First of all, what’s a push present? It’s a gift that a partner gives to the mother as a ‘thank you’ for all of those hard months carrying their child and eventually ‘pushing’ that baby out through the ultimate gift of birthing their baby. I struggle with the term “push present” because a.) it sounds pretty dumb; and b.) it excludes mama’s who birthed through cesarean. But terms aside, I do love the idea of honoring the mother in this way. Many men choose jewelry that commemorates the baby’s birthstone or name which is lovely but I thought it would be nice to share some practical and meaningful ideas that might be out of the norm.
Postpartum Herb Baths
I talked extensively about herb bath in the Must Have Postpartum & Breastfeeding Items post. Such a meaningful gift as it promotes bonding for mom and baby and relaxation for mama. My two favorite herb baths are here and here.
Postpartum Doula
A postpartum doula supports the new mom with evidenced based information on breastfeeding and physical and emotional recovery from childbirth. She will assist with mom/baby bonding, nursing, basic newborn care, care associated with mother’s cesarean or vaginal birth and soothing the infant when mom needs sleep. Postpartum doulas can be essential to new parents who don’t have family (or helpful family) to come in the days and weeks right after birth. You can hire a postpartum doula to come for a few hours each day or even to sleep overnight and help with those exhausting night feedings and care.
Comfortable rocker
@mel_jensen
With all of the expenses that quickly add up on a baby registry, it can be easy to move this one to the bottom of the list but the truth is mama will be spending endless hours in her nursing chair so surprising her with the one she was swooning over at the baby store would be an awesome push present. A few of my favorites are this recliner, this rocker+ottoman and this double rocker which is perfect for an older sibling to feel included and snuggle up next to mama while she’s nursing!
New phone or camera
New moms spend a TON of time taking pictures and videos of their precious babies. In the digital age don’t spend a lot of money printing photos but we do get to capture every adorable thing our babies do. Having the most recent camera specs on a new phone will make those pictures practically professionally taken. You can also opt for a nice DSLR camera if mom is really into photography.
Massage or massage subscription
After you give birth your body sometimes feels like it’s been hit by a truck—you used muscles you’ve never used before sometimes for days and then once baby arrives you find yourself contorting into all kinds of crazy positions to nurse and care for the baby. A postpartum massage is a VERY meaningful and practical gift. You can opt for a one-time deluxe massage at a local spa or a massage subscription that gets her regular massages at a more affordable price.
Photoshoot
We are huge fans of postpartum and breastfeeding photoshoots. These early newborn days are truly such a blur and having a professional photographer come to your home and document this time is a priceless gift. Many mothers enjoy herb bath photoshoots as well.
Weekend Getaway or Family Vacay
It’s surprisingly easy to getaway with a newborn—they are free to fly, require very little (boob and diapers) and usually sleep through flights. Although we recommend taking the first few weeks to bond with your baby in the comfort of your own home, a surprise trip to a relaxing spot would be a welcome gift for many mothers who feel isolated or swallowed by the sometimes intense postpartum experience. If you have older children maybe arrange for a sitter for them and getaway just the two of you with baby.