Even though push presents are a fairly new trend, they actually have a long history. The idea of a push present has been around for a hundred years in India and the United Kingdom. There are even some claims that giving push presents has been around since the 1700s.
A push present is a gift given to mothers after childbirth, as a way to make them feel special and rewarded.
In the 1700s men would buy a small piece of jewelry for the mothers of their new children and the women would wear it as a reminder of the happy occasion.
What is a push present?
Push present is a type of present that has been around since the 1700s, and it has been fairly popular in India and the United Kingdom for the last 100 years. Push present was given to new mothers after childbirth, mainly by their husbands, as a way of rewarding them for doing a good job. They would usually get some jewelry, as a reminder of their child’s birth.
It is odd how, since the rise of the Internet, push presents only became more popular in the USA recently. Some theories say that is due to the fact that the United States tends to materialize everything, from mass marketing Christmas to creating sales for President’s birthdays.
The is no definite date when the first push presents began to show up in US baby gift trends, but we do know that from 2010 to 2012 the idea of a push present, also commonly known as a baby bauble, has gained ground.
Some people claim that the idea of push presents came from jewelers, who tried to sell more of their merchandise.
There were no set traditions in giving push presents, other than the present should come from someone close to the new mother, which is usually the father of the child or the mother’s partner. But nowadays, more and more people are involved in giving push presents, such as grandmothers, fathers, brothers, and friends.
It has become more and more common for push presents to be expensive, for example, diamond rings and designer bags. Why is that? There are believed to be three factors that are contributing to it.
The first two are somewhat similar, with the first being because rich and famous, who are often taken as role models, do it. Mariah Carey received a $12,000 diamond and a pink sapphire necklace with her twin’s names after delivering them. Beyoncé gave birth to Blue Ivy Carter and after that, Jay-Z gave her an appropriately-colored 10-carat blue tanzanite ring, that is estimated to cost around 35,000 dollars.
The second reason would be that we live in a consumer culture. We are constantly trying to keep up with someone, which then pushes men in a form of peer pressure, familial pressure, or just societal pressure to maintain appearances in the never-ending race of who wore or bought what.
The last reason is that men in the 21st century are perhaps more aware and compassionate to what their wives go through during pregnancy and delivery. This could be due to their support in childbirth classes or in the delivery room. Nowadays, husbands are more involved with the prenatal process. While women go through back pain, morning sickness, stress, and so on, men just sit around and take all the credit. Perhaps the men of the 21st century are a little bit more aware of that. Some men say that giving their wives a gift after giving birth had nothing to do with the jewelry industry, but they rather believed that it was a way of acknowledging everything their wives had been through.
As already mentioned, there are no set rules for giving push presents. However, you should be mindful of when and where you give them, as it is an intimate experience. You can give the gift before or after childbirth. If you chose to give the gift after birth, it’s best to wait until the excitement has calmed down and your partner is resting comfortably. Try to give your gift while you are alone, Wait for an opportunity between visits from nurses, doctors, friends, and other family members or when visiting hours are over. The reason behind that is that you want to avoid an awkward gift-giving moment in front of friends and family as much as you can, and instead put the focus on her and the love you share.
Who gets a push present?
In the past, push presents were only given to women after they gave birth. Nowadays, these gifts are also commonly given to men whose wives give birth, as a way of making them feel more included.
Research in 2019 showed that about 83% of the new mothers expect some sort of gift from their partner. It also showed that around 70% of them actually got a push present after the baby was born.
If you don’t know whether to give your partner a push present, have an open conversation about their expectation. When it comes to choosing a gift, keep in mind that the gift should be for them and not for the baby. If you are not sure what your partner would want as a push present, ask them. They can tell you exactly what they want, or give you some guidelines to push you in the right direction.
Who gives push presents?
At first, push presents were only given by fathers to the mothers of their babies after they gave birth. As the trend of giving push presents has risen, fathers also started to get push presents.
Push presents are now not only given by the baby’s father but also grandparents, brothers and sisters, and friends.
What are the common push presents?
When giving a push present, you need to keep in mind that it should be both appropriate and affordable. You need to know your partner’s taste and personality well enough to make the right call.
If your partner is practical, consider getting her something that she would truly appreciate and want when the baby is born, like a massage, cleaning help, babysitting help, or a brand-new and comfortable non-maternity outfit.
Jewelry
If your partner expects you to get them jewelry, keep in mind what color of jewelry they prefer. It is the most popular choice for a push present, and many times it makes the most powerful statement. You can get them a charm necklace or bracelet with the baby’s name or birth date, which you can add to with each following child’s birth. You can also get a customized ring with the baby’s fingerprint, or a locket with a special message or a photo for your partner. Perhaps the new mother would like to get a birthstone pendant as a way to celebrate your child’s birthday.
Nursery chair
You can also get your partner a comfortable nursery chair since any new parent will undoubtedly spend a lot of time in the nursery chair, whether they are feeding the baby in the middle of the night or taking a nap when they get a chance. Today’s nursery chairs are designed for maximum comfort, and they even have some special features, like a built-in USB port, or quiet reclining capabilities. Another idea to consider is a massage chair.
