Aren’t For The Baby
The Short Answer Is: A great gift for a new dad should focus on his well-being and comfort during the transition to fatherhood. For the hospital, consider a cozy robe and slippers to provide comfort during the stay. Once they bring the baby home, a thoughtful gift could be a meal delivery service subscription to help ease the cooking responsibilities during those hectic early days. Coffee always helps too!
I love my kids. I love them more than anything in the world. When they were born my entire life changed.
And it changed where my entire world which, for the most part, completely revolved around me now revolved around them.
As with baby showers, or the male equivalent Dadchelor party, many presents and gifts presented to the so-to-be parents are for baby.
Baby this. Baby that. Thing for baby you didn’t even know what a thing until you were about to have a baby.
I can speak from first-hand experience that babies take a lot of stuff. Most of the things are overkill, but they do need a lot to make their lives comfortable.
Welcoming a new life into the world is an exciting and joyous occasion, and since mom is going to do the vast majority of the work it makes sense they and baby get the brunt of the gifts.
But, as a father of two boys, it is important to celebrate and support expectant fathers during this transformative period too. Our lives are going to change forever too, and while baby-centric gifts are often the go-to choice, consider offering a gift that focus on dad.
In this guide, I’ll help you explore some fantastic gift ideas that are not only enjoyable but also practical, making the new dad’s life easier and more fulfilling. I’ll also highlight a few gift ideas to steer clear of to ensure your present is well-received.
Best New Dad Gifts of 2023:
- Best Expecting Dad Gift: BabyBjörn Mesh Bouncer Bliss, $259
- Best Hospital Gift for New Dads: Gihuo Men’s Sherpa Lined Athletic Sweatpants, $33
- Best Sentimental Gift for New Dads: Letters to You: Keepsake Journal for Letters to Your Children, $18
- Best New Dad Book Gift: The Simplest Baby Book in the Word: The Illustrated, Grab-and-Do Guide for a Healthy, Happy Baby, $18
- Best New Dad Gift to Help Him Stay Awake: Ninja Specialty 10-Cup Auto Coffee Maker, $155
- Best Practical Gift for New Dads: BabyBjörn Baby Carrier, $99
- Best New Dad Stress Reliever Gift: Shiatsu Neck and Back Massager, $50
- Best New Dad Diaper Backpack: Check out my list of top diaper backpacks for dad
Finding the perfect gift for a dad-to-be involves considering his individual needs, interests, and personality. By selecting thoughtful and practical presents, you can help ease the transition into fatherhood and make his life more enjoyable and fulfilling. Whether it’s providing new dad wisdom, a little convenience and relaxation, or sentimental keepsakes, your new dad gift will undoubtedly be appreciated and cherished as the new dad embarks on this incredible journey.
Now, The Entire List of New Dad Gifts
Sony HD Video Recording Handycam
Everyone takes pictures and videos on their phone — but then you run out of storage space. Then what? Save your new dad friend the trouble with this! Capture all of those precious moments with the awesome handheld camera from Sony.
Brickell Men’s Restoring Under Eye Cream
Say goodbye to good sleep for a long, long time. Help him look as fresh as a new dad can with some restoring eye cream. Brickell knows what they’re doing, and this can help reduce and repair some of those bags under his eyes that will surely form.
Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Earbuds
New dad is going to have his hands full. Help him listen to his favorite podcasts or stream his favorite shows so baby won’t wake with these noise canceling earbuds from Bose.
Manta Light Blocking Sleep Mask
Get sleep when you can, even if it’s in the daylight. To help him grab some zzz’s a great new dad gift idea is a sleep mask. This option from Manta helps block light so he can sleep whenever baby sleeps.
Tile Pro Keys Finder & Item Locator
Baby brain is real. That’s when as soon as you have a kid, you start to forget stuff. Where’s my bag? Where did I set my keys down? Never let a new dad forget again with this Bluetooth tracker from Tile.
eufy RoboVac 30 Robot Vacuum Cleaner
One of the first things a new dad will forget to do, besides sleep, is help keep up with cleaning around the house. Mom sure won’t want to do it, so help them out with a robot vacuum like this one from eufy. I actually own this one so check out my review!
Outdoor Textilene Zero Gravity Folding Lounge Rocker
With a fresh little one around, new dad and mom might not want to venture out of the home yet–but the inside of their home will feel old fast. They can enjoy the outdoors with this folding rocking chair with baby too.
Hatch Restore Sound Machine and Alarm Clock
New dad is going to need all the help he can get with sleep for himself. The Hatch Restore is the ultra-smart sleep assistant. It comes with a sound machine, meditation app, ambient light and alarm.
Echo Show 15 Smart Calendar
It’s easy for new dad and family to lose track of time with doctor’s appointments, daycare, family events, and so on. Help keep them stay on top of things with the Echo Show 15 smart calendar. Plus, it can stream videos and do photo slideshows!
COSORI 5-Qt Air Fryer Pro
Meal times are going to get way off schedule with a new baby around. Help dad treat himself to some delicious food air fried up. You can basically air fry anything, it’s quick, and super tasty too.
NETGEAR Wi-Fi Range Extender
Depending where the nursery is, dad may struggle to check his phone at night while rocking baby back to sleep. A Wi-Fi extender is a great way to make sure new dad has full bars so he’s willing to stay in the nursey all night if he has to.
Anova Nano Sous Vide Precision Cooker
Dads love to grill, but an open fire with baby isn’t the best option for cooking meat. New dad can still get his meat fix with a new sous vide. This will let him still prepare great family meals with more time to help around the house.
GARDENA Automatic Robotic Lawn Mower
Give new dad the gift of not having to worry about mowing on the weekends with this robotic lawn mower. Controlled right from an app, it will give him more time to spend with baby than out in the yard.
CRAFTSMAN 57-Piece Tool Set
As a new dad, a lifelong commitment of putting stuff together will commence. Gift a new dad a brand new tool set like this one from CRAFTSMAN so he’s ready to build anything new baby needs around the house.
New Dad Gifts to Avoid Like Changing a Poopy Diaper
While it’s important to consider the personal preferences of the recipient, there are a few gift ideas that are generally better to avoid when it comes to dads-to-be.
Steer clear of overly clichéd “World’s Best Dad” merchandise, generic baby items, or overly complicated gadgets that may add unnecessary stress. Remember, the focus should be on the new dad’s interests, hobbies, and well-being during this exciting chapter.
I’d also throw in matching shirts into this list. I know, they’re cute. But this baby is going to keep on growing, and to me it’s more practical to get the matching outfits once they’re out of the onesie phase and wearing t-shirts.
Any gift that makes a lot of noise is a big no-no. Silence is key to keeping baby asleep, so gifting your new dad friend something loud will not only wake baby but put him at risk of some evil eyes from his wife.
