Baby/Mother gift ideas -- for a seventh child!
September 14, 2013 3:30 PM Subscribe
Help me find a gift for someone I care about who is about to have her seventh baby. Snowflake details inside.
My first ask mefi question!
Someone I know will shortly give birth to her seventh baby. I'm completely stumped as to what to buy considering the following details:
The family is religious Christian.
They are essentially homesteaders. They butcher their own meat, have goats for milk, and chickens for eggs.
They homeschool their children and are part of what seems a very tight knit and supportive community.
Lots of hand-me-downs!
They are wary of chemicals and pesticides and seem very committed to organic/non-processed foods and products.
Maybe stating the obvious, but the mother is the busiest woman I've ever met. She exudes a calm warmth and gives excellent hugs. Long flowing skirts and tie-dye.
A bit of extra detail from me:
I don't want to spend more than $50.
I prefer something made with fair labor practice.
I often buy baby gifts such as locally made blankets, Waldorf baby dolls, fancy soaps or good food for the parents, maybe a little something for a sibling.
The family is so right wing, they almost meet my family pretty far on the left, if that makes sense. We really appreciate each other.
I'd love to buy a gift for the mother or baby, but something to share would be okay too. I'm open to ideas!
Thanks everyone!
My first ask mefi question!
Someone I know will shortly give birth to her seventh baby. I'm completely stumped as to what to buy considering the following details:
The family is religious Christian.
They are essentially homesteaders. They butcher their own meat, have goats for milk, and chickens for eggs.
They homeschool their children and are part of what seems a very tight knit and supportive community.
Lots of hand-me-downs!
They are wary of chemicals and pesticides and seem very committed to organic/non-processed foods and products.
Maybe stating the obvious, but the mother is the busiest woman I've ever met. She exudes a calm warmth and gives excellent hugs. Long flowing skirts and tie-dye.
A bit of extra detail from me:
I don't want to spend more than $50.
I prefer something made with fair labor practice.
I often buy baby gifts such as locally made blankets, Waldorf baby dolls, fancy soaps or good food for the parents, maybe a little something for a sibling.
The family is so right wing, they almost meet my family pretty far on the left, if that makes sense. We really appreciate each other.
I'd love to buy a gift for the mother or baby, but something to share would be okay too. I'm open to ideas!
Thanks everyone!
What about a fruit tree for their garden?
posted by cecic at 5:27 PM on September 14, 2013 [11 favorites]
posted by cecic at 5:27 PM on September 14, 2013 [11 favorites]
If you're local, a free babysitting coupon for the other children for a day. I bet it'd be great for mom to have some one-on-one time with the new baby.
(But the real answer is cecic's tree.)
posted by tchemgrrl at 6:57 PM on September 14, 2013
(But the real answer is cecic's tree.)
posted by tchemgrrl at 6:57 PM on September 14, 2013
If she's so busy, would she appreciate a few homemade frozen or prepped organic meals so she doesn't have to cook for the other 8 members of the household while recovering from childbirth?
I think a handmade blanket (by you or someone else) or Waldorf doll would be perfectly appropriate and sounds like it would fit with their values. Maybe a handmade wooden toy of some sort? I grew up in a very conservative area and when gift giving to those folks I usually just try to think of what Ma or Laura Ingalls would have liked (other than glass windows).
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 7:06 PM on September 14, 2013 [2 favorites]
I think a handmade blanket (by you or someone else) or Waldorf doll would be perfectly appropriate and sounds like it would fit with their values. Maybe a handmade wooden toy of some sort? I grew up in a very conservative area and when gift giving to those folks I usually just try to think of what Ma or Laura Ingalls would have liked (other than glass windows).
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 7:06 PM on September 14, 2013 [2 favorites]
All of your suggested gifts except the Waldorf dolls sound delightful. Waldorf has some new age mysticism stuff, and they may find the doll inappropriate.
The baby probably has plenty of clothes but a very special cardigan just for that baby would be lovely. Etsy has plenty of gender-neutral baby cardigans in that price range.
If you're close enough to have photographs of the family (or they have facebook and post pictures there), getting a really nice print or a collection of shots of the kids and having it printed onto one of those canvas squares, would be a good gift for a very busy mum with a large family.
posted by viggorlijah at 7:24 PM on September 14, 2013
The baby probably has plenty of clothes but a very special cardigan just for that baby would be lovely. Etsy has plenty of gender-neutral baby cardigans in that price range.
If you're close enough to have photographs of the family (or they have facebook and post pictures there), getting a really nice print or a collection of shots of the kids and having it printed onto one of those canvas squares, would be a good gift for a very busy mum with a large family.
posted by viggorlijah at 7:24 PM on September 14, 2013
Do they cloth diaper? They might like some of the newer types of nondisposables they have out there these days-seem to be all the rage with the new moms I know.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 8:26 PM on September 14, 2013
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 8:26 PM on September 14, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks everyone for your helpful suggestions! I ended up getting a non-Waldorf kind of doll/baby blanket. I think they really liked it!
(I loved the fruit tree idea, it wouldn't have worked for this particular family, but I've definitely stored that one for another time!)
posted by mamabear at 12:15 PM on October 15, 2013
(I loved the fruit tree idea, it wouldn't have worked for this particular family, but I've definitely stored that one for another time!)
posted by mamabear at 12:15 PM on October 15, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by easily confused at 3:43 PM on September 14, 2013