Midwife Gifts?

[mamasoulsista]

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

[crunchymomof2]

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

[MelissaEvans]

I need to see it, but I like the idea of a pregnancy mobile
http://www.1cascade.com/natural_products/gift_mothers/mobile/
Something for over the exam table would be cute. =)

[mom2threenurslings]

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.

[ZeldasMom]

I'm still in the brainstorming phase. Ideas so far:

A gift certificate to a local crunchy business

I :love 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.

[MAMom]

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 (http://www.goodgifts.org/goodgifts/extended_info.php?cPath=67&products_id=27) (costs about $55) Probably my 1st choice.
Chocolate Deities Nursing Mother (http://www.chocolatedeities.com/deity.php?deity=mother)
Book: A Midwife's Tale (http://www.osv.org/giftshop/showitem.php?PID=984528)
SARK's "How To Really Love A Child" poster (http://www.planetsark.com/eshop_products_posters_feat_02.htm)
Gift certificate for a massage

[Aka mommy]

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?

[ZeldasMom]

This is so cool....the Good Gifts Catalogue "buy a bike for a midwife in Ethiopia" Bikes for Midwives (http://www.goodgifts.org/goodgifts/extended_info.php?cPath=67&products_id=27) (costs about $55) Probably my 1st choice.

:love this idea!

[kidspiration]

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/

[crunchymomof2]

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.

[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.

[ZeldasMom]

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.

[Wugmama]

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...

[susannella]

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/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=MT&Product_Code=C409RW6s&Category_Code=JE

great thread!

[SunRayeMomi]

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 ;)

[sarahloughmiller]

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.

[Rach]

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!

[BennyPai]

:lurk: 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. :heartbeat 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?

[mariposita]

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/showthread.php?p=4575513#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

[orangebird]

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.

[orangebird]

What do you think of plants? Are plants OK for a MW gift? I saw the cutest little plants, pincushins I think, at wild oats the other day. I just ordered some more soap and I'll give them each a couple bars (Tami's Soap- yummy!) and then what about a plant in a cute container and a photo of DS? Or maybe a photo of both boys since they delivered both of them...

[camprunner]

:lurk: 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. :heartbeat 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?

I don't have any suggestions but just wanted to say that we have the same midwife :thumb She's really made dh feel at ease about hb.

[fireflies~for~me]

I remembered my wonderful midwife commenting on the paperwork aspect of being a CNM, so I made up a "Midwife'sTimesaving Kit" with printed labels with her name and address, stamped envelopes, handmade notecards, etc...She thanked me soo much for such a thoughtful and practical gift:)

[ZeldasMom]

What do you think of plants? Are plants OK for a MW gift? I saw the cutest little plants, pincushins I think, at wild oats the other day. I just ordered some more soap and I'll give them each a couple bars (Tami's Soap- yummy!) and then what about a plant in a cute container and a photo of DS? Or maybe a photo of both boys since they delivered both of them...

I don't know what pincushions are, but I think a plant would be nice. I like the idea that it is something living.

[Momma Aimee]

soap is always great;

my sis made soap for my weddign shower -- eveyone wants to know if they get more at the baby shower this month. :)

AImee

[MomInCalifornia]

We gave our MW a nice gift certificate to a winery and restaurant. She and her husband like good wine, and 7 children and busy careers, so we figured this would allow them to have an evening to reconect together. She was very thankful.

I also wrote her a letter telling how much I appreciated her care. I listed specific things she had done that were special to me, and offered to be a reference for her in the future.

[gonnabeamom]

To the soap making mama, I am a soap molder, and was thinking of doing bath baskets. Giving them soaps I had made, plus scented bath salts-I just scent epsom salts and everyone I've done them for loves them. If you are feeling ambitious you could check up on some other hand made beauty recipes, and you'd have a really nice basket. Stick in a card with some birth imagery on it, and a note of thanks for their support, and you'll have a wonderful gift.

[crunchymomof2]

I posted earlier. But we arent going to be able to afford that gift right now. So...I am going to try to make her this spa blanket i saw at the discovery store. http://shopping.discovery.com/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10000&storeId=10000&langId=-1&productId=57719&partnumber=721498

It smelled so nice. I hope it works.

[Melaniee]

What a great thread. I'm also trying to decide what to give my midwives (2). I'd like to bring something to my PPD visit next month, but no idea what! I feel like they've probably already received every midwife-specific gift in the book.

[Monkeybutt]

I got our midwife flowers. She loved them!

She said she was having a really hard few days and they just made her day. yipee! She's awesome!

