Ask any first-time parent, and they’ll say the same thing: raising a baby is just as rewarding as it is exhausting. Sure, the first couple of months are blissful, special, and filled with developmental milestones. But they are equally challenging, taxing, and emotionally draining.

This is why first-time parents deserve a little extra love this festive season. I have scoured the web and pulled from my own experience to find the best gift ideas that will make new parents’ lives easier.

The list includes time-savers, baby-soothing tools, and cozy things, which will give a first-time parent the much-needed pampering.

Baby monitor

As any new parent will tell you, leaving a child all by themselves while they sleep is very nerve-racking. In an ideal world, most parents would watch over their babies 24/7. But this is not possible.

Thankfully, a top-notch baby monitor can serve as an extra pair of eyes. In that regard, I find the Optics DXR-8 to be one of the most suitable models for a baby’s room.

A key selling point of this device is its receiver. This feature allows you to adjust the camera’s position remotely. This way, you don’t end up walking in on your baby and waking them up while they sleep.

Moreover, you can use the receiver to track the room’s temperature. This is really crucial as babies can struggle to sleep if it’s either too hot or too cold.

Smart speaker

Imagine being able to turn off the lights in your baby’s room without leaving the comfort of your bed. Or being able to play soothing music to lull your newborn without touching a dial.

Convenient, right? Well, this is the kind of help that first-time parents can get from smart speakers like the Echo Dot.

This smart speaker is a breeze to set up. Simply plug it into an outlet, pair it with a device, then download the Alexa app on your phone to gain control of your smart appliances.

Once configured, the user will be able to turn up the thermostat in their baby’s room, set timers for diaper changes, and do so much more using the voice-assistant tech.

Instant Pot

Between breastfeeding and soothing a newborn to sleep, new moms barely have any time to eat, let alone cook. Thus, one of the best things you can do is to offer a helping hand in the kitchen. While this can come in many forms, I’d like to recommend the Instant Pot.

This handy gadget can perform an array of functions: it doubles up as a slow cooker, a pressure cooker, a sauté pan, and a rice cooker! Plus, you can use it to cook literally any food- from mouth-watering beef stew to hard-boiled eggs and tasty desserts.

My favorite model is the Instant Pot Duo. Featuring 7 pre-programmed settings, this is a lifesaver when it comes to cooking hearty meals. And, it has a delay start dial, which is great since you can prepare ingredients but start cooking up to 24 hours later.

Sleep mask

I knew that I would encounter challenges when I became a mom a few months ago.

But I’ll admit, I was not ready for the sleep deprivation that comes with the title. There are times when I feel like a walking zombie-like version of myself because of lack of sleep.

If I’m fortunate enough, I’ll squeeze in a nap during the day. For those day naps, my sleep mask comes in handy. It enables me to completely zone out and get some shut-eye even in the most distraction-filled environment.

If you’re looking to buy a sleep mask. consider the Dreamlight Ease Sleep Mask. It’s made using a silky-smooth fabric to provide maximum comfort. It also has a contoured design around the eyes, enabling the user to make eye movements freely.

Water tracker

If you’re breastfeeding, you need to take enough fluids to hydrate both you and your little one. But remembering to drink water can be a bit of a challenge when you’re juggling so many things.

Enter Giotto’s Motivational Water Bottle. This water bottle comes calibrated with time markers, making it incredibly easy to track your water intake. Its generous 128-ounce capacity is another selling point. It means the user doesn’t have to refill the bottle often; hence, saving them time.

Baby calm-down kit

Some newborns can be unusually fussy. They’ll cry constantly even after being nursed and having their diapers changed. For parents of such babies, a baby calm-down kit is a superb option for a gift.

While you can customize the kit as you see fit, I recommend including these:

• A swaddle sack: Swaddling mimics the cozy feeling a baby experiences when they are in the womb, which is why it has a calming effect. Be sure to use a swaddle sack and not a swaddle blanket. Babies tend to uncover themselves when wrapped with the latter.
• Shusher: This is a sleep device that uses the good-old shushing method to lull your little one to sleep.
• A sleep training book like The Happiest Baby on the Block

Amazon Prime membership

Making plans to take a newborn or infant to a public place is a logistical nightmare! For starters, you’ll have to dress your baby in layers and layers of clothing to keep them warm. You also have to pack a ton of stuff, and install a car seat, among other things.

Save the new parent in your life the trouble of going out shopping by getting them an Amazon Prime membership. With this subscription, the recipient can order anything and enjoy fast shipping. Other perks of subscribing to Amazon Prime include discounts on baby products, cashback on reloaded gift cards, and on credit card purchases.

Door silencer

There’s nothing quite as aggravating as spending hours soothing a baby to sleep only for them to be woken up by a squeaky door. Some newborns, especially light sleepers, get spooked by the slightest noise. Thus, one of the best gifts you can get a new parent is a door silencer.

This door latch cover by Cushy Closer is a pretty good example. It has padding, which muffles all types of door sounds: rattling, squeaking, and slamming. This allows parents to enter and exit their kids’ rooms without waking them up.

Portable sleeper and changing station combo

New parents need multifunctional baby products, and this travel bassinet fits the bill perfectly. It’s a diaper bag, travel bag, changing pad, and bassinet, all in one.

The combo unit quickly transforms into a travel bed and changing area, making it handy for parents who are always on the go. It’s also very spacious. It comes with a bunch of pockets where you can store essential baby items, such as toys, wipes, bottles, diapers, and spare outfits.

Cozy bedding

New moms and dads may not get enough time to sleep, but when they do, it should be as restful as possible. Thus, another item they’d really appreciate is some cozy bedding. A fleece blanket or weighted blanket like ZonLi is an excellent choice.

Beyond providing warmth and comfort, such a weighted blanket also creates a sense of calm and helps to alleviate stress. Moreover, the ZonLi weighted blanket is available in multiple colors, which means you’ll be able to choose one in his/her favorite color.

Back and neck massager

Taking care of a newborn is physically exhausting. Rocking a baby for countless hours, hauling their portable bed, cleaning the house, tidying up, these are all activities that start to take a toll on an individual over time.

It is no wonder many parents experience aches in their back, neck, and shoulders. If you know a mom or dad who’s been complaining about pain in their lower back, shoulders, or neck, the perfect gift to get them is a massage tool like the Magic Hands Massager.

This massager is lightweight, so the user won’t get too fatigued if they hold it for an extended period. More importantly, it touts 4 different Shiatsu massaging techniques. There’s even a heating function, which is great for relieving muscle tension and pain.