2019 Holiday Gifts for Dads-to-Be: 18 Ideas He’ll Actually Like

Buying gifts for your partner can be difficult. But now that he’s an expecting father, it could be a little easier.

Whether he’s a sentimental guy, practical partner or a jokester, there’s something for him on this list.

In this post, we’re featuring 18 holiday and Christmas gift ideas for the dad-to-be.

#1 Baby Shusher

It’s often easier for moms to soothe babies than fathers. When it’s dad’s time to watch the bundle of joy, he’ll have a quick tactic to stop crying spells. When swaddling doesn’t work, try the Baby Shusher. This device plays a rhythmic shush sound that mimics the noises heard while in the womb. The idea is that it makes the baby feel at home and therefore calms them down. He can set the timer on 15 or 30-minute intervals and it’s portable enough to be brought on trips, walks or while visiting friends.

Rating: 4/5 with 2,420+ reviews

Price: $34.99 on Amazon

#2 Tactical Diaper Bag

Dad’s going to end up carrying the diaper bag a lot, so you might as well get him his own that he’ll feel comfortable with. While we think men can rock bright, floral pattern diaper bags, many may prefer darker colored styles. Amazon carries a variety of tactical-type options in bag and backpack form. You can get them in dark green, black, tan or camo design. Here’s our top two recommendations:

Tactical Baby Gear Bag with Changing Mat

Rating: 5/5 with 68+ reviews

Price: $99 on Amazon

Waterproof Multi-Function Military-Style Diaper Backpack

Rating: 5/5 with 709+ reviews

Price: $99 on Amazon

#3 Tactical Baby Carrier

Keeping with the tactical theme, buy him his own carrier he can proudly wear (while feeling military-tough!). There’s a variety of options in green, grey and tan. Here’s our top 2 picks:

Tactical Baby Carrier

Rating: 4.5/5 with 66+ ratings

Price: $125 on Amazon

Men’s Baby Carrier by Missing Critical

Rating: 4.5/5 with 115+ ratings

Price: $139 on Amazon

#3 Fetal Doppler

As a father-to-be, there’s only a few ways to bond with your baby before she’s born. One of the best ways is to use an at-home fetal heartbeat monitor. These devices are similar to an ultrasound in that they allow you to hear your baby’s heartbeat through speakers. Simply apply ultrasound gel and glide the probe over the belly until you detect a fetal heartbeat. Allow your partner to listen through earphones or the speaker. If you want, you can have him talk to the baby and see how she responds. Read: 3 Ways Fetal Dopplers Make Pregnancy More Enjoyable.

Reviews: 5/5 with 695+ reviews

Price: Starting at $49.95 on BabyDoppler.com

#4 Matching Outfits

What’s even cuter than baby clothes? Matching dad and baby outfits! Every time he leaves the house in the shirt, he’ll get a ton of laughs and compliments—the encouragement every dad needs! Whether he’s a funny or sentimental guy, there’s options to fit every father’s personality. Since there’s so many options, we’re breaking it into 3 categories.

Matching Dad and Son Shirts

Matching Dad and Daughter Shirts

Matching Dad and Baby Shirts (Unisex)

#5 Baby Book for Mechanical Dads

Most baby books are geared toward women, reducing the chance that dad will actually read the whole thing. This Baby Owner’s Manual reads like an instruction manual; a format he may be more familiar with. It provides tips on everything from preparation and “home installation” to “programming sleep mode” and “emergency maintenance.”

Rating: 4.5/5 with 752+ reviews

Price: $10.59 on Amazon

#6 Ultra-Portable Smartphone Non-Contact Baby Thermometer

If your partner is someone who loves the latest new gadgets, he’ll love trying out this one. This award-winning thermometer can take your baby’s temperature without any contact (which means NO fuss!). Simply connect the tiny jack into your smartphone and point the small device at your baby’s forehead. He’ll be able to read the results on his phone. It’s a good idea for anxious dads too—it also allows you to read the temperature of baby bottles, bathwater, etc.

Price: $29.95 on BabyDoppler.com

#7 Stainless Steel World’s Best Dad Flask

If he’s a drinker, he probably already has a flask or two—but he doesn’t have one to commemorate this big life change! This set comes with a stainless steel circular flask engraved with “World’s Best Dad,” two shot glasses and a funnel.

