Pregnancy Gift (Edited)

You could start a charm bracelet if it's a girl.

If she is having a girl I would go to the little baby boutiques and see if you can find an outfit that is not your "typical" baby outfit. I had ones specially made for one of my girlfriends that had her daughter’s name on the bottom.

You may consider a photography package to do some good black and whites of her and her prego belly. May sound weird but I have a lot of friends who have done that and love them!

For my last pregnancy, I got a photographer to take pics. of me & my husband with my belly. And, then of all my children. My husbands' hands on my bare belly is one of the best photos of my life. It is also the last photo I'll ever have of being pregnant.

If you can find a photographer in her area that does this, I think she'd find the photos delightful. It does feel weird at first, but once the baby is out and your body goes back, you'll always have the photos to admire.

Or you can order her some meals to be delivered to her home after the baby is born. I'd have them delivered about a month after because parents/friends usually come around right after the baby is born....but, then they stop. Cooking for your family or even just you & your husband with a new baby is tiresome.

Hope this helps!

When I had my first child, somebody gave me two cans of "paint". One of them was baby boy blue, and the other one was Mommy pink. The little boy one had everything that you could need for bath time plus little travel sizes. The Mommy pink had bath stuff for Mommy and the little wine bottles that are the single serving. I never got so much enjoyment out of something than I did that. You could even put in a gift certificate to a chain restaurant.

I decorate picture frames and mirrors for friends and family and would be glad to do one for you. Right now I just have them on myspace but you are more than welcome to check them out and comment.
Good Luck!
W.
myspace.com/wonderful_moments

How far away is her due date? How about a basket of all the things moms are supposed to avoid so she can have a treat after baby comes: sushi gift card, coffee, wine, etc? You could put in puzzle books, a new hair brush and toiletries, and the like to make the hospital stay more comfy. And if she plans on nursing, she'll love a good insulated water bottle.

If she plans on nursing, maybe a nursing nightgown. Japanese weekend makes cute comfy ones. Or a pj set or something nice to wear around the house when she gets home.

Looks like you have plenty of neat ideas. Someone previously mentioned about maternity bags, and this is a unique idea I always give and the product is always talked about. Here is where I purchase mine :)

http://www.aprilshowerstx.com/products

also check out: www.thediaperbaker.com

Hope this helps :)
C.

Hire a face painter to paint her belly! Find a face painter in her area--or, if you like, let me know where she is and I'll find a good artist and send you their info!

Also, a belly cast, or bronzed belly bowl are cool and personalized.

Prenatal Photos are nice, too. Kiddie Kandids did some for me recently(not OF me, of a belly I painted) and they were more fabulous than a lot of studios I've seen!

Good Luck! Oh, and Arbonne is a gift you can never give too often! Have a local representative make up a gift basket with pampering items for her, and the baby!

Have fun!
~A.

I recently did this and it worked out wonderfully. I gifted the mom with Burt's Bees pregnancy products. They are natural and safe. They also have baby products. I gave her some belly oil (it is lemon scented so it is soothing for nausea) foot massage cream that is soothing for sore feet and aids in circulation. It also helps with swollen ankles. I also gave her ginger tea which is good for soothing tummies. You could also include nipple cream, candles, Mother's milk tea etc. Basically it is a spa in a box.
You can find these items on-line or in health food stores, as well as Central Market, Whole Foods, or Sprouts.
By the way I am a maternity photographer and I offer gift certificates. You can find my add on mamasource with a link to my blog. I also offer "member perks". My business name is B.M.J. Events

Gift card for cool maternity clothes. Or a great, comfy pair of PJs to wear in the hospital after the baby comes when she'll have so many visitor and will need to look cute! If she's having a C-section, she''l need a night gown and not PJs because of the catheter..fun! :)
I had friends send me a basket of all my favorite snacks and drinks. That was nice...but again, after the c-section you are on a cleat liquid diet for a while. Favorite magazines to read in the hospital. Some great new slippers for the hospital.
I got my legs waxed for the first time before my first baby. It was HUGE to not have to shave. And smooth legs are so much more comfortable! So I give a leg waxing as a gift to my better friends all the time now.
Dinners after the baby is born are great, too. In Dallas, I send "Diet Gourmet" and I've googled other places for out of town friends.
If you want to get even more personal, you could give her a necklace with the baby's birth stone. Stella And Dot (www.stelladot.com) has a really cool necklace. You buy the chain, then add the charms. My friend just bought one for herself with her child's first initial and his birthstone. Here is a link for the general look, but you customize it
http://www.stelladot.com/corporate/productcatalog?page=pr...
Good luck!