[mom2threenurslings]

I got this Humane Wool Pregnancy Fairy (http://www.elementalhandcrafts.com/home/browse/fk_cat_prod/910/) for one of my midwives - gave it to her today and she LOVED it.

My other midwife was admiring a piece of birth art my kids made for me, so we are making one for her as well.

[Melaniee]

What a lovely fairy! That is tempting, though I had wanted to stray from a midwife/pregnancy specific gift...very tempting.

[oldfashionmama]

i went with a more "traditional" gift and got her basket with lots of different bath items. she doesn't have much time to take bubblebaths but looks forward to them when she can.

[Bleu]

I just blundered into this online and had to share. I'm bookmarking this thread and hoping to need it someday for myself.

Spiritual Midwifery Cafe Press items - t-shirts, mugs, messenger bags, etc. (http://www.cafepress.com/midwife)

[abigailvr]

I'm going to knit my midwife a womb:
http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter04/PATTwomb.html

Because who needs a hand knitted womb more than a midwife? No one! :D

[~lioneyes~]

What do you think of plants? Are plants OK for a MW gift? I saw the cutest little plants, pincushins I think, at wild oats the other day.

I saw these! They are so cute! I was ooooing and ahhhhing over them, and dh was giving me the "yeah we need more plants" look. :lol

[~lioneyes~]

Bump :)

[abigailvr]

My MW loved the womb I knit her! Seen here:
http://www.abigailvr.net/knitting/womb1.jpg
http://www.abigailvr.net/knitting/womb2.jpg

I'm also giving her a pocket-sized breastfeeding resource book because she was telling me how she wished she had a smaller one. I hope it comes before my six week check up!

[mommyjenn]

We treated our birth team to a mocha/latte after the birth. I had my mom take everyone's order and bring drinks for everyone. My mw's espcially loved and really appreciated this. I know for many midwifes attending births and coffee go hand in hand, LOL, so maybe a gift basket filled with gourmet emergency coffee treats:lol .

[rikiamber]

Great Ideas, I have got to think of one. I never though of giving my MW a gift. I think I will make one for my Doula also. Its a wonderful idea to give a gift to these ladies. I wish I could afford a Vulva Puppet (has anyone seen these) or I think its called a Yoni puppet, my doula would love these shes kooky like that. I am going to try to knit that uterus, and make the vagina coin purse, that one is...well there are now words to describe it I just like it. I looked at the vulva puppets they are mighty expensive but so cool, I love them i want one so bad. DH would think I am crazy.

I like the gift basket ideas. I could put two together that would be great, i just have to figure out what they would be in need of. My mw has 5 kids one is about the leave the house and go out into the world, she a wonderful christian woman who is pretty laid back, I'd like to get her something for her not pertaining the midwifery. My Doula is a super crunchy woman, has two boys 4 and almost a year i think she is really laid back and totally into being a doula, she's pratices a non-christian religion I believe an Earth-Mother religion but I havent asked cause it dosent matter, it helps to know when picking a gift though so I dont get something she wont use.

Anyways anygood ideas for gift baskets?

[didkisa]

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...


Here, here! What could be more personal and meaningful than something you make yourself with your midwife in mind? I am a videographer (and yes, hope to videotape all I can throughout the delivery!) and plan to edit some footage and photos to music. I also love sewing and crocheting, and anyone with experience in those departments can come up with all kinds of creative ideas to put together with little money.

[adtake]

With my last son we had a midwife and student midwife. The student did the actual delviery. So at my six week visit I brough the student a photo album and a page I had made for her with a picture of her and I and baby and pic of baby with his name and stats. I told her she could now keep track of all the babies she gets to delivery over her life as a midwife. She seemed very please and said she had been keeping pics of all the babies and now had a way to put them together.

Hope that helps someone else!!

Think this time I am going with the basket with special quotes in it. Kinda of for the whole office..

Still need a very special idea for my best friend who is planning on delivering this one.

s

[MelissaEvans]

I got our midwife a teaching stethescope so that we and others who prefer not to use the dopler can hear along with her. We gave it to her earlier in the pregnancy. We also got her a "Beauty of Breastfeeding" calendar for Christmas. I hope that "counts" as we didn't get her anything after baby came.

[anniegirl]

When I was pregnant I noticed my midwife's office was full of birthy trinkets, collected from patients I assume. They were fun to look at but I also thought that after twenty years it might get a little old, so I straight up asked her if there was any particular store or restaurant that she really liked. She immediately said "Whole Foods!" so we got her a gift certificate from there. It wasn't particularly creative but I felt good knowing we got her something she wanted and would really enjoy.

