Hello ladies!
My SIL is pregnant after a couple of miscarriages and some other complications. To say we're all thrilled is an understatement! I want to get her something awesome (something helpful, beautiful or special), but it's been over 12yrs since I was pregnant and I'm clueless as to what's "out there" these days. I also hated being pregnant and have basically put those memories away and now I can't remember what I liked, needed, disliked, etc during pregnancy. Or even what I had when the kids were babies!
Help me, mamas! Give me some good ideas - WHAT do I get her? What did you LOVE having when you were pregnant? What did you NEED when you were pregnant? What's the awesome thing that new mamas can't do without these days? I'm drawing a complete blank here!
You're giving me some really nice ideas! I *knew* I could count on you - thanks!
She's into her second half and announced last week that it's a BOY. My son is the only boy of that generation on my husband's side, so YAY!
Body pillow, gift certificates for mani's & pedi's, prenatal massage gift certificate, comfy slippers for swollen feet, essential oils and anything pampering you can think of.
I'm not sure of your religious beliefs, but I'm catholic. When I became pregnant with my first son my hubby bought me a St. Gerard necklace. He protects the mother and baby during pregnancy and labor. I've since worn it through 3 pregnancies, and I buy one for friends when they find out their pregnant.
You can buy them at St. Jude stores.
Given her history, I would not do anything right now. Wait until she is at the end of pregnancy.
Depending on where she is in the pregnancy, I loved the Bella band- it's basically a wide band of spandex that can make normal pants into preggo pants. Saves a ton on maternity clothes! Find out what she is craving and get her some gift cards- Cold Stone or Ben & Jerry's if she is into ice cream, a pizza place, etc. I had massive fruit cravings with my second, and one of the best things I got was a giant fruit basket from my BFF for no reason other than emotional support :)
Oh, and maybe an extra pillow or two. I hogged all the pillows in the house for my last trimester.
Also, cutest quilts ever, made by a friend of mine:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/OutOfCharacterQuilts
My husband got me a gift cert for a mani/pedi and I LOVED being pampered by having my toes done while I was pregnant.
Maybe closer to her due date when/if you know the sex/name of the baby, you could get a soft, personalized blanket for the baby that could be a keepsake as the baby grows up? My grandma got my daughter a couple of really soft winnie the pooh blankets and she's 7 and still sleeps with them and has to take at least one when she goes somewhere overnight.
I once got someone a few comfortable pillows with some beautiful pillowcases on them. I washed them first and wrapped them all ready to use. She said it was a wonderful gift, since you sometimes need lots of pillows when you are pregnant. Congratulations to your family!
You are sweet and she's lucky to have you. Congratulations to your family!
The gift of time was the first thing that came to mind. I remember when I was pregnant with my kids that I could have talked with someone, anyone that was interested to be there and listen to just how excited I was. I think she would be thrilled to have you by her side to talk babies and shop and along with that might come an awesome and personal idea for a gift
I'm all about the personal gifts... Here are a few ideas...
- Gift certificates of "time" not treasure: room-prepping, baby-sitting, meal-making, chore-doing, or any other ways to help out before or after little guy makes his appearance
- Photo collage: Framed selection of photos of her parents, his parents, the two of them (and other family members?), of course, leaving room in the center or star newcomer. Depending on how much or little you want to spend, you could also throw in a gift certificate to a photo studio.
- Collection: Perhaps you could start with a set of coins or a type of collectible that would be meaningful to the family (a friend got some model trains because her hubby builds locomotives)
- Book collection: ask all family members to suggest their favorite children's books (adults and kids will have different memories) and make a big basket to start off the little guy's library
Enjoy!
Just for her (wait until after the 1st trimester), take her out to lunch.
Buy her a silver chain, w/a silver charm that is special to just her, both of
your or that means something (her & baby).
Buy her:
-cozy socks
-a blank journal she can use for baby's 1st year to write in her own thoughts.
-Bookes: What to Expect When You're Expecting and Baby's First Year book. Very helpful.
-Book of Baby Names
-Breast feeding pillow
-Night lights
-a basket to keep all of things she'll need at her finger tips when those
middle of the night feedings come (bib cloths for over your shoulder, a
hospital given pacifier, swaddling blankets, Baby Bjorn, baby swing,
baby jumperoo, baby exersaucer (my husband helped me with the names of these last 3 btw to give him credit), jog stroller.
-Give mom attention now & when the baby is here!
-Offer to help her a day or two nce the baby is here & she's in need
-a silver charm that says "mom"
-put on your calendar on Mother's Day to wish her a "happy mom's day"
Is she still fairly early in her pregnancy (within the first half)? If so, I suggest a pregnancy journal. My sister got one for me when I was pregnant. It had a small space for me to record my thoughts, info from doctor's appointments, etc, and also had developmental updates for every week. It's a beautiful keepsake.
On a totally separately note, I had back issues during pregnancy and found a body pillow to be essential to get sleep at night.
A body pillow made sleeping a lot better after I was showing.
