The Best Non-Baby Gifts for New Parents

Although new parents deserve a bit of congratulation and support with a new baby, small gifts can quickly grow overwhelming. After all, the baby isn’t the only one dealing with something new – parenting can be a quick change for couples, and sometimes they’ll need a little something special.

Unfortunately, it can be hard to look past all the easy baby gifts for something a little more ‘exquisite…’ Nonetheless, there are countless gifts you can buy that make both being a parent and parenting that little bit easier. So, without further ado, at Thankbox, here are our best non-baby gifts for new parents!

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1. A Congratulations or New Baby Card

Sure, cards might not seem like the most apparent gift for a duo that’s turned into a trio. That doesn’t mean they’re a bad option though; when dealing with a sudden shock to the way your life works, nothing’s more easing than support. Fortunately, with a congratulations, new baby, or even condolences card (for the lost time and money, obviously - something funny), it makes things that little bit easier.

If you’re a little indecisive when it comes to cards or want a great variety to pick through, the best option might be through an online provider. Thankbox is a leading online card provider and gift collection, helping make the process of designing and sending a card so much easier.

An image of a sample Thankbox New Baby card

Whether you’re planning for a serious new baby card, a congratulations on a new step, or want to send a sympathy card for a couple’s new stress in life, Thankbox has got a card, just a few clicks away!

2. Temperature Control Coffee Mug

Hear us out – nothing makes a drink more enjoyable than being able to control its temperature. Whether you’re dealing with an upset baby and can’t quite make it to the microwave to reheat your coffee or need some hot tea for the long nights, temperature control mugs are a great non-baby gift for new parents.

There are quite a few companies that have picked up production recently, including some of the big names:

A beautiful line up of Ember temperature controlled mugs

Fortunately, they all provide seamless ways to enjoy a refreshing beverage while dealing with a feisty little baby or just to fill the gap during downtime. When it comes to making the life of a new parent easier, you can do much worse than a temperature control mug. Importantly, though, it makes consistency possible with hot drinks!

3. Pre-Packaged, Delivered Meals

Say hello to HelloFresh, one of the countless prepared meal delivery services out there. In comparison to some food delivery services, these meals may seem a little less convenient, but when it comes to a good, ‘ol-fashioned meal to sit down and enjoy, you can’t do better without heading to the store.

An image showing a Hello Fresh delivery and how the box is packed

While HelloFresh has been the champion recently, at least as it comes to delivered meals, newer arrivals like Mindful Chef, Home Chef, and Daily Harvest have picked up the slack. Parenting and cooking are two things that don’t mix well at the start, which is why a packaged (or prepared) meal can be a dinner saviour.

Not only are all the ingredients packaged for one less trip to the grocery store, but the easy instructions and quick turnaround time make delivered meals a top non-baby gift for new parents. There’s also the added benefit of some potential baby food thrown in the mix.

4. Gift Cards

A simple solution to a complex problem, gift cards can be that little helper in a new parent’s, new life. Whether it’s a gift card to a grocery store, technology haven, subscription service, or spa, there are countless answers to the problem of a non-baby gift.

While there are hundreds of gift cards to choose from it can pretty easy to pick out something special. With Visa or Mastercard gift cards, major retailers, or experiences for the parents, you can do a lot with a little. And the best bit? Combine a Thankbox online card with the optional gift card collection and family, friends and co-workers can all contribute. Every new parent will welcome the chance to browse and choose something meaningful.

Plus, with some sneakiness, you can get a little something for the baby too, as a card to a retailer or store could mean a purchase to benefit both the parents and the child. Who knows?

5. A Subscription

For that parent that suddenly finds them self stuck at home with a little baby to look after, a gifted subscription could prove to be the best gift. In this case, however, it’s not a subscription like number 3, the delivered meals. Rather, it’s even better. Unless you’re hungry.