[nikirj]

I imagine MWs' homes get quite full with all this kind of crafty stuff. So I made her a gift basket with food. Homemade biscotti, spiced apple cider mix, homemade toffees, brownies, stuff like that. We wrapped it up in packing paper that my daughter had been using to draw pictures of the birth and of the midwife. I figured she could always re-use the basket to give to a client along with her birth kit, and the edibles, well, she had a teenager. So even if she didn't like them, they were gone.

[nikirj]

I imagine MWs' homes get quite full with all this kind of crafty stuff. So I made her a gift basket with food. Homemade biscotti, spiced apple cider mix, homemade toffees, brownies, stuff like that. We wrapped it up in packing paper that my daughter had been using to draw pictures of the birth and of the midwife. I figured she could always re-use the basket to give to a client along with her birth kit, and the edibles, well, she had a teenager. So even if she didn't like them, they were gone.

[myniyer]

This is so cool....the Good Gifts Catalogue "buy a bike for a midwife in Ethiopia" Bikes for Midwives (http://www.goodgifts.org/goodgifts/extended_info.php?cPath=67&products_id=27) (costs about $55) Probably my 1st choice.

I love this idea! :love :love Unfortunately the company is charging a £10 fee because I am not in the UK... does anyone know of a similar US based company?

[goosedown77]

I am going to go with the Bicycle for an international midwife in need. www.goodgifts.org Any good midwife would like nothing better than to 'grease the wheels', so to speak, of her profession the world over. This is a perfect way to do that, and show your appriciation. Of course, I think she deserves a chocolate diety too! www.chocolatedeities.com I recently ordered a valentine gift from them (by phone) and the woman who answered was terrific. I will most certainly be a repeat customer there. Happy shopping!

[Nicole B]

OK....I want to see a "vulva puppet" and "placenta print":D

Anyone have a link to pictures of either one???

The placenta print....do you actually use the placenta as a STAMP???:Sheepish:

[Isaac'sMa]

http://www.yoni.com/loverf/vulvaintro.shtml

Follow this link to see some Vulva puppets. I really like the idea and they're cute too, but expensive IMO.

My DH and I made placenta prints so I do have photos, but I'm not sure how to get them up on a post. I know that there have been other threads about this on the HB forum, so maybe do a search. You pat blood onto the placenta/cord and the press the paper onto it to make a print. It looks like a tree of life. Pretty cool.

[flydale]

Last time I gave my MW a CD -- she had asked what musci was playing during part of my labor and she really like it - so I got her a copy. This time I'm going to knit pillows for my MWs, doulas, and other support folks (wow, that's a lot of knitting to do in a few short weeks) with the idea of thanking them all for the "comfort and support" during my pregnancy (I know a little cheesy... okay a lot cheesy :o )

[bleumoose]

OK....I want to see a "vulva puppet" and "placenta print":D

Anyone have a link to pictures of either one???

The placenta print....do you actually use the placenta as a STAMP???:Sheepish:

Here's a picture of the placenta prints my doula made for us after our birth last month. :) http://www.flickr.com/photos/32532615@N00/372544054/in/photostream/

Yep you use it as a stamp. She laid it out flat on a surface then took the paper and pressed it right down on top of the placenta. Pretty cool.

[ahdoula]

I am getting my 2 midwives and my doula a framed tile from here:
http://www.cafepress.com/motherdoulacare

for their home or office.

[Radish4ever]

I just bought this for their birth center :)

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=456269

[Nicole B]

Thank you Laura and Allison:wave
I LOVE the placenta print:thumb
How wonderful that the print from a placenta looks like a growing tree!

[Gabesgrrrl]

Hello Everyone,
In case you haven't seen these, they make amazing midwife gifts-and especially if you do a basket with a few different products. I'm also going to be adding some wire "house-shaped" baskets, with the Mamas in Bloom, which will become my Homebirth Baskets, and I'm not sure how at this point, but I am planning on making that particular item a fund-raising one to support Birth Choices.

Here's a link: www.bloominbellysoaps.com

With Joy,
Marcie

[sedalbj]

subbing, great ideas!

[sevenkids]

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.

Some hand made soaps were among my favorite gifts from clients. I love good soaps and it's not often I can afford to buy them for myself. Things like lovely hand made soaps require so much love and good energy to come out right, it's always a great pleasure to be gifted with them.

[SunRayeMomi]

My mom is a midwife and she just found this:http://www.baronbob.com/pregnantkeychain.htm

I thought that would be cute as a midwife gift. My mom got one for a few of her colleagues ;)