14 Practical Gift Ideas for Exhausted New Parents

As the resident parenting reviewer here at WIRED, I look at a lot of parenting gear. From baby monitors to the best strollers, there’s a ton of gear to consider when you’re a parent. I’ll never forget how overwhelming it felt to make my baby registry before I was a mom—what would I need?? How could I possibly know before meeting my kid and finding out what parenting was really like?

Now, I’ve got a better idea of what’s handy, as do other fellow parents here at WIRED. If you’re gifting for a new parent, these are some of our favorite innovative solutions to make the gross, grueling parts of early parenthood just a little easier. Members of our Gear Team have tried them all. And yes, some of them are pretty cute.

If you’re looking for more early-days gear, don’t miss our guides to the Best Baby Monitors, Best Strollers, and Best Breast Pumps. If you’re shopping for older kids, check out our guides to the Best Stem Toys or the Best Subscription Boxes for Kids.

Updated October 2024: We’ve refreshed this gift guide for the holiday season with new gifts and ideas.

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Adrienne So contributed to this guide.