Gifts for the mw and doula

[lisalulu]

Anyone thinking about this yet?

I don't have a clue what to get.

[CrunchyChristianMama]

I hadn't even thought about it...hmmmm

[colleen2851]

I never got our MW something with DD, didn't even occur to me.

But I did get our doula a bowl similar to this hotmat (this is the store I got it from, it's local, but the bowls on not on their site, unfortunately): http://www.mangotreeimports.com/cgi-...ction&key=3505

[LZP]

Honestly, I didnt think it was necessary! oops. for the FSBC, they're getting lots of money from our ins company. maybe we'll bring in a basket of goodies at our PP check up?

for the doula, we're also paying her a decent amount. But, if she's awesome, I'd love to have sometihng to thank her.

thanks, Lisa, one more thing to add to the list- and things dont seem to be getting crossed off!

[vanislandmama]

I am thinking this time around of getting my midwife something for her office. Something useful/practical/pretty. I haven't decided what yet, but thinking along these lines.

[rightkindofme]

I pay my midwife and doula a combined $5,000. Maybe I'm cheap, but that's enough of a gift for me.

[PieKat]

DDCC
This time around, my OB is paying the doula fees (long story, great for me though!). I am somewhat undecided on the OB and what to get her, but my doula will be getting one of these: http://www.dardhunter.com/shop/index...p=1&itemid=604

My doula has become a good friend and I think this is a perfect gift (although pricey) for her.

[lisalulu]

Wow-that's a beautiful tile!

Well I didn't get our mw from my first 2 births anything although I had inteneded to. This will be our 3rd birth with our doula and ,while she is pricey, I would like to do something for her. I'm thinking maybe of knitting her something. I don't know!

My midwife has a great mug in her office of a pregnants women's body from the shoulder to midleg. I'm sure there's a arty name for that but its really cool. I've also seen soaps like that too.

[notwonamesalike]

How about something simple from Etsy?

[phathui5]

That's really sweet of you. I think a note telling her how she was helpful to you would be good.

[MonP'titBoudain]

I didn't get a gift for our midwife last time... well, I payed her in full before the birth This time, I'm with a different mw and she's worked very hard with us in order to barter off her entire fee. So, I'm planning on making her a new baby scale sling in a lovely fabric and also will be knitting her some glittens (she's a good friend and she admired my own pair a lot last year). I was also thinking of making her a goofy present of knit ovaries and (unpregnant) womb.... but I might wait and make that as a congratulations gift for completing her cnm certification.

[JamieFay]

Originally Posted by MonP'titBoudain

I was also thinking of making her a goofy present of knit ovaries and (unpregnant) womb.... but I might wait and make that as a congratulations gift for completing her cnm certification.

I found that pattern on ravelry and was thinking of knitting it for my midwives, as well! It's too funny!

[umsami]

I was in a really big bind with no prenatal care, no insurance, and a high risk pregnancy. I found a great CNM who took care of me for almost nothing. I ended up getting her this little protective saint of Midwives stuffed thing from Etsy. It was Saint Raymond Nonnatus and had a little prayer on the back... very cute. I got it from http://www.etsy.com/shop/SaintlySilver

I also got her a Homebirth storybook that I found on Etsy as well... as she has a lot of homebirth clients. http://www.homebirthchildrensbook.com/ It's very cute and well done. The only thing that bothered me was the use of boobies for breasts... but we tend to go for anatomically correct names in our house. I still liked it a lot, though.

One other gift I considered was the beautiful wooden Pinard horns from Cascade http://www.1cascade.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=0194

[nmelanson]

Garlic from my garden!!!

[kimkim]

i honestly haven't even considered this. they are getting paid, i don't think a gift is necessary but maybe ya'all have become really close with your mw's. i'm still getting to know mine. maybe a note postpartum... i can barely handle my to do list for baby!

[MonP'titBoudain]

Originally Posted by kimkim

i honestly haven't even considered this. they are getting paid, i don't think a gift is necessary but maybe ya'all have become really close with your mw's. i'm still getting to know mine. maybe a note postpartum... i can barely handle my to do list for baby!

I didn't think a gift was necessary last time. I paid for a service that was well rendered. End of transaction, no guilt. This time things are a bit different. Different mw who's been willing to let us barter her whole fee, plus she's a good friend and I want to show her how much I appreciate all of that. We'd have been stuck with a hospital birth under Medicaid (because it would have been "free" at least in financial costs) if she hadn't been so generous. If I was in the same situation as the first time, I wouldn't be thinking about a gift either!

[Grover]

Originally Posted by kimkim

i honestly haven't even considered this. they are getting paid, i don't think a gift is necessary but maybe ya'all have become really close with your mw's. i'm still getting to know mine. maybe a note postpartum... i can barely handle my to do list for baby!

Couldn't agree more.
Am also struggling to think of gifts (read: essentials!!) for the baby and us....beyond that, brain-no-go-zone.
This could all be because we are pretty disorganised however (no, really?!)
Which isn't the best-feeling place to be in right now at week 31.

Different to most of you it seems, I'm in a country where the midwives are paid for by the government. I think they do okay out of that...and like their jobs, so I wouldn't consider anything financially valuable as a gift - but perhaps a thank you card and photo of the baby and mum and dad to add to their wall of piccies would be in keeping with a certain tradition. (If we remember! Or maybe she'll remember for us...that would be handy.)

G

[AmyKT]

I see a group of CNMs whom I am sure are well-compensated, so I also didn't see the need to get a gift, though I did make sure the attending mw got a picture of us, the baby and her right after the birth. They have a wall of pics like this, so I wanted to contribute to it.

For my doula -- she was also well-paid -- but I did crochet her a hat and gave her a picture of her with the baby.

[wifeyvana]

I think we'll send our midwives a gift certificate to their fave restaurant (they actually recommended a few of their favorites to us at my last appointment) after the birth along with our birth announcement

[matey]

I just have a doula and a medicaid hospital birth. I paid my doula a fee, reduced due to me being poor, but it was still quite a bit for us and was really only afforable because of our tax return. The WIC office partners with the doula foundation to give poor moms free (for first time and single moms) or discounted rates. Anyway, I didnt do a gift with my first birth and never really thought of doing one. I dont think I will be with this one either.