New Dad Survival Kit

There is a lot of focus on new Mommies-to-be during the nine months of pregnancy and even after the big day when baby is born.

Becoming a new Dad can also be a time of anxiety, anticipation, excitement and even feeling a little fearful at times. Just like new moms, Dad also needs to prepare for mentally and physically for the new baby’s arrival.

Dads play a vital role in bonding with a new-born, sharing the responsibility of taking care of a child and even with baby chores such as changing diapers, helping with household chores or cooking dinner and putting baby down to sleep.

An excellent idea of making Dad feel special is by gifting a new dad survival kit. The items that you can include is purely based on what you think he would find helpful and his personal preferences.

Have a look at these recommendations for items to include in the daddy survival kit.

Read also: 7 Things Dad Can Do to Help During Labour

***Disclosure -The links in this post may contain affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on a link.***

New Dad Survival Kit

1. Diaper changing kit

Dad is also going to change a lot of diapers and making a kit armed with all the supplies he’ll need (baby, wipes, bum cream, nappies, scented bags) can be very helpful. To add a little humour to the mix, you can add nose plugs and a pair of latex gloves.

Or you can consider this super cute Diaper-duty survival kit from Amazon.com which already has all the baby essentials included.

2. Baby-related books

Just like mom, Dad can also benefit from reading up on all baby-related issues such as healthy sleeping habits, feeding tips, information about development stages and loads more.

3. Dad approved clothing for baby

In the event of baby burping or soiling all over his clothes, you can have a few items of clothing in the kit such as onesies or matching playsuits which can be easily put on or taken off. There are a great range of onesies and other baby clothing available with cute Daddy quotes which makes a great baby shower gift as well.

Now that we’ve included the essential items, we can share items that falls under the category of comfort or luxury.

4. Baby monitor

A baby monitor is a great gadget to check up on baby instead of having to get up and go to the nursery every now and again and might run the risk of waking baby up unnecessarily.

5. Comfortable slippers

Dad will be spending a lot of time indoors during the first couple of months with baby and nothing says “I care” like giving someone a comfy pair of slippers, especially during night time when dad is taking turns with feeding his new-born so that mom can catch up on some sleep.

6. Diaper bag for Dad

There are an endless range of women’s diaper bags and the industry keeps growing. When Dad is out and about with baby, he would probably prefer having a manlier version to take with him instead of a flowery or feminine-looking diaper bag. A great option is to stock a small backpack with a few baby essentials for taking along on those excursions.

7. Coffee / Energy drink

If your hubby enjoys a good cup of coffee and usually take energy stimulants to boost his energy, it would be an excellent idea to add a few these to the kit. New parents are sleep-deprived and breastfeeding moms doesn’t have the option of drinking their usual quota of coffee due to the caffeine content which can have a negative affect on the baby. But for Dad this is not the case, so go ahead and spoil him with a good quality coffee.

These natural energy drinks contain natural energizers, B vitamins, green tea extract and vitamin C for boosting his energy levels and immunity.

If Dad is a coffee lover of note, then another great option is gifting him with a coffee plunger and some great samples of coffee roast to sample.

8. Healthy snacks

Being a new parent, one doesn’t always find the time to prepare meals. Healthy on-the-go snacks are an excellent choice for keeping your energy levels up and providing a nice treat. Biltong is always a crowd pleaser and you can’t really go wrong when adding this to your hamper.

9. Selfi-stick

Time flies and before you know it your baby will be a toddler or getting ready for their first day at big school. A selfi-stick’s simple operation makes it easy for Dad to be included in the pictures and capture all the special moments shared with baby and documenting the different stages of baby’s life.

10. New Dad novelty coffee cup

A novelty coffee cup is an excellent way of welcoming Daddy into parenthood and a practical gift for daily use while reminding Dad of this important time when he became a first time Dad.

8 Tips for how to be the best Dad

1. Always put your child’s interests first.
2. Protect them by child-proofing your home, teaching them valuable tips on how to be safe and by providing your family with financial stability.
3. Spend as much time with your kids as possible. They grow up way too fast and before you know it, they will be all grown up and won’t be needing you as much as they used to. Make time for them and create memories.
4. Give them plenty of hugs. Men shouldn’t be afraid to show their feelings and expressing them.
5. Do fun outdoor activities with them like kids gardening, playing sports or swimming.
6. Do the things that are generally considered “mom stuff” such as diaper changing, bathing, getting up in the middle of the night. It will create lifelong bonding experiences.
7. Read bedtime stories to them. Not only is it highly beneficial but another great way of bonding with your child.
8. Be good to your family and especially to their Mom and teaching them by example of how they should treat other people and just overall the basic life-lessons to make them, growing up in to a good person.