What is the norm for giving gifts for birth attendants?

[naturalthinker]

Are you giving your birth-helpers a gift?

I saw a thread about gift ideas for midwife, and i wondered how many of you are giving gifts to your midwife/attending - is this customary like gifts for wedding participants or tipping in a restaurant or an occasional thing people sometimes do?

What is the norm on this?

Thanks!

[roostery]

I hadn't really thought about giving my midwives a gift but since I'm so in love with them right now I thought I might bake them a loaf of something and drop it off at their practice. Maybe a couple loaves of different things since they're so awesome. That way I'm also giving something to support staff who I'm sure are doing their best for me, I just never happen to see them.

[DoomaYula]

I gave my midwife some personalized notepads with a picture of a pregnant belly on them.

As a doula, I have received doula/midwifery advocacy wear as gifts. It's always nice to receive a thank you note with a picture of the baby.

[HeatherB]

I didn't do anything last time, but have wanted to this time. One thing we're planning to do is make tshirts for the kids to wear, then have DH do a photo shoot. I'd like to have photos of my 3 kids in their "I love my midwife" tees, one of my MW *with* my 3 kids, and one with my 3 and the 3 kids of a friend (all born with this MW). The four oldest of our kids are best friends, so it will be very cool to have all of them together - they're all close in age, too. Now I just have to get DH on to getting the shirts done and figure out how to get my MW here and ready for pics without giving TOO much away.

I am considering a donation in honor of the assistant midwife to a program supporting and training midwives in third world countries. Haven't decided for sure, though.

[wildgarden]

I'm giving my mw's plant starts (cuttings from my houseplants). It was a nesting project to repot all of my plants. I'd like to do more, but I can't really afford much. There was a thread with some great ideas a few weeks ago. I might do the box idea too if I can find time.

[Dena]

This was my second birth with my mw, and she really has gone above and beyond the call of duty for me, so I wanted to do something nice for her. I got her a gift certificate for a massage, which she loved.

I also got several thank you gifts for my doula, as she did the birth without charge since she is a good friend (and ended up having to cancel an afternoon's worth of patients at her chiro practice to boot). For her, I got a gf for housecleaning, one for pre-made dinners for her freezer, and one for a massage.