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Midwife Gifts?

post #1 of 59
8/28/05 at 2:43pm
Thread Starter 
Hey,

This will be my first homebirth and I'm wondering what other people are buying their midwives for their gifts? I could use some suggestions.

The only thing I could think of is a basket with:
2-Nalgene bottles (she's in her car all the time)
Welcome with Love (she doesn't have it)

Joey
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post #2 of 59
8/28/05 at 3:41pm
I think I am gonna get my midwife a homeopathic midifery kit. I dontknow that I would normally get something so expensive but we still havent paid her off. But dh just got a raise so we are paying her off in a couple weeks and I want to show her how much I appreciate her working with us.

Other ideas I had:
childrens books about birth
a birth print for her office
http://home.fuse.net/mac47/about.html one of these dolls. they give birth. really interesting
post #3 of 59
8/28/05 at 6:02pm
I need to see it, but I like the idea of a pregnancy mobile
http://www.1cascade.com/natural_prod...others/mobile/
Something for over the exam table would be cute. =)
post #4 of 59
8/28/05 at 10:53pm
If my dad and dh get good pictures of the birth, I'm going to make a Powerpoint presentation set to music about our child's birth - pictures, quotes, etc. My kids are going to make a piece of artwork for their office. I also bought a pregnant woman figure made out of wool (it hangs up and is absolutely beautiful) for them.
post #5 of 59
8/29/05 at 10:19am
I'm still in the brainstorming phase. Ideas so far:

A gift certificate to a local crunchy business

I this shirt:
http://www.cafepress.com/orhomebirth.12804673

I have thought about knitting something. Maybe this womb:
http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter04/PATTwomb.html

Or this bag would be more practical:
http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer05/PATTsatchel.html

Or socks or felted slippers (LTK mocs) for her, her DH, and her DS

Or a scarf/hat/mittens out of really nice yarn.
post #6 of 59
8/29/05 at 5:25pm
I am trying to think of a unique gift for my midwife too. Here are some I have come up with so far:
  • This is so cool....the Good Gifts Catalogue "buy a bike for a midwife in Ethiopia" Bikes for Midwives (costs about $55) Probably my 1st choice.
  • Gift certificate for a massage
post #7 of 59
8/29/05 at 5:38pm
I have been racking my brain for the perfect gift. Or at least a gift that somehow expresses the love and gratitude we feel for our midwives. I love all of the suggestions, keep on posting em lol!!!

The only thing i have come up with so far is a photo quilt. We intend on taking photos of the birth and if we get enough good shots with our mw's in them, i intend on putting them on fabric and making it into a small quilt. ???? dont know if thats lame or if they would even want it, but i know it needs to be something hand made as they would love it all the more! What do you all think? I dont want it to be a gift that seems self absorbed. Should i get something more practical that they can use?
post #8 of 59
8/29/05 at 6:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MAMom
This is so cool....the Good Gifts Catalogue "buy a bike for a midwife in Ethiopia" Bikes for Midwives (costs about $55) Probably my 1st choice.
this idea!
post #9 of 59
8/29/05 at 6:29pm
This is what I would like to get for our midwives. I got these personalized for my bridesmaids when we got married and everyone cherishes them. They are absolutely gorgeous and the woman who does them has great customer service.

http://www.wishbowl.com/
post #10 of 59
8/29/05 at 8:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aka mommy
The only thing i have come up with so far is a photo quilt. We intend on taking photos of the birth and if we get enough good shots with our mw's in them, i intend on putting them on fabric and making it into a small quilt. ???? dont know if thats lame or if they would even want it, but i know it needs to be something hand made as they would love it all the more! What do you all think? I dont want it to be a gift that seems self absorbed. Should i get something more practical that they can use?

I think that is an awesome idea and had thought about doing that myself..but in the end we didnt get many pics of the birth at all.
post #11 of 59
8/29/05 at 9:38pm
Anybody who can't afford most of the things listed above have any ideas. LOL! We're pretty poor right now. I was thinking of just giving them a few handmade soaps (I make soap), but I wish I could think of something else. I feel like here, here's some soap! is just kinda not enough. Maybe I'll give them that for now and draw some pics of my newborn babe to give later. I haven't drawn in a long time, it's about time I got back to it.
post #12 of 59
8/29/05 at 10:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wendy1221
Anybody who can't afford most of the things listed above have any ideas. LOL! We're pretty poor right now. I was thinking of just giving them a few handmade soaps (I make soap), but I wish I could think of something else. I feel like here, here's some soap! is just kinda not enough. Maybe I'll give them that for now and draw some pics of my newborn babe to give later. I haven't drawn in a long time, it's about time I got back to it.
I think something you have made yourself is especially meaningful. I would include a note telling how much what she has done means to you and your family.
post #13 of 59
8/29/05 at 11:28pm
You should never feel like you have to spend a lot of money to show someone you appreciate them. I recently found out through the grapevine it was my boss' Bday, and I put a Rainforest dark chocolate bar (I knew dark chocolate was his favorite), along with a homemade card that my mom made (she makes beautiful cards she sells) on his desk when he wasn't in his office. He came and found me to thank me and I could tell it made his whole day.