I have seen "stress relieving" baskets. It contains stress relieving lotion and bath supplies. Another option would be coupons for free babysitting when you go visit. I have received a denim diaper bag with trucks embroidered on it with my son's name as well as a pink toile bag with tassels on it for my daughter with her name on it. I used those all the time. You mentioned massage, well, look in her area for a good massage parlor and ask if they give out gift cards. I hope this helps start the creative juices flowing.

I own an embroidery buisness here in town and we do a lot of personal baby gifts. We can also create something special just for mom.

Visit us at http://dancingneedledesigns.blogspot.com or www.dancingneedledesigns.com

I have a lot of people who order from out of town for others in other states and we include gift wrapping and a personal note!
Hope we can help!

I would have loved a nice robe for the hospital, some nice comfy slippers, and some pajamas made for breastfeeding. I also would have loved gift cards to places like chilis to go or delivery restraunts so I didn't have to worry about cooking right off. Blockbuster gift card would have been lovely as well, maybe with a popcorn bowl and some microwave popcorn in it... Just thoughts that would be a nice comfort to a new mom.

I would send a frame for the ultrasound pics, a nursing bracelet(etsy.com has cute ones), The Rookie Mom's Handbook, a pregnancy iron on transfer for a tshirt(they have cute ones at JoAnn's for ~$2 that say things like "baby on board" or "mommy to be"), some Preggo Pops from Motherhood for morning sickness, a pregnancy journal, cocoa butter, and/or homemade sugar cookies shaped/decorated like pickles and ice cream.

We got the cutest little chair that converted into a step stool with our son's name painted on it. We passed it down to the second child, and now to my nephew. Of course the baby cannot use it until he/she can sit on his/her own, then stand and is trying to reach the bathroom sink - but it is a great decoration in the meantime.

Look for a "cute" hospital bag that can be used as a tote or even a chic diaper bag later on. Buy the travel size toiletries and maybe some slippers and put together a hospital bag for mom. I do this everytime i go to a baby shower and it is always greatly appreciated! Good Luck!

If she'll be nursing, you can give her a nursing bra or nursing pads. I highly recommend the Bravado Body Silk nursing bra from www.nurturedfamily.com

I love those necklaces that have the baby's initial on the little round charm. You can order them through several different websites at a ranges of different prices. Another great gift I received was a brighton bracelet that says "mother" on it. Another idea is ordering custom bibs and burp cloths with baby's monogram that match her diaper bag- etsy.com is a good resource for that. Just a few ideas!

I always buy my PG gf's a new pair of PJ's that they can wear after the baby. Girls always love new PJ's. So whenever I go to a shower I buy the baby a gift and buy PJ's for the new Mommy. It's always a hit.

I would suggest a charm bracelet with a charm. James Avery has several great ones. Then she can add to it as her family grows! I LOVE mine and rarely take it off. I got the girl booties after my daughter was born and had her name and date of birth engraved on it. It is very sweet and personal. Good luck!

Hi B.~

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Happy scenting!

Nice thought, but I had so many think that way that I ended up with a bunch of stuff I didn't need and hardly anything that I did from my registry. Had to buy it all myself and ended up with a few pairs of pj's that are not my taste.

I like to make hand-stamped cards, and I made a friend some really cute, really unique baby announcements.

If you are crafty, you could do that too. Or, you could give her a gift certificate for an Etsy store that would print some personalized birth announcements. That would probably take the stress off of her to write them out herself.

I just bought my best friend who is expecting a james avery charm bracelet with the booties charm. Now she can start collecting baby and mommy charms to add to it.

I like to give the one time packets of bath soaking stuff, face masks, foot masks and lotions. YOu can put some good inexpensive ones or go all out. Put them in a basket with seom cute/pretty washclothes and puffs/scrubbers.