Rating: 5/5 with 1+ review

Price: $21.99 on Amazon

#8 First-Time Dad Beer Labels

Keeping with the drinking theme, if your partner prefers beer to liquor, check out these hilarious labels. You can stick them on any beer of your choosing and have them ready when the mood strikes. Labels for dad “milestones” include sayings such as, “dad’s first parent meltdown” and “dad’s first guy’s night.”

Price: $12.50 on Etsy.com

#9 Ultrasound Photo Frame

This frame was specifically designed to fit your ultrasound photo. The left side features a sweet “Hey Daddy, It’s Me” poem. The sentimental father can display it on his nightstand to start off every day with a smile.

Rating: 4.5/5 with 14+ reviews

Price: $29.99 on Amazon

#10 Dad-to-Be Gift Box

This gift box is specially curated for the expecting father. It includes a practical dad handbook, a storybook by Jimmy Fallon, Bloody Knuckles hand repair balm and more.

Rating: 5/5 with 3+ reviews

Price: $49.99 on Amazon

#11 Personalised New Dad Survival Kit

Here’s another gift box for the father-to-be—but you can personalize this one. The box comes in small or large and you can personalize the engraving on the front with any message or name you’d like. Although it just comes with the box, you can fill it with anything he’d need to survive dad life: snacks, tools, coffee, a beer, small baby toys, etc.

Price: $19.50 on Etsy.com

#12 Personalized Baby Bonding Tokens

This set comes with 15 birch wood tokens he can randomly select when he’s out of baby bonding ideas. There’s two sets to choose from, and there’s even an option to add your own activities. It comes packaged in a small labeled jar, which you can also personalize.

Price: $23 on Etsy.com

#13 Baby Burrito Blanket

If he’s already cracking the dad jokes, he’ll laugh at this blanket that instantly transforms your baby into a burrito. The cotton-polyester blend creates a soft and secure swaddle while still being breathable. The tortilla design extends to the head with a cute hat to top it off

Rating: 4.8/5 with 108+ reviews

Price: $48 on UncommonGoods.com

#14 Booker Denim Shirt Made for Dads

The company FatherFigure makes clothes specially for dads, but our top pick is their denim shirt. It’s made with soft recycled denim and features soft cotton at the spots where he’s likely to hold the baby (such as the front shoulder, arms and upper shoulders). This way, your baby is rubbing against a blanket-type material instead of hard, scratchy fabric. It also has a loop on the hip to hold burp rags and attach toys.

Price: $98 on FatherFigure.co

#15 Track Pants

While we’re on the clothes theme, we should also mention that track pants would be a great gift for dads-to-be. After the baby arrives, he’ll likely be around the house more—so he’ll appreciate some comfy pants. Of course, there’s many options, but here are our top picks.

Adidas Men’s Trio Trackpants

Rating: 4.5/5 with 2,425+ reviews

Price: $41.45 on Amazon

Champion Men’s Open Bottom Light Weight Jersey Pants

Rating: 4/5 with 2,814+ reviews

Price: $15 on Amazon

Ouber Men’s Gym Jogger Pants

Rating: 4/5 with 348+ reviews

Price: $24.99 on Amazon

#16 Baby Jersey

If your partner is a big sports fan, get him and the baby matching jerseys for his favorite sports team. You can search for his favorite team on Amazon or on Fanatics.com.

#17 Kangaroo-Type Baby Holding Shirt

This shirt comes with a large front pouch that can hold up to a 15lb. baby. It’s an easy way to calm newborns and the sporty V-neck makes it stylish, too. It’s easy to use without any wrapping or adjusting—just simply put the baby in the pouch.

Rating: 4/5 with 110+ reviews

Price: $75 on Amazon

#18 Shiatsu Foot Massager Machine with Heat

Finally, something on this list to help dad relax. An involved father can take a bit of a rest with this foot machine. This device has heated massagers that deeply knead the feet and relieve tired muscles. He can use it after a long day at work or between baby naps.

Rating: 4.5/5 with 270+ reviews

Price: $124.99 on Amazon

Summary

There’s plenty of gifts at varying price points for the father-to-be. Take a look at the suggestions above while keeping in mind your partner’s personality, needs, style and budget. Happy shopping!