I personally always prefer an inexpensive thoughtful gift to an expensive one, and a handmade gift really makes me feel special!

I don't have any good ideas for midwife gifts though, wish I did cause I want to give mine something special. I'll sleep on it and see if anything comes to me...
post #14 of 59
8/29/05 at 11:53pm
I think the handmade soap idea sounds wonderful. Midwives reveive lots of gifts, I'm sure, and something so unique and made with love by hand would be especially appreciated.

I also loved the bicycles for midwives in ethiopia idea. We may use this one when the time comes, as I don't have many craft skills! One thing I can do is cook, and there will be a mean meal for everyone after I give birth.

Here is one more idea, but i see these around, so I might worry that she already has a pair-

crowning earrings- http://www.midwiferytoday.com/Mercha...tegory_Code=JE

great thread!
post #15 of 59
8/30/05 at 1:19am
My mother is a midwife and she always gets services from her clients. Free chiro care, and in turn she will refer them of course. She delivered many a babe for a vet and got free vet care for our pets. From a natural homeopathic we got check-ups for my babe. So I know we all have something we are good at, be it our profession or the ability to make kick-a$$ crafts, so be creative. My mom has jewelry from some of her moms, and soaps and all sorts of stuff. Small gifts are perfectly fine if they come from the heart! I think the best gift of all is probably word-of-mouth
post #16 of 59
8/30/05 at 1:49pm
I have been thinking about this a lot and can not figure out what to give. My mw has really gone far beyond what I ever could have expected from her with this pregnancy and she was wonderfull with ds's birth also. I wanted to give her something special, but I know she has lots of stuff and I don't really make anything that would be useful to her. I was thinking about doing a placenta print and framing it for her for her office. I did not do it with ds and don't know how it will turn out, but someone was telling me they did it and it looks like a tree and is really neat looking. I thought it would be even better with 2 placentas from these babies, but we will see. All of the ideas so far are great, I think anything home made is even more special because it takes more time and thought. I do love the bicycle idea also.
post #17 of 59
8/30/05 at 6:10pm
I'm subscribing because I love my midwife!
She is so hands off, which is exactly what I need, and I have no idea how to thank her for something so important to me!
I like the idea of a placenta print.
I am growing pumpkins, so depending on how many we have, I may give her one, or make pumpkin pie or something.
My boyfriend's work is opening up a new spa, I was also thinking of getting her a gift certificate for when it's done.
Or, maybe my boyfriend can fix her computer for her. lol I think she needs a new sound card. :P
I personally think a personal gift would be better. So don't feel that just because you only make soap, that it's not a good gift. I think it'd be great!
post #18 of 59
8/31/05 at 4:37am
: I've subscribed to this thread as well... My midwife is taking legal risks attending home births in NC. She has five children she home schools.
If she weren't doing this, we wouldn't have the option of home birth. We don't have much money and she has allowed us to barter partly for her services. I really want to give her a special gift.

She just signed a lease for her first office. I am thinking of getting her something(s) for her office.

Any suggestions?
post #19 of 59
9/1/05 at 8:07pm
A couple thoughts...What we did for our midwives last time was print up a bunch of quotes about pregnancy/birth/parenting on nice paper then cut it up with decorative scissors. Then I bought a basket at Goodwill and got a nice scrap of batik fabric I had to line it with. Then I put in the quotes so they can draw one per day. I think I had enough to last almost half a year. I did this for each midwife and apprentice at the birth center where DS was born and I think it only cost me like $5 total! They still have it out in their waiting room. I'm going to do that again this time around too since we've moved states and have a different midwife. Cheap, homemade and easy! I may even have it in a Word document (not sure if it got transfered over when we wiped out the hard drive or not), but if not I have a hard copy and can photocopy and send it to anyone who PM's me. That'll save you the time looking for the quotes.

edited to add: due to the overwhelming interest in this, i posted the quotes in this thread. enjoy! http://www.mothering.com/discussions...13#post4575513

Also, I have those crowning earrings on the Midwifery Today website and I wear them daily! It's fun to have people make comments on them and then shock them by saying, "Thanks, it's a vagina!". hahahaha
post #20 of 59
9/8/05 at 12:25pm
I need some gift ideas too. My midwives have now attended 2 of my births and I never gave them a gift last time. This time I need to step up, they were wonderful both times. One has an office (she is a ND) the other just works out of her car, no office yet.