Gift ideas for best friend who is expecting?

July 9, 2005 5:02 AM

I just found out that my best friend is 6 weeks pregnant. I was hoping to get both traditional and unique gift ideas. All I've come up with is flowers but I want to do something special for her. Any ideas?
posted by camfys to Shopping (22 answers total)

Create your own prenatal gift basket! Include a fetal monitor, prenatal vitamins, baby name or the "what to expect" book, a pregnancy cookbook, pregnancy journal, etc. all in a nice little basket.
posted by sexymofo at 6:51 AM on July 9, 2005

I have always given a copy of this CD to expecting Moms that we know. I started this years ago, and my sister actually wore the tape out and asked me to buy her another. Can't recommend it highly enough, and the site has a couple of the tracks online so you can listen.
posted by richmondparker at 7:10 AM on July 9, 2005

When my sister was pregnant I gave her a boppi pillow (available at baby stores). It's a nice supportive pillow in kind of an open ring shape, so it's nice and supportive as her belly grows, and for more comfortable sitting if, post delivery, she has stitches. Once the baby is born it can also be used to support the baby while she's nursing. It's simple and useful and comfy.
posted by Sara Anne at 7:18 AM on July 9, 2005

Someone gave me the Willow Tree figurine Cherish. Certainly the most exciting things to get are little baby items, but at 6 weeks, I think it's a little early to get that (the first 12 weeks are a time of such uncertainty - the possibility of miscarriage is highest at this time). The best books I've gotten have been What to Expect When You're Expecting and The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy. I've also really enjoyed using a pregnancy journal (I have this one). She's also inevitably already started brainstorming baby names (how can you not?!) -- the best book I've seen for this is Beyond Jennifer, Jason, Madison & Montana.
posted by roundrock at 7:34 AM on July 9, 2005

Come up with a list of stuff that she'll not be able to do as often when she's got the tyke, [dinner out, movies, music shows, etc.] and take her to as many of those things as possible before the bun is baked.
posted by sciurus at 7:46 AM on July 9, 2005

I always give this journal as a gift to my newly pregnant friends. Even if she's not very introspective or into journaling, they always seem to use it.

This is a classic must read for all pregnant women. I read it for the first time when I was pregnant with my 4th child and it had me in tears I was laughing so hard.
posted by hollygoheavy at 7:46 AM on July 9, 2005

Oh, and ditto on Roundrock's suggestion of Cherish. I received that during my last pregnancy and now have begun a small collection of Willow Tree figures. I have the ones that correspond to each stage of my son's life.
posted by hollygoheavy at 7:47 AM on July 9, 2005

I like to give this book to my friends who are expecting. It's hilarious and reassuring about pregnancy and parenting.
posted by picklebird at 8:33 AM on July 9, 2005

It's a practical gift but I've been giving all my new-parent friends this thermometer and they rave about it. You just scan it across the baby's forehead (or yours!) and it gives an accurate reading.
posted by nicwolff at 9:00 AM on July 9, 2005

Pre-natal music CD's:

http://www.cannonsong.com/suzukibabymusic/

The sense of hearing is strongly developed in the womb and babies are born able to recognize their parents' voice. What types of music are most beneficial to the developing child? Current research indicates visible benefits to babies who listen to music pre-natally.

UltraSound - Music for the Unborn Child -- Buy this album with Mozart for Mothers-to-Be ~ Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer), et al today! Buy Together Today: $21.97
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000IIUP/qid=1120927618/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_ur_1/104-0099717-9435136?v=glance&s=music&n=507846
posted by ozziemaland at 9:53 AM on July 9, 2005

Best answer: I'm going to be kind of a downer here and recommend that you hold of on the actual gift-gifts for about another 6-10 weeks.

If this is her first pregnancy, there is a small but not insignificant chance she might miscarry, and having lots of books, toys, booties, etc around that she'd been given as gifts might be emotionally painful.

I'm not saying that she will, but many, many women do, especially on the first pregnancy. Its not something many people talk about, but it happens often enough that I feel its something I should mention.