A gifted subscription could do a lot. Like, you could send anything, including:

Netflix, the world’s largest entertainment streaming platform with thousands of shows
Adobe Creative Cloud, home to dozens of apps like Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and more
Amazon Prime, the tech giant’s combo of video streaming, 2-day delivery, and more
Xbox Game Pass, a collection of hundreds of games in one subscription
A music subscription with major players Tidal or Spotify will soon see a calm playlist curated

A streaming service grid of movie posters.

There are hundreds of subscriptions out there to make parenting a little easier. Whether it’s some extra entertainment for parents and child alike or a gaming experience for some free time, there’s a lot that you can gift.

6. Fitness Tracker

While companies like Fitbit and Apple run the scene, a quick (albeit potentially costly) non-baby related gift for new parents could always be a fitness tracker. Although fitness might be the primary focus, especially as parenting means quite a few more steps, some products like the Apple Watch can be even more helpful.

Collection of Apple Watches showing many features and colours

On top of counting steps, calories, and even sleep, some trackers can make hand-free texts, phone calls, and even help you find your phone if it’s lost. When dealing with a new child or really life in general, new parents will most likely find a new fitness tracker more than an acceptable gift. I mean, they look really, really cool.

7. A New Camera

A new child means new memories – memories that are more accessible than ever, thanks to inventions like smartphones. Nonetheless, you can never do wrong with a camera.

Newer cameras do everything from photos and videos to cloud streaming, effects, and more. From a baby’s first step to some well-needed vacations, a new camera can capture just about any memory you come across.

Collection of Fujix Instax cameras showing many different models and captured photos.

Plus, they’re more affordable and reliable, meaning that this could be one of the best non-baby gifts for new parents, both in terms of longevity and usefulness. You can even get something like a Polaroid or Fuji Instax, giving those parents the option to string up hundreds of physical photos.

8. Nice Water Bottle

Whether it be in the form of a stylish, filtering Kor bottle or your standard insulated Thermos, water bottles are a necessity for a new parent. Not only is it harder than ever to wait for a bottle to fill up at the sink or fridge, but special bottles like insulated ones have the same benefit as a temperature-controlled cup.

A large and medium sized Kor for life water bottle - sustainability and environmentally friendly.

Water bottles can both be a stylish choice and a necessity; babies have little patience, and a bottle can help save that little bit of time. Plus, options with filtration can help quench thirst wherever someone might be, baby or not.

9. Memory Foam Pillow

Although it doesn’t have to be a memory foam pillow, any comfy pillow can make a new parent’s dreams come true. Nights with babies are restless, leading to some really poor sleep, if any at all. With a nice enough pillow, sleep isn’t a question of if, but when?

An image of a lady in a state of blissful sleep with a memory foam pillow

Plus, a nice pillow is still relatively inexpensive, meaning that nights of pain and restlessness can be solved for just a few dollars. Either way, you look at it, one of the best non-baby-related gifts for new parents might be nothing more than some cloth and a good night’s sleep.

10. Robot Vacuums

Helpful for more than just cleaning up dropped food, robot vacuums can help cut down on cleaning time around the house, speed up chores, and make a new parent’s a whole heck of a lot easier. Fortunately, the options range as much as the benefits, from pretty cheap Roombas to top of the line, well, Roombas.

A Roomba vacuum on a rug with a dog and person enjoying coffee watching on

On top of making messes easier to manage, robot vacuums can automatically take care of dirt, routine carpet cleanings, and quite a few allergens too. A robot vacuum as a gift means so much more than you might expect, especially when the sneezes (and baby food) disappear from the room.

Finding the Right Gift

There are countless gifts you can get for new parents that have a plus-one on their side. Even though many think of gifts for the baby first, you can find quite a few presents that can make the parents happy while benefitting the child on the side.

Whether it’s a card starting at just £4.99 (or $5.99) through Thankbox, or an expensive vacuum to clean years or days or dirt, you can find a great gift for anyone. If you’re interested in any of these gifts or have any questions, then feel free to ask Thankbox about our cards or check out any of the other companies’ sites for more details.