New dad 'survival' kit

[humanorwooman]

Not really an AIBU so I know I am BU for asking but this gets the most traffic so...

I want to get a male friend of mine a gift for him and his pregnant wife, and I was thinking of doing a new dad survival kit. Sounded like a good idea in my head but now I can't think of anything to put in it. I saw one online that contained beer and ear plugs and other ridiculous things. Now I've no issue putting a single beer in there, but I want it to be practical stuff he can use to help his wife manage the pregnancy and early baby days, NOT stuff like earplugs to help him shut it out! Other than a constant supply of chocolate for his wife, any ideas what I could include? Or is it a stupid idea?

I got herbal sleep teas', Yankee candles and This Works roll ons and pillow sprays when I had DD which I loved but I imagine a lot of blokes would roll their eyes at that type of thing so I spose it depends on the man. Maybe some good coffee? Chocolates deffo. There are some books too like Dad Hacks and Commando Dad etc something like that might be good. Also I think earplugs are fine, I'm a very light sleeper and when we had DD we had nesting seagulls on our roof and had to keep the windows wide open as it was roasting in our flat. I slept with earplugs to block the noise out and I always woke up from DD's noise anyway and if I hadn't have, DH was there to wake me.

Other than a constant supply of chocolate for his wife, any ideas what I could include?

Chocolate for both of them?

Commando dad is a good book, some strong coffee and maybe a hand cream as you wash your hands a lot with all the nappy changes.

A M&S voucher to get some nice ready meal teas in or batch cook them something

I think you’d get past the cringe factor if you plan it as a new parents’ survival kit rather than something aimed at the dad.
Coffee, herbal teas, eye masks for daytime naps, maybe nail scissors for those lethal newborn claws.

Haynes baby manual if you specifically want a present for a man.

I gave DH an Espresso machine for his birthday after DS was born. It went down very well (I drink coffee).

I sent my friends that recently had their second baby a package from the cook food website. It was a seven day package with 14 individual meals in total for the freezer. Brilliant for dinner when they’re struggling to cook or individual lunches. They went down a treat with our friends!

I’d have LOVED it if someone had got this for us when we had our two babies.

Best present we got when our daughter was born was a voucher for ‘cook’ freezer dinners! That is a new parent survival kit in itself! You can order online now too if there is one local - ish.

How about pram mitts (they're huge and velcro onto the pram so you don't get cold fingers, genius), travel coffee mug for walks, a load of easy food like microwave rice pouches?

I loathe the jokey ‘Dad’s are useless haha’ things like earplugs, sounds like you’re no fan either OP!

How about some books where the characters are dad + child. So so many books aimed at babies and young children have mother + child characters so it’d be nice to have some with dads to even the balance.

Other ideas:
-babygrow with daddy theme (plenty of ‘I heart daddy’, ‘daddy’s no 1’ etc)
-coffee and an insulated no-spill cup
-a photo key fob that he can put a picture of the baby/family in (could get a personalised one)
-baby ‘first aid’ kit (calpol, teething gel, nappy cream etc).

A buggy tidy/caddy (not sure the right word!). A thing for the handlebars of a buggy that you can put your phone, keys, some wipes, a drink etc for when you're on long walks.

You can get little clay kits that you can make hand prints with.

Best new dad present that I've seen for a colleague was a baby tool belt - traditional tool belt but items replaced with a pack of wipes, nappy bags, etc.

@iwillbemummy

I sent my friends that recently had their second baby a package from the cook food website. It was a seven day package with 14 individual meals in total for the freezer. Brilliant for dinner when they’re struggling to cook or individual lunches. They went down a treat with our friends!

I would have loved this as a new parent!

Things I found really useful where a big water bottle, just eat voucher, extra long phone charger cable, chocolate

I like the baby tool belt that would have made me laugh (but I'm not a man)

I got a kit from.a friend just before I had dd and to be fair it was pretty gender neutral (apart from lip balm and space masks although dad could totally use those just my DH wouldnt)

• fancy teabags (i don't drink coffee but replace with caffeinated beverage of preference)
• chocolate and other snacks
• decent travel cup thing so you have a better chance of getting a hot drink
• cup holder for pram (thought it was a little novelty thing but honestly it has been used so much)
• water bottle
• extra long charger cable for when you get nap trapped far away from a plug socket (this was so useful when I was in hospital)
• handheld fan - I had a summer baby and was on postnatal ward nearly a week which was hotter than the sun so really helpful again

@BikeRunSki

I gave DH an Espresso machine for his birthday after DS was born. It went down very well (I drink coffee).

I meant, I don’t drink coffee

My DH really enjoyed eating my supply of lactation biscuits...

Vicks vaporub for the top lip when doing stinky nappy changes.

Calpol
Teething powders
Gripe water
Metanium bum cream
Sudocrem
Scratch mitts
Chocolate
Biscuits
2x mini champagne

And coffee!!!

Think would be much better to get just one or two items for them as a couple, and/or the baby.