Useful birthday gifts for a first-time dad to be

[Queenoftheharpies]

My DP has a birthday coming up, and our first baby is due shortly after.

Is there any gift I could get him that might make his post-baby life slightly less rubbish?

I'm wondering about noise-cancelling headphones.

a hamper of
ear plugs, alcohol and choccy
soothing dolpin music
caffine drinks

seriously .. the abby will make the best pressy ever tbh.. post baby life is pretty cool.

baby*

OP - it sounds as if you or your OH think your baby's going to be a great inconvenience to him and that you feel obliged to make it less so.

I mean - "noise-cancelling headphones"?! Who's going to be attending to the "noise" while he's got those on? You'll be regretting it when not only baby is screaming, but you're screaming for his help too!

Why not give him something which celebrates and helps him in being a dad rather than something which is almost an apology for and distraction from it?

Maybe you're joking, but this post sounds very sad

Well, it's true he's not remotely looking forward to it. But, that's because the first few weeks of a new baby are incredibly difficult and stressful for a lot of people by all accounts. So I want to get him a gift that says I care about that - because chances are when the baby arrives I'll have other things on my plate.

I'm not worried about him retreating into the TV while I deal with the baby 24-7 because he's not like that.

But I can see how we both might appreciate an undisturbed football match or movie from time to time.

How about a large DVD boxset or Sky Sports subscription for him to watch at 3 am when the baby needs a bottle and you want to sleep?

Generally I found that the baby life doesn't really hit home on DP until baby is sleeping less or you stop breast feeding and expect him to start covering night time feeding.

You could organise a night out with some of his friends for him... presumably they are going to be harder for him to do shortly?

The night out is a good idea actually - although we're (very) lucky to have two sprightly early-60s grandparents on hand who can't wait to get some babysitting done :-)

An inflatable woman cos he certainly won't get any more of what caused the baby to happen.

Oh, and a lifetime's supply of beer.

Maybe some matchsticks to prop up his eyelids.

and some double strength coffee - studd caff free - to wake up for office duties next day on two hours sleep.

"Beer, the solution to all of life's problems!"

(only joking!)

Homer Simpson.

try one of these books by Stephen Giles - we have the "you're the daddy" one, but your DP might prefer "From Lad to Dad". Very humorous and it might benefit you as well!