Digital camera
If your partner loves taking photos, you should consider giving them an instant digital camera like Polaroid Snap or Kodak Printomatic. These kinds of cameras store photos digitally and instantly print pics. That way new parents don’t have to worry about finding the time to go print photos, and they can just easily capture spontaneous moments.
Coffee machine
Does your other half enjoy coffee? If the answer is yes, maybe you should consider getting them a brand new coffee machine. After spending the last 9 months caffeine-free, a coffee-loving mom will surely appreciate this gift. Make sure to get a coffee machine that has a very simple making process. Consider getting them fast-brewing single-cup makers to provide just enough zip and fresh flavor without a caffeine overload.
Laptop
A laptop is a great gift for a new mom who is a writer of works from home. It will allow her to work comfortably from the sofa with the baby nearby or in the nursery during naptime. If your partner loves reading e-books, maybe a tablet would be a better solution, as it allows more flexibility.
Story of your baby book
A “Story of your baby” book, is a one-of-a-kind gift, a lovely photo journal that is a great way of capturing a baby’s first year of life.
Baby’s heart art
Something even more sentimental is a baby’s heart art. In order to do that, you have to find an artist and send them a tracing of your baby’s in utero heartbeat. They will then transform the sound waves into a beautiful watercolor piece of art.
Silk pillowcase
Even though neither of you will get nearly as much sleep as you did for a while, a silk pillowcase can improve the quality of sleep. It is known for its stay-cool properties, as well as being gentle on hair and skin.
Luxurious robe
If you want to give a new mom a gift that will make her feel comfortable yet elegant while she cares for the baby at home, consider getting her a luxurious robe, one that is super comfortable yet looks good.
Smartwatch
A smartwatch is a present that the new mom will surely use a lot. Since caring for a baby and being on your phone is hard, a smartwatch will help her check texts, calls, the weather, and the calendar with a flick of the wrist. It also features health tracking data, such as sleep patterns and exercise.
Audible subscription
If your partner loves reading but you know she won’t have much time to read, consider getting her an Audible subscription. It gives the new mom access to thousands of audiobooks.
Spa gift card
Since pregnancy and delivery are very hard on her body, get your partner a gift card for a spa, where she can get pampered with a massage, facial, or full spa package, which will be a wonderful way to give the gift of rejuvenation to your partner as they recover.
Thoughtful gift box
To show her you care and appreciate her, you can get her a thoughtful gift box filled with things that are suitable for a new mom.
Cozy slippers
You can get the new mom some cozy slippers, as she will be on her feet a lot. Choose the ones that provide the most support, feel cozy, and look stylish.
Essential oil diffuser
If the new mom is into essential oils, maybe you should consider giving her an essential oil diffuser as a push present. Make sure to pick one that goes with the decor of your home so it doesn’t stick out as an eyesore. Let her relax and feel zen.
Nowadays, push presents aren’t only for moms anymore. Dads also want to get in on the fun of getting gifts and want to feel special as their big day arrives.
Engraved watch
Another great, but much more expensive push gift for a new mom is an engraved watch. You can engrave a special message for her or the date of the baby’s birth.
Engraved ring
Moms aren’t the only ones that love rings. A ring is also a lovely push present for dad. If your partner likes rings, why not treat them with a new ring as a push present. To make it even more special, you can engrave it with the name of your baby and its birthday.
Alcohol bottled in the same year as the child’s birth
Perhaps the expecting father would appreciate alcohol that has been bottled the same year as his child’s birth. This type of gift is very sentimental, but keep in mind to choose the right alcohol so it can be kept until the baby can help drink it, or until they get married.
Baby carrier
A baby carrier is a great push gift for moms, as carrying the baby around is one way for them to bond. Make sure to get a baby carrier with back support, because as the baby gets older, carrying them around may lead to back pain.
Customized mug
Another inexpensive push present for a new mother is a customized mug. Put something funny on it, a joke about being a mom, and she will be happy to drink from it every day.
Painting
You can make a painting using your baby’s footprints or order a paint by numbers kit. You can upload your own picture and get a personalized push present for her.
Jogging stroller
A jogging stroller can be a great gift for someone who is into fitness. They can’t be used for newborns, as they don’t have enough neck support, but they can be used with older kids.
RELATED QUESTIONS
What is a great gift to give to a new mom? Good gifts for a new mother are a gold piece of jewelry, gift cards for clothes, an audiobook subscription, or luxurious creams.
What can you give as a gift to a new dad? A new dad’s good gifts are a cigar, whiskey, champagne, a nice coffee maker, or home-baked bread. More push presents for dads is presented here.
What is a good baby shower gift? Good gifts to give at a baby shower are a baby carrier, baby clothes, baby book, baby bottle, baby plate, pacifier blanket, and other things that a newborn may need. Here you can find more gifts for the baby shower.
What can you give as a gift to a newborn baby? For a newborn baby, you can, for example, buy clothes, a pacifier blanket with the baby’s name embroidered, a small toy, a baby blanket, or name nappies. Here you will find more gifts for a newborn baby.