I also speak here from personal experience -- I miscarried our first child this spring at 13 weeks -- having waited until 12 weeks to tell everyone and was then promptly showered with gifts. Boxing up those presents was awful. They're in storage, waiting for the next time, but it was one more painful thing I had to do.

Which is not to say that I don't think you should celebrate this with her -- certainly do so!! Take her out to eat, give her a gift certificate to a local healthy foods store, perhaps give her some yummy body lotions/bath stuff if she's into that sort of thing ... but hold of on the cute baby gifts for a bit ... after all, you'll still have months and months and months to buy presents!!

Congratulations and best wishes to your friend!
posted by anastasiav at 11:00 AM on July 9, 2005

I hesitate to offer this advice, but please reconsider getting a baby-related gift just yet. Six weeks is very early in a pregnancy, and many people don't tell friends and families until 3 months because that's a more safely established point. I'm compelled because a friend lost her pregnancy when she was just a bit past your friend's date and was made very upset both by anything that reminded her of what happened. She's now pregnant again and has told almost no one because of this.

It's likely things will be fine, but until she's at 3 months, consider trying something else: personally, I like flowers, because they are temporary. I'd suggest food as well -- perhaps some really wonderful fruit, or some really good essential oils that could aid in any nausea she may have. Personally, I find peppermint works best for that.

Once the pregnancy is more firmly established any of the gifts above sound excellent. Best wishes to your friend, and good for you for wanting to do something thoughtful for her.
posted by melissa may at 11:08 AM on July 9, 2005

anastasiav, I'm glad you posted just before me and were able to articulate what I wanted to say so well. I'm sorry for your loss.
posted by melissa may at 11:10 AM on July 9, 2005

I third the idea of waiting for a bit, but here are some ideas:

A week or two of maid service.
A week of meals from a personal chef or service that delivers full meals, for late in pregnancy or after delivery.
Doula services, either for birth if she'd be interested in that, or post-partum doula services.
Prenatal massage gift certificates.
posted by peep at 11:52 AM on July 9, 2005

yup. waiting is good. it's depressing to discuss while talking about your friend's joy, but more than a few of my women friends who have gotten pregnant over the past few years have lost pregnancies at about 10 weeks. anastasiav's suggestion of celebrating without actual "baby gifts" is right on, and lovely.
posted by judith at 1:03 PM on July 9, 2005

Also recommend waiting. If you really want to give her something now, give her ginger tea or "real" ginger ale ...it's excellent for nausea. Also, lemon scented handwipes or anything lemon scented helps with nausea too. The first trimester can be both exciting and bewildering, so a little "pampering" couldn't hurt.
posted by jeanmari at 1:47 PM on July 9, 2005

must agree with 'a reader' 's review on the Amazon site about A Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy. Sacrifices good advice for humour.
posted by lois1950 at 2:11 PM on July 9, 2005

Response by poster: To those of you who brought up the possibility of miscarraige, thank you for bringing that to my attention, I hadn't even thought of that. Thanks for the advice and I'm very sorry for your losses.
posted by camfys at 3:23 PM on July 9, 2005

Something containing actinium is always appropriate.
posted by Mayor Curley at 3:38 PM on July 9, 2005

My sister in law made us a gift that was oh-so-simple and has turned out to be oh so practical:
she turned a bath towel and a hand towel into a hooded towel. It's two seams and takes practically more time to set up a sewing machine than to sew it.
posted by plinth at 8:03 PM on July 9, 2005

If later on in the pregnancy, a portable high chair. If now, Jennifer Weiner's Little Earthquakes (I know, I know, chicklit).
posted by brujita at 10:28 PM on July 9, 2005

Well, I will suggest my default gift for any shower (wedding or bridal) - Picture Frames - all different sizes and styles. Weddings and babies are two of the times when the most pictures are taken and its always good to give some frames to put them in. You can always give a gift certificate for developing, too, or even take them to be developed and frame some of them for the mom.
posted by thatothrgirl at 11:19 AM on July 10, 2005