You new baby is coming, or has just arrived. It might even have been a multiple birth. You have a thousand and one things to think about, from keeping baby and mother happy and comfortable to getting as much sleep as possible.
Because you’re going to need every minute you can get.
To help you out, we’ve looked for the most useful technology gifts for new parents. From achieving peaceful sleep for baby to making sure his or her formula milk is the right temperature, you’ll find it here.
(As an added bonus, we’ve also explained how each gift will help you sleep that much better!)
IPRO Pacifier Thermometer $7.99
This is basically a thermometer disguised as a dummy. Taking the temperature of a baby or toddler can be tough. They don’t know why they need to be still, so don’t. This tool easily takes the correct temp without worrying about sticking an old-fashioned thermometer under a flailing arm!
- Battery powered
- More comfortable for baby
- Easier to use
If you prefer, modern non-contact handheld thermometers, as used by nurses, can be picked up for as little as $20.
Need sleep? This will put your mind at rest immediately if you suspect baby has a temperature at daft o’clock in the morning.
GooDee Video Baby Monitor $69.99
As a new parent, you’ll want a baby monitor. While audio-only devices can be bought for under $20, the most popular option these days is a Wi-Fi connected video monitor. Such devices use IP cameras, which are basically cameras you put on your home network.
- Footage streamed to your mobile device or PC.
- Two-way audio, so you can speak to baby
- Night vision sensor
- 360-degree rotation, 100-degree vertical tilt
- Wired network interface
- SD card slot
In general, IP cams come with a caveat: make sure you change the default username and password! There have been cases in the past of streams being hacked, we’ve learned that you shouldn’t leave security to the manufacturer. Be proactive.
Need sleep? You can check in on baby at any time with one of these, without disturbing!
Baby Shusher $31.49
When a dummy doesn’t work… try this. Baby Shusha is a device that calms a stressed baby by reminding “baby of being inside the womb, where there is a constant inundation of loud sounds from blood flow and other in utero noises.”
- Plays calming sounds that comfort the baby.
- Sounds are up to 95 dBs, the volume of a loud vacuum cleaner.
(Don’t worry – that’s how loud things get “inside”!)
Need sleep? Ummm… it puts baby to sleep, so you can sleep.
Snuza Movement Monitor $105
If you’re concerned about baby’s movement – perhaps the newborn has been in special care – a movement monitor can be a useful addition to keep you alerted to motion and development in the early days. The Snuza Movement Monitor is superior to a mat for several reasons.
- Endorsed by pediatricians,
- Sounds alarms when breathing stops
- Vibrates to surprise baby into taking breaths.
- Small enough to clip onto a nappy.
Need sleep? If you find yourself sitting up at night listening for breathing problems (perhaps respiratory, perhaps apnea), Snuza will make things much easier.
Philips Avent Bottle Warmer $25.49
It’s easy enough to boil a kettle, pour water into a pan, make the milk formula, place the bottle in the pan, and wait. But it’s simpler to use a programmable bottle warmer, which is capable of quickly heating milk to the right temperature. With this Philips device, produced with baby bottle maker Avent, you can:
- Warm your baby’s bottle to the right temperature
- Defrost breast milk safely and gently
- Warm baby food
Need sleep? A bottle warmer means that you spend less time getting the temperature right on baby’s milk at 2am. This is clearly a sleep-win situation!
You probably wouldn’t buy all of these. But they are all gadgets that can prove useful, if not vital, to new parents and giving mum a bit of much-needed extra rest.