’Tis the season for holiday parties, family gatherings, more food than you could possibly eat, and, last but not least, gifts! It’s can be a daunting task to think of and buy gifts for everyone on your list, that’s why Pediatric Associates of Savannah wanted cipf-es.org to make it a little easier on you this holiday season and provide a holiday gift guide for those who need to check a new parent off their list. Below you will find some of our pediatrician’s recommendations and/or personal favorites when it comes to new parent gifts and gadgets.
Dr. Christopher Rogers
The holiday season is a busy time for everyone and can potentially add some stress to your life, including those already stressed out new parents. Dr. Rogers suggests amid the hustle and bustle of the holidays for parents to take some time for themselves. He said, “Being a parent, especially a new parent is hard. It’s important to take care of yourself, so make sure you do something nice for yourself this holiday season as well.” If you can’t think of a gift you’d like to get the new parent in your life, consider donating your time. You could offer to babysit or to help around the house. Allowing the new parent in your life to relax and have some downtime will definitely be a much-appreciated gift.
Dr. Chintak Patel
As a brand new dad to a beautiful baby boy, Dr. Patel is more familiar with new parent activities and necessary items than ever. First on his gift list is a burping cloth. According to Dr. Patel, you can never have too many burping cloths. He suggests that parents can “keep some in the nursery, bedroom, car, garage, here, there, EVERYWHERE!” Large muslin cloth burp cloths are Dr. Patel’s favorite because they work great as a quick blanket, temporary arm swaddle while changing, a soft pad to lay on, or even a bib. Dr. Patel’s next gift suggestion is the “Feed Baby” app. This app helps parents keep track of recent feeds, diapers changes, bath times, and more and even syncs information across devices so mom and dad are always on the same page. Dr. Patel and his wife swear by the “Feed Baby” app and with free versions available and premium versions available for small fees, the “Feed Baby” app seems like a no-brainer! Available in the Apple store and Google Play store.
Dr. Adria Wilkes
Dr. Wilkes has compiled a list of very practical gifts to get for those new parents in your life. The first on her list is a Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder. This item is a great gift for parents whose children are of the age when regular fruits and veggies are first being tried. The Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder allows you to introduce these foods with ease and reduce the risk of choking. Next on her list is an Exersaucer, an interactive play station for young children that provides a variety of activities to keep them entertained for hours. Children love it and we’re sure parents will love it too. Finally, Dr. Wilkes recommends a 3-in-1 thermometer. All parents should have this handy device in order to check your baby’s temperature and make sure your child is happy and healthy.
Dr. Steve Hobby
As a father of two boys, Dr. Hobby has extensive personal experience when it comes to being a new parent and knowing what a new parent needs in their life. His first gift recommendation is the Amazon Family program. While you can’t necessarily gift Amazon Family, you can gift an Amazon Prime Membership and let them know that as a Prime member they can access the benefits of the Amazon Family program for free! Amazon Family is a program that allows you to add in information about your children, like gender and age, and receive custom parenting tips, product recommendations, and exclusive deals. His second gift idea, which any parent, new or experienced, would love is the gift of a clean house. Find a local cleaning company and get a gift card or prepay for a deep clean of their house. We’re sure you’ll be hearing the praises from this gift!
Dr. Ben Spitalnick
Dr. Ben has recommended a few of his personal favorites for new parents out there. First on his list is any kind of swaddle blanket. For his family, he had great success with the Miracle Blanket. Second, he recommends the essential new parent book from AAP publications “Baby Care Anywhere”, which he co-authored. Baby Care Anywhere is a portable pocket guide to baby basics that easily fits in a diaper bag or stroller pocket. It’s perfect for new parents who always seem to be on the go. Lastly, he recommends Boudreaux’s Butt Paste. While this isn’t a glamorous gift, there isn’t a new parent out there who wouldn’t love to receive a gift that helps tackle their child’s diaper rash.
Dr. Brandy Gheesling
As our resident lactation consultant and breastfeeding expert, Dr. Gheesling has a lot of great gift recommendations for breastfeeding mothers. First on her list is the Baby Buddha Breast Pump. This breast pump is changing the game in providing an easy, seamless pumping experience and any breastfeeding mother would love to have it. If the mom on your list is more into the manual pumping experience, Dr. Gheesling recommends the Haakaa Manual Breast Pump. More gift ideas for the breastfeeding mother on your list are the Kiinde Breast Milk Storage System and a Sarah Wells Pump Bag.
We hope this holiday gift guide makes your life a little bit easier and provides you with great gift ideas for the new parents on your list. Our pediatricians only recommend products they know and trust, so rest assured knowing the gifts on this list are tried and true parenting items any parent would love.
